Seniors participate in multiple signings throughout the year to take the next step in their athletic career.
Colleges from around the state came down to witness senior Jacob Smith, who gave a speech that thanked family and friends for their support.
“I think almost my entire speech was about thanking my friends and family,” Smith said. “I was still scared, but by the middle of it, it got better.”
Having spoken in front of a large group of people meant dealing with stage fright. Many students along with senior Madilyn Lenox mentioned that the public speaking portion of the event was the worst part.
“I wasn’t a fan of speaking in front of everyone, it was extremely intimidating,” Lenox said.
The speech wasn’t the only memorable moment of the events. Senior athletes looked at many options for what schools had to offer for academic and athletic purposes. Having chosen a college meant students were making the final leap to the next step in what life had to offer. Being prepared mentally and physically for college right after high school was what many seniors, such as Mileena Poe, prepared for throughout high school.
“I’ve been slowly getting ready for the mental jump from high school to college softball,” Poe said. “I’m still not completely ready for it.”
Sports weren’t the main thing colleges had to offer to students; many offered opportunities for good academic programs. Even though students participated in signings, a few mentioned that sports aren’t the only reason for going to college.
“I’m not going solely for football, I’m actually going for a degree in sports medicine,” Smith said. “I want to be there for kids like how athletic trainers were for me.”
Knowing college had everything that Smith wanted for both academics and athletics allowed him to make the decision easier.
“I was looking for a college that had a good program for football,” Smith said. ”For one that had a good Sports Medicine program so that I’d have a reliable area of study.”
Many students, along with Lenox, began pursuing goals early on in school. Lenox confessed that playing professional volleyball was a long-term goal.
“I’ve wanted to play at the college level since I was in 7th grade,” Lenox said. “I feel like I’ve always wanted to do it before that.”
Knowing how much the signings affected the future, many seniors like Cady Masters were scared when walking into the event.
“I always knew how serious it was,” Masters said. ”I was still anxious during it.”
In order to make college more affordable, students like Poe seized the opportunity immediately when it was offered.
“Softball is my main reason for college,” Poe said. ”It has offered me more scholarships than anything else.”
Even though students already had a college in mind, the preference has changed throughout the four years of high school. Some schools relied on the community around the school rather than academics, which is exactly what Poe wanted.
“I wanted a school that had focused more on having fun,rather than a school that was only about competing to be the best,” Poe said.
Signings have occurred three times over the school year. To date there are 24 athletes who have taken the next step into an athletic career.
