The sophomore level in any sport often gets overlooked and shot down by varsity competition. Many students often skip the sophomore level games to go see varsity because they are playing on the highest level and on the biggest stage. But three sophomores at Antioch Community High School, who may be overlooked by many, certainly should not be doubted based on how they are performing.

These three players have conquered and surpassed expectations set on so called “underclassmen level” players. Each have had tremendous improvements since last season and all of these student athletes are playing at the high point of their lives. They all are overcoming the adversity of being called “not good enough”, and have accepted and excelled at their roles on the sophomore team. Despite all of this, they always keep a smile on their face and trust the process.

According to Alan Goldberg’s Ph.D. blog on competitiveedge.com, the best way to handle doubt and hate is to not let anybody “steal your joy and love for the game, you need to keep your larger sports goals in mind and do the very best that you can do to work towards these goals.”

Many times, athletes get down on themselves because of negative comments and other critiques made about their game, which causes the athlete to shut down and start to doubt themselves. The most successful athletes often are the ones who stay in their own lane and do not let criticism or hype get to their head. There is a fine line between being confident and cocky which can go a long way in the success of athletes.

These players realize that in order to succeed, they need to have a blend of listening, coachability, hard work, dedication and most importantly, determination and the grit to always get better, no matter the situation.

Sophomore Jack Gillespie loves to stay on the positive side of things, and relies on his love to compete for his success this season

“I just go out there everyday and give 110 percent no matter what I’m doing on the field,” Gillespie said.

For athletes in general, sometimes the most beneficial trait is the ability to listen and adapt to what they are hearing. There is always that elder who will do anything for them and will go through all of the ups and downs to see them succeed. These sophomores possess the ability to be coachable, accept the fact that not one thing they do is perfect and they can always strive for improvements.

Sophomore Austin Andrew’s biggest role model and who has always been there for him when things didn’t go as planned is his father

“I owe all of my success to the hard work I put in during the offseason, mainly with my father,” Andrews said. “He’s helped me vitaly ever since I was young and encouraged me to work hard to achieve my goals.”

There are rarely athletes who are as well-rounded as these sophomores are. They go hard every second, no matter what they are doing; they put their bodies on the line to help the team; they are always respectful in every situation; and they are never content with only being good enough. These underclassmen are the true definition of successful athletes and they are the best at staying level-headed while maintaining that definition.