On signing day, the applause lasts only a few moments.
Pens touch paper. For many student-athletes, it is the public culmination of years of work that often went unseen, early morning workouts, late-night homework, missed social events, injury recovery, long drives to camps and showcases, and countless hours spent balancing athletics with the demands of Upper School life.
What spectators witness in those celebratory moments is only the final chapter of a much longer story.
At Out-of-Door, collegiate-bound student-athletes quickly learn that talent alone is not enough to compete at the next level. The path requires discipline, resilience, organization, communication, sacrifice, and a willingness to continue growing both on and off the field.
For members of the Class of 2026 like Winston Crisci, Eddie Chaput, and Heath DeRusso, the journey toward collegiate athletics has been shaped as much by adversity and persistence as by athletic achievement itself.
Athletic talent is only one piece of what allows a student to succeed at the collegiate level. Students who truly thrive are usually those who are coachable, resilient, disciplined, and genuinely willing to grow.
More Than Talent
The idea of playing sports in college often begins long before the recruiting process officially starts.
For some students, the dream takes shape gradually, through years of competition and training. For others, it crystallizes through watching older athletes take the next step.
“When I was in Middle School, I saw one of my friends commit to a college,” said Chaput, who will continue his football career at California Lutheran University. “That was the moment I realized I wanted to do the same thing.”
Crisci, who committed to The University of Chicago, said the possibility became more serious during his freshman year as the level of competition increased and the demands intensified.
As student-athletes progress through Upper School, they quickly discover that collegiate athletics requires far more than natural ability.
“In my experience, what separates students who successfully compete at the collegiate level from those who simply have athletic talent is their drive and dedication,” said Athletics Director Andres Parra. “At the collegiate level, natural athletic ability is not enough. That’s where hard work, responsibility, and teamwork begin to separate the best from the rest.”
The process is also far more complex than many families initially expect.
One common misconception is that being recruited guarantees admission. A coach’s interest can be exciting, but students still need to meet academic expectations, complete applications thoughtfully, and navigate the admissions process successfully.
Strong student-athletes, learn to take ownership of the process themselves. That includes communicating with coaches, staying organized with deadlines, building recruiting materials, maintaining academic performance, and continuing to develop as leaders and teammates.
The goal is not simply to get recruited. The goal is to help students find a college where they can compete, learn, belong, and grow.
The Work Behind the Scenes
While game nights and highlights are often the most visible parts of athletics, much of the work required to reach the collegiate level happens quietly and consistently behind the scenes.
“People don’t understand that to compete at the collegiate level, you have to be willing to sacrifice a lot,” said Chaput. “You have to put in work when nobody is watching.”
For Crisci, one of the biggest realities people fail to see is the repetition involved.
“The repetition to continuously work on the same skills over and over again,” he said. “That’s what it takes.”
DeRusso, who will also attend California Lutheran University, echoed that sentiment, pointing to the countless unseen hours spent training and physically recovering.
“People don’t see the early mornings waking up before school to train, the extra workouts after practice, or all the rehab sessions after injuries,” he said.
Balancing those responsibilities alongside academics and everyday teenage life can become one of the most difficult aspects of the journey.
“The time constraint,” Crisci explained. “There are only so many hours in the day.”
Student-athletes often spend their days moving continuously from class, to practice, to strength training, to homework, before repeating the process again the next morning.
One of the biggest challenges student-athletes face is trying to balance everything at once. Between practices, games, training, travel, academics, recruiting communication, and maintaining some form of personal life, many students feel like they are constantly being pulled in different directions.
That balancing act becomes even more demanding during the recruiting process, when students must also manage communication with college coaches, attend camps and showcases, prepare highlight films, and navigate admissions requirements.
For many athletes, learning how to manage time effectively becomes one of the most valuable skills they carry into college and beyond.
“One of the main reasons ODA and independent schools are successful is that we provide a collegiate experience here,” said Parra. “Time management and commitment are ingrained in students’ everyday lives.”
Facing Adversity
For nearly every collegiate athlete, the road includes moments of doubt.
Recruiting can be unpredictable and emotionally challenging. Injuries, setbacks, comparisons, and disappointments are often unavoidable parts of the process.
