School is back. Sports are back. But before the vaccine rolled out, before the numbers went down, before any activity, let alone tackle football, was permitted under California guidelines, high school athletes were in a difficult position (and I don’t mean shortstop). Without a season in sight and no recruiters on the sidelines, many up-and-coming athletes were forced to question how they would ever have a shot at their dreams of the big leagues. Two former RUHS athletes, Dawson Adams-Grenier and Lucas Boesen, took matters into their own hands.

With the support of their families and coaches, football player Adams-Grenier and baseball player Boesen moved to Las Vegas, Nev. in the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters, respectively, to train and play at Bishop Gorman, a prestigious private Catholic school with a reputation for producing strong athletes. 

“The competition at Gorman is next level,” Boesen said. “It has some of the best athletes and players in the nation, so both the school and the team is top of the line.”

However, sports were not the only factor in Boesen’s and Adams-Grenier’s decisions to move. For both of their families, acceptance at Bishop Gorman provided not only athletic opportunity, but an escape from rising California living expenses.

“What made the move worth it was seeing my parents more calm. They’re not super stressed about money and taxes and all that stuff, and seeing them like that has really made it worth it for me,” Adams-Grenier said.

But while financial strain has lessened, other pressures have only increased for the two athletes as they adapt to the highly competitive environment of Bishop Gorman.

“There’s a lot more work to be put in, because I’m going against some of the top guys in the country every day,” Adams-Grenier said. “We have multiple colleges at the division one level watching our games, and once the season’s back, we’ll typically have high-level scouts at every single practice.”

Although the heightened rigor of Bishop Gorman will serve to help both athletes as they pursue their college dreams, both say there’s a lot they miss about Redondo — friends, teachers and especially coaches. But according to Adams-Grenier, his relationship with his coaches has not been affected by the move.

“After I moved, they were just wishing me the best of luck and hoping that I’d do well. They’re still my coaches to this day. They won’t ever not be my coaches, we’ll always have that relationship,” Adams-Grenier said.

Thankfully, the two juniors have solidarity in each other, having both made the transition only a few months apart.

“It is really nice having someone who I know well going through the process with me. It’s fun to have him around and see him trying to accomplish the same thing that I am,” Boesen said.

But no matter how easy or difficult the change has been, both athletes are excited and hopeful as they look forward to the incredible opportunities Bishop Gorman has to offer.

“It has always been a dream of mine to play college baseball and ultimately in the pros,” Boesen said. “I’ve dreamed of accomplishing this my whole life, and this is how I can make it a reality.”