Jeremy Singh
Reporter
When freshman Caroline Gordon steps on the field for pregame warm-ups for a varsity girls’ soccer match, she is accompanied by only three other freshmen teammates. She described making the team as a big accomplishment, as the varsity team is more competitive, has a higher quality of play, and has more intense practices. “I don’t want to make a mistake but even when I do I know my team will be supportive of me.” Caroline said. “I feel good to hopefully be a four year player, even though it’s way more serious.”
Despite the increased intensity of being on varsity, she does admit to being treated differently because she is a freshman. Caroline described the initiation rituals on the girls’ squad as a good team building exercise. “It was all in good fun,” she said. She and her freshmen teammates were “kidnapped,” put into embarrassing costumes and brought to a captain’s house for the night.
Caroline also talked about how when she is a senior she wants to be the foundation of the team, and be looked at as a role-model.
But for now, her responsibilities end on the field, despite being “forced” to carry equipment and other items for the team simply because she is a freshman.
Freshman kicker for the football team Peter Swindell feels the same way about the intensity of the varsity program compared to the other teams. “I am very happy that I got a chance to play with varsity because it is a whole different atmosphere than the freshman team,” Peter said. “Also getting to know the varsity coaches is a good thing for the future, because I want them to be confident with playing me.”
Peter hopes he can continue to kick in college but he admits it will only happen with hard work.
The reps required for special teams rival that of only the offensive skill positions as kicking a football takes hours of the same motion to properly train for the pressure-filled situations.
Despite the enormous pressures on Peter’s shoulders he doesn’t feel that he is treated differently compared to the upperclassmen who make up the vast majority of players on the roster. “The kids on the varsity team are unbelievably nice to me, they treat me like a little brother,” Peter said. New Canaan hosts Wilton on October 27 for a homecoming matchup.
New Canaan’s varsity boys soccer team also fields a roster of mostly upperclassmen.
However, freshmen defence center midfielder, Brett Capone, made the team and is held in high regard by his teammates.
He describes playing on varsity as a mixed blessing. “It is a bit tough, obviously, leaving good friends to try and compete at a higher level,” Brett said. The Rams soccer tryout process is a difficult as any other team, and freshmen are often cut first in order to leave room for the older and more experienced players to make the team.
However Brett’s younger age hasn’t sidelined him from competition. In his mind, it allows him to grow more than other players. “The tryout and preseason process was incredibly stressful because I was constantly wondering and hoping that I would make the team,” Brett said.
Like Peter, Brett hopes the sport he excels at will become an even larger part of his future. “I can take the experience of playing against bigger, stronger kids back to my Beachside (a local Premier league soccer) team. It will certainly help me to be an even bigger contributor to the team. And I am definitely thinking about college soccer,” Brett said.
Brett does admit to being treat differently compared to his upperclassmen teammates. However he puts it behind him. “Obviously, being the only freshmen and the youngest on the team, I’m not going to be treated exactly the same, but it has been a great experience so far. The veteran players on the team have been great and supportive. Above all, it is a great experience to be around a group of guys, including myself, that just wants to win.”
