Any upperclassman knows how stressful it is to juggle life at Poly; however, for a few, an extra burden is piled on top of this workload: the college recruiting process. Managing schoolwork, practices, rehearsals, and whatever else comes with being a Blue Devil can be a lot. Yet still, year after year, exceptional athletes within the Poly community go the extra mile to update highlight reels, contact coaches, and do whatever it takes to play at the next level. 

For some, the recruiting process can start as early as middle school. Kobi Marshall ’26, who is committed to Middlebury for baseball and football, recalls deciding he wanted to play in college in “seventh or eighth grade.” However, for most, the process begins during junior year, as this is when coaches are first allowed to contact prospective athletes. During this time, both Marshall and Abby Mangerson, ‘26, who will be playing soccer in college, remember sending out highlight reels to numerous coaches. Both also emphasize how critical social media was in their recruiting processes. Although everyone’s process is different, both agreed that it is long and mentally taxing. For Marshall, meeting all his obligations as a student-athlete often meant “staying up late [and] wak[ing] up early to get work done or to get [a] lift in or do field work.” Marshall and Mangerson also emphasized the role of coaches in the process. Mangerson emphasized that “[the college recruiting process] is definitely not a one person thing.” They credited much of their success to numerous coaches, both at Poly and outside, as well as to their parents for guiding and supporting them throughout their recruiting process. 

Another aspect of the recruiting process is the academic resume of a student. “If you don’t have the grades, then you can’t even attend the school to begin with,” Marshall stated. Therefore, to ensure that “no doors were closed to him,” Marshall took care to prioritize academics.

Looking forward, Mangerson and Marshall are excited for the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead. Marshall is excited to “learn from the older guys” not only about how to be playing the strong safety position, but also how to navigate the busy social and academic life of a collegiate athlete. Mangerson is excited to get to play with the team and possibly “earn a spot” in the starting lineup.

So what does it take to get recruited? For Marshall, the key to success really boils down to two things: “Hardwork and sacrifice.” For him, those two virtues are what allowed him to fulfill his long-time dream of becoming a collegiate athlete. Mangerson, on the other hand, emphasizes seeking out the support of others in her process. Stressing that the recruiting process is “something you should not do on your own.” At the end of the day, despite all the sacrifice,  both Mangerson and Marshall are both very satisfied with the results of their recruiting processes and look forward to all the challenges and triumphs of playing at the collegiate level.