For some, playing sports in college seems out of reach, for AHS alumni Jenny McCann and Antonio Gibbs, it is a reality. Both alumni graduated last year and are now participating on their university’s sports teams. McCann is a freshman in college and plays for their division one field hockey team. When she attended AHS, she played soccer, field hockey, and ran track for the school team. During her senior year, the field hockey team had a very successful season and won the Patriot Conference. Gibbs participated in AHS football, wrestling, and track. He was a regional champion for wrestling and was also ranked second in the state of Virginia. Both of these athletes excelled in their sports and had successful high school athletic careers. In order to achieve their success, they were dedicated and trained their hardest to succeed. Although all of the effort required for school sports can be difficult, all of this training helped them transition from high school level to collegiate sports. “AHS sports prepared me well because the coaches pushed me to limits I thought I couldn’t reach.” Gibbs said. “It made the transition easier from high school to college.” Another challenge that school sports create is the lack of time and energy for studying. Most student athletes are aware of how demanding high school sports are. They require a lot of time and physical effort and it is hard to balance the time between playing and studying. Some athletes lose sight of academics when they enter into college for sports. It’s exciting to play sports in college, but it is also important to not lose sight of the academic nature of college. “Stay focused on what you came to college to do,” Gibbs said. “You are a student first and an athlete second.” Many student athletes taking IB or honors classes may think that sports add too much stress to their school life. The academic stress can often hinder student athletes from pursuing further athletic participation. Although balancing the busy schedule is challenging, Mccann believed it prepared her for the also demanding collegiate level sport. “Playing sports and taking all IB classes definitely prepared me for time management skills needed to be a successful student athlete in college,” Mccann said. “Also I’ve always had pretty good time management skills, but the William and Mary athletic advisors provide a lot of helpful resources in order to make sure we are on top of our schoolwork.” High school sports proved helpful to these students, but the collegiate level sports these alumni participate in are a totally different experience. Along with the obvious increased skill and difficulty, college sports require even more time than high school sports. The athletes require a lot of training for their bi-weekly games. Many of the games are also away in various out-of-state colleges and require long bus rides, or even flights. Despite all the challenges, Mccann and Gibbs enjoy their ongoing athletic careers. “My favorite thing about playing college is that everyone has the same competitive drive to win and get better,” McCann said. “Everyone works hard for each other and has the same end goal.” Current AHS student athletes should not be discouraged to pursue further athletics. Although it may be difficult, the results are rewarding. Collegiate sports are challenging but enjoyable. Student athletes should plan for their future and train hard to achieve it, but also enjoy their current athletic position. High school sports provide many unique experiences and memories that cannot be found at the collegiate level and beyond. The alumni are enjoying their current school athletics, but they reminisce the memories only AHS sports could provide. “I miss Friday nights when all the attention is on you and there isn’t a worry in the world,” Gibbs said. These two alumni pursued and achieved their goals to play at the collegiate level. Although playing in college may seem unreachable, these alumni proved that anyone is capable.