What do the names K.D. Young ( photo above, Warrensburg), Mariya Hudson (Cahokia), Brittny Ellis (Gurnee) and Jamari Ward (Cahokia) all have in common? They all won state championships as freshmen. One subject that has repeatedly come up since the indoor club season and now the current outdoor season nationwide is the drama with being an elite freshman. They aren't just any freshmen, but ones who happen to be on the level of varsity teammates. The days of waiting your turn are gone, as freshman are coming into high school and even college more prepared.
In the mid 80's, yeah I'm ol' skool, a freshman had to earn stripes with the varsity by winning. They wore the heavy gray sweats, and not only sat in the front of the bus on road trips to meets, but shared seats. The freshmen knew it would be a two year wait until he was on varsity, faced the big boys, or got their name in the newspaper. Today, a lot of schools don't even have a frosh team, and you are automatically on varsity. I personally never had to deal with that in high school or college so I don't know how it feels. I was the heralded hyped freshman with all the accolades, and was running varsity times in junior high school. I was accepted, but I'm sure there were some teammates who had been on varsity that weren't too hyped about this freshman. Why? Because I, like a lot of the freshmen today, are taking spots. The difference was in my day you were cool with your teammates on and off the track. The Varsity didn't feel threatened, and the freshmen respected them, but weren't in awe of them. There was no hate from teammates or coaches and if you were "The Man", you ran. The ultimate goal for everyone was to win!
The modern day freshman, at least in the area where I'm from, if they're really good, had club experience, know their event and in some cases know more than the actual coach, they are an instant threat. As long as the freshmen keep their talents under wraps and doesn't out perform a varsity member, they're fine. But if they decide to show their X-Men like powers it's over and they catch a lot of hate from teammates and sometimes coaches.
I know a female triple jumper who just two years ago was ranked #15 in the U.S. in her event at the AAU National meet (her first year doing the event). She's competed in college stadiums versus the best in the country, knows how to adjust on the runway in any situation and has unbelievable technique. The coach refuses to let her jump in favor of a sophomore and a senior. He has changed everything that made her who she was from how she stretches/warms up to making her change her mark. The one time she did get to jump (because one of the triple jumpers was ill) she out jumped her teammate and got a PR. And what did that get her? Hate from her teammate! The girl has refused to speak to her or have anything to do with her. Why? Because the freshman is now a threat to take over.
I spoke with an up and coming middle distance runner who was "The Man" in junior high cross country. He's getting big time hate from teammates. He told me the first outdoor meet, he was ahead of a highly state ranked junior in the event. And he could hear teammates screaming "Get Him!" "Don't let the dumb freshman beat you!" It was reversed in his situation. Because he got beat, mind you with a PR, he was treated as if he was garbage because of his accolades from the past. So even though they were Varsity, he was supposed to win. And when he didn't, in their minds, live up to the so-called hype, the name calling began. Again, a freshman running equal to or faster than Varsity kids 2-3 years older.
B-Side even saw it in his own home this year in football and basketball. One of the top ranked quarterbacks in the U.S. coming out of junior high. He's been to combines and camps since 6th grade. He even made it to Schuman's Ultimate 100 the first time he ever went as a 7th grader vs Frosh. He doesn't get one snap this year, not even a look the whole season. Fortunately, I saw it coming and we focused on corner back and he'd be fine, so I thought. He starts at CB the moment he touched the practice field, even giving them a 2-3 week jump on what the coach expected. Why? Because he was invited to the Rising Stars Camp at the University of Oklahoma. You can't just show up to these camps, you must be invited. He starts every 7 on 7 they have. And there I sit the proud father "Look at my son! He is a freshman starting on Varsity." Opening night, he's behind a senior, who never practiced the position, didn't even know how to stand or what to do. He played the 4th quarter, but didn't start one game the whole season. Basketball it was the same thing as he got the Michael Jordan treatment from the JV squad. Isaiah Thomas pulled a move back in the day and "iced" Jordan (meaning everyone else on the court touched the ball except Jordan) in this case my son. The second game he starts with four freshmen and is ballin'. A couple of more starts and the hate arrived from teammates. It almost came to blows in the locker room as he told a teammate. "You're riding the bench because I'm better than you and I'm a freshman!" The former junior high coach who coached against him the last two years (whom they game planned to stop) was his coach.
I'm sure this isn't happening to every freshman. Because every freshman aren't as talented as the state champions I named at the start. Coaches need to realize there are no redshirt seasons in high school. Teammates need to stop the hate! And if a freshman is better than you, or anyone for that matter it's real simple. Work Harder! Freshmen, this is your moment to shock the world and win state! The number of stories that I heard this year is unreal. And they ALL involve a FRESHMAN.
(Editors note: the #1 girls high jumper in the state is freshman Katie Mans of Alton. She has cleared 5'6" thus far this season)