Moving Beyond Labels: A New Way of Naming Our Teams
At New Frontier, our goal is not to sort athletes into “better” or “worse” teams, but to place them where they will be challenged, supported, and given the opportunity to grow.
For that reason, we’re making an important change in how our teams are named.
From Colors to Clarity
In the past, teams at New Frontier were called New Frontier 2012 Boys Blue, White, Grey, and so on, with the color loosely connected to the tier of play. While this structure was simple, it also reinforced a “label-based” system, one that made it too easy for players and families to compare placement as if it were a ranking.
But our philosophy has always been that development is not about chasing a higher tier or a different label. It’s about finding the right environment. A color-based naming system no longer reflects that.
A New Naming Format
Starting this season, we will transition to a naming convention that emphasizes identity, age, and leadership, not labels:
New Frontier [Birth Year] [Gender] [Coach’s Last Name]
For example:
New Frontier 2015 Girls (Zintel)
This makes it clear who the players are, what age group they play, and who is guiding their development. It removes the implied hierarchy of “blue versus white” and puts the focus back where it belongs: on the player’s journey.
Why This Matters
This change is about much more than names. It reflects the very same philosophy that guides our player placement process:
Development over selection: Players are evaluated continuously, not just at one tryout. Movement between environments is about challenge and fit, not “moving up” or “dropping down.”
Clarity over comparison: By naming teams by year, gender, and coach, we eliminate unnecessary comparisons and focus on the shared experience of growth.
Identity over label: A team’s strength lies in its people, the athletes and their coach, not in the color assigned to them.
Building a Stronger Culture
We want every New Frontier player to feel valued for who they are and the work they put in, not the name of the team they are placed on. This change is part of our larger effort to build a culture where:
Players understand that growth is ongoing, not a destination.
Families recognize that placement is about development, not status.
Coaches are celebrated as leaders who guide players through their journey.
Looking Ahead
We’re excited about this step forward. By aligning how we name teams with our development first philosophy, we hope to make New Frontier an even better environment for players to learn, compete, and love the game.
Thank you for embracing this change and for trusting us with your child’s journey. Together, we’re building something far more meaningful than a color!