Are extracurricular activities simply a time-filler in high school, or do people have a true passion for sports and clubs that they hope to pursue in the future? There seems to be a trend in the ASL high school of students spending a lot of time practicing and playing the sports in which they are involved. In fact, if one did not know better, he or she might think that the kids who are the major basketball, rugby, volleyball etc. players would probably want to continue these sports in college, if not make a career out of them.
However, Andre Maman (’15) believes “Rugby for me definitely ends after high school.” This is not to say that Maman does not enjoy rugby, he really does. Maman explains “I enjoy rugby as it is challenging physically, however odds are that I will end up at a school that doesn’t have a rugby team and I’ll be more focused on other things such as academics.” For all his talent and time invested in rugby, it looks like Maman won’t continue in college. “I know I won’t have an athletic career,” he adds.
James Callaway (’15) feels similarly about his involvement in basketball. He is on the varsity team at ASL, but states “I don’t see myself having a career in basketball.”
Savannah Henry (’15) seems to feel the same way about her volleyball career. She explains, “I love volleyball but I do not see myself playing after college.” Even though students are very passionate about the sports they participate in currently, professional athletic careers are not in the future for most.
The same cannot always be said for activities aside from sports. Zainab Mahmud (’15) explains her involvement with MUN, “MUN has been something that has been pretty prevalent in my extracurricular activities. In Mahmud’s case, she may have found her passion during high school. She goes on to say “MUN is something I am passionate about – I hope to pursue a career in International Relations some day.”
When describing his involvement in the Young Millennials club, Callaway says “It is an open-minded political club that collaboratively picks issues to discuss.” He especially enjoys it because “I like to understand people’s thought process and I find it helpful in forming my own solutions to political problems.” Callaway hopes to continue his involvement in political clubs in college. “I like the people I have met through the Young Millennials and I will definitely want to become part of similar clubs in college because of the great experience I have had at ASL.”
However, Callaway, who is also an avid golfer, sees a possible future career in golf. “Golf is a sport I could potentially play for another half century – the same cannot be said for other high impact sports. Because I have the capability to play for so long, I will be able to improve at every facet of the game. This is something that really appeals to me – I am attracted to improvement.”
Savannah Henry (’15) describes her dedication to another of her activities. “Art has always been an important part of my life. I draw in my sketchbook multiple times a day every day, I always look forward to art class and I am working towards building a portfolio for AP 3D studio art. Art is a passion of mine and I will definitely continue it in college. I also hope to have a career in art or design when I am older.”
Momo Steele (’16) is involved in numerous extracurricular activities. She was on varsity volleyball, currently is on JV basketball and is part of the Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer awareness club and the unity and diversity club. She also has a passion for Marine Science. Although Steele is dedicated to volleyball she doesn’t see herself having a career in volleyball because, she said, “I care about other things too much to devote my life to it by making it my career.”
