Years of early mornings, long practices and unwavering dedication culminated June 1, as 42 Mt. Lebanon High School senior athletes participated in College Signing Day, an event sponsored by the longstanding booster organization, the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devil Club.
This was a significant day that honored student-athletes from Mt. Lebanon who will continue competing at the collegiate level, said Blue Devil Club president Peter Darcy.
“Signing Day is probably my favorite event the Blue Devil Club puts on,” said Darcy. “It’s a chance to recognize years of hard work and sacrifice and celebrate these student-athletes with their families one final time before they begin the next chapter.”
Being invited to the signing day event means you’ve dedicated years to your sport, Darcy said. He added that the opportunity to continue competing in college shows the level of commitment and caliber of performance that the athletes had during their time as a Blue Devil.
“It’s our opportunity to say, ‘Thank you for all you did,’” said Darcy. “It was fun to watch over the last four years, and good luck in everything that comes next.”
What stood out to Darcy was the depth of this year’s class, both in the number of sports represented and the variety of colleges and universities the athletes are attending. Of this year’s senior class, 42 athletes are attending 35 different colleges and universities in 17 distinct sports.
“It really speaks to Mt. Lebanon’s ability to develop exceptional student-athletes,” Darcy said. “I was truly struck by how humble this group of young adults was. Their humility and overall disposition really speak to their character.”
It is extremely difficult and competitive to reach the level of playing a sport at the collegiate level, Darcy noted, as the competition for college roster spots can be quite intense. According to Darcy, seeing the number of athletes that are continuing to play collegiately really shows how exceptional these student-athletes are.
“Nobody picked up these sports a year or two ago,” Darcy said. “They’ve been developing their skills for many years. These athletes balanced demanding academics, athletics and even the challenges created by the pandemic. To earn the opportunity to continue competing in college is very impressive.”
Signing day is just one aspect of what the Blue Devil Club does. Without a booster organization like it, there would be missed opportunities to provide support for student-athletes across the community. Darcy said that the club always asks itself how to make sure communitywide opportunities aren’t missed.
“Our goal is to make sure student-athletes have the best possible experience,” Darcy said. “That’s what we are all about.”
Additionally, something that sets Mt. Lebanon High School apart is the number of selfless volunteers who give considerable time to ensure a positive experience for the township’s athletes.
“There’s no expectation of recognition,” he said of the volunteers. “It’s really like servant leadership, and so many people and parents simply give of themselves for the benefit of the students.”
This tireless support by community members helps athletes to learn valuable lessons in navigating life’s challenges, according to Darcy.
“Athletics give you the opportunity to face adversity, face challenges and give selflessly of yourself,” he said. “Those are leadership skills that stay with you throughout life. It’s easy to succeed when everything is going well. Real leadership is revealed when things aren’t going well, and athletics gives young people the opportunity to develop those skills.”
Though the road to playing college sports can seem daunting, Darcy encourages younger athletes not to give up. Exploring different opportunities and not limiting oneself to one sport can be a key to finding one’s passion, and ultimately to competing at the next level.
“Find what you’re passionate about,” he said. “Because that passion is what gets you up for a 5 a.m. practice or an early spring workout. That passion is what will take you as far as you want to go.”
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