While Varsity and JV teams may receive more attention, Thirds and Club teams provide a fun and comfortable atmosphere in which many students enjoy competing and bonding with teammates without the stress of high-pressure competition.

Being on a Thirds or Club team allows athletes to meet new people. There are many opportunities to bond as a team and learn how to play with others. Students from different grades can interact and get to know each other. Margo Donohue ’22 said, “Being on a Thirds team, you’re not always focused on the competition, but more on bonding as a team, improving your skills, and working together.”

Athletes on Thirds and Club teams don’t have to worry about high pressure to perform, intense time commitments, or a lack of prior experience. Because the intensity of practice is decreased, newer members are more inclined to participate and learn to become better players. Emma Contiguglia ’19 said, “I think being on a club team is a really great way to learn how to play a sport and just be able to have fun and get good exercise.”

As training progresses, the Thirds team becomes a classroom on the court where students can learn how to work with each other, improve their sport-specific skills, and be competitive. The lifelong skill of working with others is practiced in every practice and game. Even if someone isn’t talented, the coaches help the students become better. Mr. Diego Ardura, instructor in Spanish, and coach of Girls Thirds Basketball, said, “I like to get the players to start thinking about the team as their family. To teach them that it’s not only about you, it’s about the team.”