Winter Signing Day was a success for Kingwood High School, as four students secured spots in various sports, including baseball, golf, cross-country, and track and field. It’s important to note that only about 7% of high school student-athletes (or 1 in 14) get to compete at the college level, and the odds get even narrower to less than 2% for those who play at NCAA Division I schools. The path to collegiate sports is challenging for most high school athletes.
This day brings excitement and heartfelt joy for the student-athletes and their families, who have supported them at every game and practice. It represents the culmination of relentless hard work and dedication required to excel in sports at this level. Additionally, it shows a binding commitment to a college or university, signifying the beginning of their journey into the next phase of collegiate athletics.
Meet a few of our Class of 2024 recruited athletes and hear their stories.
We connected with some of the Class of 2024 athletes to learn what kept them going on the journey to college sports and hear what advice they would give to students and peers coming up behind them in their sport. We contacted all our athletes and heard back from a few, whom we will highlight below.
Braelon Richardson – Wharton Baseball, Julia Shimel – University of Houston, Evalyn Abdmoulaie – University of Louisiana, and Bella Flores – James Madison University
Julia Shimel, Cross-Country & Track at the University of Houston
“What kept me going on my journey to competing at the collegiate level in both Cross Country and Track was becoming devoted to the journey rather than just the results. Over the past couple of years, I learned a lot about patience and consistency in this sport and that each failure can be turned into a learning lesson if you allow it to be.
A word of advice I would share with my peers is that capability is limited, but effort is unlimited. Whatever you’re passionate about, giving your best effort on that day should bring you enough satisfaction. And that a good or bad performance in a sport does not define you as a person.” – Julia Shimel
Bella Flores, Golf at James Madison University
“What kept me going throughout my journey was my parents. They have made so many sacrifices and have been there for me every step of the way. I couldn’t imagine a better support system than them. I wanted to make them proud and not disappoint them as they’ve done so much for me. I also dreamed of playing D1 golf since I was a little girl. The number one piece of advice I would give students coming up behind me to play golf is to be patient. Golf is a game of ups and downs and requires a lot of patience. The more you practice, the better you will become. As long as you keep practicing, it will pay off.” – Bella Flores
Evalyn Abdmoulaie, Track & Field at The University of Louisiana
“My determination to live up to my full potential and be the best I can be. That keeps me going. My advice to upcoming runners would be to work as hard as possible every day, always set goals for yourself, and never settle. I would also say to enjoy every moment and have fun with it.” – Evalyn Abdmoulaie
Every story is distinct and unique, as each of our student-athletes looked back on their journeys and the motivations that drove them. Kingwood Track and Golf has a track record of placing student-athletes in top-tier schools for athletics and academics; this year was no exception. We contacted Coach Dye and Coach Willis to share their thoughts on the student-athletes who have signed up for this year’s senior Class of 2024. Here is what they had to say about their exceptional and talented student-athletes and programs at Kingwood High School.
“I think the difference maker is work ethic. Most of the kids have a lot of pride in running for Kingwood and they are dedicated and determined to be successful. “- Coach Dye
“First of all, we are very fortunate to have a great junior golf program at Kingwood Country Club and also to have some talented athletes. However, the biggest difference for Kingwood golf is the fact that our athletes work very hard. Golf takes a lot of individual time outside of regular school practice and we have kids that are dedicated to putting in the extra time required to be as good as they can be. Bella Flores is a prime example of that. Yes, she is very talented and is an exceptional student. But she works very hard not only on her golf skills but also on her fitness. She also works equally hard in the classroom. What she has achieved both on and off the course, to this point, is a direct result of the time and effort she has put in.” – Coach Willis
A popular saying states, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” This quote is attributed to Tim Notke, a high school basketball coach, and was popularized by Kevin Durant, an NBA basketball player. This sentiment certainly holds true for our four athletes who have shown remarkable talent and dedication during their time at Kingwood High School, both on and off the track, field, and golf course.
