Playing a varsity sport is undoubtedly an impressive feat, and for many high school athletes, it is the ultimate goal and accomplishment of one’s athletic career. Spots on varsity teams are extremely coveted, and often many of those spots will be filled by seasoned upperclassmen. However, there are a select few athletes that dive straight into the deep end, joining a varsity-level sport as a freshman during their first term at Choate.
Playing a varsity sport comes with numerous challenges, most notably on a physical level. Naturally, freshmen are the youngest players on their teams, giving most a slight physical disadvantage.
Paley Adelson-Grodberg ’22, a new freshman on Girls’ Varsity Soccer said, “I’m only 14 years old. There are postgraduates playing on the other team that could be 18 or 19 years old. People tend to grow a lot in these four years, so in comparison to these larger girls I’m going up against, I am very small and not nearly as strong as people I’m competing against.”
Despite these physical disadvantages, these athletes have the talent and dedication to keep up with their elders on the field. The size disadvantage is one of the most deceiving because ability doesn’t come with a certain build it comes via hard work and lots of practice.
The time commitment involved in being a varsity athlete can also be strenuous, as student athletes have to juggle athletics with their academics and other extracurricular activities. With longer practices and almost always two games each week, time-management becomes crucial to staying on top of schoolwork. This is especially difficult for freshman, who as may still be adjusting to life on the Choate campus. Varsity Field Hockey player Gretchen Russell ’22 said, “We play almost every day of the week, so I never really have a break. I really have to plan when I do my homework around athletics, and I have to get work done during study hours instead of goofing around because I don’t have as much time as other people.”
Joining a varsity sport can be a daunting experience in the social sense. It is not always easy to fit into a new team culture, especially with upperclassmen years older than you. However, Adelson-Grodberg did not find this a problem. “My absolute favorite thing about this team is the amount of love and family there is,” she said. “We all truly love and care about each other and what is going on in each other’s lives. There is not one person on this team that I don’t, and I am so grateful for that.”
There is no doubt that being a freshman varsity athlete comes with its challenges. With all the physical and social challenges that come with joining a varsity team, being a varsity athlete as a freshman is no small feat. Nonetheless, these talented individuals will play important roles on their respective teams, and continue to contribute to Choate’s phenomenal athletics program.
