By: Emily Briselli

Hours spent at practice, always trying to improve.

One question.

Days spent working hard in class.

One school.

Months of trying to impress recruiters.

One answer.

Years trying to balance school and sports.

One decision.

All the hard work, all of the “best foot forward” moments, each “we’ll get them next time”, every single cheer from the student section, all of it, comes down to one question that requires one definitive answer:

Where have you verbally committed?

Years of hard work athletically and academically have boiled down to this question for three HHS field hockey players and one HHS basketball player. After careful consideration of each university offer to them, these student-athletes have made their final decision.

Harvard: Natalie Sicher

Starting the fall of 2017, current HHS junior Natalie Sicher will be one of about 2,000 incoming freshman starting their first year at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Sicher will find herself walking the same halls once traversed by U.S President John Adams, and crossing the same quad as American entertainer Conan O’Brien.

However, Sicher not only holds a place as a future Harvard alum, but also as a player for their Division I field hockey team. Harvard had been on Sicher’s list of schools for consideration throughout the field hockey recruitment process. Her list, comprised primarily of Ivy and Patriot league schools, reflected the emphasis that Sicher placed on schools offering her both athletic and academic opportunities.

Because Sicher and her parents had already decided that Harvard was the school if they offered, her response to Harvard’s proposal of a verbal commitment was an immediate ‘yes.’

“I couldn’t think of anywhere else that made me second guess my decision,” Sicher said.

For Sicher, this was a moment in which her years of hard work all came together, providing her the opportunity to nurture both her academic and athletic endeavors.

Sicher’s verbal commitment also lifts a weight that most juniors in high school must face: choosing, then gaining admission to, the college or university that they wish to attend.

“It’s kind of a relief to not have that on your shoulders” Sicher said.

Though her stress about college may be relieved now, Sicher had to face a lot of decision making and stress throughout the recruitment process. She credits her parents, her club coach, Bill Guadette, and her team for supporting her through it all.

Sicher’s knowledge that her team was standing by her side the entire time she was being recruited was very important to her. According to Sicher, any thought that there might be discord in the team between players who were and were not offered is misguided, because “we’re all proud of each other.” Sicher said that the team dynamic hasn’t changed at all in spite of the recent commitments by some players.

Sicher’s excitement about her commitment is clear, and her love of field hockey is even clearer. “I’ve had amazing opportunities and experiences through field hockey” Sicher said.

Many of the players she has befriended are girls she never would have met if not for her involvement in field hockey.

Sicher added that her sport has also helped to build her character, and teach her to adapt. She recalled an instance in which she and her teammates were stuck in an airport in Germany for three days, unable to get home. It’s experiences such as those that Sicher looks back on and realizes that she has been a part of something that has given her much more than she could have imagined when she first began.

Come the fall 2017, Sicher will be walking to class or heading to field hockey practice in the crisp autumn air of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Sicher knew as soon as she became serious about field hockey that she would want to continue at the collegiate level. Though she is unsure about her field hockey future after college, one thing is certain: Sicher cannot wait to continue playing the sport she loves at Harvard University.

The University of Iowa: Mya Christopher

Joining the ranks of field hockey players with a verbal commitment is HHS junior Mya Christopher.

Christopher will be attending The University of Iowa in the fall of 2017. Iowa’s interest in Christopher began with an email in seventh grade. However, once she was officially eligible Iowa’s recruiting began in earnest.

While Iowa was one of Christopher’s top schools, there were anywhere from five to ten others considering her at any given time throughout the recruitment process.

However, Christopher knew that Iowa was the school for her. Not only have they offered her the largest scholarship of all the schools recruiting her, but they also boast a well regarded pharmacy program in which Christopher is considering a major. One of the most influential reasons Christopher chose Iowa was because she will be a player that has impact on their field hockey team, not “just another player.”

Christopher has known since 8th grade that she wanted to continue field hockey into college.

Christopher was once a cheerleader, but when she moved to Pennsylvania and experienced field hockey for the first time, she knew it was the sport for her. “I knew field hockey would help me, and I loved doing it,” Christopher said. Additionally, she enjoys the competition, and is excited to experience the college level competition at Iowa.

Competition doesn’t come without its faults, however. Following the commitment of several players, Christopher said she noticed a change. Though there wasn’t a drastic shift in the team dynamic, those set to continue field hockey in college seemed more focused and self critical.

“Sometimes we mess up or don’t play well,” Christopher said, “so we’re harder on ourselves now.”

While Christopher is anxious to begin field hockey and classes at The University of Iowa, for now she is relieved that she doesn’t face as much stress during her junior year. Christopher’s commitment has allowed her to be less concerned about getting the highest possible GPA or SAT score, and focus more on enjoying high school while she is still in it.

“I don’t have to be as stressed as a lot of my friends who have to wait a year [to find out which college they will attend],” Christopher said.

In addition to her school team, Christopher is also a member of the U-17 National Team. According to Christopher, this puts her on track to continue field hockey professionally after college.  However, Christopher said that while “field hockey has given me a lot of confidence and a good work ethic,” she doesn’t know yet know if she will make a career of it.

