Tohopekaliga High School commissioned a cupcake for each student athlete with the logo of their new school on it. (Photo/Ken Jackson)
When people in the academic community ask about the special contribution sports make in school … athletes across Osceola County have provided the answer.
High. School. Sports. Matter.
With another open signing period in June to go, 74 Osceola County athletes have signed letters of intent to play their sports at the college level, across Division I, II, III and NAIA schools.
At the Orange Belt Conference end-of-season banquet held last week, county Athletic Director Ryan Adams said the collective GPA of senior athletes this year was 3.24.
During open signing periods in December, February and May, schools held ceremonies, attended by friends, family, coaches and administrators, where athletes formally sign their scholarships. For some, like those who signed this past week, it marked the last thing of note they did on their high school campuses before graduation ceremonies are held this week at the Silver Spurs Arena.
On Wednesday, Tohopekaliga High School held one of those noteworthy signing events. For starters, thanks to having 23 athletes, the most ever in a year at the eight-year-old school, signing on to college, it had to be moved from the gym to the auditorium — and the stage was still packed.
And during the “sweet signing” — the school commissioned a cupcake for each student athlete with the logo of their new school on it — the Tigers featured their first signing in the sport of tennis. Anna Guedez will be studying pre-med and swinging her racquet at New College of Florida in Sarasota.
“I knew I wanted to play in college since my freshman year,” she said. “I get to stay in Florida, I get to go to a place that has my academic track … I’m pretty happy today.”
While playing in college is a dream for many, it’s only a reality for a fraction of them. Some of Wednesday’s signees fell into both categories until just a few weeks ago, like Victoria Perez, who will play volleyball at Polk State College in Winter Haven.
“This is a special day to be here with all my seniors, because I didn’t think it would happen,” Perez said. “Not only do I get to play in college but going the junior college route I can play for one or two years then move on to a bigger program.”
THS Athletic Director Chrispen Johnson said that, with the current culture of the college transfer portal, these schools in, in some cases, entry points for what could be a step up in competition.
“This day is a representation of hard work and dedication. That goes for the parents as well, who had to push some of them to get up in the mornings, make sure they’re dedicated to their grades and their sports. We’re celebrating as much as they are,” he said. “I’ve known some of these kids since they were in youth football. It’s been a pleasure to watch them grow and chase their dreams.”
Baseball Coach Jay Magee — a THS alum himself who signed to play at Edward Waters College before getting into coaching — watched six of his players sign to compete in college. It’s a group that played in the regional playoffs for the first time in school history last month.
“Each one of them has made a tremendous impact in building a winning a culture in our program,” he said.
Tigers basketball coach Orlando Merced, who watched Khari Simms sign with Atlantis University in Miami, had a stern charge for the outgoing seniors:
“Don’t come back here without a degree.”
Check the News-Gazette later this spring and summer for a complete list of the Osceola County athletic scholarship signees.
