Not only did Glenbard South introduce a new freshman class this school year, but they introduced fall sports to all of those new faces entering the building. From sports played on turf to sports that require a swimming pool, the freshman class got the chance to choose among multiple sports that their middle school was not able to offer, giving them the opportunity to start off highschool with something new.

A majority of teenagers have experienced playing in a club team or in a middle school sports team by the time they get to high school. This has allowed them to understand what being in a team environment feels like and how important it is to manage their time and be productive. They have also grown and improved physically as most club sports meet five to seven times a week for practices and games. As these individuals begin their fall season, they begin with experience in the sport both mentally and physically. A majority of new players keep up with the drills and practices, and have started to build important skills that will help their performance.

Among the freshman sports teams there is always hope for a large number of new players, who want to try a completely new sport, to start the season off. Not only does it help create strong teams but it helps these players experience a “new team environment”. The girls swimming coach, Miles Ritchie, mentioned how freshman swimmers normally find it difficult to balance both their highschool responsibilities with their sport practices and meets. As the weeks progress, they learn how to manage their work with their schedule until they get used to their new routine. Ritchie also mentioned how communication, commitment, consistency and effort are important skills that he is teaching his players at the moment. This exhibits how sports are not only focused on one’s athletic abilities.

Girls freshman tennis player, Samantha Sadorf, said that she started her first year of high school searching for something “new and different” since her middle school had limited sport activities. She took the opportunity of joining tennis as a new player in hopes of meeting some new people and trying something her middle school could not offer. She admitted that practices were a bit challenging for her at first, but now that she has gotten used to the routine, she has learned how to manage her sport, school and clubs.

Now that September has begun, the freshman student athletes have shown their improvement from the start of the school year. With the help of their coaches, teammates and community these athletes keep moving forward and continue to learn how to manage their time with new responsibilities.