A Moment With Freshmen On Winter Varsity Squads

The Freshman Class of 2020 has tremendous talent in many sports. A freshman who dominates at a sport will only become better, which is why a talented freshman class is so cherished. Last term, Delbarton had four freshmen playing at the varsity level: Lukas Ungar, Brendan McSorley, Steven Daly, and Harrison Vives. This term, however, that number has gone up to 6. Despite their young age, the freshmen playing on varsity are all still able to thrive in such a competitive environment.

A little bit of anxiety is good in sports, and these freshmen seem to be able to prevent over-anxiety. Varsity hockey player Bayard Hall admits that “being a freshman on a varsity team can often be stressful because of the constant demand of effort and focus.” But Hall later reveals that he “feel[s] very blessed to be a part of this experience.” Bayard Hall has had a magnificent season with 1 goal and 11 points in 17 games. Hall attributes his success to “ the support of [his teammates].” He believes that the help he receives from “the captains” has made him more prosperous at the varsity level.

Similar to Hall, Varsity Basketball player Jacob Sussman has been thriving in this stressful environment. Sussman has had two games this year with 10+ points, one of which was a 26 point game against a strong Chatham team. Sussman acknowledges that upperclassmen like Davis Bell and Kareem Brown have made sure that he is comfortable. The team’s bonding experiences like “bowling before a game as a team or doing community service” have made him feel like he is really playing with his brothers–the underlying theme of Delbarton.

Freshman Brendan Clark has also felt the love from his brothers. Clark believes that the “upperclassmen brothers were very welcoming.” Before the first game, he found that “along with the nerves in [his] stomach, many things were going through [his] head.” But the “friendships with [his] upperclassmen brothers” helped him overcome the extreme stress of playing with men four years older than him.

These freshmen are just a few that play on the varsity level. There are several others like Zac Ambielli, Harrison Otto, and Jerry Jabbour. These examined freshmen all reveal their bond with their older brothers that have gotten them through the season. People outside of Delbarton may think that the brotherhood at Delbarton is just a cliché, but it is clear that brotherhood at Delbarton is indeed tangible.