Sports are a very significant part of the High School experience, and they affect teachers, staff, coaches and students of all grades. Traditionally, the Varsity sports teams were reserved for upperclassmen who had earned their spot by playing multiple years on the team. The seniors were typically starters, with possibly a few juniors mixed in the starting lineup or the bench. However there are more and more younger players that have so much talent, and end up outcompeting upperclassmen for spots on the team. Sometimes there are even lineups with more than one freshman to play on the varsity team.
Having a freshman playing at the highest level of high school sports can influence the teams success drastically. Sometimes the lack of experience and knowledge can hinder the player’s ability to compete with more experienced upperclassmen. The teams performance can be greatly affected by mistakes made by freshmen, that would not otherwise be made by more experienced players. For example, increased turnovers and sloppy plays can be a large factor in the outcome of the game. On the other hand, the fastest way for a player to learn is to be thrown into a stressful environment where expectations are high. The requirement of high performance separates players who are really special, from those who just can’t handle the pressure. After all, diamonds are made under pressure.
I had the chance to talk to players who played various varsity sports as a freshman and their individual experiences were very interesting to hear. When asked about his experiences playing football as a freshman, defensive lineman, Tana Hoching said “It was inspiring and fun to play with the seniors … I learned a lot of moves to [add] to my skill set.” Playing early in his high school career allowed him to have greater learning opportunities and more in-game experience. It can be difficult to learn the plays and skills required, but Tana caught on quickly and succeeded throughout his season.
I also had the opportunity to talk to sophomore Holden King. King was the lacrosse goalie for the 2025 spring season, as a freshman. He shared that a factor in his early success was feeling welcome in the team and getting along with the other players. That bond with the teammates instilled a feeling of confidence. As a goalie, there is a lot of pressure to succeed and many games come down to the performance of the goalkeeper, which can make it hard to move on from mistakes and criticism. However, Holden found that having a short term memory and trying to forget mistakes helped him succeed. He said a key to his success was to, “be confident in your play, … don’t quit the confidence, ‘cause if you quit playing confident, then your entire skills and training just go down the drain.” Looking back at his experience playing as a freshman, Holden recognized that he learned a lot of valuable skills and tactics and built good relationships with teammates.
I also got to interview basketball star senior Dean Rueckert, who shared insight on his experiences starting for the basketball team as a freshman. When asked how it affected him mentally and physically he said, “I think physically, starting as a freshman made me a lot better of a player. There [were] guys that were bigger and stronger than me and it has helped me become the player I am today.” He had to go up against more experienced and physically larger opponents, which was a real challenge. “Mentally it was really hard because I am usually just used to being one of the best players but it was really hard when everyone is older than you.” With the lack of experience and high pressure, it is difficult to stay confident and not be discouraged especially when mistakes are inevitably made. Despite the large feat to overcome, Dean felt that “it was a challenge and it [made] me stronger mentally and physically.” The growth and experience Dean gained in his freshman season shaped him into the college level player he is today. Although difficult at times, the reward of working hard to shine on the court as a freshman is well worth it. Another huge benefit of playing early is the learning experience. Dean said that “the most important thing I learned was that I need to be stronger when I’m playing against bigger and older guys … that was an emphasis in the off season to get physically stronger.” Being committed to BYU to play basketball, Dean also needs to be in top physical shape to compete at that level. He said, “That is a big thing for me right now going into BYU next year; I need to be stronger so I can play.”
Defying the norm of starting older players on varsity sports teams can be different and difficult, especially for the players. There is a large mental toll due to the stress and pressure placed on them. Though hard at times, there are great benefits to playing early. Building a name for yourself, learning with in-game experience, and learning valuable lessons are some of the benefits from working hard to be able to start on the varsity team.
It is always exciting to witness the journey, and see which young players will turn out to be stars.
