Athletics

Life Behind the College Sports Dream 

By Luella Shepard ‘26 in Fall 2025

When someone commits to play sports in college, it’s easy to see the highlight reel: the sweatshirt reveal, the big-name school, the idea that their future is set. What you don’t see are the hours, sacrifices, and frustrations that came long before the Instagram post.

For Miles Potter (Cal soccer), commitment has meant seven years of driving nearly four hours a day, six days a week, to his San Jose club. He’s missed countless social events and, as per his club’s rules, hasn’t been permitted to play for the Marin Academy team.

Sadie Goodenough (Northwestern lacrosse) described her recruiting process as nonstop. In 10th grade, she spent most weekends flying to the East Coast, often getting home at 1 a.m. on a Monday, finishing homework on the plane, and diving straight into the school week. She sent 38 emails a week to coaches and only spent two nonconsecutive weeks at home that summer. When asked about the common perception that being committed is the easy way out, she explained that in reality, committed athletes just do the process earlier.

Caroline Starrett (Cal water polo) touched on the challenge of health, noting her experience that female athletes often fear strength training or proper nutrition because of stigma around muscle and body size.

Meanwhile, the travel grind can make school nearly impossible. Elsa Anderson (Cal lacrosse) had 95 absences in one year. Sadie expanded that the constant travel, time zone changes, 6 a.m. games, and school work make it difficult to stay healthy and recover. Sickness can be a sign of weakness to coaches, and lead to missed opportunities when missing camps or recruitment meetings. Stephanie Zola (Princeton lacrosse) spent summers living out of hotels, and explained that her lacrosse friends are her summer friends, and some of her best friends. Even though she is away for almost the entire summer break, she says living and traveling with her teammates has been some of the best summers of her life.

The side of commitment most people don’t see is exhausting, and sometimes overwhelming. But for these athletes, it’s also worth it.