Former Averill Park CSD student-athletes who have competed at the collegiate level returned to campus on Monday to speak to the AP Student Athlete Advisory Council.
Isaiah Moak (Class of 2016), Caraline Wood (2015) and Ryan Long (2017) spoke about the recruiting process and the amount of work it takes to compete at the next level, as well as other topics.
Moak began his collegiate career at Alfred University, where he helped the football team win a championship. From there, he played for Hudson Valley Community College, UAlbany and Rhode Island, where he is wrapping up his final year.
Moak spoke about battling injuries (he’s broken bones and torn muscles), reaching out to coaches while in high school (send lots of emails and personalize them), and give it your all because your athletic career will come to an end at some point.
Wood had the opportunity to compete at the Division I level, but chose to play softball at DIII Worchester Polytechnic Institute, where she is majoring in Engineering.
She also spoke about dealing with injuries and redshirting instead of wasting a year of eligibility. Wood talked to current students about finding a school that fits into your future plans and not be swayed by others in making the choice. She also detailed just how many hours are spent playing softball at a Division III school (a lot!).
Long initially committed to St. John Fisher College to play basketball. The coach that recruited him left before his freshman season and
Long didn’t fit in with the plans of the new staff, which led him to transfer to Hudson Valley Community College.
He talked about not just being dedicated to your sport but becoming obsessed with it, as everyone in college is a premiere athlete. Long also spoke about the importance of stretching and keeping your body in shape.
All three collegiate athletes spoke about balancing the workload, being realistic about your opportunities and making the best of your situations.
