The Climb to College TRENTON WORDEN
Salem University Water Polo
While water polo may be a lesser-known sport to many, to Trenton Worden it’s everything. Since freshman year, he’s been playing (and loving) the sport. Though he wasn’t anticipating the sport to score him any financial aid for college, Worden is now going to Salem University in West Virginia on a water polo scholarship, working towards a career in real estate. “I wasn’t actively seeking out colleges and it felt so good that people were seeking me out to play for them,” he said. Worden is a multi-sport athlete, also a part of the school’s competitive swimming team. However, he much prefers water polo. “I don’t really like swimming,” the senior admitted. “I prefer polo because it gives a purpose to swimming.” Although he’s partial to water polo, Worden has acquired valuable skills from both sports. “[They’ve] taught me a lot of lessons that are applicable to school,” he said, “like working hard and getting things done that need to get done.” Since signing with the school, Worden has researched his future team. “I’m nervous to measure up to my fellow teammates…They’re really good, and it’s really scary,” he said. Even so, the athlete is excited for his time at Salem University. “I’m looking forward to the competition level being a lot higher than high school polo,” he said. “I have more fun when games are higher stakes.” Worden is grateful for the opportunity to play his sport in college, and thankful for his time with both swimming and water polo at West Albany. “I feel like they helped strengthen my work ethic, and helped me to see that the only way I’m gonna improve is by working hard. It’s such a valuable lesson.”
WHY FIVE WAHS ATHLETES HAVE COMMITTED TO
SYDNEY HARRINGTON Virginia Commonwealth University
Volleyball
Sydney Harrington began playing volleyball when she was in seventh grade, a mere five years ago, making her an underdog when she began playing in high school. “I know a lot of friends that started playing in third or fifth grade, so I started pretty late,” Harrington said. “It really felt like I was at the bottom of the food chain.” Regardless of her start to the sport, Harrington was determined to improve. “I like to be good at things, and I didn’t like that I wasn’t very good at volleyball when I started.” Harrington’s hard work must have paid off, because she’s now committed to play volleyball for Virginia Commonwealth University, and has three out of four of her years there paid for due to an athletic scholarship. However, Harrington was required to make a quick decision. “[Coach Jody Rogers] told me how much she was willing to offer scholarship-wise, and then she told me that I only had a week to say yes or no.” Thankfully, it was a fairly easy choice for the senior. Between the school’s Division One volleyball program and acclaimed College of Humanities and Sciences, Harrington was able to commit to the school with ease. “VCU has exactly what I want to study—I’m planning on doing psychology and they have a phenomenal social sciences program,” she said. Though Harrington feels nervous about being across the country from her family and friends, she’s incredibly excited to further enrich her volleyball skills. “I’m just excited to get to play the sport that I love as much as I possibly can,” Harrington said. “The level of dedication [on the team] is going to be the same as mine, and so it’s going to be a completely different environment.” Playing high school volleyball has taught Harrington countless valuable life skills, as well as helping her meet lifelong friends. No longer the underdog, Harrington says that her success has given her “that amazing feeling when you work hard and earn something…It’s driven me to go for the feeling more often.”
T H E W H I R LW I N D
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NATHAN MARSHALL
Lane Community College Baseball
Since he was just four years old, Nathan Marshall has liked the idea of hitting a ball with a bat, but little did he know that baseball would carry on to be a passion for the majority of his life as a young adult. The now-senior says he “started off with t-ball and then moved along to baseball,” and simply “fell in love.” Even when complications arose, Marshall’s dedication to baseball remained strong. In middle school, the athlete practiced in Portland three days a week and commuted to Seattle for tournaments nearly every weekend while still keeping up with his school work. “The biggest challenges were probably the driving and logistics…I had no time for myself,” Marshall said. However, the sacrifices Marshall made were worth it. Now, he’s preparing for a new chapter of his athletic career: college baseball. In August of last year, he went to visit Lane Community College in Eugene and was offered an athletic scholarship. “I was super excited because I’ve been working for a pretty long time to get where I am,” Marshall said. Though he’s committed to Lane, Marshall’s story with baseball is not yet over. He plans on attending the college, honing his skills, and then pursuing a Division One school. “Since Lane is a community college, I want to get in and get out,” Marshall said. He plans to study something in the business field, perhaps to become a sports agent. “My life is baseball, and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Marshall said. “I love it.”
