CARY, NC – The rules are still the same; you still have to put the ball in the same hoop at the same height.  And yet, the varsity and junior varsity basketball experiences are respectively much different.

“You are dealing with guys who are older – guys who are a little further along fundamentally,”  boy’s varsity head coach Shawan Robinson said.  “The school gets up and supports the varsity more than the JV.”

While it can be seen as a sad truth to those who want each team to receive equal attention, one simple observation on a random Friday night or one peek at a local newspaper could tell you that varsity gets more attention.

Interestingly enough, the playing experiences are different for the players as well.  Junior guard for the Panther Creek women’s basketball team, Isis Lett, shared that the game on the court is the biggest difference between the two levels.

“I mean, you are playing girls that are 18, 17 as opposed to freshmen and sophomore,” Lett admitted.  “You’re playing the game at a faster pace.”

In a separate interview, junior varsity sophomore Rachel Mellinger said that JV games are still intense in their own right, but did admit that each game would carry more weight if they had some kind of end of the year tournament like their varsity counterparts.

“The games are interesting because it gets intense, because everyone plays hard,” she shared.

And when asked what the affect an end of the year tournament would have on the weight of the game, Mellinger pondered, “that would create more competition, and maybe we would try harder.”

On the men’s side, players interviewed had the opportunity to experience both the varsity and JV level at one point, and they focused their respective answers on their overall experience and impression at both levels.

“Varsity, I would say, is a little more fun because of all the different things you can do, and you have more opportunities,”  JV sophomore guard Matt Butler commented.  “You don’t have the crowds and the big games, and it doesn’t count as much.”

In a similar response, senior varsity guard A.J. Dixon additionally eluded to the overall purpose of a JV squad.

“JV and Varsity is way different because there is a lot more talent [at the varsity level].  At JV, there is some talent, but the point is to get more experience so you can play at the varsity level,” Dixon shared.  “You have to have more confidence.  The crowd is a lot bigger…all eyes are on you.  It can get under your skin at first, but once you get used to it you really like it.”

They may not have the same coverage by the media or the same crowds in the stands, but both the varsity and junior varsity  levels of basketball are intense in their own right.  And while the players admitted that some of the perks of playing at the varsity level are desirable, they understand that the game is played with the same rules, the same hoop, and the same love for the game.