Making varsity as a freshman or sophomore can seem like the ultimate accomplishment. Goodie bags, exclusive spirit days, upperclassmen friends, playing at sting, at more. And it’s understandable when given the opportunity to represent an entire school through the sport one loves most – all during their first year of upper school. But most other underclassmen play the sport behind the face of the admired Varsity team – whether a coach turned them down their long-awaited spot, or they hadn’t even heard of the existence of the two separate teams.
However, the line between these two teams – not as fine as one would think – allows for another position – swing players. Not a sole member of Varsity or of JV, swing players typically attend the practices and play in the games of both.
Mai Makiel, a junior and swing player in Field Hockey, shares her experience. Being a swing means that she has to attend practices from 3:30-6:00 daily and sometimes has to play in up to 4-5 games a week. She likes being a swing player, but finds it “a huge commitment,” especially because she has many other extra-curriculars – like boy scouts and music lessons – that compete for her time and energy. Mai got injured in both freshman and sophomore years, and explained that she had to “start the season knowing I’m not as good as I used to be.” The year was “a mental struggle,” Mai said. After all, she found herself returning to the playing field with a new awareness that she could get hurt again and a loss of confidence in her playing ability.
At the beginning of the season, she did not expect to make the Varsity team, and had her sights set for swing. When agreeing to the position, Mai explains that one is also agreeing to attend as many Varsity practices and games as possible – coaches understand if a student can’t come to every single one – in addition to JV commitments. But missing the first hour of Varsity practice to practice with JV can be one of the things that separates a player from feeling like a real member of the team. Regardless, Mai still feels a bit more connected with the Varsity team. As a junior, most of her classmates made Varsity instead of JV, creating a good-natured and friendly dynamic. Goodie bags, selfies, group chats, and team activities also help her bond with the team and feel included. She also enjoys playing on Varsity more, although the practices are longer and more tiring. Mai said that it is better and more fun “to be challenged” and “to play with more players,” conditions that are more present on the Varsity team.
