Tri-Sport Varsity Athlete's Freshman Experience
“The last thing I expected from the volleyball season was to bond with all the upperclassmen on the team.”
I’ve never been the loudest, most ebullient person in the room. Especially when that room is full of people older and more experienced than me. And in Fall 2018, that room happened to be the Girls Varsity Volleyball Team, where I was one of only two freshmen surrounded by upperclassmen.
In the beginning of August, tryouts began for fall sports. I’d set my sights on playing volleyball. If you know me, you’d know that I immediately started to build up anxiety and unnecessary stress for myself. When I found out I got on to the varsity team, I was very excited, but my nerves got the best of me.
I was worried about every possible thing that could affect me or change my schedule in the slightest, although I later learned that was a waste of my energy. I was able to manage my homework and my outside-of-school life pretty easily until the actual season started. I was not prepared for the two games a week, with practices Monday through Thursday. But over time, I was able to get a hold of myself and I figured out how to manage both sports and academics. It did take a bit of getting used to.
I remember the first day of volleyball practice; I think I said a total of ten words during those two hours. I was very shy because I was afraid that I would embarrass myself if I spoke up. The last thing I expected from the volleyball season was to bond with all the upperclassmen on the team. As time passed, I began to feel more comfortable playing with the rest of the team. The longer we practiced and played together, the more interconnected we became. After every practice, I could reflect on what my strengths and growth areas were, and each member of the team helped build my skills.
Just like the volleyball season, when varsity basketball (and then tennis) rolled around I felt the same welcoming vibes and instant support from my new teammates. I also had more of my freshman classmates by my side, so my nerves calmed down. Looking back at the volleyball, basketball, and tennis seasons, I realized that all that anxiety I had was pointless in the end. I learned that my future teammates would help to teach me how to become a better player, and I wouldn’t need to worry.
