A look into a student athlete’s journey at Hood

What is it like being a collegiate athlete? This question is a little difficult to answer. The short easy answer is that it is a great experience that has its ups and downs. If I were to give a more in-depth answer, I would say that the experiences that come from competing at this level have changed my life.

Eight years ago, I joined the middle school track team and fell in love with running. Running came quite naturally for me; as the great Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) once said, “Now, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows.”

Once I decided to change my focus from basketball to year-round training for cross country and track, everything started to come together. In no way was I heavily recruited out of high school, but MHCC gave me a chance and that’s all I needed.

During my freshman year at Mt. Hood, I ran cross country and track for the school. Currently, I am running in my second cross country season as a Saint and am planning on competing at a four-year university next year.

As an athlete at this level, it’s the small things that make the difference. From putting in that extra little effort in a workout to paying attention to nutrition (something I am still trying to figure out), it all impacts the ability to perform at my peak.

Something I’ve learned from my time participating in college sports is the importance of time management. Trying to balance school, work, and sports can sometimes be overwhelming, but it’s preparing me for life outside of sports. For instance, in a normal week we practice five times and the majority of our Saturdays are occupied by meets.

One of my favorite parts of college athletics is the many friendships I’ve made through the experience. I can even go as far as saying I’ve made some lifelong friendships. Having teammates that build me up and help me through tough times is priceless.

Another cool thing about this experience is the opportunity to compete. I think I speak for all athletes in saying that competition is one of the main reasons they do sports. In racing I have two options: let the guy ahead of me go, or not.

My time here at Mt. Hood as an athlete has been awesome. The opportunities that Mt. Hood has provided for me athletically makes me excited for my next adventure, wherever it be.

Advocate Staff