After two weeks of practices indoors, the JV Ultimate players will finally be back on Taylor Field.
Although many strong returning players have moved up to Varsity, JV is brimming with many new players. Together, the players are working to form a strong team culture. Returning player Justin Han ’20 said, “New players are being grouped with returning ones [in practice]. Even after [just one] week, the new players have gotten a lot better.”
The team also welcomes two new coaches to the JV team, Mr. Adam Lang and Mr. Bill Fenton. Rather than going right into game tactics, the new coaches have focused on fundamental techniques. This approach is designed to help new players feel more confident with the frisbee and allow returning players to adjust to the new “horizontal stacking tactic” that the team has adopted this year.
Horizontal stacking is a play in which players arrange themselves horizontally across the field, so that there is always at least one player who is open to the disc. Coach Lang said, “We want [players] to get a lot of repetitions doing specific roles, so they can really excel.”
Although a variety of changes are happening on the team, it continues to be co-ed. Kelly Zuo ’20, a returning Upper Mid, said, “When we are playing in practice or in games, we don’t think of ourselves or one another as a female or a male player. The players don’t let gender affect our play as a team or our preference of drill partners.”
Looking ahead, the team’s main goal is to continue training players to get comfortable with the game and with each other. YY Cher ’20 said, “Since we have a lot of new players, we want to get familiar with the game. Essentially we want to win a lot of games, not just for the record, but also to get the spirit going.”
After a somewhat sluggish start, including a loss to perennial powerhouse Xavier High School on its home turf in Middletown, CT, the team has bounced back. It traveled to Fairfield High School and won in a tight 10-8 game. The team also played the Chase Collegiate School in Waterbury, CT, and returned with a 15-4 win.
The team will look to build on its successes during the Hat Tournament in Coventry CT, on Saturday, April 13.