No matter the sport, a healthy team dynamic has always relied upon the collaboration of several moving parts. Each small component, despite its seemingly inconsequential nature, can be a cog in the machine of any successful Chico State team.

Often, the savvy leadership associated with veteran players can have just as profound an impact as the contributions of underclassmen who are eager to prove they can deliver once the game is on the line.

For young players like Peter Wajda, earning that bigger team role can be a waiting game. As a freshman member of Chico State’s men’s soccer team, Wajda has spent plenty of the time on the sidelines.

“I redshirted last season due to an injury that kept me from being fully healthy,” Wajda said. “My coach and I decided that it was a good idea. Thankfully, having the fall to get my feet back under me proved to be an excellent choice in terms of my ability to perform this season.”

Although unable to join his team on the field last year, Wajda believes he still developed a strong relationship with his teammates, devoid of the good-natured ribbing that incoming players often experience.

“My experience with the team has always been a positive one,” Wajda added. “The guys all have a competitive edge to them but they are always a good time.”

And as the old guard of Chico State’s men’s soccer team graduates or loses eligibility, Wajda remains optimistic about his chances to make a bigger splash next season.

“I’m going to be a sophomore in soccer next season and another year means new possibilities,” Wajda said. “With our team losing several seniors, a lot of opportunities will be opening up. The desire to get some game minutes is a given, but I know I’m going to have to fight if I want to become a leader.”

As an incoming freshman, Brynn Lesovsky had a decidedly different experience upon joining the Chico State women’s softball team. Rather than wait for her time to shine, she found herself thrust into the spotlight from day one.

“Coming in, I was expecting to have to work really hard to gain the trust of my teammates,” Lesovsky said. “But, due to unforeseen circumstances, I was the only catcher on the team. I literally walked into a starting position. I felt like I had no pressure to earn playing time and my teammates were super supportive of me.”

The opportunity to start made for a smooth first year experience, she said.

“Because my circumstances were so unique, being new on the team never seemed like a challenge,” Lesovsky said. “Our roster had a majority of new freshman and junior transfer students too, which was quite unique. Since a lot of our team was new, we found that we were able to build the team’s culture from scratch.”

As many incoming players toil to carve out their own niche, it becomes the responsibility of senior Chico State teammates to take the initiative by demonstrating strong leadership skills and imparting the wisdom they have acquired over time.

“I joined the team as a junior transfer and adopted the starting center back role after our original starter got injured,” said Jordan Gorman, a senior member of Chico State’s men’s soccer team. “Taking on that position made me a better leader when needed. More importantly, having several other seniors on the team has allowed me to pick and choose when my leadership is needed. “

A senior’s experience can differ from that of incoming players, Gorman said.

“The seniors on this team know how important every game is, and that comes from the experience gained over the years,” he said. “After a tough end to last season, the seniors knew coming into this year that we had to play well every weekend. But for younger players on the team, grasping the importance of every game might be different.”

While Gorman acknowledges that younger teammates can struggle to prioritize, he believes that it’s simply a learning experience.

“They didn’t feel the heartache we felt last year,” he added. “But, through our seniors, we share the responsibility and do our best to make them realize how important each and every game really is.”

Taylor Maddox can be reached at[email protected] or @theorion_sports on Twitter.