Fall Preseason

ALICIA YIN/DEERFIELD SCROLL

Before the new school year kicked off, Deerfield athletes began preparing for the upcoming fall athletic season. From volleyball courts and football pitches to soccer fields, teams have prepared for the season through preseason trips that were designed for skill development and team building.

On the girls varsity volleyball team, bonding between new and returning players happened both on and off court. Girls varsity volleyball team captain Zora Fenton ’27 said the team’s preseason trip helped build team chemistry before the season started. For example, on the first night, the captains intentionally paired new players with returners to share pizzas in the same room as part of a longtime team tradition. “I think that’s where most memories are made,” Fenton said. “It’s time off the court that we get to know each other.” 

Fenton noted that on the fourth day, she has seen significant improvements in team chemistry since day one. After returning to campus, she said that closeness continued to matter, adding that “our teammates have done a really good job of holding each other accountable.”

The girls varsity soccer team pursued a similar initiative. Before school started, the team spent time at Camp Lenox for team-bonding and preparation. Girls varsity soccer coach Emma Theriault explained that the foundational key to a strong team is “understanding that each player comes from different backgrounds, but share the same singular goal of striving for the better.” 

In addition, Ms. Theriault mentioned that team improvement not only comes from “continuous training,” but also from “holding each other to a higher standard, whether that’s how we communicate when we’re frustrated, or when we need assistance from each other and we’re able to communicate those kinds of things without being upset when approached.” 

Unlike soccer and volleyball teams, the football team held its preseason on campus. “A six-day stretch held before classes began gave the team a rare chance to focus on a singular initiative,” boys varsity football captain Barrett Adams ’27 said. 

“Having everybody in the same place for so long doing the same thing over and over again, it’s just like a recipe for bonding,” he added. With no tests or quizzes to worry about, Adams believed the team could devote its full attention to football in a way the regular season does not allow.

For Adams, the biggest challenge was learning a new defense under the new Assistant Coach and Associate Director of Admission Chris Bowers within a week.  However, the team’s energy at the first defensive practice turned this obstacle into a rallying point when “everybody was so ready to learn this defense.” “It felt like it’s an actual team,” Adams added. 

Furthermore, he noted that the intensity of practices rose throughout the week and that, while the team “still has a long way to go,” staying on the same page has kept them on track.

The preseason trip bridged the gap between new and returning players. Adams said that before preseason, he was still learning names and faces. However, by the end, there was no difference between the old and new players, and everyone understood their role on the team. “I feel like there’s just one collective,” he said. 

All fall sport teams have officially kicked off the regular season, with schedules posted on the Student Bulletin.