During preseason meetings, Girls’ Soccer Head Coach Antonio Boada dropped a game-changing rule: seniors were officially benched from the JV Girls’ Soccer team.
The move, Boada said, was meant to keep JV as a training ground for younger players, opening up more opportunities for underclassmen. “There aren’t seniors on the JV team to strengthen the program with younger players—who, in the future, are going to be able to play on varsity,” he explained.
While some parents and players appreciated the focus on development, others were surprised by the shift, especially given the longstanding tradition of including seniors on the team. The decision stirred mixed emotions—especially given its timing just as the team was gearing up for the season, which added to the sense of disruption for players who had expected to return to a familiar environment.
“The JV team has always been about building confidence and creating a foundation,” said Coach Emerson Fales, a longtime coach in Ransom Everglades’ Athletics Department who leads the JV Girls’ Soccer team. “It’s hard to see some of our players, especially the seniors, miss out on that.” Fales said he has noticed the difference in team dynamics already. “There’s a definite shift,” he said. “The decrease in seniority has changed not only how we play but also the level of respect and the bonds that form off the field.”
Several players said that JV soccer has never been just about developing talent; it has been about building friendships and creating a community that feels like family.
For Junior Isabel Wesoloski ’26, a dedicated JV player, the absence of seniors is deeply felt. “Playing with seniors brought so much to the team,” she explained. “They were role models, and we all looked forward to senior night as a way to celebrate together. Now, that’s gone, and it just feels unfair.” Wesoloski added that, for her and many other JV players, the absence of seniors has taken away part of the supportive environment that made playing on JV so rewarding.
Sophomore Dhanya Agrawal ‘27, who’s new to the team this year, said she noticed the lack of senior leadership. “It felt like the juniors just didn’t have enough seniority,” she said. “There were times when we needed someone to step up and lead, and even our coaches mentioned that the presence of seniors was missing. I’ve heard so many stories about how they used to bring everyone together and make the team more fun. It would’ve been cool to experience that and learn from them.”
Junior Eleni Haralambides ‘26 agreed, saying the team just didn’t feel the same without the older players. “Not having seniors this year was so weird,” she said. “They always brought so much energy and made things more fun. It just felt like something was missing. Senior night was the best part of the season—the celebrations, the speeches, just everyone coming together. Not having it this year was such a letdown. It felt like we lost a tradition that made the team much closer.”
Junior Milla Siahpoosh ’26 , however, saw the season in a more positive light. “Even though we didn’t have seniors, we still came together as a team and played our hardest,” she said. “Being a captain as a junior was a really cool experience. It challenged me to step up and be a leader, and I think it brought our team closer.”
Siahpoosh added that she understands the purpose of JV is to help younger players grow. “JV is all about development, and giving underclassmen the chance to get more playtime and improve is important. I think this change helped with that, even if it meant adjusting to a new team dynamic.”
