Every high school athlete dreams to be on their varsity team. Whether they make it in their senior year, or play all four years, every player plays a pivotal role in the team. These four-year-players have crucial roles on their team and their role changes and grows dramatically over time.

It’s not only the athletes that start on the freshmen team and work their way up that have to grind for their spot; the players on varsity from the start often see little playing time in their first two years. The frustration of this causes many athletes to drop the sport or transfer to a different school where they get more opportunities earlier in their high school career. For those athletes who can push through the struggle, the benefits in the last years of their career are substantial; this includes more playing time and even the possibility of a role as captain.

“It’s definitely hard,” Mikhin (’25) said. “It takes a lot of work to stay at that level consistently, and also being on varsity means that you have to be a leader. A lot of people are looking up to you.”

For some, being the youngest on the team is great as it helps with player development over the years. Being exposed to older players can help a young athlete hone their skills and develop into the best athlete they can be. In other cases, the rookie on the team can face adversity. This could mean being the punching bag of the team, or in extreme cases, victims of hazing. Luckily for the large majority of athletes, this is not the case with the youngest member of the team often being the favorite among their peers.

“As a freshman, I was really just following other people,” Lydia Mikhin (’25) said. “Over time, I was able to help the freshman get through the same things I had to get through when I was first on the team.”

Along the way, many athletes may face injuries or get tired of the sport. For many, they may feel that they have reached their peak as a high school athlete and become unmotivated because they don’t have something to work towards. Additionally, the season may feel repetitive for four-year varsity athletes since they’ve been doing the same drills, exercises, and plays throughout their entire high school career. According to some athletes, it’s important to take breaks from the sport when you can. 

 “Stay committed, be on your grind, stay committed.” Mikhin (’25) said.