Roughly 8 million students take part in one or more high school sports throughout the United States. Out of such a large number only about 480,000 of them actually pursue one of those sports in college.
Here at Pleasant Valley High School many senior athletes are faced with the decision of continuing the sport they have played for years. For some it’s a cakewalk and they can confidently say they are going to this college to play this sport. Max Slavens, senior at PVHS said, “It’s Baseball. I’m going to Western Illinois University and I️ chose to continue playing at the next level because I️ love the sport and I’ve always had a dream of playing Division 1 Baseball.” Slavens wanted to feel welcomed at his college of choice and when he saw the campus and met the coaches, he knew Western Illinois was his choice for Fall 2019.
Then a question arises. Why do students want to play a sport in college?
Victoria Parejko, a cheerleader at Pleasant Valley High School, started cheerleading when she was young. She knows that after graduation she wants to attend college. Just like so many student athletes, Parejko is faced with the decision of pursuing her passion in college. “I don’t think that after so many years I could just let it go,” she said. “It’s always been a common factor everywhere I’ve gone and will be the same when I go to college.”
Plenty of students take part in more than just one single sport. Senior, Carli Spelhaug, plays basketball, softball, volleyball and track. Next year, when she attends college, she has decided to stick to one sport: softball. The reason behind her decision was her love for the sport. “I have loved playing softball ever since I was a kid and I wanted to continue playing the sport I love for four more years,” she said. Attending college while playing a sport is known to increase scores and academic success. Most students are choosing to play a sport in college because it’s what they love to play. By doing something they love, they are unknowingly setting themselves up for more success in their classes as well.
