History was made at the first signing ceremony of the year, held on November 8th. A total of eight athletes signed their National Letter of Intent, committing themselves to continuing their athletic endeavors at the collegiate level.
This is the greatest number of athletes to sign at such a ceremony in the four years Jordan has been open.
“The experience at the signing day was amazing. My friends and teammates came to support me,” senior Owen Rodgers ‘24 said. “I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
In addition to the record-breaking number of athletes signing at the ceremony, senior Abby Nelson ‘24 also made school history as the first person to sign for golf from Jordan.
“It was really exciting and really cool to have my team and coaches there for support,” Nelson said. “I wouldn’t have gotten this far without them.”
For some athletes, committing to continue their sport in college represents a childhood dream coming to fruition.
“I feel proud and excited because I have been swimming since I was six years old, and the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do was make the high school varsity team,” Kaeli White ‘24 said. “Now I have been given the opportunity to swim in college.”
Selecting a school to sign with is more easily said than done, according to the athletes.
“The whole recruiting process was definitely a lot, with it being both fun and stressful at times,” senior Addison Sutton ‘24 said. “I slowly eliminated schools off my list as a few months went by, and when it came down to the last two to three schools, that was one of the most difficult decisions of my life.”
The athletes considered multiple factors when making this pivotal decision.
“I wanted to swim at a school where I would be given every opportunity to become a better athlete and successfully get my masters in biomedical engineering,” White said. “I was also looking at the specific regions of where the school itself was located and what conference their athletics was in.”
White also placed a great emphasis on a cohesive team environment when weighing her options.
“I ultimately decided on the University of Houston because of the team environment,” she said. “I have never seen a team so committed to supporting each other. Even as a recruit, they welcomed me with open arms.”
The lessons learned and experience gained have prepared these athletes to compete at the collegiate level.
“High school cross country and track at Jordan have prepared me to run at the next level because we do a lot of the same workouts as the college teams do,” Sutton said. “Throughout high school, I have learned how to pace a variety of races and how to properly take care of my body through my diet, sleep habits, etc.”
Athletes say their sports have provided them with additional opportunities and valuable knowledge as well.
“It taught me leadership, it taught me I can lead clubs, and it taught me communication,” senior Addison Hodge ‘24 said. “I’ve been able to communicate with people a lot easier, and it taught me a lot of life skills for jobs in the future.”
Committing to a school is no ordinary occasion. For athletes, their achievements called for celebrations with their loved ones who helped support them along the way.
“I celebrated this achievement by having a family party and seeing all of my friends,” Rodgers said.
The hard work athletes have put in day in and day out has finally paid off, allowing them to venture into their bright futures as both athletes and scholars.
“It feels so good that all the countless hours and miles each week and throughout the years have paid off,” Sutton said. “I have wanted to run in college for several years now, and I’m so happy I’ve made it a reality.”
Athletes Who Signed During Wednesday’s (11/8) Ceremony
- Abby Nelson (golf) — Idaho State University
- Kaeli White (swim) — University of Houston
- Addison Sutton (track and cross country) — Samford University
- Owen Rodgers (soccer) — University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis
- Addison Hodge (softball) — Oklahoma Wesleyan University
- Ella Koch (volleyball) — Midwestern State University
- Leah Hoss (volleyball) — Blinn College
- Madison Lambert (soccer) — University of North Texas
