As the class of 2025 finishes out their senior year and plans to head into college, many athletes are continuing to play the sport they love at the collegiate level.
While many high school athletes dream of taking their skills to the next level, only 7% of athletes will get the chance; therefore, constant dedication and passion for success is required. Focusing on their sport from a young age, recent college commits such as Joe Petrella, Anna Klotz, and Megan Roztler have put in hard work to make their dreams come true.
“I knew I wanted to play baseball at the next level,” Seton Hill University baseball commit Joe Petrella said. “That has always been my goal.”
These committed athletes have trained their hardest through constant practices, conditioning, and games. Their busy schedules show their commitment to sports, playing either on a high school team or a travel team. The three athletes give it their all regardless of who they’re playing for.
“I swim eight times a week and lift twice a week,” Duquesne University swimming commit Anna Klotz said. “I spend around 18 hours in the pool per week and wake up at 4:15 a.m. Monday through Friday and 8:00 a.m. on Sundays. My total training hours come to around 20 a week.”
Being on a school sports team brings a lot of ups and downs for many athletes due to constant practices and the challenges of balancing school work, sports, and maintaining a social life. Though time consuming, the unforgettable experiences and memories that are created make the seemingly endless hours of practice worth it when in front of a local crowd.
“I have always loved competing at the high school level,” Klotz said. “I always get so excited to compete at high school meets, such as the Loudoun County invite, regionals, and states. It’s a lot less pressure compared to huge club meets.”
While making the final commitment may seem like a dream, in reality, many athletes face difficult hurdles in the process of choosing when and where to commit.
“During my prime recruiting season, I wasn’t thinking about what my future would look like, so I didn’t pursue any teams,” Christopher Newport University lacrosse commit Megan Rotzler said. “The obstacle I had to face was my decision of continuing my lacrosse career or bringing it to an end, which took me longer than most of my peers.”
Multiple athletes recognize the stress felt throughout the recruitment process, knowing that commitment is the result of their performance. With that, persistence and determination are necessary for getting through the process.
“Going through recruitment was challenging, but you have to go through it with a positive mindset,” Petrella said. “It’s non-stop training, and you have to realize you fail more than you succeed. But, overall I’m glad the work paid off.”
For many athletes, touring a school was a way to envision their future and get their first look at how their work paid off. Seeing the school helped the athletes get a sense of the community and further understand if the school was best fit for them.
“I reached out to the lacrosse coach at CNU, and she had a full roster of ‘25 graduates and wasn’t in need of anymore,” Roztler said. “But, she was willing to talk to me, and after she invited me for my visit, she and I both knew that I would fit in on the team. I canceled my visit to another school immediately because I knew I felt at home.”
These athletes, all still with one more high school season ahead of them, can prepare and focus on taking the next step towards achieving their athletic goals.
“I couldn’t be happier now,” Klotz said. “Knowing that I made the right decision for myself has lifted a weight off my shoulders.”
