The Princeton Day School Class of 2019 is making its presence felt on our sports teams. Four freshmen, Coby Auslander (ice hockey), Isabel Hogshire (soccer), Craig Wrenn (basketball), and David “Diggy” Coit (basketball) gave the Spokesman the inside scoop about their experience of joining a new team as freshmen. All four of these talented athletes started playing on teams when they were around three to five years old.

What motivates a toddler to play a sport?

“My dad got me into it, and my brother and I practice every day,” said Auslander, “so he was a big part of me playing hockey.”

Hogshire also found her passion for sports through her family and friends.

“When I was younger, I guess probably my dad got me involved in it. And eventually my friends started playing too, so it was a way to spend time with my friends,”

For Wrenn, basketball ran in the family.

“Everybody in my family plays basketball. My older cousins, my dad played in high school, my aunts.”

After giving it some thought, Coit said, “I look up to a lot of people. First, my father, my older cousins, and both my sisters played it.”

It must be intimidating as freshmen to play on varsity. But for these four it has been a walk in the park.

“I mean the guys on the team are very welcoming to the new kids and the freshman,” said Auslander.

At the start of pre-season, Hogshire’s self-motivation kept her confident.

“I had to remind myself that this is only the beginning and you can only go up from here.”

As he considered his experience on the basketball team, Wrenn said, “The experience has been great. It’s been an easy transition.”

A huge part of joining a sports team is having the support of your coach and fellow teammates. The upperclassmen cheer up the freshmen if they ever feel upset. Auslander described his experience at Albany Academy against Hill.

“I had to score to keep the game going. I, unfortunately, didn’t score, so we lost the game,” he said. “But everybody on the team, especially the captain, Connor Fletcher, was very good at picking me up and bringing my confidence back.”

Hogshire had also regained her confidence after a tough loss at the MCT semi-finals on her birthday.

“Our captain texted me and wrote a really nice message, and that really cheered me up,” she said.

Wrenn often felt encouraged by upperclassmen, too.

“There are defnitely a few upperclassmen on the team that make me feel comforted and more easy on the court,” said Coit. “[Chase Lewis] makes me feel easier on the court, helps me out, [and] gives me advice.” He added,“They just made me feel better. They answered all the questions I had coming in freshmen year.”