As the post-season begins, many Varsity head coaches transition select Junior Varsity players to the playoff roster. This move provides younger athletes with high-level experience and injects fresh energy into the team atmosphere during the most intense stretch of the year.
Boys soccer coach, Jason Berg, decided to bring up multiple JV soccer players for playoffs. Berg emphasizes that it is good to bring kids up who are excited to be there, and that these call-ups are about immersion rather than minutes on the clock and that on the bench side of it, it is good because they bring up a bit of energy.
Berg noted that while these players may see little to no time on the field depending on the roster size, the immersion prepares them for next season, when most will likely move to the Varsity level permanently. Berg said, “The pull ups, for me, are more for getting the experience for kids that may be ready next year for varsity, so it is getting them that expectation and experience so that they are ready to go for next year.”
Junior Ledger Matson was one of the Junior Varsity soccer players brought up to Varsity for playoffs. As an upperclassman he understands that he can be a leader for the younger players and use his experience to benefit the team as a whole. Matson said, “I hope to be a leader and encourage the underclassmen, because I am the oldest around there. I also hope to bring a strong defense to our team.” Matson used his role as an upperclassman to help the entirety of the boys soccer program.
Sophomore Jacob Davis, who has played soccer since he was four years old, also sees the value in the promotion. Davis said, “It is a good experience, and I think that it would be good for me.” Both junior varsity players and varsity players benefit from the move up of the junior varsity players.
In playoff games the JV players could observe the game and learn from the older athletes in their program. On top of this they also begin to understand the difference between junior varsity and varsity level competition. This benefited the younger players greatly and could help them in the next season.
The boys’ team isn’t the only program utilizing this strategy; the girls’ soccer team also sees the value in playoff call-ups. Sophomore Milla Plummer is a Junior Varsity player for girls soccer. She has played soccer for seven years and poured time and dedication into her sport. Plummer said, “I don’t think that I will play, but I feel like I could be motivation.” This elaborated the idea that while the junior varsity players do not play in these games they do still participate and contribute to the efforts. Plummer also went on to say that she has a good relationship with all of the varsity players, so the team dynamic will not be shifted.
This shift is beneficial for players on both teams, varsity players benefit from more energy and passion on the bench and the junior varsity players benefit when they learn from the older players in their programs.
