For the first annual Courier rookie showcase, we鈥檙e checking in with 麻豆传媒映画athletes in their freshman semester at colleges and universities around the continent.
Today, in the second of two parts, we鈥檙e catching up with long jumper Andrew de Visser, two soccer players at the University of Calgary, Harvard field hockey goalie Olivia Startup and Vancouver-turned-Seattle high school basketball player, Drew Urquhart, now in the NCAA Div. 1.
More Rookies: Read the first part of the听
Olivia Startup
Crofton House graduate tending net for the field hockey team at Harvard
I鈥檇 say I鈥檓 a quintessential rookie in that I went through a period in which I had difficulty balancing school, field hockey, and a social life in college, but realized by the time the season was over that it was all worth it. My team here has become a support system and a family, and I鈥檝e created so many unforgettable moments both on and off the field. The whole team stayed in a teammate鈥檚 home in Nantucket for a couple days before pre-season training started. We spent a lot of time just getting to know each other and going to the beach, so it was a nice way to break the ice.
As a tradition, the rookies decorate the entire locker room for the day of our first Ivy League game. It was a cool way for the freshman to bond with each other while doing something special for the upperclassmen. For the last several years, the field hockey team has started a new tradition for our game against our biggest rival 鈥� Yale. For every year that we beat Yale, the rookies paint one of the bricks in our locker room with the names of our seniors. We鈥檙e really excited because this year we fundraised enough money to do Harvard鈥檚 first international field hockey tour to Argentina so we painted one brick with the Argentina flag, with the Harvard Crimson crest in the centre, the seniors names around it, and a quote from one of our seniors this year, 鈥淓verything to gain.鈥�
My best game by far this semester was against UMass Lowell because it was my first real game in college field hockey. I had played in our pre-season scrimmages and had done well, but this was the first full half of a game I got to play. I got my first collegiate save recorded and a shutout, which was a really cool feeling.
I feel as though it鈥檚 not so much my game that has improved, but more my attitude towards athletics. By the end of season, I found myself feeling a little worn down, what with balancing school, field hockey, and basic necessities like sleep and health, so when we had a little bit of time off afterwards, I was almost relieved. However, I soon realized that I only had three seasons left to play field hockey here and it鈥檚 so easy to take that for granted. Our team got together before the holidays and it made me realize how much I not only missed the team, since we didn鈥檛 get to see each other every day anymore, but also just playing in general.
To balance everything, I鈥檝e learned that keeping a schedule is definitely key. I actually have found that I鈥檓 a lot more organized in-season because it keeps me more structured and so I know when I have to get my work done. Something that is essential, I feel, is having supportive friends around you. When you鈥檙e on the go, stressed and tired, being able to come home to someone that cares for you and has confidence in you can really make the difference between just getting by and surpassing your expectations. I鈥檝e been really fortunate to have such great roommates.
My favourite class is English 158A: A History of Western Drama. We read a play per class and just talk about the plays themselves as well as performance and how it has changed and adapted over the years. The best part is the professor because he really makes the class incredible. All of my professors here have been incredible, but Derek Miller has an incredible energy about him. He wears a bowtie to every class, paces back and forth, and talks really fast. The best part about him is how passionate he is about what he teaches.
I have five roommates in an apartment suite, with two doubles and two singles. I think by looking at my room, you can tell that I鈥檓 really proud of where I come from. I鈥檓 very proud to be Canadian and everyone who knows me would say that. I have a map of Canada hanging over my bed. I also have a ton of photos of my friends and family from home. I undoubtedly wouldn鈥檛 have gotten anywhere without them, so it鈥檚 nice to have a bit of home with me here. Lastly, I鈥檓 a field hockey goalie, so of course I have a poster of a goalie on my wall as well.
I had Thanksgiving with my roommate鈥檚 aunt in New York, and they eat mashed sweet potatoes with a layer of marshmallows baked on top. It was strange, but they actually didn鈥檛 taste that bad.
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Andrew de Visser
Prince of Wales long jumper now competing at Trinity Western University
The first track and field competition is in January, and the Spartans have been training since September.
The senior athletes on the team welcomed the rookies by preparing and serving a meal to us, then introducing us to the rest of the team through a short speech. They made us pulled pork sandwiches. Trinity Western students have a strong tradition of supporting their athletes on all the sports teams at their home games, and I have tried my best to make it to as many games as possible to support my fellow Spartans.
My coach, Laurier Primeau, has changed the way I train. He creates an atmosphere at training that brings out the best in his athletes. Although there are times to joke around and have fun, when it's time to train, everyone is focused on the task at hand and putting in a perfect effort.
