Reflections on OC athletics

Cheerleading for last Saturday's football game was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have had in a long time, at least a year. I am sure that some people at Oberlin have no idea what it means to be an athlete. But I definitely believe it is something that improves every aspect of your life. As Coach Ann Gilbert repeatedly told the women's basketball team last year, "the people who are late to practice are often the same ones who are late to class." I think that is very true. Being an athlete is something that requires more than athletic ability; it also requires heart, dedication and desire. It took a long time for me to find something that I could completely commit myself to, but once I did, there was nothing more satisfying in my life.

Last week's football game was definitely a display of heart. I could not have been any more proud of our team if they had won. It was so nice to see everyone in the stands on their feet cheering. For what seemed like the very first time, the fans in the stands believed in the team.

It made me think back to last year, when I played basketball. Our team had already surpassed everyone's expectations by beating Allegheny on their home turf and, in doing so, reaching the semifinals of the NCAC tournament. But when we walked into Ohio Wesleyan, everyone on our team was still filled with the desire to win. And it showed. For 40 minutes, we played the best defense we had played all season. But in the end, we still came up one point short. I remember looking down the bench and seeing most of my teammates in tears. And even though I had not played one minute, their loss was my loss, and I felt their pain. Directly behind us, we had at least 100 hundred fans who had traveled two hours to see us play. To me, that was the most important thing. We knew that our fans believed in us, and we could say for sure that we gave them the best we had. But the more remarkable thing is that the fans for Ohio Wesleyan also stood up and cheered for us as we left the floor, because they knew that Oberlin was suddenly a force to be taken seriously.

I think it is a lot to expect a team to be built overnight. But I think the people at Earlham College know that the Yeomen are to be taken about seriously. And, to my way of thinking, that is the most important thing.

Most people don't know that, during the offseason, the men's basketball team wakes up at 6 a.m. to weight train. They probably don't know that, when they're not threatening to win the NCAC tournament, the women's basketball team runs two miles a day - sometimes in the bitter cold. As most students enjoy their summer vacations, soccer players run miles to get in shape. In the end, these efforts will only be recognized if a team posts a winning record. But what about the athletes who sacrifice their fall breaks, spring breaks and their winter terms - all for love of the game? Don't these people also deserve our respect?

I think this is a great opportunity to honor those people who choose to be student-athletes despite their overwhelming social and academic responsibilities. Because they have definitely earned our respect. So great job, football team!