Athletics are a big part of what completes high school life. Many students dream of getting a full scholarship to play a sport in college. These scholarships offer not only money, but an opportunity. An opportunity for students to create their own life and make a difference by doing what they love to do. 

The NCAA requires at least a 2.3 GPA, a 900 SAT, or 75 ACT sum score for its D1 student-athletes. However, for the D2 level a 2.2 GPA, an 840 SAT, or a 70 ACT sum score is required. The NCAA puts a strong emphasis on the student part of student-athlete. Most students are offered tutoring and extra study halls in order to be successful in the classroom first. 

Now, back to high school. THS offers many sports that students participate in; these sports range from golf to volleyball to even academic sports such as ACE. Some students are blessed enough to have to balance their school life and their recruiting life. 

Senior Jalan Troy is a 6’4″ 235 pound defensive end for the football team. Troy’s size and athleticism give him almost an unfair advantage at the defensive end position. This advantage has allowed him to receive interest from Marshall, Liberty, Elon, and Wake Forest. Jalan is still undecided about where he wants to attend; although he is sure that he would like to pursue a career in Physical Therapy or Kinesiology. 

“Recruiting has taken a little bit of time away from me doing fun things. I do still go out with friends, but I still have to put time and effort into being a disruptive defensive end,” Troy said. Football is a difficult and physical sport. Students have to manage academic, social, and sports in order to be a Division I recruit. 

The THS baseball team has always been known for developing star students and athletes. One student has been a shining star on the field for three years; he led the team in batting average his freshman year with an average of .442. Senior Grant Elliott has committed to play baseball at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

“I had to put a lot of work in year-round to get noticed by schools; I had to put in a lot of work in the batting cages and on the field. I had to do a lot of conditioning, also,” Elliott said. Being a Division II athlete, the time and effort has to be put in in order to become the best player possible. “Baseball did not take over anything at school, but it does take over some of my social life. If you want to play baseball in college or as a career you have to have the mindset that baseball will go over your social life,” Elliott added. 

Whether a student is playing in Junior College or in the SEC for Division I, the work must be put in to be the best. No scholarships or recruiting offers are just given, everything must be earned. This does take a toll on social life; however, that is a sacrifice these two students are willing to make in order to be the best in the sport they are playing.