In terms of balancing academics and athletics, it is all about being disciplined with one鈥檚 time. Academics must be as high as a priority as training in order to be successful in both departments
The biggest difference between being a student-athlete in high school compared to university is I now have little to no time for watching my favourite shows! (Like the Walking Dead.) I attend classes in the morning, then I have my first training session in the afternoon, then about an hour break for dinner and then a second training session in the evening which is usually some kind of lifting, then I hit the books for a couple of hours, then I hang out with friends for a bit, then I go to bed. It is a crazy and busy life but it is immensely rewarding.
My favourite class first semester was calculus. The calculus part wasn't fun at all, but the prof, Rick Sutcliffe,was amazing! He got to been at least 75 years old so he just had so many amazing stories and a lot of wisdom to share with the class.
From looking at my dorm room, you would see that I really don't care for decorations at all. I share with a roommate and neither of us has any posters up.
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Drew Urquhart
麻豆传媒映画resident and graduate of East Catholic secondary in Seattle, playing basketball at the University of Vermont.
I am the youngest player on my team this year, but the older players don鈥檛 really make us six freshmen feel younger. They treat us as equals, and I think that helps when we play with each other on the court.
My best performance to date was probably my double-double against Southern Vermont 鈥� 12 points, 11 rebounds in 18 min. I鈥檝e become a lot more post based on this team and so my post game has become a lot stronger and I鈥檝e developed more moves. Our coach, John Becker, really emphasizes defence, so I鈥檝e become a better defender. I鈥檝e gotten better at rebounding and letting the game come to me and not forcing shots.
It has definitely taken time to adjust, but I think I鈥檝e come a long way since I got here. There鈥檚 a lot more time management than high school, school wise, but in terms of basketball I think I'm coming along. Also, playing time is earned in practice, and that is a big difference for me because playing time was always given to me, I never had to earn it, so I鈥檝e adjusted to really going hard in practice, so that I can play in the games.
I really liked my business networking class this semester. And I usually study in the athlete development centre, considering all freshman have to complete six hours in there each week.
I鈥檓 rooming with Brandon Hatton, a freshman shooting guard from Kentucky, so there鈥檚 a lot of basketball posters around our room and a Nerf hoop on the wall. It鈥檚 also surprisingly clean. We鈥檝e also got a lot of food in there 鈥� you could tell we鈥檙e D1 basketball players.
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Kaely Biring
David Thompson graduate playing soccer at the University of Calgary
I believe I am a very adaptable person, so coming in as a rookie was not a huge challenge for me. I'm very easy-going and disciplined. The veterans were paired up with the new recruits so we always had ongoing support whenever we needed it. However, that also included some marker makeup to the face at the end of the season. There was definitely heavy eyebrows, moustaches, and I got some flowers drawn on my cheeks and a rainbow on my forehead.
My game has gotten better in that I'm more confident going forward and dribbling at people now. Also, I have improved in making runs past the forwards when the time is right to get into a goal scoring position as a midfielder.
My coach, Troye Flannery, has taught me to keep the bigger picture in mind and not sweat the small stuff.听You have to keep yourself organized, have a set time to do your homework, and make sure you have time to relax and socialize.
The fact that I'm living away from home is a big difference from high school to university. My parents constantly remind me that I'm a student-athlete. My favourite class would be psychology. I generally just study in my room but I also enjoy going to the library.
My dorm room style is very minimum, and I go for comfort over style. You would learn that I love soccer 鈥� thank god Heather Berringer (another Dino rookie from Vancouver) is my roommate.听
Since I live in Alberta, it's only right that I tried Alberta beef. FYI, it's amazing!听
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Heather Berringer
Prince of Wales graduate playing soccer at the University of Calgary
Each rookie on the team was paired up with a veteran for the season, and at the end of the season the vets wore shirts that said "soccer mama" and dressed us all up like babies.
My game improved because I learned to adapt in a different environment than youth league and I learned how to focus more on myself and my game, instead of comparing myself to my teammates around me.
I plan out my homework and studying and make lots of to-do list to keep organized. Playing soccer forces you to avoid procrastination and to learn how to time manage. Here, the biggest differences from high school are the higher expectations and intensity, performing away from home, and being away from family support.
I vary my study spots, but usually I study in the library or in an empty classroom. Anywhere that's secluded and quiet 鈥� never in my room. My dorm room is a little scattered, and I use it mostly for sleeping.
I tried cold, leftover meatballs, and they were much tastier than I expected.
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Interviews have been condensed and edited.
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