by Lexi Rosas|staff writer
Senior Quinlan Wright has been a running, jumping, track sensation since the seventh grade has now turned that into an education. The dedication and hard work by some Johnson athletes has resulted in the continuation of athletic careers and in some cases, a paid education.
“I’m attending the Academy of Art University at San Francisco, California,” said Wright, “My scholarship is actually a three-fourths scholarship and if I improve my times this season it will become a full scholarship. I was aiming for a scholarship…I’ve been running track since seventh grade. I didn’t ever think I’d get a scholarship in track, but I guess I did.”
For many determined athletes their college choice is dependant on the possibility of them continuing their athletic career and despite the fact that the school can’t provide a complementary education, the desire to play a beloved sport is a driving force.
“It’s a division three and they don’t give athletic scholarships, but I am going to school in Georgetown to play volleyball,” said senior Riley Caskey, who will be attending Southwestern University.
Though many college players-to-be are conditioned to compete at the high school level they also seem to be ready for the amped-up intensity and competition that accompanies college sports.
“I’m excited because it will be a different level of intensity,” said Caskey, “I’ve played with the team a couple of times and I just know that I am going to love it.”
Gaining one’s way onto a college coach’s radar can also be work in itself. Senior Allie Gerner continuously emailed the Abilene Christian University girl’s soccer coach with invites and tournament dates.
“Getting an athletic scholarship has been my goal for like, ever, at least since before middle school,” Gerner said.
For some students, athletics are the only way that a student can ensure that the are able to attend their dream school.
“ACU is the school that I have wanted to go to for a few years now,” Gerner said, “ACU is also really expensive because it’s private, so I couldn’t go there unless I got an athletic scholarship.”
For some students, it is accepted that a career in sports does go past college, but they also know that the time they have with trips, teammates, and intense competition, will be enough.
“No, realistically I don’t think I want to move past college. My goal was to play in college, so I know I have four solid years to play,” Gerner said.
