Every student athletes’ dream is being scouted and attempting to make it to the big leagues. In the beginning, every athlete starts from the bottom. Through all the early practices, tough losses and long seasons, college coaches and recruiters are always looking for players who can compete at the next level. But getting noticed takes more than just talent.
Athletes all around try to be the best of the best out of thousands of people who want to be recognized. Mills has seen many famous sports alumni, one being Paul Fanaika. Fanaika was an offensive guard for the National Football League (NFL) who was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played for teams like the Washington Redskins (now Washington Commanders), Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals and the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Anything is possible, just keep working hard,” said sophomore Gina Hillman. Hillman is currently on the Mills varsity softball team as a pitcher. Recently, she has been getting invited to college camps around the US. Starting softball at the age of five years old, Hillman hasn’t ever stopped playing. “I just think that hard work and a good attitude can do a lot for you. It shouldn’t matter where you are, who is on the other side, or who is watching, always just play to your best ability,” Hillman added. Along with that, she was also nominated for Bay Area News Group Athlete of the Week this year.
Another student who has been scouted is junior Dylan Yang. Ranked number one at Mills High School and ranked 20th in the entire state of California in swimming, Yang was incredibly proud of himself after getting an official visit from college scouts. His advice to people who are trying to get noticed is, “You can get noticed in a variety of ways, the easiest one is by reaching out. I found that filling out recruiting questionnaires before schools are allowed to contact you helps a lot, along with texting and emailing coaches directly.”
Lastly, another student who got scouted is sophomore Derek Moon. Moon was accepted to LA Galaxy Academy, a top-tier Major League Soccer (MLS) academy. He has been playing soccer for over 10 years and is known for always encouraging his teammates on the field. Moon advises the best way to get noticed by a scout is to,“Show yourself in the most authentic way possible on the field since that’s the only time scouts are able to look at you. Try your best and work hard, anything is possible.”
Getting scouted is a major accomplishment for a student athlete. But after hearing the stories of Hillman, Moon and Yang, it shows that it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes years of dedication, sacrifice and passion. Their stories show that working hard and staying committed can help them achieve their goal.
*At the time of writing on May 13, 2026, Yang’s ranking was top 20 and is subject to change.
*On May 20, 2026, The Thunderbolt published in print a photo claiming to be Yang, when in fact it was not him. We acknowledge this error and take accountability for this oversight.
