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Athletes seal deal on signing day
Senior soccer players Dillon Parkhill, Ryan Ritter and Mauricio Velasco celebrate their college athletics commitments with their families and varsity soccer coach.
Written by Zahra Mitchell, Staff Writer
Making the final goal of a game or passing the winning touchdown all comes into focus as senior athletes signed with their future universities earlier this month. For students aspiring to continue playing their sport in college, the wait finally ended.
When signing with a university, a number of athletes desire a school that gives them opportunity to excel in the sport that they play as well as in the academic path they wish to pursue.
“Playing for volleyball for SMU is ideal,” senior Megan Jeanette said. “I’m in IB and so I was looking for a university where I could play volleyball without sacrificing my academics. SMU has the perfect facility for me to do that.”
Many athletes feel that playing a sport throughout college will help them maintain their physical fitness while at the same time become an active member in their school community.
“I definitely think that playing soccer during college will help me keep in shape,” senior Joshua Sealey said. “That’s my main target. I don’t want to be 45 and overweight with a mustache.”
The days spent stalking the mailbox or waiting by the phone definitely took a toll on several students’ stress levels throughout their senior year.
“It was really hard to wait and see what colleges wanted me to play for them,” Sealey said. “Everyone around me knew they were going to UT or Baylor and I was still waiting. I really just wanted to know.”
When choosing a college to attend, students find they do not always get their first pick. It’s similar for student athletes. Fortunately, these competitors keep a positive mindset and continue to hope for the best.
“The school I signed with wasn’t where I was aiming,” senior Brandon Wesley said. “But I feel like I’m fortunate just to be given the chance to play football in college. A lot of people I know aren’t even getting a chance to play for a team in college. I’m glad I’m not one of them.”
For some students, athletics are their life and for others, it’s an enjoyable pastime to pursue in college. Either way, signing with a college or university still holds major importance and significance in determining their futures.
“I can’t imagine not playing sports in college,” Wesley said. “That would just be a tragedy.”
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