The JA Advantage

Due to a large portion of JA's population being student-athletes, many of them have to look to other schools to play their sport if it is not offered at JA. Inevitably, playing for another school can have some negative aspects, but it is also a great option for some students and has created many amazing opportunities.

A senior member of the JA Advantage program is Evelyn Claeys. She is a swimmer for Standley Lake High School, and has been competitively swimming for around ten years. 

“I have really enjoyed swimming for Standley,” commented Claeys. “It has been pretty friendly and I’ve looked forward to it every year.” 

Although swimming for Standley in her high school career has been a very good experience for Claeys, it can still have its ups and downs.

“[Some cons are] not really knowing your other teammates at first and not many people from JA show up to competitions,” explained Claeys. 

Another JA Advantage athlete that also plays for Standley is senior Boston Harris. He has played football at Standley for around four years now, and along with Claeys he has also liked all of the exposure it has offered. 

“It’s been fun and nice to get to go to a different school,” said Harris. 

Despite the positives involved in JA Advantage these athletes still come across challenges, due to them playing for another school. 

“Not a lot of people from JA show up to our games,” expressed junior Jackson Kennell. 

Similarly, Harris shares the same opinions on the lack of JA fanbase and support at Standley football games. 

“I just wish more people went to the games,” commented Harris. 

Along with not getting as much support from students, many JA Advantage athletes feel that the program needs to get more recognition. 

“I think JA Advantage sports gets overshadowed by our own [JA] sports, and there needs to be more recognition in the media and from the administration,” explained Claeys. 

An additional JA Advantage football player for Standley Lake High School is Jackson Kennell. This is his third year on the team, and he has loved getting to play for a bigger school, regardless of if he feels that his sport is sometimes overshadowed. 

“I wish [JA Advantage] got a little bit more recognition, but I mean, it’s hard when you’re playing for another school,” said Kennell. 

In addition to Claeys and Harris, Kennell also wishes that he saw more support from his JA classmates. 

“You’re not able to show off your talents to your school and you’re not able to compete for your school, so that part kind of sucks,” Kennell explained. 

Against all of the troubles and downsides to playing for another school, many of these JA Advantage athletes have loved their time being a part of the program, and wouldn’t change a thing. 

“You get to create a whole new set of friends, teammates, and dynamics that you get to be a part of because you play for another school!” exclaimed Kennell.