From the beginning of high school until the day they graduate, students are expected to figure out what they want to pursue before going into college. For student-athletes, the decision at hand is different. At some point in a student’s high school career they may realize that they can play the sport they love for another four years and when that realization happens, they begin to do anything to make it happen. Many athletes will put extra effort in and focus on that sport.
“My brother, Athanasios Kaliakmanis, and I always knew we wanted to compete in football beyond high school since we were kids,” senior Dino Kaliakmanis said. “I went to camps and showcased what I can do for my playing capacity and skills.”
Many athletes not only play on a school team, but they also play their sport on a club or travel team at other times throughout the year. Many teams have the opportunity to go to large camps or tournaments where college coaches can watch them play, allowing these athletes to get more exposure. They usually don’t experience this big opportunity when just playing on a high school team.
According to Alex Tichenor from CantonRep.com, many athletes put in extra effort for a more serious reason that can be related to money or wanting to play at a higher division. In his article, he explains the topic of scholarships, discussing how some scholarships can make or break a person going to college. For some athletes, they become determined to focus to find more opportunities getting in touch with college coaches to increase their chances for scholarships.
Although many student-athletes sometimes decide to put aside their other sports as they get older, many still play multiple sports. Senior Faith Miller has played softball every year in high school as well as on a travel team, but eventually decided she would rather try to pursue basketball in her future. Making this big decision led Miller to stop playing travel softball to focus on a club basketball team.
“In the future I plan to focus on basketball,” Miller said. “I think playing for the school helps me improve upon those basics so hopefully I can play the sport of my choice in the college I wish to attend.”
Miller still simultaneously plays softball and basketball because she believes that it is still important to take part in the things that make her happy and it’s also what makes her more athletic. It all comes down to each athlete and their specific goals for their future and what best suits their situation.
