For those of you out there who are contemplating on trying out for a varsity team whether it is basketball, soccer/football or swimming, you need to take many things into consideration. One of the main things that people would struggle with in a varsity team would the the amount of time practice takes up. Varsity team practice for about 2 hours for 5 days a week. That is a total of 10 hours a week!
Now you are probably thinking: it is not worth it, that it is too much time to practice a week or for some of you out there, that is time you could spend watching Netflix! And you are right, this is a lot of time to practice but it is all leading up to the main goal, IASAS. Xuan Fan Loo (9), Kennedy Smith (9) and Alyssa Alexander (12) are all in the Varsity soccer/football team this year and are here to answer your questions.
When asked if having soccer/football for 5 days a week changes the amount of time they take to do homework, Xuan Fan answered, “Last year, I had more time which made it easier for me to procrastinate my work but since I do not have much time anymore with varsity practices every day and other after school activities.” Alyssa added to this thought saying, “Being a varsity athlete and student does have some downfalls when it comes to academics, however honestly the time I start homework is not truly one of them. Though I would like to admit it, starting my homework before 5 is not necessarily something I would do without soccer. Yet when it comes to studying for test or projects due, I do feel like participating in after school activities are a bit challenging.” Kennedy said, “Soccer does not really affect the amount of time I spend on homework, it just causes me to go to bed later.”
Everyone needs some time to socialize, and with some varsity sports you’d think that your time to socialize would change. However, the girls have said that being on the team has actually made them become more social. “I think having soccer practice actually gives me more time to socialize because I am meeting more people that are not just in my grade and also other people who play sports,” said Xuan Fan on the topic. “I usually never socialize during the week, so I never see it affecting my social time. In fact it may sound cheesy, but playing sports with my friends is actually a great time to talk to them if I need and meet new people in other grades,” Alyssa explained. “Soccer causes me to socialize more actually,” said Kennedy with a short statement about how being on a team is more social than some would think.
The question of if the varsity team should practice less came up, Xuan Fan was quick to respond, “No, because practice everyday allows me to stay fit and prevents me from being lazy. Without soccer practices, I do not think I would have enough motivation to go out and exercise on my own so having practice allows me to stay fit and get my daily exercise in. We practice for 5 days a week so we can properly prepare ourselves for the IASAS competition and other games and tournaments during the season.”
Alyssa explained, “Having varsity sports for five days is very helpful at ISB, due to the limited amount of time that we have throughout each season, especially soccer. Five days of training may sound strenuous, but in the end it is always rewarding when IASAS comes around. Fitness, skill, and many other aspects are top priorities in preparing for IASAS and having five days instead of three or four is extremely important and helpful.” Kennedy had an idea about this too, “I think 5 days a week is good because it is hard to be a good team when you do not know who you’re playing with. When you do not trust a teammate, you do not [work with] them as much. Varsity practices 5 times a week because [soccer is] an intense sport that needs bonding to make the team better and reliable.”
Many people wonder if having soccer/football for 5 days a week may not even help the team improve… it might just make them more tired! But the team has something else to say about this. “Yes, [it helps me improve] because I am playing with people who challenge me and I am able to get many touches on the ball everyday which improves my overall playing skills,” said Xuan Fan. Alyssa added,“I feel like everyday I can touch the ball helps with my skill and speed with the ball, even if it is a little bit of help. Though I believe it is even more beneficial to new players. I have seen numerous players on my team this year who [have] grown tremendously since August, and I am so proud of them. They are prime examples that practicing five days a week.” Kennedy reflected on her improvement over the season due to practice, “I have definitely improved because of the days I practice. I actually practice more than 5 days a week, usually go to the school to practice with my dad on Saturday and Sunday.”
When asked why the Varsity teams practice five times a week compared other teams in IASAS that practice four times a week Athletic Director Mr. Quinet replied that, “ISB consistently performs above its weight class, demonstrating that with high-quality coaching, dedicated athletes, and the right foundation our teams can compete with the bigger schools and win! We are building an athletic program at ISB that delivers immense value, challenges students to become their best, nurtures character, and provides a foundation for future success that goes way beyond the wins and losses. In the past two IASAS seasons we have won the boys soccer, girls softball, and boys softball championships, to go along with two silver medals and two bronze medals. That’s pretty well done on all accounts by the ISB Panthers!”
These girls have been working for ages in order to get that gold at IASAS this year, and you should be doing this too! Even if soccer/football is not your sport, go out for another sport that you would like. Little things can help a whole community achieve great things. So consider trying out for a Varsity team this year or the next!
Megan Black
