COLUMBIA, S.C. — With the academic year in full swing, so are athletics.
Living in the moment while keeping an eye on the prize and planning for her college career is what Camden High School senior Joyce Edwards is currently doing.
"As a person getting recruited, I got a lot of offers when I was young. I was a person who lived in the present a lot," Edwards said. "So I wasn't necessarily stressing about college, cause I was like I have so much time ... until now, I don't really have much time.”
Attempting to stay present, while still planning for their future is something high schoolers regularly experience as they prepare for post graduation.
"I took like 7 official visits, just trying to narrow down which schools have my majors, relationship with the coach, basketball culture, just a lot of things you have to look into," Edwards said.
According to the NCAA, in most sports, coaches can begin reaching out to athletes starting June 15 after sophomore year or September 1 of their junior year of high school.
However, many coaches— Division I and some top-tier DII schools—will make verbal scholarship offers to athletes as young as 7th and 8th grade.
Showing interest as young as seventh grade is what Camden freshman Braylin Mungo says happened to her.
"I started getting interest from colleges and stuff," Mungo said. "I thought maybe I could do something with this and make a name for myself."
Helping these athletes maneuver high school while giving some input into the next steps of their lives is Camden's head women's basketball coach Natalie Norris.
“When it comes to college, you're going to prepare for a career. I like to tell the kids there is a lot of life to be lived after you put the basketball down. And so what's going to prepare you best for that life?”
Coming off of their state championship win last season, coach Norris and both of her returning players aim to take in the sights and scenes of their high school experience before moving onto the bigger stage.
"So I would say take in all opportunities you have and even if you're young I wouldn't suggest committing. I would suggest focusing on basketball and keeping the main thing the main thing," Edwards concluded.
Edwards will play her 6th and final year with the bulldogs before moving onto her next chapter. Where that chapter will take place however is still unknown due to wanting to take her time with the collegiate recruiting process.