Jack Jensen, Reporter
@jackjensencourant
For a select number of dedicated athletes, high school doesn’t end at a mere four years. These individuals repeat their senior year at a boarding or private school, undertaking a postgraduate year and reclassing into the grade below, in order to perfect their craft before collegiate-level athletics.
Julian Tonghini, a baseball player who intended to be a 2020 graduate, unfortunately had his path deterred by an injury. “I suffered from an injury my sophomore year at NCHS,” Julian said. “I had a double stress fracture and missed out on a whole year of development. After I did another year at NCHS I realized I wasn’t gonna cut it.”
A decision to join the 2021 class instead of graduating with the class of 2020 was imminent. “I found Salisbury school and decided I would go there and get my extra year,” Julian stated.
This was a decision that proved to pay off for Julian. “It was crucial to my recruiting process because I then received offers from several schools, and I eventually chose Boston College.”
There are marked differences in the athletic environment at the preparatory or boarding schools that athletes attend in their PG year, from coaching, living situations, and learning. “My high school coach at Salisbury was previously the head coach at Yale so it’s really cool that I had access to great coaching,” Julian said.
Being in an environment where all the players had a common goal at getting committed, pushed Julian to excel. “I had been living in the dorm for two years before coming here so living on my own wasn’t different at all’,’ Julian said. “It wasn’t hard to make an adjustment and stay focused without my parents being present.”
Postgraduate plans are more often planned, even in the early years of high school. Such is the case with sophomore Connor Lytle who recently committed to the College of Charleston for baseball and will reclass into the 2025 class with a planned post-graduate year.
Connor mentioned his age as a key factor that went into his decision. “What led to my decision to take a 5th year was because I am very young for my grade,” Connor said. “I wanted to reclass to get another year of education to set myself up better for the future.”
There are also benefits to be seen in potential academic growth for athletes. “I saw that the prep schools fit just right for my learning as a student and how the teaching styles can make me a better student and a better person,” Connor said. Postgraduate years may also help prepare for professional athletics. “One of my biggest dreams is to get drafted out of high school, and reclassing so I get out of high-school at the same age as everyone else is an advantage,” Connor said.
