On Wednesday, February 7, Huntington Beach High School (HBHS) hosted an event called “Athletic Signing Day.” This event was held to acknowledge the hard-working seniors who had amazing opportunities offered to them by colleges so that they could achieve their goals of becoming collegiate athletes. The gym was decorated with posters with the names and colleges that the seniors chose to go to, balloon arches, cheerleaders cheering them on, and an MMET band performing before the event.
Families, coaches/staff, and friends were there to celebrate the seniors who worked hard to achieve their goals. Many student-athletes have played their sport for years, so sharing their announcements and accomplishments was the best part of the event for them. They all loved being there to support each other and hear how excited they were.
HBHS student, Saige Anderson said, “My favorite part was celebrating with the other athletes, knowing how hard each and every one of us has worked to get to this day.”
Saige will be attending UC Santa Barbara to play softball in the fall. She said, “I chose UCSB for the amazing location, excellent education, and to play D1 softball for a great program and I’m super excited to get to know the girls on my team and to study while looking at the amazing views of the ocean.”
Even our very own editor-in-chief, Charli Nguyen, was offered an amazing opportunity for a new chapter in her life. Nguyen will be going to Albion College next school year to continue her academic and athletic career.
Nguyen said, “I’m so excited for the new experiences and to meet a bunch of new people!”
Haylee LaFontaine also signed and she will be attending Cal Poly San Louis Obispo to play Beach volleyball for the next four years.
“I have been playing beach volleyball since I could walk on the sand and it is so much fun to play in tournaments at the beach, especially during the summer,” LaFontaine said.
Choosing a college wasn’t easy for some of the student-athletes. So many wonderful possibilities were offered to them, but, naturally, they wanted to choose a college that was right for them. On the other hand, some of the students were unsure where they wanted to attend. However, after visiting the campuses, they found the one fit for them.
“After visiting the campus and meeting the current team and coaches, I fell in love,” said HBHS student Erin Kelley.
Kelley will be at Eastern Oregon University playing girls’ soccer next school year.
This event was to showcase and show love to all the hardworking athletes this 2023-2024 school year. Many cannot wait to see all the students become the most incredible athletes and best versions of themselves out there in the world. We wish them the best of luck in their next four years and hope they know the oiler nation is supporting them throughout their whole journey.
