By Tierra Barber
Director of Student-Athlete Development
Baylor University
Working in this profession for over 10 years, I’ve seen many student-athletes come and go. A resounding theme amongst them has been what to major in. Freshmen struggle to identify a curriculum that sparks their interest for the next four to five years, and seniors panic when identifying potential careers to enter their new phase of life. Regardless of academic status, athletic departments and college campuses have a multitude of resources available to student-athletes to help navigate these decisions. What we as campus resources can’t help you with are the decisions you make as young men that can make or break your future as a student, athlete, son, friend, etc.
How you handle yourselves in pressure situations can potentially define the course of your life. How do you handle yourself in the middle of a heated play when the referees aren’t calling your way? What do you do when you are out in a social setting where you could potentially be put in a bad situation? What do you do when you forgot about an exam that’s in 30 minutes? The decisions you make in the next 0-2 minutes can affect the rest of your life. We can offer all the drug and alcohol speakers, learning assistants, and tutors, but what you do with these and other resources is entirely up to you.
As I write this it actually sounds ironic, as many decisions are already made for you by parents, coaches, advisors, etc. But when it comes down to character and core values, it’s up to you to define who you are and who you want to be. At the end of the day, with no athletic gear, no cameras, no newspapers, who are you? So I urge you to major in life. Identify who you are, who you want to be, and how to get there. What do you stand for and who do you represent? You are not just a student-athlete, rather, a student that uses athletics to prepare them for the next phase of their life. Take the next few years to not only pass your classes and rack up on stats, but to identify your strengths and build on them. The world of athletics is here today and gone tomorrow. It serves as a means to give you the necessary skills to be successful on and off-the-field. So make the most of your opportunity and prepare for life. Strive to be an example for other young men, your family, and community. Major in life.