You’ve seen the end results, the killer crossover, breath-taking touchdowns and the celebrations after wins that make the lives of athletes look oh so charmed. But Rome wasn’t built in a day. Athletes work hard. Often starting their day while most people are still counting sheep. So before you go making assumptions, take a walk in the shoes of a Rattler student-athlete for a day.
Imagine waking up at 5 a.m. every morning and racing around the humid track before the sun is even up.
Everyday begins with a strenuous two-hour strength and conditioning workout.
Before you can exhale you are walking into an 8 a.m. English class with bags of ice cling-wrapped around both of your knees. As the ice drips to the floor and your shorts begins to stick to your body, you try to focus on the lecture. While nodding in and out of consciousness, you manage to rummage together enough notes to study.
A brief break between classes allows you to wash up and put on some real clothes. That small amount of time is not nearly enough to compete with the divas that grace the hills of FAMU’s campus.
One more lecture and you can rush to the cafeteria for a quick bite to eat. Lunch is followed by an intense individual workout. In the midst of such a rigorous day, you still have to study for a political science test scheduled for the next morning.
Many people naturally conclude stereotypes about student-athletes. But do they clearly understand the intense responsibility these men and women have. Stressful classes, endless practice schedules and the constant pressures of winning are the priorities of most campus competitors. Academic life for most does not consist of teachers allowing athletes to miss and sleep in classes. They do not allow anyone to be lazy or get over in their courses. Professors aren’t handing out A’s just for playing basketball.
Pushing the limits in the classroom and on the basketball court helps to develop the infamous Rattler Pride needed to represent FAMU at the highest level of competition. It’s a special experience that compels a person to organize their time. I wouldn’t trade it for the world!
Myiah Hughes, is a sophomore public relations student from Atlanta. Contact her at myiahhughes@yahoo.com