Samantha Jay: Capital University
After many years of dedication and receiving numerous offers from universities, Capital University’s athletic and academic program seemed like the perfect place for senior Samantha Jay.
Jay has had a lifelong bowling career and a passion for music education, making Capital the right choice for her, she explained.
Capital head bowling coach Lance Gordon has been a friend of Jay’s family for years, and he was quick to offer her a spot in their bowling program after seeing her performance, Jay added.
“My parents and I had a few meetings with coach Gordon over a lunch,” she explained. “That’s when we decided that Capital was definitely the best fit for me.”
The nearby campus accommodates her family’s financial desires regarding her post-high school ambitions, she added.
Jay said as she gets older, her chances to win money will increase, because she will be able to enter a larger number of tournaments.
“Bowling is just something I’ve always been naturally good at, so it’s nice to see myself be rewarded for that natural ability,” she explained.
Watching friends enjoy bowling at the collegiate level has also inspired Jay to pursue her goal of becoming a professional one day, she said.
“For me, the entire process was about finding a college with the right music program, where I could still be close to family and connect with the people around me,” Jay added.
David Okoroafor: Ohio Dominican University
Trying a new sport senior year usually entails meeting new people and taking on a new hobby; rarely does it land one multiple collegiate athletic scholarships.
Senior David Okoroafor came to the United States from Nigeria his junior year to play basketball and ended up trying out for football his senior year to try something new, he said.
This would unexpectedly bring him five scholarship offers to play in college, one of which being Ohio Dominican University, where he is choosing to attend, he added.
Despite his new goals of playing in the NFL, due to recently finding a passion, playing football at the collegiate level was not the initial plan, he explained.
“I never knew I would see so much success, and I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity,” he added.
Okoroafor said his decision to play football at ODU was easy when the coaches reached out and showed interest in his potential as a player.
“As soon as ODU said I could play for them, it was clear as day for me where I wanted to go,” he explained.
Okoroafor said his choice to accept this offer was driven by the more intense competition he saw during his visit.
Being consistent as an athlete and not feeding into negativity will always produce positive results, he explained.
“It’s about hard work and trusting your own ability,” Okoroafor added.
Owynn LaFollette: Youngstown State University
In a significant milestone for her athletic career, senior Owynn LaFollette has committed to the swimming program at Youngstown State University.
Her recruitment process started the summer before her junior year when she contacted many coaches to get on their radars, LaFollette said.
Schools were allowed to begin recruiting her June 15 of last year, and about 18 schools reached out to LaFollette that same day, she added.
“I was asked for an official visit in September, and about a week later, I was officially asked to commit,” she added.
LaFollette explained since she started swimming, she knew she wanted to continue it in college.
During her recruitment process, LaFollette did face a few hardships, she added.
“There would be a moment where a coach would say ‘I want you,’ and then the next moment they are like, ‘we found someone faster, we don’t want you anymore,’” LaFollette said.
Some advice LaFollette would give to future athletes wanting to advance into college is to not be discouraged by what schools won’t take you and to keep looking for schools that will, she explained.
“You might love a school and love the atmosphere, but the reality is, if you’re not fast enough to swim there, a coach will not take you,” LaFollette explained.
Sam Lessard: Colorado College
Hard work and dedication over the course of four years led senior Sam Lessard to the opportunity to continue his athletic and academic career at Colorado College.
Being on varsity since freshman year, Lessard has made his mark as a tennis player in Bexley.
Through the years, Lessard has achieved many accomplishments, such as placing at states multiple times and winning pivotal matches and tournaments to uplift the team.
Lessard said he knew for a while what he had wanted in a college.
“I originally emailed a ton of coaches; most were from small liberal arts colleges, and after I talked to Colorado College, I knew that was my number one,” he explained.
Lessard added his family motivated him in several ways to be able to play tennis at the next level.
“Without my family, none of this would be possible, and they pushed me to get to where I am,” he said. “I would say my siblings definitely helped me so much throughout this process.”
Lessard said his advice for athletes who wish to continue their sport is to be proactive in their search.
“Start the recruitment process early, and always have your options open until you know which school is right for you,” he said.
