The Freshmen on the Varsity Volleyball Team

For the class of 2023, the start of high school is a time to make new friends, adjust to high school life and excitement for the freshmen who are apart of fall sports! There were many freshmen present during the open gyms in the summer to showcase their talents to the coaches, and two of them were brought up to the varsity team. Joyce Yang ‘23 and Lili Bettencourt ‘23, two girls who have both been playing volleyball for 4 years, were invited to the varsity tryout on the second and third days. They both reflected on the day they received the email from Coach Nicola telling them they had made varsity, “At first, I freaked out, but I thought I didn't have a choice and probably wouldn't mind it so much (turns out you can decline, but I don't regret staying)”, Bettencourt ‘23. Yang ‘23 had a different point of view when she realized she was picked to play on the varsity team, “I have to say that I did hesitate to take the position. Naturally, I worried that I wasn't at the varsity level and assumed that I would become a bench player for the whole season. Even now, from time to time, I still feel like my skills do not match what the team needs.” The two young girls are still training extremely hard to become the best players they can be, but playing at a high level at a young age can come with some challenges. “I thought that the games and practices would be too difficult and I would not be able to play at their level. However, I found the more I played with them, the better I get and that it would not be so bad playing up,” Bettencourt ‘23. But after some time, the girls are now treating the volleyball team as a second family, “Each and every one of them treated the rookies and me with a lot of energy and love, and I really appreciate how easily I was able to transition onto the team. From making me laugh excessively to teasing me for being a freshman or a VSCO girl, I already love everyone on the team very much, even including the upperclassmen,” Yang ‘23. Be sure to keep your eyes out for Joyce and Lili killing it at our home matches in JB Hall!