The transition from middle school to high school sports can be a challenge.
High school sports have much higher expectations for both academic and physical performance. The competition is also twice as stiff in some sports, due to four grades of athletes competing for the same number of spots as two or three grades in middle school.
Students who excelled in middle school may be in for a tough realization when they have other proficient athletes to compete with for a spot on the team. Varsity basketball coach David Chana experienced firsthand the feeling of not making the team his freshman year of high school.
“Sometimes it takes moments like that to understand [that] you have to change the way you work or your behavior to get to your goals and dreams,” Chana said.
Just because an athlete doesn’t make the team, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t a good athlete.
There often are other factors apart from athletics that they may need to improve on to be an asset to the team. A common misconception is that if you get cut from an entry level team, you can not succeed on a varsity level.
“ [lower level teams] each have building blocks that get you up there to where we would like to see you. But it’s not absolute. You don’t have to play freshman and Junior Varsity to be a good varsity player,” Chana said.
If players have a strong enough passion for a sport, they will continue to grow and improve by continuing to practice, even after they don’t make the team they hoped for, and come back even better. freshman Ethan Lomasewich is currently experiencing how a harsh rejection can flourish growth.
“When I got cut, I was disappointed in myself, and I felt like I was going to try even harder for next year,” Lomashewich said.
Athletes do not need to have a coach to improve or develop their skills; it is achievable through individual work.
“Some of the best players I’ve coached were kids that we cut as freshmen. They had some maturing to do on and off the court, and they did it and turned themselves around,” Chana said.
Those who let their frustrations become channeled into their work ethic, will often find themselves in a better position than before. If they have the willpower and the right mindset, it is possible to succeed. Regarding players returning to try again, it is much more common than one might think.
“Surprisingly it happens a lot more than you would think,” Chana said.
