April, 2017
COLLEGE SPORTS
By Morgan Daniels, Reporter
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hether it is watching or playing it, whether it is a college football team, or your high school basketball team, sport lovers are usually pumped about both. Many senior athletes are wrapping up their senior year and are excited to see college opportunities for competition present themselves. Some senior athletes feel as though they are prepared for what college has to bring. College athletes may have something different to say. Alexia Chapman, Track star at CMU feels like the biggest difference between high school and college is, “It really is like two separate worlds. You could have some semblance of a life outside of your sport, but that all goes away in college sports; everything that you do revolves
“It’s fun doing something as simple as running and jumping, and you get this really good rush feeling.”
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Sports
around your sport, your team, and your coach. And that adjustment becomes especially difficult when you add in the fact that you are no longer the best one on your team. Most college athletes go from being the best in all their pre-collegiate athletics, to just being another member on a team, which can be a pretty hard transition.” Some high school seniors may not be ready for the atmosphere of college, yet it is something an athlete can get used to. Starting with tryouts, high school tryouts are of course stressful, but you most likely know the coach. He/she may have been a past or present teacher, and you know the athletes you are trying out with. College tryouts differ a bit. The tryout itself may be in
VS SPORTS
HIGH SCHOOL
team relationships change. You a different in state, or town. You might be going to a bigger colmight not know a single person lege. This affects the amount in the gym or on the field. The of people you know. With most coach might just know you as a college sports there is a competinumber. “It can be scary going tive team, and the practice team. from small meets with a couple If you are on either team, there of schools to the biggest meets in the United States. I had to learn might not be time to get I had to learn to be to be confident to know your other teammates, this can have a big confident in who I am as an athlete, in who I am as effect on your team relationships, “The team dynamic and I had to learn an athlete.” is super different between to trust my coach a high school and college because whole lot more than I ever did in it has to be. Your team really high school.” Alexia Chapman does become your family in colexpresses lege because no one understands Team relationships also may what you are going through change. In high school, “you are better than your teammates. You like brothers” says senior, Baselive together, train together, eat ball player, Cade Oxford. You can together, and travel together, reach a new level of friendship everything. But just like with all with some of your teammates. your families, you fight. More You can consider your teammates with your college team than you your family. Now with college,
ever do with your high school team.” Alexia Chapman Overall sports bring joy to many athletes, and it may be a way to separate yourself, or “just be in your own little world” says sophomore basketball player Rilley Flinn. Even though college sports change from high school, it is not something to be worried about. Chapman expressed her final thoughts. “Overall, I’m super thankful for my high school and college experiences. They were very different from each other, but they were both good. Every team and program is going to have its good and bad sides, but I am super thankful for the opportunities I have had to compete at the highest level, and it has been great to be able to see myself develop as an athlete.”
A JUMP FOR THE BOOKS By Michelle Buffum, Reporter
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Fruita’s long jumper Gunner Rigsby Photo by Mallori Powell
uita Monument High school Senior and long jumper Gunner Rigsby can probably jump the length of about 4 people, 4 people if they all added up to 22 ft. and 2 ½ inches. Rigsby has not been jumping in track for long. He started this on the track team last year and he said that he could “jump pretty well” so would just try and see. Rigsby said pretty enthusiastically that he “never thought this would ever happen,” in references to being placed second in the nation for high school long jumpers. Rigsby has played sports his whole life so working hard is something he has down. He expressed that he plans to take it with him to college as well. Rigsby says he is going to college for track and plans to keep doing long jump. He has been talking to some colleges but has not been offered any scholarship money yet. Eating is a big part of how you perform in sports and life and some athletes eat really healthy things before they go out and do their game, things like proteins and starch foods. Rigsby said what he ate before a meet, he replied ever so slightly with “red vines, I eat red vines.” “It’s fun doing something as simple as running and jumping, and you get this really good rush feeling,” said Rigsby. Some couldn't imagine being second in the state for anything, let alone being second in the nation. “It’s really amazing and something I never thought I would do, and then I tried it and ended up being really good at it and it feels really great to be good at something.” Gunner feels that his family is excited for him and are really supportive. Gunner doesn't have any superstitions like don't wash your socks because their lucky, or you have to be wearing all Nike. He just goes out and does his thing “Winning in long jump at State is his ultimate goal. He’s working hard and hopefully going to reach his goal and represent Fruita Monument at State Track “My biggest fear is failing, and never reaching my goal, but I know if I work hard enough I will eventually get there,” says Gunner. There you have it Fruita Monument, if you work hard enough and push yourself anyone can achieve their goals.