The jump from junior varsity (JV) to varsity marks more than a new jersey but a shift in intensity, responsibility and identity. JV offers a chance to learn and grow team chemistry, while varsity represents the highest level of competition, where the pressure runs as high as the pride.

For many athletes, the JV experience is all about building skills, confidence and chemistry with teammates. Coaches use JV as a space for players to grow both physically and mentally. As Andre Carriere, the boys lacrosse coach, said, “I’ve moved athletes from JV to varsity within a year or during the season, just from seeing their growth.” 

In sports, confidence often comes from team victories or hitting personal bests. But when an athlete competes at the varsity level, they play in front of bigger crowds, against tougher competition and with higher expectations. Emma Gatz, a senior on the volleyball team, has experienced this herself.

“My confidence was a big thing because when I was on JV, I was one of the youngest on the team and one of the captains and didn’t know how to get people to want to follow and listen to me,” Gatz said. “When I transferred to varsity, my confidence for my first two years was also tough. I was in my head way too much.”

Confidence isn’t the only difference; competition takes on a whole new meaning when athletes move up. Being on JV is primarily about developing the athlete and learning how to compete, with mistakes seen as a space to grow. Once on varsity, every match, meet or game carries more weight. The competition becomes considerably more difficult. The margin for mistakes shrinks. 

Jake Buckley, a senior three-sport varsity athlete (football, basketball and track), has had much experience at both the JV and varsity levels. 

“I feel the competition is really there, with varsity really going against the best on each team, and with JV, you’re going  against the second string,” Buckley said. “It is fun to have that kind of competition, mainly because JV is used to show varsity coaches what you are capable of, and that is a really big advantage with playing JV games.”