Chaput experienced that uncertainty firsthand after suffering an injury during his junior year.
“I didn’t get the attention from coaches that I hoped for,” he said. “But I just kept working and stayed positive.”
DeRusso faced an even more difficult obstacle with a knee injury.
“When I tore my knee for the first time, I questioned if I would ever get back to where I was before,” he said. “But I pushed through by trusting the people around me and continuing to work every day.”
The recovery process itself became a lesson in resilience.
“There was a lot of rehab that no one saw,” DeRusso added. “A lot of days where it was hard mentally and physically.”
Even highly successful student-athletes experience moments where they feel overlooked or uncertain about their future.
“At some recruiting camps,” Crisci said. “I felt like I was not getting noticed the way I hoped.”
Those experiences can test confidence and force students to reevaluate their motivations.
Yet many athletes discover that perseverance through adversity becomes one of the defining parts of their growth.
Students who succeed are resilient. They continue showing up and doing the work even when the process becomes difficult.
The Importance of Support Systems
While collegiate athletics often highlights individual achievement, none of these journeys happen alone.
Behind every student-athlete are coaches, teachers, counselors, teammates, friends, and family members who provide encouragement and guidance throughout the process.
For Crisci, football coaches Rob Hollway and Josh Medeiros played especially influential roles in his development.
“Coach Hollway has helped me mature a lot,” he said. “He’s pushed me to become a better player and person.”
Chaput credits his parents for consistently believing in him, even during difficult moments in the recruiting process.
“They kept believing in me even when things got hard,” he said.
DeRusso pointed to his older brother Griffin (ODA Class of 2023) as one of his greatest inspirations.
“He played football before me and showed me what it took to compete at a high level,” he said.
At ODA, that support system extends beyond athletics. Student-athletes are never expected to navigate this process alone. We operate with a ‘Team Student’ mindset.
That collaborative approach includes support from the Athletics Department, College Counseling Office, faculty members, coaches, and administrators who work together to help students manage recruiting, academics, communication, and long-term decision-making.
Whether helping students draft emails to coaches, send transcripts, prepare for showcases, organize communications, or practice conversations before a coach call, there is a full team behind them.
Parra believes that sense of community is one of the most meaningful parts of athletics itself.
“The relationships you make from playing sports at ODA and at the collegiate level are priceless and life-lasting,” he said.
Preparing for the Next Chapter
As collegiate-bound athletes prepare to graduate from ODA, many say they feel both excitement and appreciation for the experiences that brought them to this point.
Crisci said he looks forward to “meeting new brothers and doing it all over again” at the collegiate level.
Chaput is eager to prove himself against stronger competition and continue growing as a player.
“I’m excited to compete and show that I can play at the next level,” he said.
For DeRusso, the opportunity represents the continuation of a lifelong goal.
“I’m most excited about competing at the next level and continuing to improve every day,” he said.
Yet even as they prepare for college athletics, each athlete emphasized the importance of enjoying the process itself.
“Never stop loving the game,” Crisci said. “And it will never stop loving you back.”
That perspective reflects one of the larger lessons many student-athletes learn throughout Upper School: success is not measured solely by scholarships, offers, or signing ceremonies. It is also shaped by the habits, relationships, character, and resilience developed along the way.
Parra encourages younger student-athletes to begin those conversations early and stay connected with the adults supporting them.
“Work with your coaches and college counselors to let them know your aspirations,” he said. “As soon as that discussion happens, a plan can be put into place.”
The College Counseling Office similarly advises families to focus on finding the right fit rather than chasing prestige alone.
Students should think honestly about what they want from college and consider whether they would still be happy at a school if they were injured, stopped playing, or saw their role on the team change.
Ultimately, collegiate athletics represents far more than competition.
It becomes an exercise in growth, maturity, sacrifice, teamwork, and self-discovery.
At ODA, those lessons begin long before signing day arrives.
They are built in classrooms, practices, weight rooms, bus rides, study sessions, conversations with coaches, moments of adversity, and the quiet determination to continue showing up each day.
Because while the applause on signing day may last only a few moments, the work required to reach that stage shapes student-athletes for a lifetime.