For now, she is excited to officially become a University of Iowa Hawkeye come fall 2017.

Georgetown: Ali Cronin

Washington, D.C.

Home to the heart and soul of our country’s government, art and history museums galore, and soon, to HHS junior Ali Cronin.

Flash forward to fall 2017, and Cronin will be packing her things, meeting her roommate, and moving into her dorm at Georgetown University. Not only will Cronin grow academically at Georgetown, but she will also be reaching new heights in her athletic career as a member of the field hockey team.

When Cronin was first offered a place on Georgetown’s field hockey team, she said it felt like “all my hard work finally paying off.” Cronin has been playing field hockey since 3rd grade, and after putting in that many years of a sport, she felt accomplished and proud that she had enough skill to be asked by Georgetown.

She knew after her first visit to campus that Georgetown would be the perfect school for her, and fell in love with the proximity to the city.

In addition, she has a cousin that is currently attending the school, and a brother at George Washington University. With family nearby, Cronin will always have someone right there if she needs them.

Cronin said that her mother was not only very proud of her daughter for her verbal commitment, but also relieved about the weight it lifted from her shoulders. For Mrs. Cronin, it means one less child that must go through the college visit and application process, and also provides financial relief for the four years that Cronin will be in school.

Cronin shares the sense of relief with her mother, but for slightly different reasons. Cronin said that even though she will be working hard to achieve a certain SAT score, she is relieved not to face the daunting college search and application process. Even though she continues to do her best in school, her commitment provides relief from stress that many other juniors and seniors must face.

Because Cronin has been playing field hockey for many years, she has learned many valuable lessons.

“I’m able to work with others better” Cronin said.

Working with others better has allowed her to form bonds with girls from other schools through her club team. These same friends from her club team were also with her when she had the opportunity to travel to Trinidad and Tobago with her field hockey team. Cronin said she is grateful for the experiences that field hockey has afforded her.

“I’ve been able to do so many amazing things,” Cronin said.

Even though she enjoys the sport, Cronin does not think she will continue playing after college. She plans to pursue a different career depending on what she decides to major in. Regardless, Cronin said that she will always remember the things that field hockey has taught her.

Villanova: Dylan Painter

It’s the dream of many high school students to attend a school that they have loved since they were little, and for HHS senior Dylan Painter, that dream will soon become a reality. Painter will be joining Villanova in the fall of 2016, not only as a member of the incoming freshman class, but also as a newly minted member of the school’s basketball team.

Standing at 6’10”, Painter certainly possesses a height suitable for the sport.  But according to HHS basketball coach, Paul Blackburn, Painter is much more than just the tallest member of the team.  Blackburn said Painter is always serious about the sport, and plays at very high skill level.

“He works diligently on his skills and game,” Blackburn said.

Blackburn also noted that while Painter frequently has the ability to outshine other players, “He’s always concerned with the team before his individual accolades.” This mentality, Blackburn said, shapes him as a role model and leader for the team.

“I stepped up as more of a leader,” Painter said of his most recent basketball season, a development that Blackburn credited not only to Painter’s natural ability to lead, but also to the recruitment process. Blackburn thinks that Painter gained extra confidence in his skills and techniques while he was being recruited, and pushed himself to play even harder.

Painter has known since his freshman year that he wanted to continue playing after high school, a realization that he said came with his love of the team atmosphere. Painter enjoys that “It’s just myself and four other guys [on the court].” He also admires the strong work ethic of every player on the team. He said that this year they are working even harder and are in the midst of “the best preseason yet.”

Even though he did decide on Villanova, Painter expressed his appreciation to all of the schools offered to him because “it made me proud of my hard work.”

Before he made his final decision, Painter had narrowed down his list to just two schools: Penn State and Villanova. Ultimately, however, he knew that Villanova would be the best fit for him. He said that the proximity to Philadelphia was one aspect that drew him to the school because it would provide him the opportunity to be involved in the city life while still living on a traditional college campus. Additionally, the size of the school was another deciding factor. He stated that while he knew that “I could have done well at both,” it was the difference in size that pushed him towards Villanova. He decided that since Villanova has fewer students, there will be fewer distractions for him to face.

Painter’s verbal commitment has given him a fairly definitive idea of what he will be doing for the next four years, but he already has dreams beyond his college years. Painter’s goal is to play professionally after college.

But no matter how his future turns out, Painter said that the lessons he has learned through basketball will always stick with him. Painter said he will always remember what Blackburn tells the team: “Respect your teammates, respect your coaches, respect your opponents.”

The years leading up to college can be a stressful time for many high school students, and balancing athletic recruitments on top of that may almost seem unbearable. However, four Hershey High School students expressed their gratitude, appreciation, and excitement about beginning classes and athletics at the university that they gave their final commitment to. Because no matter the stress that they may have felt at the time of recruitment, Natalie Sicher, Mya Christopher, Ali Cronin, and Dylan Painter feel that going to a school that they love will have made it all worthwhile.