Swimming and swinging their way to signing day

Seniors Kate Krolikowski, Mima Mirkovic, Spencer Weston and Joseph Chun sign letters of intent for college sports

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On Nov. 9, seniors Kate Krolikowski, Mima Mirkovic, Spencer Weston and Joseph Chun participated in Signing Day, where the four athletes signed National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) letters of intent, ensuring their participation in a college sports program.
Krolikowski signed with University of Michigan for swim while Mirkovic signed with University of California, Berkeley for volleyball. Weston signed with San Diego State University for baseball, and Chun signed with University of California, Berkeley for golf.
The four athletes invited friends and family to the ceremony held during lunch, which attracted a crowd of around 30 people. Each athlete had a table with a sign displaying their name and the logo of their future college. Coaches were also able to say a few words to honor their skilled players.
“[I have] worked very hard to achieve all of my success and am very excited to finally see all of my hard work pay off,” Krolikowski said.
Many of the athletes felt that participation in high school sports inspired and prepared them for the rigorous college sport programs.
“The high school program taught me what it is like to play an individual sport as a team, which is what it is going to be like in college, so it is a nice preparation,” Chun said.
Though the stakes are much higher than they were at the high school level, the students are eagerly awaiting what college sports have to offer.
“As much fun as high school was, this is going to be a test to see if I can compete at the highest level,” Mirkovic said.
The athletes and their coaches have plenty of tips and advice for students hoping to follow in their footsteps
“Every school around now has scholarships and will have kids on scholarships or partial scholarships,” swim coach Pat Bangs said. “You have to really excel and you have to really love what you’re doing, because it’s a job when you go to school. You’re getting paid basically to perform, so you’ve got to be able to do that.”
This is apparent in the four athletes who dedicated both their time and efforts to achieve this recognition.

“I am a very animated player on the court and show my dedication through the way I play, so for all athletes out there, be passionate about your game and never back down. Even when you face adversity face it with the same passion you would face any game you play,” Mirkovic said.