On Monday, student athletes flooded into the Case Memorial Cage for spring sport tryouts in hopes of snatching a coveted varsity letter.
Unfortunately not everyone can attain these dreams. At the end of the long and tiring tryout period, some students will be left disappointed.
Most of these aspiring athletes will then turn to join the junior varsity team. This decision often stems both from a desire to continue playing a familiar sport and from a desire to continue training in the hopes of making varsity the following year. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of JV teams can also be disappointing for these athletes.
Often times, JV teams are unable to provide varsity hopefuls with a suitable training they hope for. Even though JV teams will often work to mirror the drills and techniques taught at the varsity level, many athletes realize that being on a JV team is often not enough for those looking to advance.
At Andover, fluidity and connection between the varsity and JV teams are most frequently seen in sports that focus on individual competition, such as cross country, cycling and wrestling. These programs lend themselves to a system in which JV players can participate and interact with the varsity roster. Offering enthusiastic and hard working players exposure to a more advanced environment can only help them improve.
The benefits of a unified program should also be applied a more to team-oriented sports such as soccer, hockey and lacrosse. Giving a small group of JV players the opportunity to practice with the varsity team on a regular basis would be invaluable, as it would give them the necessary experience to compete at the next level.
JV coaches could also take the chance to observe varsity practices. As they gain more experience, JV coaches would be able to better foster each of their JV players’ skills.
The purpose of the JV program should be to nurture and develop the individual skills of each player in order to prepare them for the next level. The blending of varsity and JV teams would unify them as a collaborative program, and accomplish this purpose. Instead of thinking of a cut from a varsity team as a failure, students would hopefully realize that JV is meant to be a crucial step in honing their technique, improving their skill and cultivating the future of Andover athletics.
This editorial represents the views of The Phillipian Editorial Board CXXXVI.
