As fall season comes to a close at the Upper School, alumni are taking their sports to new heights as they compete at the collegiate level.

All agreed that the biggest difference between high school and collegiate sports is the amount of commitment required to participate.

“Participating in a college sport is definitely much more of a commitment regarding time and energy,” Siobhan said. “Going from meetings, to the training room, to the gym for work-outs, to the training field to practice, and then ultimately the stadium to play, it is somewhat of an all day, every day event.”

Another challenge, according to Michael, arises when playing against seniors as a freshman.

“Coming in as a freshman, we are competing against fifth-year seniors and seniors that are far older and more developed,” he said.  “Developing to play against players that are so much older and stronger is the hardest part of playing in college.”

Despite the hard work and time commitment that the athletes give to the team, the end result, such as winning a game or winning the league makes it worth it, according to Gautam.

“I’d have to say success is probably the best part of playing a sport in college,” Gautam said. “After putting time in all off-season, it’s great to see that work blossom into something great, such as the Rose Bowl for us last season.”

According to the athletes, another perk is the friendship gained from being on a team. For many athletes, the bond created on a sports team is far stronger than any made out of the athletic arena.

“The absolute best part about swimming at USC is my team,” Kevin said. “We really connected instantly because all of us carry the same goal.  We have a combined men’s and women’s swim and dive program, and it’s basically an instant 70 best friends as soon as I stepped on campus.”

As with high school athletes, time management remains essential for the college athletes, especially with the increased time commitment of the sport.  Universities often provide additional academic help for athletes.

“[Managing academics] is a bit difficult, but here we have a ton of resources available to help us out, including academic advisors and tutoring groups,” Siobhan said. “There is always someone to talk to to help us with scheduling conflicts and how to work them out, and even advisors who specialize in time management and study habits if that is what people need to help balance their schedules.”

For students hoping to get recruited, Jessica offered some advice.

“I would recommend that they make sure they really love and still enjoy the sport they are in,” she said. “I know many people who quit in college because it’s a lot of time commitment, and they realize that they don’t actually love it anymore. They also need to work hard at the sport and be willing to make sacrifices.”

Information about upcoming games resides on university websites, although the seasons are coming to a close with the start of the NCAA tournaments.