JV stands for junior varsity, which is a level of competition in football that is below varsity. JV teams are typically made up of younger or less experienced players, such as underclassmen or freshmen and sophomores in high school. JV teams are used to train rising stars and prepare them to compete at the varsity level. JV team members show potential but could use a little extra training. There is a JV captain who has some extra responsibilities and regularly talks to coaches. JV teams may play in games to give players some real-game experience, either before the varsity or on their own night. JV players may be able to go up to varsity level by performing well. JV players are often players who did not make the varsity team in tryouts, but this doesn’t mean they aren’t some of the best players. JV teams compete with other JV teams in a much lower-pressure environment than varsity.