For the past five years I have covered multiple signing days for nearly every sport imaginable. From the signing days I covered at Southern Miss for football, baseball and basketball to the ones I’ve covered here in Columbia for the major sports plus archery, tennis and cheerleading, it is always treat to witness.
Seeing student-athletes have their dream realized in the form of a scholarship is special, even as merely a bystander.
But Tuesday was a new experience for me, and I would venture to assume for our editor, Charlie Smith, who attended West Marion’s signing day, as well.
Columbia and West Marion high schools hosted their inaugural signing days for every senior student who will be attending college, not just athletes.
The idea is something I never really thought of before, but I am glad someone saw the need for these events to take place. I’ve been a sports guy all my life and earning an athletic scholarship is every young athlete’s dream. But why should only athletes be recognized for earning a scholarship or being accepted into college?
In short, there is no reason. Academics are the backbone of this country. Sure, you hear about these stories of dropouts who became billionaires, but they are the exception and not the rule. For the rest of us education is of the utmost importance.
School is where we learn a vast amount about the world we live in and those who came before us, but it also one of the key places we learn about ourselves. School can take us places. It can open doors for us. It can help us provide for ourselves and our families. It serves as the building blocks for our entire lives.
It’s a heck of an accomplishment to graduate from high school and take that next step to the collegiate level. Sometimes it’s taken for granted and marginalized, but it shouldn’t be. It’s a big deal.
As I sat in the Crystelle Ford Auditorium Tuesday morning, I was transported a bit hearing Columbia High School graduate and current Southern Miss student Asia Montgomery talk about her college experience so far and offer tips to the departing Wildcat seniors. It reminded me of my time at USM and how I would have relished it a little more.
The signing day event went by very quickly as one-on-one 97 students grabbed the microphone and announced where they would be attending college and what they plan to major in before signing with their respective schools. But to witness nearly 100 teenagers make that pledge to take not only the next step in their scholastic conquest but the next leap in their lives was a sight to behold.
Most signing days are just one athlete or two, or in the case of the Southern Miss signing days it was a multitude, but this was overwhelming. They all still have the rest of their lives in front of them and have the opportunity to begin building a great one for themselves.
I really hope the two schools, as well as other area high schools, make the signing day an annual event. Every student taking that leap deserves to be recognized whether they are attending community college or a four-year university and whether they are going on scholarship or not. It’s a big deal. I can only hope the events grow so that parents, friends and extended family are invited as well.
These kids deserve to have their moment. They have worked tirelessly to earn it. And I’m just glad I got to be a part of it.
Joshua Campbell is sports editor of The Columbian-Progress. Reach him at joshuacampbell@columbianprogress.com.
