Honing in on the next stages of their lives, seniors Casey Kretch and Megan Alkins signed to their colleges of choice on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016. The Jamesville-DeWitt community gathered to watch some of the high school’s future Division I athletes sign their National Letters of Intent. Both athletes had previously committed to their colleges, agreeing to continue their athletic careers into their college years. This was important day for not only Kretch and Alkins, but also their families, friends and everyone else that helped them make their decisions.
Alkins will be attending Binghamton University in the fall and will be participating on the swimming and diving team. In early Oct. of her senior year she made a verbal commitment to the school. Considering the wide range of aspects that go into choosing a school, the location of Binghamton was an important one. “It is far enough away from home, but I know that if I need to come home, then I can,” says Aklins. Along with that, the team dynamics helped push her decision. She felt comfortable with the team, considering the “family feel,” she knew that she would be a perfect fit. The academics were another key piece in her choice, which were another great fit for Alkins. With some help from her parents, she made the final decision as to where she would like to continue her swimming and diving career and experiencing college doing the thing she loves most.
Heading to Le Moyne College, Kretch committed to play baseball for the Dolphins on June 29, 2016. Like Alkins, Kretch wanted a college close to home so he made the decision that a college far away from home would not be a great fit for him. At an early age, Kretch knew he wanted to play baseball in his college years, playing for multiple travel teams such as Sports Zone and Baseball U. Along with the travel teams, Kretch has been a key piece of J-DHS’s baseball team. The J-D team, his parents and coaches were all key components to help Kretch make his decision. “In the end, it came down to baseball,” says Kretch.
