D-I athletes get great opportunity
By Gordon Voit

  Somewhere between the overly dramatized gridiron film “The Program” and the 1998 production “The Waterboy”, starring the great thespian Adam Sandler, lies the truth about NCAA Division I athletics.
  Yes, the pantheon of American collegiate athletics is far from the flawless institution NCAA President Myles Brand would like it to be, especially given the on-field brawl between Miami University (FL) and Florida International University this past October during a football game.
  But to form one’s opinion based on these over-publicized events would be to overlook the qualities of Division I athletic programs that make them the respected, time-tested institutions that they are today. Behind the media frenzy brought on by such incidents lie countless sweat-stained T-shirts, important life lessons, and late night study tables.
  It is this allure of prestige, personal improvement, and the prerequisite dosage of elbow grease that lures thousands of high school athletes across the globe to the 330+ Universities that comprise Division I.
  Just ask New Trier’s own Pete Drevline, assistant varsity baseball coach and former Illinois State Redbird. “It’s a chance to play a sport at an elite level. [Division I programs are] generally well funded and have top level coaches, facilities, and travel [schedules].”
  One of these fortunate players is Senior Trey Frahler, a crafty pitcher with a 6-0 record and a perfect 0.00 ERA thus far in the season. Frahler will be attending Bucknell University in the fall on a partial baseball scholarship. For him, one trying process was his recruitment, a process home to unexpected events and serendipity for promising athletes. “It’s a hectic process. I [initially] didn’t think about Bucknell, but they were interested in me. [However, when I visited the school] I loved it.”
  Leading up to a formal scholarship offer can be one of the most physically demanding times of one’s career. Junior Designated Hitter Will Neal said that off-season camps are especially crucial to drawing college baseball coaches interest.
  Departmental communication is another key role in collegiate recruiting. With a finite amount of scholarships and roster spots, schools must make sure they are making the right decision before offering one to an athlete. Though the process varies, Drevline said that many times it requires back and forth communication. “Each situation is unique and based on the individual. There are times when schools call us and there are times when we call schools about a particular player,” he said.
  However, Drevline also added that behind the glitz and glamour are immense challenges presented to each top-level athlete, “Division 1 athletics become a full time job,” he said. He also added that hard work is required no matter where people play. “Just because you’re a good athlete does not mean you have to play Division 1. You could go to a [lesser known school] and play a good brand of baseball.”
  A similar view was shared by fellow Kinetic Wellness teacher Robert Holmes. Holmes, who played football for Utah State University, said that time management is a major part of being associated with such programs. “You don’t have any free time with weightlifting, school, film studies, practice, training table dinners, and study hall.”
  Among the hundreds of ex-Trevians to play at the collegiate level in recent years, many have had great successes, such as leading the #1 rated college basketball team in the country into the NCAA tournament, as Class of 2000 graduate Matt Lottich did while at Stanford University. Even a trip all the way to the hallowed Final Four has been logged by a Trevian athlete, as fellow class member Todd Townsend did while at Marquette University in 2003.
  But no matter how many “two a day” practices or extra wind sprints a collegiate athlete must churn out, a lasting impact is most often made, one that resonates with participants years after they leave their respective campuses. With this comes countless benefits, memories, and the fundamental purpose of receiving a scholarship. Just ask Holmes. “I’d say it was a great time in my life. I met a lot of people, traveled to a lot of different states. The best thing [was] a free education.”