For Lauren Feagler, senior, sports have always played a large role in her life. Currently, she is the captain of not just one, but three high school sports teams: girls tennis, Alpine skiing, and softball.
Feagler has played softball for 11 years, tennis for seven, and learned to ski when she was just four years old – she began to race in eighth grade.
After high school, many competitive athletes choose to continue with their sports into college. Feagler, however, who will be attending Purdue University, decided not to.
“You can’t really ski in Indiana,” Feagler said, “But hopefully I’ll find a way to continue with the other two, or maybe I’ll pick something else up if I have time.”
But, weather isn’t the only reason behind her choice. Feagler decided not to continue with her sports at the collegiate level so she could focus on school.

“My education comes first and I didn’t want to have to be so consumed by my sports in college,” Feagler said. “I wanted to be able to do other stuff in college like study abroad and focus on school, and just have more of a college experience.”
Being the captain of three very different sports, Feagler has had a big leadership role throughout the year.
“It’s interesting because what it requires to be captain is very different for all three of the sports,” Feagler said. “It’s really fun to compare the sports and get to know all of the different kids on that level.”
Feagler has enjoyed being a captain for each sport this year. Because all three are so different and she has played for so many years, she has very unique memories from each.
“For skiing, I will miss the chairlift rides with my teammates and having the opportunity to beat my personal best. For tennis, I will miss playing doubles, and for softball, I will miss all the traditions that we have and playing in the Palace,” Feagler said.
Playing a sport for college is a very big commitment, so not continuing will aid her in concentrating just on school. Understandably, quitting the sports is going to be very tough to do after having been with them for so many years.
“I am definitely going to miss all three of them a lot,” Feagler said.
Still, Feagler hopes this won’t be the end of her athletics, and she believes that some intramural sports may be in her future.
“It was a very hard decision to make because I really love all the sports, and that’s basically what my life is right now, so it’ll be very different,” Feagler said.