In the heat of balancing senior year classes with their final sports seasons, the gravity of college commitments feels especially intense to student-athletes. Stepping into ambiguity and leaving a well-established support system is intimidating, but seniors Emory Winter and Josh Christiansen have handled the pressure well, using their own judgement and guidance from their peers and coaches.
For Emory Winter, a multiple-time state qualifier in Cross Country and Track & Field, the decision to single out one college was determined in part by the atmosphere, which was a strong sense of familiarity that she felt at DII Anderson University: “I chose Anderson because of how at home I felt when I visited…The coach was great and it seems like a strong program to get me faster and faster”.
In spite of her excitement to join a new community and compete at a grander scale, there is still an ache in what she will be leaving behind: “I will miss having my friends that I have become super close with every day after school. I will also just miss the community of the spectators and all of the people that I know supporting me and my teammates. It has been so fun to run for BC”.
Josh Christiansen, an Offensive Guard for BC Football and DIII UW Platteville commit, also reminisced about the family that he had cultivated during his time at high school. “I’m going to miss all of my buddies, obviously, not just in senior year but all the other grades”, he explained during an interview. “I’ll really miss the brotherhood that we hold dear at BC”. Christiansen also noted the parallels between Platteville and BC sports, what made them both so special, and how that helped him ultimately choose his path: “I really love the culture at Platteville and the gameday atmosphere, how they bring that community together. Kind of like what we have here at BC with things like the Gold Out Game that bring Central and East together”.
When Winter and Christiansen were asked about their athletic goals, they made it clear that they would leave nothing to be desired. Winter in particular exemplified this, stating, “My goals are to compete as fast as I can. I would love to qualify for the different D1 races and be able to run at the national level”. This attitude was reflected in Christiansen’s words as well, where he looked at the college-athlete experience from a holistic perspective: “Obviously I just want to be the best player that I can be…I hope that it will help me be a better person on and off the field”.
Both athletes fostered these winning attitudes from their coaches, who were present alongside family and friends at the BC Signing Day on November 21st. Lorie Lewis, the Girl’s Cross Country and distance Track & Field Head Coach, has guided Emory Winter since her freshman season and through her numerous state appearances as an upperclassman. The same support can be observed from Football Head Coach Joel Nellis, who in addition to aiding Christiansen helped to secure his offer from Platteville by reaching out to the school for visit opportunities and showcasing Christiansen’s highlight tapes.
These individuals are treasured for their contributions to BC athletics, and no well-wishing will be necessary for them to continue making impacts at the next level.
