It is every serious athlete’s dream to be able to play at the next level, however only the truly dedicated and passionate players grasp the opportunity to do so. Among those few, senior Asa Turner had options to choose from.

Turner committed to University of Washington to play football after receiving multiple division one offers. Following years of intense preparation, Turner decided to compete at the next level.

“I chose Washington mainly because of the coaching staff and because of the position they’re letting me play which is safety,” Turner said.

However, people often underestimate the difficulty of earning this chance. From fighting through injuries to putting in the long hot hours during summer workouts,Turner proved his true passion for the game every day at practice.

“Over the past four years, we’ve been working in the summer and during practice,” Turner said. “We have practice every single day- and that just gets you ready for what it’s like to be in college.”

In addition to these intense hours of commitment, schoolwork is a priority for any student athlete who wants to be considered for college and Turner has what it takes on and off the field. Student athletes often struggle in balancing school work and their sport commitments, but Turner has found a way to do it all.

“[Asa is] very versatile, extremely athletic, and he’s very ‘football smart,’” Coach Thad MacNeal said. “Just being a scholar athlete first will help a player reach the next level.”

On the field, an aspiring college athlete must act as a role model to his teammates and always push them to do their best. Not only do leaders on the field lead by example, but they also must help their teammates during every play. To benefit the whole team, Turner helps his teammates with technique and strategy.

“I’ve learned how to tackle better from him and to play hard for every ball, just like he does,” senior Caleb Schrimpf said.

With this example set, Turner has such a bright future. However, playing at a college level will be different compared to high school football. After putting many years of dedication to the sport, Turner will get his longed for chance to compete at the next level. For any aspiring college athlete, reaching higher level of play is extremely rewarding and requires much focus and perseverance, no only on the field, but in the classroom.

“Everyone thinks it’s crazy to play at Carlsbad with the Loud Crowd and stuff, but in college it’ll be a lot more fun,” Turner said. “I’d say don’t even focus on trying to get to college to play sports, just focus on your team and be the best you that you can be, and all that stuff will come along with it.”