The odds of high school athletes making it to the collegiate level are slim to none.
According to calculations done by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, there is a 6% chance for boys and a 7.5% chance for girls to play sports after their high school years.
This year, Carlmont had 11 seniors who, on May 16, committed to playing sports in college in front of their friends and family at the signing ceremony.
Of the 11 seniors, three are playing soccer (Jessica Sanders, Chiara Rigatuso, and Kayla Gustafson), three are playing baseball (Logan Snow, Sean Vanderaa, and David Bedrosian), three are playing softball (Eimear Cunningham, Ashley Trierweiler, and Sanni Karhiaho), one is playing lacrosse (Katie Hill), and one is doing cheer (Kathryn Stratz).
In high school, many kids play sports solely for the thrill of it. One of these kids is Hill, who will be continuing her lacrosse career at Willamette University in Oregon.
“I did not think I would play beyond high school. A friend convinced me to go to one of the meetings, and I just fell in love with the sport,” Hill said.
Hill’s passion for her sport is a thing that most athletes at the collegiate level share, which is a part of the reason as to why they can overcome the intense time commitment that comes with sports.
The extreme time commitment is only a single aspect of college-level sports that athletes face.
“I’m most looking forward to being able to compete at a higher level, as the talent and skill level is a lot higher than high school, as well as getting the opportunity to continue playing while getting a higher education,” Bedrosian said.
While the chances of a high school athlete playing in college are already low, the chances of going pro are even more depressed. However, not all college athletes play sports with the sole intention of making it to the big leagues.
“You learn how to manage your time more efficiently because playing a sport is a huge time commitment, especially when you are playing or practicing every day. Just being able to limit distractions off the field and getting your work done quickly is something that will carry on throughout the rest of your life,” Bedrosian said.
Like Bedrosian is suggesting, playing sports is not just about playing for fun. Being a student-athlete can also help better their lives for the future.
“Playing sports at Carlmont showed me what a strong community and close family could do to help me develop as a person,” Hill said.
Athletic Director Patrick Smith has seen many students continue on their dreams to become athletes with this group becoming the latest to do so.
“I think it’s cool for them. All their hard work went into achieving something very few people get a chance to do,” Smith said.
