Riverdale Junior Reflects on the Fall Season with Varsity Soccer Captains

Photo of the nysais championship game.

Photo Courtesy of David Kenas

2019 Riverdale varsity soccer team poses for team photo after a match

Photo Courtesy of Jack Volpert

Fall sports this year were missing many aspects of previous years. No longer were there three hour-long preseason practices. No longer were JV or varsity teams determined by skill or effort; teams instead were separated by age. No longer were there after-school practices where players of all ages could come together and bond around their favorite activity. Instead, online practices and workouts became the new norm. As in-person practices slowly re-entered the spotlight a couple of months ago, teams were tasked with a new challenge: how can we connect and unite as a team when some players are online and others are on the field on any given day? 

This year, boys’ varsity soccer captain Arjun Pal was faced with myriad challenges when the season moved from solely online to hybrid in September. However, despite the challenging circumstances, Pal and his fellow captains were able to make the most of their weekly Zoom calls by “being very open as captains, having many conversations with our teammates and having a meeting with the coaches every practice.”

Approaching this season, Pal’s priority was clear: get the team to work as hard as they had in previous years. Throughout the season, Pal saw this goal come to fruition. All of his teammates put forth the same level of effort and commitment to online practices as they had toward in-person practices last year. Pal cited the possibility of “competitive games in March and Apri” as a significant source of motivation for the team. However, Pal cautions that players must maintain their commitment to the sport in the coming months, because “if we treat this time period as a break, all the work we put in during the season will mean nothing.”

Like Pal, senior captain Jamie Blankman of the girls’ varsity soccer team found the natural team bonding that usually takes place in in-person settings had to be tailored to fit the computer screen this past fall season. Going into the season, Blankman prioritized promoting team bonding and believed that her efforts paid off, stating, “Our main goal was to make sure that everyone on the team felt welcomed this year. We knew circumstances were very strange and wanted everyone—whether they were a new freshman or returning senior—to feel comfortable during these calls. We also wanted to keep people excited about the possibility of a season later this year. I think we accomplished both goals by participating in bonding activities and regularly chatting during each practice.” Blankman stated that team morale was just as high as it had been in previous years and that her teammates expressed their shared love of team bonding experiences, stating that the highlight of her season “was hearing how much everyone valued these practices.” Blankman added that the team’s success could not have been achieved without the work of Assistant Coach Andie Jenson, who, like Blankman, made team connections her number one priority. 

With a potential spring season on the horizon, Blankman believes that the connections she helped foster will pay off immensely: “I’ve found that the closer the team, the better we play on the field. I think that remote practices allowed us to bond, so going into the competitive season, we will be incredibly strong on the field.” Blankman and Pal made the best of their situations, fostering welcoming environments and encouraging personal growth both on and off the field.