According to Statista, over 490,000 students participated in college athletics in 2021, including many Baldwin alumnae. Every year, Baldwin students commit to sports teams at some of the top universities across the United States. 

Most athletes’ journeys begin long before recruitment, with a decision to pursue their sport beyond the scholastic level. 

This was the case for Eugenia Li ‘23, who committed to Columbia University for squash. Li said, “I realized [I was interested in playing at the collegiate level] probably around a year or two before recruiting started after I had been playing for around three years already. I started to hear about college squash and how a lot of the players that I played with went on to play in college and after going to a couple of college matches … I realized that was something I was interested in.”

Many students must navigate the difficult process that follows alone.

Anna Johnson ‘23 recalled feeling as if the challenges of recruitment were ones she needed to tackle by herself. “I had to do most of it without much support from anyone else,” Johnson, who committed to the University of Pennsylvania for rowing, said. “My crew coach from Baldwin and the coaches from Conshohocken assisted me, but the majority of it was done on my own.” 

Students face immense pressure to perform well both academically and athletically, especially those vying for a coveted spot at a top school. Often, this pressure can take a mental toll on student-athletes, even affecting their mentalities during their athletic performances. 

“Whether I knew it or not, in the back of my head, I had that automatic pressure of ‘there are all these coaches here,’” said Gemma Undercofler ‘24, who committed to the Duke University swim team. “Later, I realized the pressure and the mental component.”

Katie Reed ‘23, who committed to Washington and Lee University for lacrosse, said, “I [felt pressure] once recruiting really picked up, because then you go to these big tournaments, and you’re playing just to try to be recruited. It wasn’t so much the pressure to perform, but I definitely felt like I was playing for a different reason at that time.”

Ms. Boyce, a Baldwin third-grade teacher who walked on to the Colby College crew team as a freshman, spoke about advice she would give to those looking to pursue their sports in college. 

“You will change as a person in college and you will not leave as who you entered as. Look at the seniors and the upperclassmen on the team, their character, and how they balance the sport and school and make sure that’s who you want to be. If it’s not, you need to think about if this is the environment for you.”

College athletics can be an incredible opportunity for athletes to grow in their sport, forge new connections, and become more well-rounded adults. However, recruitment should be recognized as a deeply challenging yet highly rewarding process many Baldwin students experience.