Committed Athletes Advice to Young Players

BY RAEGAN JACKSON

As children, we are often asked what we want to be when we grow up. There is always a variety of answers given anywhere from princess to astronaut to firefighter, but one answer that was almost always a guarantee from any child who was involved in a sport was to go pro or to play in college. It is no secret that sports are competitive and there are slim chances of getting offers from colleges for any sport. However, we have a few seniors and a few alumni that have shared their experiences as student athletes and some advice they have for young athletes hoping to go to the next level.

Zak Perdew’s 2020 commitment photo for of North Greenville Univeristy.

Zak Perdew is an alumni who graduated in 2020. Perdew was involved in many sports, clubs and after school activities. His schedule consisted of school, soccer, basketball, football, journalism and an after school job. With a full schedule, Perdew’s time was hard to manage but he found that the most challenging part of being a student athlete was the image he had to maintain. “You have to be a leader in every aspect of your life. You have to be a role model for those below you and those that are there with you in those moments. You always have to be at the top of your game, being a friend, a teammate, an athlete and a student. One slip up is magnified and everyone sees that,” Perdew said. Even with the stress and the pressure, Perdew felt being a student athlete he stuck with it and is now playing basketball for North Greenville University in South Carolina.

Emma Egan’s commitment photo for LaSalle University.

Emma Egan is currently a senior here. Egan is involved in soccer and basketball. Egan started playing basketball at 5 years old and always had the dream of playing through high school and college. After playing for so many years it is natural for many to want to play for fun or to grow bored of your sport but Egan found the motivation to continue from many different aspects of her life. “My team really motivates me because I want to be a leader for them to be someone they can look up to,” Egan said. She knows first hand how grueling being a student athlete can be and the pressure you can feel trying to get to the next level. “Don’t let fear hold you back. Some people struggle with confidence and things like that especially when they play a serious sport that they have a lot of expectations from so I would say to go for what you want and work as hard as you can for it,” Egan said. Through lots of hard work and commitment, Egan is now committed to play women’s basketball at LaSalle University in Pennsylvania.

Emily Tinelli’s first media photo for Northern Kentucky University.

Emily Tinelli is an alumni who graduated from East in 2021 and currently runs track at Northern Kentucky University. Tinelli was involved in three sports, 11 clubs and took Advanced Placement and dual credit classes every year. While Tinelli never struggled with her student-athlete life in high school she has had a much different experience in college. “It is a commitment. It affects your day-to-day, I go to practice everyday for three hours and I weight lift every day. Practices also affect your weekly schedules and how you schedule your classes,” Tinelli said. Tinelli must also meet with an advisor every week to discuss her grades, Grade Point Average and the work she has due in all her classes. Even though playing a sport through college can be stressful and a lot of work, Tinelli believes that if you truly love the sport and it is what you want to do it is all worth it. “If you love it then it’s great. I’m glad I’m on the team and I am happy,” Tinelli said.

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