The Wingspan

Centennial High School's Daily Online News Source

The Wingspan

The Wingspan

Freshmen on Varsity

In the most recent issue of the Wingspan (Oct. 4, 2013), in the “Freshmen on Varsity” article, two names were omitted. The updated article in its entirety appears below and is also changed in the PDF issue online. The Wingspan team regrets the omission.

Words: Michael Moore

Playing a varsity sport in high school takes a lot of skill. And while most varsity sports are filled with upperclassmen, some rosters include very talented freshmen that already have high skill levels in their sport, are helping their teams to success this season.

In the fall of this school year, there are six freshmen playing varsity sports. The Eagles’ volleyball team, who is recognized as one of the best in the county, has one freshman, Camryn Allen, playing on the varsity team. The girl’s varsity soccer team has three freshmen, Jasmine McCree, Cristina Narron, and Madison Griffin on varsity, while field hockey has two freshmen on varsity, Mary Baldy, and Maggie Sullivan. These six student-athletes showed their respective coaches that they have the skills they need to not only succeed on an individual level but also help the team succeed as well.

Schofield is the varsity volleyball coach at Centennial. “[Allen is] very athletic and strong. She jumps well and hits the ball hard,” Schofield said. He also pointed out how she plays on a high-level travel team, which helps her improve her skills; he also said that Allen is really athletic, which allows her to play in different positions.

Schofield thinks that freshmen on varsity are “rare to a degree,” but that there are things to look for. “You look for at their experience and strength, then you make that determination.” Schofield also explained that Allen is on a high-level travel team, which means that she is playing at a high level throughout the year. With the added experience of playing at that high club level in the offseason, she can improve even more in the offseason to prepare for the seasons ahead.

Girls soccer coach Steve Baxter described why he thought his three freshmen were ready for varsity, “ Our three freshmen were all deemed ready because they have the right combination of physical assets and soccer ability to positively impact the games now. Having a positive impact on the games is the most important factor when you look at the big picture and these girls are considered to be in our top 15.”

Baxter looks for specific qualities in his freshmen to make sure they’re ready for the varsity level. “The most important question is can the freshman athlete handle the physical side of the game, given that they have to play against players that may be 2-3 years older than them? So, we look at their speed, endurance, and agility as key factors. Also, they must have the skills and composure to play under pressure with skill. Freshmen do not make varsity to sit on the bench. Otherwise, they would be on JV.”

These athletes have shown that they can hold their own at the high level, and based on the coaches’ comments, these players will be key in their team’s success.

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