Children often grow up dreaming of being able to play sports in college and beyond. However, according to the NCAA, of the eight million student athletes who are currently playing varsity sports, only about 530,000 will play at a collegiate level, meaning that every year, 94 percent of seniors will play their sport for the last time at the end of their senior year.
Sports teams typically will have a senior day for the team’s last regular season home game. This is a time when the senior athletes are celebrated for their commitment and time spent with the program. It often includes bringing the athletes out with their parents where they will receive a gift of some kind. “We always work to make the senior day very special for the seniors as it is their last time playing the sport with us,” girls’ tennis coach Quan Duong said.
This is an emotional time for students, and for the coaches and parents who have watched students play all their lives. “My last game was a really bittersweet moment because I have been playing softball since my freshman year and I have had lots of fun times with the team aswell as memories I am never going to forget,” senior McKenna Kupersmith said.
Whether athletes have been playing their sport their entire lives, or started playing during high school, walking away knowing they have played for the last time can be an emotional experience. The experience of high school sports goes much deeper than just what happens on the field. Whether it’s the team dinners after practice or the conversations on the sidelines, high school sports help create memories and bonds that will last far past high school. “I have been playing for three years so a part of me was ready to move on but it was still sad since I enjoyed playing lacrosse and loved being with my teammates,” senior Max Greenberg said.
Playing in college at the NCAA level is not the only way to continue with a sport after high school. Athletes can continue by joining a club sport within their college or an intramural team. Fraternities often have club teams within them students can play for in college. These don’t require as much commitment as NCAA sports, and are a way to continue playing past highschool. “I definitely plan to try and play a club or intramural sport at college because I have enjoyed playing at Wootton and want to have similar experiences in college,” senior Paul Wiener said.
High school sports not only make people better athletes but also prepare them to be better people when they go out into the world. High school athletics teach lessons about hard work and perseverance to push through when things get tough, whether it’s grueling offseason lifting programs or having to play in extreme weather. “Baseball was the hardest thing I ever did. I learned to persevere and take advantage of my opportunities from playing baseball,” Wiener said.
