First-year students at any college encounter a drastic transition from high school to college, but first-year student athletes have more commitments than simply turning in a paper on time.
Student athletes have to adjust not only to school, but also to a different team, coaching style and pace of play.
When asked about the pace of play difference Katie Silegy, of the Keene State College women’s soccer team said, “Definitely so much quicker. The girls are so much bigger because when you think about it, you’re coming in at eighteen years old against twenty-one year-olds who have been lifting for four years and have more experience. You just have to adjust to the quickness.”
Kyle Bailey / Photo Editor
Along with this point, Taylor Farland, another member of the KSC women’s soccer team, said the physicality definitely increased from high school.
“It was a lot quicker, like the pace, and the girls are a lot bigger and stronger. You really have to push each other off the ball. It’s a lot more physical than when you were in high school,” Farland said.
Farland also said the girls she played against in high school were a lot less developed skill-wise and physically, meaning it was a big jump.
Another thing that comes along with being an athlete, according to Sandi Purcell of the KSC women’s basketball team, is adjusting to a new team.
However, Purcell said everyone on her new team was much more passionate, creating a “family” atmosphere.
“It took a lot more work. I found myself doing a lot more out-of-practice things than I ever did in high school,” Purcell said.
Purcell explained it was weird adapting to a new coach and system, but she said, “I found things in my coach now that I like better than my coaches before.”
However, despite its challenges, being a student athlete comes with a lot of benefits.
“[The] biggest benefit was having a support group to be there for you all the time. Automatically you have friends basically, which is probably one of the biggest parts of college in starting over,” Silegy said.
Silegy also said that she gained time management skills from having designated times for schoolwork and time for practice and games.
She also said the team was welcoming and helpful, which was a big benefit for her.
In agreement with her teammate, the biggest benefit, according to Farland, was creating friendships.
“Definitely the friends, because you get here for preseason a week in advance and spend time with people on your team before freshman orientation, so you have your core right there,” Farland said.
With benefits come challenges as well, not only mentally, but also physically.
Purcell said, “My body takes a toll.” Along with that, she explained she doesn’t get a lot of time to herself, but that she has gotten used to it.
Furthermore, Silegy said, “It is difficult learning how to balance a whole new environment.”
She also said that she has to take harder classes, worries about missing classes and has to adapt to the social aspect of the new school.
However, adapting to these changes is what makes college such a special experience.
Farland said, “It has made it better because you always have people to go to who have experienced similar things and that you can go to for help with it.”
Farland also explained that she has a lot of friends on the team and that it’s good to have people to talk to when she needs help.
She said she learned a lot of valued aspects needed for sport, such as leadership skills and how to work with other players with different ideas about the game.
In comparison, Sandi Purcell said, “I learned things about myself.”
She explained that she worked harder, built her own character and gained a good work ethic while being on the team.
Student athletes do share some of the same issues of general college students.
According to Silegy, “You definitely have to have a lot more time management, and obviously you’re not living at home and dorm life is different. It’s a lot louder.”
In addition to that, Farland, said it was definitely a lot different than high school.
She explained, “You didn’t have parents telling you when to do your homework, when to go bed. You had the ability to wake up for class, it was on you.”
In regard to the academic aspect, Purcell said the adjustment was difficult at first, but overcome quickly. In regard to learning, she stated, “It’s a lot more fun because you actually like what you’re learning about in class.”
Throughout the season, athletes remember some special experiences. Silegy recalled one that stood out the most.
“In seventy-two hours we played two double-overtime games, both went into penalty kicks, in our LEC Championship and our semifinal game, so that was definitely the best and worst because penalty kicks are not fun,” Silegy said.
Silgey explained they ended up winning the championship and went on to the NCAA Tournament.
Each of these athletes have goals set for the next season.
Purcell is one of those athletes, as she said, “We have the majority of the team coming back so we’re not only going to be closer, but also our chemistry is going to be so much better.”
Jeff Lunn can be contacted at jlunn@kscequinox.com
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