Bayfield student-athletes transitioning from middle school to high school stopped by Fort Lewis College to gain some insight into what the path to playing sports beyond high school will look like.

FLC Director of Athletics Travis Whipple and other Skyhawks athletics personnel met with the recent Bayfield Middle School graduates on May 15 to discuss related courses they should sign up for while at Bayfield High School, as well as the various athletic programs that are available to them, according to a news release on the district’s website.

Whipple also discussed the NCAA Eligibility Center, which high school students are required to register for regardless of whether they’ll attend a school competing in NCAA Division I or National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, so that the student-athletes will understand the various requirements to attend those colleges and universities, the release said.

Whipple also suggested the student-athletes participate in different kinds of sports and play for Amateur Athletic Union and club squads and even create video highlight reels via hudl.com to help maximize their potential exposure to college teams on the recruiting trail, the release said.

“All of those are great opportunities to get exposure,” Whipple said in the release. “And more and more they’re looking at Hudl as a way to evaluate athletes because it is so accessible.”

BMS Dean of Students Kelly Erickson said in the release student-athletes should form bonds with their coaches at the high school level “because they’re going to be the first point of contact.”

Aside from athletic eligibility, Whipple said colleges including FLC will look at students’ grade-point average, and paired with one’s SAT and ACT scores, it can open doors for scholarship opportunities to help cover college expenses, the release said.

Whipple also encouraged the student-athletes to visit a number of colleges and universities when the time comes to get feel for that campus, later inviting them to return to FLC for another visit as their high school tenure progresses, the release said.

mhollinshead@durangoherald.com