Matthew Scott, Staff Writer
Playing sports in high school is an awesome thing to do. However, so many athletes dream of playing sports in college and not every high school athlete pursues that, because either they are lacking in talent or they get hurt so badly they cannot play anymore. Then there are the few that decide that they want to focus on other things instead of playing sports, and that is an important decision. That is not a bad decision to make because the purpose of college is to get an education, not focus on sports. Yet, there are so many ways to be involved in sports at a college that a student does not need to play for a college team. The Echo interviewed two former high school athletes to get their opinion.
There are many different reasons for people quitting competitive sports, but ask anyone and you will not get the same answer. “I need to focus on getting my degree and preparation for medical school,” said Trey Polk, a junior who played basketball in high school. Not everyone goes to medical school, but they all come to school to get their degree. “SNU doesn’t have a wrestling team,” said Brandt Williamson, a senior who played wrestling in high school.
Playing sports is one of the best times a student can have because of the competition. “I miss participating and being a part of something bigger than myself,” said Williamson. It is hard not to miss being involved with something the whole school is invested in. It is not just being active: Polk said he misses “the fun of playing the sport with other teammates.” It is the idea of playing with other teammates on the court or on the field.
There are other ways to be involved with sports on campus. The main example is intramurals; they can be a blast to play, and you still get the competition of playing sports without actually being on a team. Whether it is competitive enough depends on each person and how invested they become in the intramurals.
High school sports are a blast to anyone who wants to play, and college can be a great time too. If a student decides not to play college sports and, instead, focus on other things, like school and work, that is perfectly acceptable. Make sure you make the right choice for you that you will not regret, and have a blast in college.