On Nov. 13, signing day marks a significant milestone in the academic and athletic journeys of many seniors who have accomplished a lot in their careers. Some of these names are AJ Putty, TJ Jakubowski, Mason Leske, Alex Behles, Anna Campanelli, Abriyana Walker, Katie Ferrara, Ally Schneider, Georgia Watson, and Mari Rodriquez. Each of them has shown their leadership skills, passion, and achievements in the sports industry. They have been recognized for their work, dedication, and achievements, as they’ve often spent years training, competing, and balancing schoolwork to reach this point.
In the cafeteria, a table was set up for 10 athletes, and chairs were given for the audience which mostly consisted of parents, siblings, and friends. Every coach gave speeches for their students, showcasing their best qualities. Marcus Belin, principal of HHS even shared his thoughts about the significant day.
“We get to see that kids are getting ready to pursue their passions and their dreams at the next level, which is awesome,” Belin said. ”Some just started here in high school and reached that level of accomplishment which should be recognized. So it is all about celebration.”
Rita Castans, athletic director, tells us the story of this day throughout the years.
“The National Letter of Intent was kind of your commitment that you were going to stay at this university for your time in college,” Castans said. “Since NCAA got rid of it, now it’s become that they need to sign a financial agreement where players can get a certain amount of money.”
The students see this day as not just a continuation of their athletic careers, but also as a reward for all their work, struggles, and dedication.
“We’ve been working so hard for this, and I think it’s so cool to see our accomplishments be recognized and it’s really exciting,” girls varsity volleyball player Georgia Watson said.
Andrew Jakubowski, boys baseball coach, talks about his students’ accomplishments as well.
“I am very proud of them, they’re great kids and they make it enjoyable to go to practice and compete every day,” Jakubowski said. “We’re looking forward to having a successful season, and we look forward to seeing them do extremely well in college.”
At the end of this awesome day, parents, friends, and teams were celebrating with their athletes by taking pictures and eating cake that wished them all “Congratulations!”
