Athletes prepare to graduate to new fields of challenge, accomplishment

The class of 2024 is entering the big leagues now, where passion meets opportunity, and every play could be the one that defines a career. Welcome to the electrifying world of high school stars transitioning into collegiate athletes. 

Beginning her basketball career at age six, senior Paige Seckar, committed to University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, recalls one of her favorite memories.

“Beating Homestead in triple overtime at the sixth grade State tournament,” she said. 

Times like these are what make sports, sports. While she may only have been in sixth grade, nothing can beat winning when the odds are stacked against the team. For senior Mason Klinger, it was this year. 

“We came back to win my final football homecoming game this fall, and it was the first varsity game played on the new field,” he said. 

Committed to UWO as well, Klinger recalls the long days of hard work and dedication of his past, while looking ahead at his football career. 

“The biggest challenge was all the work I had to put in outside my season, whether it be working out or going to different camps to meet coaches and put myself out there to be recruited,” he said.  

Klinger knew UWO was the best place for him after his visit.

“Of all the schools that I had toured and talked with, the coaches at UWO gave me the best experience and made me feel really confident in my decision on going there before I even made it,” he said. “I’ve had a really good connection with all of the coaches there and really like the direction the team is heading in the near future.”

Committing to college is not something to take lightly; many factors go into the process that will change the course of these athletes’ lives. For Seckar, she had a similar experience. 

“I really liked the way the program was run, and knew I would be a part of a winning program,” she said. “I always looked forward to being on campus with the team whether that was for camps, meetings, or open gyms, which is how I made my decision.”

There really is no place like home.

“I knew I wanted to stay closer to home,” Seckar said. “So when considering my options, I knew I had to keep that in mind. I had a lot of options I really liked, but it all came down to where I thought I was going to be the most successful. My brother currently goes to Oshkosh as well, so that was another factor in my decision.”

Senior Braelee Jodarski plans to continue her softball career at Winona State in the spring. 

“For me, it was a long recruiting process,” she said. “I had a scholarship offer halfway through my junior year of high school, and after visiting other schools that I also had offers from, I continued to compare all the other possible schools to Winona’s campus and atmosphere. I realized after my visit with the coach and spending time with the team that those were the people I wanted to be around. So I decided to call my coach and commit in the summer after my junior year of high school.”

Achieving the prestigious collegiate level is only a small part of full prosperity. For many, the journey was full of hardships and obstacles that seemed nearly impossible.

“The biggest challenge of getting ready to play sports in college has definitely been the feeling of being prepared to play at the next level,” Jodarski said. “Preparing myself for competing at a much greater level and being ready to face the increased competition that is coming my way.”

Senior Hannah Wolf is committed to UW-Whitewater to play soccer in the spring. Throughout her life, she’s been able to fall back on sports and the many lessons it’s taught her. 

“I learned how to work through difficulties and persevere,” she said. “It taught me how to work harder and actually aim for my goals and accomplish them instead of just giving up when things got rough.”

Athletic Director Brad Jodarski has previously played and coached college sports, and he knows the difficulties that follow.

“You go from being in a very structured high school environment where you go home every night to your parents and you go to school for seven, eight hours a day,” he said. “Then you go to practice in college. Your parents aren’t there. You’re literally on your own. You may have class once or twice a day. So you’ve got to learn how to manage your free time.”

Brad Jodarski has seen how impatience has ruined some careers.

“It can be a very hard transition for some kids to realize they might have to wait one, two, three, maybe four years to play, and maybe you don’t get to play at all,” he said. 

The talent an athlete achieves in high school only carries over, but to a certain extent.

“I tell kids, you may be the best kid on your team, maybe a first team all conference, but everybody else that’s going to be on that college team, it’s the same thing,” Brad Jodarski said.

Adapting to the life of a collegiate athlete is one of the hardest parts of furthering one’s sports career though, as it goes, the good outweighs the bad.

“Sports have taught me to never give in,” Seckar said. “Playing competitive sports is not easy; quitting or giving up is, but don't give in to it.”

Playing with the best of the best is not a challenge for the weak; it takes a different type of athlete. One with ambition and determination.

 “We all have dreams and aspirations to reach; quitting will not get us there,” Seckar said. “Working through a slump or a stretch of bad performances is when we grow the most, not when things are easy and going well.”

by Makenna Freund

Published May 20 2024

Oshkosh West Index Volume 120 Issue VIII