It’s always pleasant to see a good story about a young star making his or her way onto a varsity sports team early in his or her high school career.

But what about the athletes who aren’t so quick to success? 

Often, junior varsity athletes are given less attention, with fewer fans packing  the stands in competitions. When a junior or a senior still struggles to make varsity, it is often wondered why the junior varsity athletes decide to keep playing. 

Junior Jerry Allen Wright, a three-sport athlete, , states that while remaining on junior varsity, “the pressure comes from yourself.” 

That pressure is not only to succeed in making the varsity team but to succeed in “improving yourself,” Wright states. 

Without the pressure of winning a state championship, the worry shifts to how an athlete will improve his or her own game.

On the surface, it may appear that simply because junior varsity athletes are not at the top, they aren’t enjoying themselves like their varsity counterparts. . 

However, as Wright and other junior varsity athletes demonstrate, self-improvement outweighs personal reputation.