In college athletics, there’s often a tendency for athletes to become consumed by their sport. For me, I have always made the effort to see myself as more than just a track and field athlete. Yes, I’m a thrower at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, but I’m so much more. A marketing major, a Chi Alpha member, Miss Krimson and Kream, a sister, a daughter, and most importantly, a child of God. I’ve often been asked how I balance it all, athletics, academics, and extracurricular activities, and the truth is, I’m not entirely sure. I just remember the days when I taught myself how to throw in high school by watching YouTube videos. No coach, no trainer, just me and my determination. And, of course, my faith.
I’ve been an athlete for as long as I can remember. From ballet to soccer to softball to basketball to volleyball, I’ve competed in about every sport imaginable. While I’ve always been competitive, it wasn’t until my junior year of high school that I began to take sports more seriously. By then, I’d experienced my fair share of sports and decided to focus on track and field. The problem was I didn’t have a coach, but that didn’t deter me. I was determined to compete at the college level, so I did whatever it took to make that happen. I woke up at 4:30 a.m. every morning to train before school. I watched YouTube videos on how to throw, and I kept practicing.
I broke my high school’s record and became the number one thrower in Louisiana, which led to my first Division I offer. I eventually committed to ULL, and I was excited to begin my college career. Transitioning from high school to college can be difficult for college athletes. In high school, I was able to pursue a wide range of activities, but in college, I had to start narrowing my focus. I joined several organizations, including the Marketing Association and Chi Alpha, but had to ensure I had time to give everything my all.
I had to remind myself that I’m here to be an athlete as well, so it was a struggle to find the right balance. That was one of my biggest challenges as a freshman, figuring out who I am outside of my sport. I always say God has so much more for athletes than just their sport, and I genuinely believe that. However, it’s not always easy to discover your identity and purpose beyond athletics. My NIL compliance guy provided me a great exercise to help me with this. He told me to find four pillars in my life, and for me, those were sports, faith, fashion, and marketing. As long as I have those four things, I’m good. And if one of those falls off, I still have three more to keep me grounded. That simple exercise helped me figure out who I am, and I encourage any athlete struggling with their identity to do the same.
I’m so grateful for the platform I’ve been given as an athlete at ULL. From being a social media coordinator to a student-athlete secretary to a pageant winner, I’ve been able to accomplish a great deal in just one year. I’m so blessed and thankful that I was able to find a community on campus that shares my values and beliefs. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t overwhelming at times, but I’ve always been an overachiever, and I know that God has a plan for me.
It’s all about time management. I have time slots for homework, organizations, social media, etc. I even have a time slot for “me” on Saturdays, where I can go shopping or do whatever I want. It’s a lot, but it doesn’t feel like it because it’s all things that I love to do. I’m grateful to be at a university that allows me to be myself and gives me the freedom to express my faith and beliefs. I’ve always had a strong faith, but when I started to really get involved on campus, it was like my faith multiplied by ten. I want to share the love of God with as many people as possible, and ULL has given me the platform to do just that.
I know that my track and field career will come to an end one day, but my identity in Christ will be with me for the rest of my life. As I continue to grow in my faith, academics, and athletics, I will simply keep giving God my yes and see where that takes me.
