Six student-athletes made the decision to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level, each signing letters of intent to play for different colleges.
Moving on to the collegiate level, seniors committed to increasing their dedication to their sport. These athletes included seniors Jack Paris, Caroline Raynes, Merritt Skubisz, Emily Camp, Landon Layhew and Marcus Harris.
Each athlete started competing at a young age and was able, over the years, to develop not only their athletic skills but also their teamwork, leadership and commitment.
“I started playing baseball as soon as I possibly could. I always had a bat and a ball in my hands for as long as I could remember,” Paris said.
These athletes have also overcome many challenges throughout their athletic careers.
“I faced setbacks with being a shorter player, college coaches were unsure if I would be able to play at that level,” Layhew said. “Also, I developed pars fractures in my back the summer of my freshman year that affected me for about a year.”
Despite a variety of setbacks, the athletes have shown resilience and continuously worked to improve and propel themselves to earn their achievements.
“I have had to manage the comparison of myself to my older sister and other older goalkeepers at Texas Pride. It was challenging, especially this last year because the older goalies were consistently chosen over me, despite the skill level,” Skubisz said.
Although it was discouraging, Skubisz said that it motivated her and ultimately led to her growth in skill and confidence, especially in communication, on the field.
“The most rewarding part of the recruitment process was getting my first contact from coaches. Everything I had worked so hard for came down to that moment and it had all paid off,” Skubisz said.
The process of selecting the ideal school involved not only finding the best fit athletically but also evaluating the academic programs.
For many, this decision was about more than just continuing their athletic career, it was about finding a place where they could grow both as a student and an athlete.
“Proximity to home was very important to me,” Harris said. “Receiving offers from multiple D1s around the country, proximity to home, and playing time were the two most important things in my decision making.”
