High school athletes are the heart of Kempsville High School. The thrill of Friday Night Lights mixed with the spirit of volleyball games prove to be what keeps the school going. But what is going through the minds of those on the court or field?
A large portion of students play a high school sport all four years they attend. Some go into the sports with the mindset that this won’t last after graduation, however, some believe this will be their entire future.
The coaches, environment, and teammates are what cause the largest influence in their post graduation decisions. Some former Kempsville students believe that their experience on high school teams is what caused the direction they went in their future.
Stated by usatodayhss.com, in 2024 30.2% of students played high school sports. However, when taking the country in as a whole, only 6% of high school athletes continued their sport in college, according to catchmarksports.com. When looking into these statistics, the number of students continuing their sports in college is slim.
Over the course of the last five years, many student athletes have pursued their dreams of college sports, or changed the trajectory of their careers. Kempsville High School has proven to have both positive and negative effects on these choices.
Former Kempsville athlete, Brian Acosta, played football for two years during his high school career. However, his love for the sport died out. He stated that “I had a lot of fun playing Sophomore year, then it changed. It was just a different atmosphere from before.”
Further into the discussion with Acosta, he shared that “Some of my favorite teammates ended up quitting and the coach I had the best bond with ended up leaving that year too.” When it comes to students enjoying their time on high school sports teams, it seems the atmosphere and those surrounding them are the most important factors.
Despite his falling out in the sport, Acosta believes that he made the right decision and that it “Gave [him] a better relationship with [his] friends outside of the sport.”
However, Acosta’s experience differs from many others. 2024 Kempsville Graduate, Mayoy Mcgodfre is actively playing football at Norfolk State University.
Mcgodfre believes that with the support of coaches, teammates, teachers, and students, his college career was possible. When asked if he enjoyed his time playing sports at Kempsville, he stated that what made it fun was “the support from teachers, fellow classmates, and others supporting the team during games and always bringing on that energy we needed.”
When discussing the impact the school had on his career, Mcgodfre believes that due to the atmosphere surrounding him at Kempsville, he “hoped to be a part of a legacy that succeeded in the student athletes of that school getting opportunities to play their sport at a collegiate or professional level.”
Now pursuing his dream of becoming a college and later on professional athlete, Mcgodfre also believes that he made the right decision and is where he needs to be.
It seems the overall atmosphere of Kempsville High School has had the largest impact on these graduates after high school decisions. Despite them both having different experiences, and going separate ways, it can be concluded that the people surrounding them were the primary cause in their decisions.
After hearing how Kempsville impacted former students, let’s look into current seniors setting up their after high school futures.
Current senior, Madison Taylor, is already committed to playing softball at William Peace University.
When questioned on how Kempsville has impacted her decisions, Taylor stated that “My teachers all wanted to see me succeed and many of them were invested in my success as a student and athlete.”
Despite the differences in outcomes, all student athletes are heavily impacted by the people surrounding and supporting them. It ultimately depends on the way you perceive and respond to those individuals.
In conclusion, Kempsville High School is continuing to impact athletes and their futures every day. As new athletes come and go, whether they decide to continue with these sports after graduation, or go a different route, their peers, coaches, and teachers at Kempsville all push them to find their true potential and calling.
