With Abby fully immersed in clay and preparation for our NESCAC opening weekend at Middlebury and Williams, I figured I'd give Abby a respite and provide my own entry. Thus far, it has been a fun season of growth and development and today, I received an intriguing piece of news about our "youth movement".
A sports information person at Lebanon Valley commissioned a study on the youngest teams in the country at the Division III level and, lo and behold, Colby seems to be the front runner in the informal poll. The make-up of our team (1 senior, 2 sophomores, 8 first-years) is unique, but never did I consider just how unique it truly was.
Through our first 11 games, our newcomers account for 69% of the minutes played and, when you factor in our two sophomores, the number jumps to around 84%! Lebanon Valley, which starts four freshmen just as we do, receives 66% of its minutes from rookie players. That is pretty impressive and a great reminder of how youthful we really are. When you look at championship teams - no matter what the level - there is a certain level of experience on each team that plays a large role in the success. Except, perhaps, for the Michigan men's teams from the 90's, you'd be hard-pressed to find a team dominated by youth that has competed well on a national level. So, when I look in the eyes of our freshmen, I see a world of potential and know that whatever we experience this season - both the good and the bad - we'll be better for it in the coming years.
In the morning, we board the bus for a trip to Middlebury, VT, hoping an early departure will minimize the snow's impact on our trip. With back to back games, we'll have a real great opportunity to use what we have learned thus far on the clean slate of NESCAC play in front of us.
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