Stepping onto the varsity field can feel like diving headfirst into a whirlwind of challenges, varsity field hockey goalkeeper Nitya Peumans said. Yet amidst the trials and tribulations, Peumans and her teammates discover a rewarding journey filled with camaraderie, unity and an intensity that forges unbreakable bonds.

“[On JV,] everyone’s playing in different positions and you never get a chance to [familiarize yourself] with certain people in certain positions,” Peumans, a senior, said. “[On varsity, players] get used to seeing the same person in front of or behind them, which helps create a sense of unity.”

Varsity is a much more tight-knit community since there are fewer players so everyone is familiar with each other, Peumans said. 

“There are many more opportunities to bond on varsity as practices are much more tiring so we can really bond through our shared suffering,” Peumans said.

Even though the amount of pressure on players is roughly equal between JV and varsity, the largest difference is that varsity coaches care a lot more about technical skill over winning, Peumans said. 

The tiring practices and intense play of varsity translates well into friendships off the field, three-year varsity forward, senior Kirsten Avra said. However, players eventually get used to the added difficulty, she added. 

Second-year varsity forward, junior Ariel Moll said varsity’s team mantra of trusting, communicating and persisting is regularly displayed in both games and practices. Additionally, varsity has many more team bonding activities including team runs, parties and spirit days which all help create a much closer bond and effective team compared to JV, Moll said.

“[So far] we’ve worked really well together,” Moll said. “I really want to see us [bond more] and grow as a unit.”