Throughout high school, many students participate in varsity athletics, but few complete the journey of making it to the college level. The stress involved in transitioning between high school and college is hard to adjust to in general, and adding sports to the picture only intensifies it. Being away from home, the outrageous price and opening a new chapter in life is overwhelming. A small group of athletes accept the added stress and challenges of pursuing the sport they love after graduating high school, but those that do, wouldn’t trade it for the world. High school is the phase where reality strikes and it’s time to either get serious or get out. Zack Snyder, who has officially committed to wrestle for Chris Williams at Adrian College next fall, made up his mind toward the end of his junior year. Snyder has been involved with the Stockbridge Wrestling Program for over ten years.

Getting noticed by a scout or coach has become easier over time due to increased media coverage and social media at local high school events. However, the responsibility doesn’t fall entirely on the recruiters. It is up to the athlete to make contact with coaches and provide them with stats, records, and goals. They have a low budget to travel and recruit athletes, so sending video of skills and game footage is important.

“Coach Williams called me and asked me to come visit Adrian and talk with him,” Snyder said. “He asked how I was doing this season and what my record was, and he also asked if I had faced any ranked opponents this year.”

When a coach comes to judge an athlete’s talent their focus isn’t centered on just their abilities. Great Lakes Christian College soccer coach Lennie Mailand is “looking for players who are not only on a higher level on the field, but athletes that do well in school as well.” The importance of grades does not diminish in college.

Coach Mailand later explained another important aspect of recruiting.

“We want kids who are going to represent our school well.”

The privilege of being able to play for a college requires student athletes to be even more respectful in public. They are held to a higher standard due to the fact that they are what the public sees. Whether watching them compete on television or seeing them in person outside of school, the reputations of college athletes determine the reputation of the school itself.

After the recruiting stage is over, the focus becomes doing well against other collegiate teams and athletes. The talent and abilities are brought to a whole new level in college, which forces everyone to get better in order to succeed. It’s a bigger stage, and added pressure, so preparation becomes more of a priority.

“Practices are going to be a lot different than high school” Snyder said. “Coach Williams told said they were going to be more difficult with more live wrestling. He also said that there was going to be more independent work because he trusts that everybody is passionate about the sport.”

Although the stress and dedication increases, athletes can finally say they made it beyond high school, and that they achieved what they worked hard to receive. For athletes, it’s been the goal since the beginning, and it’s a comforting feeling to continue the journey at a higher level. Snyder feels relieved after being offered the opportunity to wrestle in college.

“It’s really nice because a lot of people are done after their senior year.” Snyder said. “It’s exciting to be able to continue. It feels good to move on and face better competition. I don’t want it to end.”