Local Division I athletes offer advice before leaving for college
TOPEKA (KSNT) - Most young kids interested in sports dream of playing in college. Less than ten percent of high school athletes achieve that, and less than three percent make it to the Division I level.
Northeast Kansas is lucky enough to have local stars good enough to make it to the highest stage. 27 Sports spoke with three Division I athletes before they went off to their new homes.
All three played multiple sports in high school. All three say that was part of their success.
Wamego quarterback Hayden Oviatt is preparing for his first season at Army. He also won a state championship in wrestling in high school.
"Do as much as you can," Oviatt said. "Do what you can in the community, do everything in the…do all the sports you play."
Hayden's Joe Otting is shipping off to Notre Dame to play offensive line. Otting was a mainstay dominant force on the basketball court and in track and field.
"My advice is try everything," Otting said. "A lot of coaches like multisport athletes, they want to see how you excel in all those."
Topeka West's Makinsey Jones was scoring on the basketball court, but will play volleyball at K-State. She says she hopes younger athletes have patience.
"Stay dedicated," Jones said. "If you like what you're doing, just stay with it. Don't feel, like, too much pressure to be the best. Everything takes time, you're not going to be good overnight, it doesn't happen overnight."
All three credited the relationships in their community for a big part of their success.
"Find people that want to help you," Jones said. "Reach out to coaches, reach out to teammates, because everybody wants the best for you usually, so just reach out to them and they'll help."
Otting will miss home while in South Bend, Indiana.
"The Hayden community means so much to me," Otting said. "Once you're in the community, it's a different type of feel. Tight-knit community."
Oviatt says Boom Town will be in his heart at West Point.
"The part I'll take the most with me is just, like, that time you're grinding with your fellow teammates," Oviatt said.