“Athletic” has never been a word I would use to describe myself. I wasn’t really great at running, catching, kicking, or any of the skills needed in sports. That’s what made it particularly surprising when two weeks before school began, I found myself at the girls’ soccer tryouts. I hadn’t played soccer in ten years, but I was curious to see if it was possible to turn myself into an “athletic” person. While my immediate response to such a question was no, as is the same for many other high school students, I found that, in reality, such a change was completely achievable. Even though many people consider starting a sport in high school as too many years too late, the truth is that it’s never too late to pick up a new sport, or for that matter, join a high school sports team.

Coming into a new sport as a high school student can seem daunting, but a lack of experience shouldn’t deter anyone. No matter what your skill level is, if you want to join a sports team in high school, you should — you will always have something to gain and something to offer.

Besides, there are plenty of other beginners in the Princeton High School athletics program. Teams like junior varsity girls volleyball are mostly made up of beginners who join the team to have fun or to learn a new skill. For many, if not all, of PHS sports teams, junior varsity teams are there as a pipeline for players who might not be ready to play at the varsity level yet but might eventually want to reach that position. This separation of varsity and junior varsity allows for an even skill-level environment, suitable for different groups of players who may be at various points in their athletic careers. This takes away the isolation of being a beginner, an idea that wards many people away from the prospect of joining a high school sports team.

Due to this separation of skills, junior varsity teams often progress at a slower pace to build a better understanding of the sport. This style of teaching is made for beginners, so if someone with no experience joins, they won’t immediately be thrown into the deep end. For example, when I joined soccer, there were a lot of rules I didn’t understand, as well as skills and practice drills that I had never seen before. My coach and teammates helped me throughout the season, explaining everything I needed to know, which was only possible because of the way junior varsity is structured. Being on a team that was able to take its time really helped, and can help anyone else starting in the same position that I was.

Besides, athleticism and skill isn’t the only thing that coaches look for. For a lot of them, coachability is an extremely important aspect that they seek to find in their athletes. The 2019 NCSA State of Recruiting Report found that 35 percent of college coaches rank character, or coachability, first. I learned through my first season that as long as someone comes into a sport willing to learn and get along with their teammates, they are bound to progress as an athlete and a person. Fitness can be gained through practice, but coachability cannot be taught.

Starting as a beginner, most of the first-time athletes will find themselves starting on the junior varsity roster. However, starting on a junior varsity team doesn’t necessarily mean they will stay there for the rest of their high school years. Many PHS athletes who are now on varsity teams started their journeys on the junior varsity roster. While reaching the varsity team may not be the end goal for many of these newcomers, the improvement that they gain from just joining the team allows for athletes of all levels to move up.

When playing a sport regularly, everybody in every skill level gets a chance to improve. Research shows that as little as two weeks of regular exercise can start to reap results. It was hard for me especially, to start exercising after such a long period of time, but I found that once my body got used to my new routine, aspects of the sport that I once found difficult, such as running a warm-up lap without stopping, became easier as time went on.

Any high schooler that’s looking to improve their athleticism, or even just be part of a team community, should join a sport. Look online; see what the next available season is and which sports catch your eye. All these well-known benefits to sports — the physical, mental, and social aspects — aren’t by any means out of reach. All it takes is a simple click of a button, some dedication and passion — but most importantly — an open mind.