Making the jump from a high school athlete to a college athlete is no small thing. A group of Northview seniors are preparing to take the leap and face the new challenges of playing college sports.
Although the basics of the sport are still the same, the intensity of the game picks up to another level.
“Playing, practicing and competition will all be more challenging,” soccer player Brenna Musser said.
The training becomes more intense because it is now on the same level as people in their 20s. Also, everyone on the team is talented and most earned scholarships to play.
“Everyone will be bigger, faster and stronger,” quarterback Kennedy Smith said. “Also everyone was one of the best players on their high school team, no scrubs.”
Most athletes begin to prepare to play in college right after their last high school season. They train the whole summer and all the way up until the season begins. For every sport the preparation is different. For example, football players start training sooner than a spring softball player would.
Some athletes prepare for college by playing in the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union), in which they play off-season with a club team. Conditioning is also vital because more than likely there will be a running test during the first week.
“I play club soccer and do lots of training on my own,” Musser said. “I spend a lot of time on the field practicing my kicks and I run track to stay in good condition.”
Other than the sports aspect of college, athletes also have to be able to keep up with their school work. On average, college teams practice at least 20 hours a week. Combined with classes, it doesn’t leave much time to do other activities.
Some days college athletes are looking at a 12 hour day before they can even get back to the dorm to study. Because there are no parents around to keep you on track, time management is one of the most crucial aspects of being a student athlete.
You have to learn responsibility fast.
“I think I’ll be able to balance my school pretty well,” softball player Jenna Vankempen said. “I was able to maintain my grades better as an athlete than before I was.”
Incoming college freshmen must also adjust to a brand new team. Going from playing with the same people for four years in high school to likely not even knowing a single person is a potential struggle.
It’s important to connect with future teammates. Joining group chats helps create bonds before the new season even begins and provides many benefits that athletes can experience in college.
While the sport physically intensifies, school work becomes harder to juggle, and the social aspect can be new, being involved in athletics during college can still be just as fun and exciting as a player’s high school career.
“I’m really excited for this next step and I believe that I’m more than ready to dive into college softball,” Vankempen said.