In the words of swim Coach Christopher Murphy: “take your love of your sport to the next level and keep working like you did to reach that level.”

   Recently, senior athletes at LHS have been debating their options of colleges to attend. As one could imagine, this decision can be difficult. However, LHS has a few athletes who have an idea of what their post-high school paths will be.

   Senior swimmer Madeline Pittman plans to go to Lindenwood University. Forming a college plan isn’t easy, but she’s taking the necessary measures to get there.

   “Mainly I’m going there for their swim program because I plan on swimming in college but I really like their coaches,” Pittman said. “I talked to the head of their kinesiology department I really think it’s a good fit.”

   She depicts her high school experience as one with growing friendships, team chemistry, and overall fun. Some words of encouragement she’d give towards aspiring college athletes would be to have fun and appreciate the process of commitment. Her decision to continue her sport in college is similar to that of fellow senior athlete Kaitlyn Lewis.

   Lewis plans on continuing her track career based upon personal intuition and the help of her supporters. She will be continuing her track career at Northern Illinois University.

    “I know that it’s something I’m used to and I know that I’m not done being successful in it, so carrying it into college is what I wanted to do,” Lewis said.

   Her coaches have been crucial in the recruiting process regarding the involvement of other coaches and communication. Lewis explained that the overall influence of her supporters has helped her to take the sport seriously.  

   “Take it seriously and actually love it because I know college is going to be demanding,” Lewis said.

   Senior football player Brayden Swope has his eye on the prize: Northwest Missouri State University.

   “They’re the number one ranked division two team in the nation so that really pushes me to go there,” Swope said. “Also, I liked their campus. It was really nice and everybody there just seemed really friendly.”                                    

   Swope’s family plays a big role in developing a love for college play and encouraging him to pursue football further. Like many other athletes, Swope’s coaches push him to the limit and expect a certain level of performance but still make an effort to treat him the same as all the other players.

   These athletes all say they desire to have an exceptional support system of multiple coaches and family members, but it comes down to personal want and belief to achieve college-specific goals.

   “You have to enjoy what you’re doing, love what you’re doing, and stay committed to what you’re doing just stay focused,” Lewis said.

   Athletic Director Jason Cahill has some information on the signing ceremonies.

   “The first Winter Athletic Signing Ceremony will be the first Wednesday in February, the 7th. The Spring Ceremony will be at some point in early May depending on where it fits on our schedule.”

  The event will be taking place here at the LHS Fieldhouse and is welcome to all family, friends and fans of athletes.