Commitment day can be a bittersweet day for seniors, signing their contracts and starting a new path in their athletic career. They also are leaving their high school, where they spent the past years earning their way to a collegiate offer. 

Through an athlete’s career, they make a lot of memories that they will hold on to for the rest of their life. Maleigha Canaday-Elliot, who is going to University of Oregon for track and field, spoke about some of her favorite memories.. 

“One of my favorite memories is definitely this season at state, setting a new record and being the first girl in Oregon to hit 41[feet],” Canaday-Elliot said, when speaking about her triple jump performance.

Finn Rohl, who will join the Webster University soccer team, talked about some of his favorite memories of playing soccer here.

“Making the playoffs, our playoff run, all the fans, the energy around the game, and soccer is a fun game, and getting to play it is always fun,” Rohl said. 

For some athletes, playing in college was somewhat unexpected. Artem Hoffman, future

Lane College track and field athlete said he didn’t know he was going to be running in college. 

“The only reason I’m running in college is because the college I’m going to also happened to have track at the same time,” Hoffman said.

 For Rohl, it’s always been an aspiration to play college sports.

“Playing in college has always been something I wanted to do, especially since I started playing club. It was just where I was going in the trajectory I was on,” Rohl said.

After college, some athletes plan to pursue a career in their sport. Canaday-Elliot is one of those athletes who has her goals set high. 

“I want to try to get into the Olympics which I do think is achievable, but it’s going to take a lot of work,” Canaday-Elliot said.

For some of the athletes going out of state, this is their first time living outside of Oregon, but according to Rohl, it’s not going to make that big of an impact.

“I’m really excited. I’ve traveled a lot as a kid, so I’m okay with being away from my family. It’s definitely going to be a change going farther away from home. I’m pretty excited,” Rohl said.

Through an athlete’s career, they may go through a lot of coaches. Rohl talked about some of his favorite coaches throughout his career.

“I had a club coach who was the best. He’s coaching in the MLS right now,” Rohl said.“And then my dad, I got to play for him a couple times in rec, and then this year as well, so he’s probably my favorite.”

Canaday-Elliot also mentioned a few coaches.

“My coach Ryan because he really put the effort into making me a great athlete, then my jumps coach Zoey, and then my coach Ben, who I started working with this year for speed and dynamics,” Canaday-Elliot said. 

Full list of seniors committed to play in college sports:

Mercedez Berduo-Flores

– Clackamas Community College for softball

Maleigha Canaday-Elliot

– University of Oregon for track and field 

Bryan Carmona-Zepeda

– Warner-Pacific University for soccer 

Artem Hoffman

– Lane College for track and field

Finn Rohl

– Webster University for soccer 

Madison Schaefer

–

University of Redlands for track and field