On Wednesday, November 15, West High held its annual Signing Day: Athletes who have worked tirelessly in the sport they love pledge to partake in a corresponding collegiate team. For some, the process of getting a college to want you to play for them can take a long time. Careful planning as an underclassmen made all the impact for future prospects in the world of collegiate sports.
Extreme dedication was at the forefront in being able to pledge on Signing Day. Makena Irvine (12), who has played soccer for almost 13 years, communicated her elation, saying that signing was“the best thing ever.” Unsurprisingly , Irvine had already anticipated her commitment to Long Beach State when she was an underclassmen: “You can talk to colleges June 15 of your sophomore year . . . I weighed out my options and Long Beach [State] was the best fit for me.” According to Irvine, the best way to initiate the process of playing on a collegiate team is to start weighing your options early, making necessary preparations to facilitate a foreseeable endeavor.
Similarly, Dylan Smith (12) prepared early in anticipation of collegiate opportunities.Smith signed to play baseball at California State University, Fullerton; like Irvine, Smith’s pledge entailed a lengthy, steady process. Smith shared that “Every kid when they play a sport when [they’re] young dreams to play it professionally,” smiling as he added that “it’s probably been what my life revolves around at this point . . . It was about a year long process of talking to coaches just waiting for them to offer me [a spot on the team], and when they did, I accepted it.”
Soccer players Amaya Sanles (12) and Gizelle El Assal (12) will also play at the collegiate level, with the former attending Long Beach State with Irvine and the latter attending the University of North Alabama. El Assal shared that the University offered her a place on their team; knowing that the soccer program was “pretty good,” El Assal signed up to play. Though excited, she admitted that she is also “a little nervous because it’s so far and I’m going to miss all my friends and family. But, I think it’ll be a good change and a good opportunity to make new friends.” Sanles, in contrast, expressed her eagerness to play at Long Beach State because “[soccer] makes [her] happy” Sanles concluded that she “signed because soccer is really important to [her].”
When it comes to West High’s annual Signing Day, nothing makes more of a difference than the dedication and passion each and every Senior had in order to pursue their aspirations. To be able to play at the collegiate level is a true honor for these young athletes, potentially opening up career opportunities in the sport they play.
If anything, these Seniors have demonstrated that with hard work, commitment, and everything in-between, even you can pursue your athletic endeavors in a professional setting.
