Sandpoint alumni juggle academics and collegiate athletics

Strip away the television appearances, free gear and pride from being the top one percent of all high school athletes to compete in college, and playing collegiate sports becomes a full-time job.

Practicing six or seven days a week while keeping high grades is a formidable task.

Pulling off this balancing act is a rare feat; the fact that a number of Sandpoint alumni across a variety of sports have earned academic recognition as well is noteworthy.

What follows is a brief rundown of how several SHS alumni have fared in the classroom so far.

From purely a numbers standpoint, Sandpoint swimming alumna Payton Bokowy (‘18)’s semester might be the most impressive of the bunch.

In Bokowy’s first semester at Washington State University, she earned a 4.0 G.P.A. while also training six times a week and competing. This season, the Cougars notched their highest team G.P.A. in a decade.

University of Idaho football redshirt sophomore Kyle Perry (‘16) was one of 13 Vandals with a 3.5 G.P.A. or higher this past season. In total, 31 University of Idaho football players earned academic awards; Perry’s 3.5 puts him in the highest echelon of his teammates.

Sandpoint cross-country alumna Hannah Davidson (‘18) was part of a Utah State women’s cross-country team that averaged a 3.73 G.P.A. this past fall. This marked earned Aggies recognition from the United States Track and Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association in February.

Lastly, SHS soccer alumna Taylor Ward (‘17) rode a 3.92 G.P.A. to three Presidential Honor Roll nods in her time at Community Colleges of Spokane.