Brooks School offers 15 different interscholastic sports — and 48 teams on which to play them.

In addition to 1st teams, or varsity level sports, Brooks has full-roster squads of 2nd teams and 3rd teams for boys and for girls that function as junior varsity in many sports each season.

The beauty of having up to three levels of a team is that anyone interested in playing a sport at Brooks may do so, regardless of their age or their experience in the sport.

I want to provide the student who has never played sports before the same opportunity that we provide our 1st team players — to pursue their passions, to challenge themselves and to compete at a high level.

Roberta Crump-Burbank, director of athletics"For some of our kids, playing sports at Brooks will be the first of many experiences playing sports," says Roberta Crump-Burbank, director of athletics. "For some of our athletes, playing sports at Brooks will be their only experience playing sports. We want to make sure that both experiences are great experiences."

Whether it's a soccer veteran trying out ice hockey for the first time, or a 1st team football player in his fourth year on the squash 2nd team, Brooks' 2nd and 3rd teams enable all of the school's athletes to play interscholastic sports at a level that allows them to improve and enjoy their experience.

"There's a lot of exterior noise at the 1st team level — playing time, college prospects — that doesn't happen at the 2nd team level," said boys 2nd ice hockey coach Tim Benson. "You're really able to coach the game: Egos get thrown out, humility comes into play, lessons are shared. I think it's pretty great."