TIMEOUT. REPLAY.
RELATIONSHIPS
Meghan Rowland, senior, public relations major, recounts her memories from her time spent playing water polo from her childhood into her college years. Rowland’s home displays trophies and photos from her and her brother’s athletic journeys.
Written by Meghan Rowland Photos by Mariss Eanes
H
T I M E O U T. R E P L A Y. ATHLETES’ JOURNEY TO THE FINAL GAME
22 | PURSUIT
eavy-eyed and drowsy, I stare at the dullness of the concrete pool deck beneath my feet. My toes are frozen and all I can think about is the warmth and comfort of my bed. Practice is about to start as my coach begins the 10-second countdown to jump in the pool. Even with clouds of steam rising into the dark skies above, the water still presents an unpleasant invitation. About to jump into a pool that will awaken my sore muscles and make my skin crawl, I question my decision to become an athlete as I envy the students still sleeping soundly in their cozy beds. After the initial shock of the cold water passes, I am whipped back into reality realizing life as a student-athlete is a privilege. Growing up I played a variety of sports such as soccer, softball and basketball. However, it was the chlorinated community of water polo of which I became most fond. Fast-forward 13 years — my time as a water polo player is dwindling down to numbers that can be tallied in my head. Thirty-five games. Eight tournaments. Four months. These are the countdowns defining the last season of my waterpolo career. With one final semester as a Lancer at California Baptist University,
the painfulness of reality begins to evoke emotions of uncertainty, nostalgia and fear. As much as I have complained about the countless early morning alarms, grueling workouts, one-point losses and irrational referees, water polo is a pillar in my life and the vision of living without it is difficult to grasp. I have grown up with a tight-knit group of teammates always by my side and the thought of not always having a friend close by to vent to about practice or share endless laughs with makes the transition from a student-athlete to a graduate daunting. My life has been absorbed by water polo. I have grown accustomed to a lifestyle routine consisting of eating, sleeping and practicing. With this type of schedule on repeat, I have been stuck in the “athlete bubble” for more than half my life — I have not experienced what life is like without the word “athlete” associated with my identity. Right now my relationship between player and person is inseparable, reinforcing the fear I have for my future. Like most athletes, I have become a target of identity foreclosure — my sport has taken possession of who I am. My days have been measured by hours training in the pool; my needs have been focused around sleep and protein; my emotions have been controlled by wins and losses. Investing most of their lives into a ➤ PURSUIT | 23
RELATIONSHIPS
sport, some athletes may suffer from a loss of identity when they graduate and must say goodbye to athletics. They grow up with their sport as their brand — everyone who knows them associates them with the sport they play. James Bogdanovich, senior kinesiology major on the CBU men’s soccer team, says soccer is engraved in his identity and it was not until he decided to take a break from the sport his freshman year of college that he noticed how much people associated 24 | PURSUIT
him with soccer. “Soccer was what I identified with; it was my brand growing up,” Bogdanovich says. “My freshman year (at CBU) I didn’t play and people thought of me as James, but when I started playing again, people thought of me as the soccer player.” Although a sport consumes an athlete’s dedication, some student-athletes are able to break free from the fated identity and characterize themselves as more than just a name on a roster or a number on a jersey.
Jim Bossert, a kinesiology graduate student on the men’s swim team, says swimming plays an important role in his life, but he finds his identity in Christ. With 20 hours of practice a week, daily trips to the athletic trainers and constant muscle soreness, life as a collegiate athlete is not very glamorous. Despite the rough patches an athlete may face, the love they have the sport is what drives them to commit their time and sacrifice their bodies for a chance to compete. Bossert says swimming provides an outlet where he can escape the realities of life and serves as a unique way to show who he is as an athlete and servant of God. “Swimming has taught me so much about life in general and it’s always been an escape from portions of my life I’ve wanted to get away from and distract myself from,” Bossert says. “It has taught me about who I am as a person, what God has to teach us, who God is and his love and grace for us.” With the same training schedule on constant replay, an athlete’s life takes on a rhythmic pattern, forming a devotion that becomes hard to break away from once the time to clean out his or her locker has come. Eric Carnohan, a 2015 CBU political science graduate and men’s water polo alumni, decided graduation was not going to be a pre-determined finish line to his athletic career. Now a professional water-polo player in Spain, Carnohan says he will know the time to stop playing competitively will be near when his body can no longer withstand the impact of the sport and, even then, it will not stop him from being a part of the water-polo community. “That will be the most difficult part, knowing that my body cannot compete where my mind wants me to be,” Carnohan says. “My career will never completely end, as I plan to coach as a career and continue playing club for the rest of my life once I retire professionally.” According to the National Collegiate Athletics Association, only 1 percent of collegiate athletes go on to play professional sports, making cases like Carnohan’s exceedingly rare. With this dose of reality, collegiate athletes need to accept the departure from competing is inevitable. Although athletes can no longer ➤ Photo by Tyler Rhode
Chris Brown (left), CBU men's basketball alumnus, coaches younger players on how to properly navigate the court and move around their opponent. James Bogdanovich (right), senior kinesiology major, played in the American Youth Soccer Organization for his second year and fell in love with the sport. Young James Bogdanovich (below), early in his athletic development, dribbles ahead of the opposing team toward the goal.
Photos courtesy of James Bogdanovich
PURSUIT | 25
represent a school once they move on to the next phase of their lives, they are not stripped from their sport completely. Many athletes try to stay involved in sports through coaching or continue their career. Chris Brown, a 2015 kinesiology graduate from CBU and men’s basketball alumnus, is working at Adrenaline, a private athletic training facility in Corona. He has the opportunity to help kids reach their fullest potential through training and gets to stay in shape himself. “I am still very involved with (basketball)," Brown says. "I work out almost every day, play in adult leagues and I also train at my job. I get to help kids get the best (workouts) and I get to work on my cardio, strength and skills. I love it.” Just like Brown, Kimberly Allard, kinesiology graduate from CBU and women’s soccer alumna, says her sport is still a part of her identity even though it does not play such a prominent role in her life and daily schedule as it did in college.
Jim Bossert has a moment of solitude in the aquatic center as he reflects on his time as an athlete and how the next season of his life will look.
“My identity is still surrounded by the sport of soccer and fitness,” Allard says. “I recently have been hired to work at UFC Gym as a personal trainer and I play in coed leagues.” A sport can always be a part of an athlete’s life, whether it is coaching, participating in adult leagues or simply playing a quick pick-up game with friends. However, once graduation comes, an athlete’s career is sidelined and he or she must figure out a new way of living without his or her schedule focusing around practice and school. Jeff Couto, CBU diving coach, says the transition from being a student-athlete to a graduate may be daunting at first, but rather than being intimidated by the change, athletes should focus on how being an athlete has trained them to make a statement in the workplace. “Knowing (athletes) have done something for so long and there is an abrupt end in sight is intimidating, but what
‘Knowing (athletes) have done something for so long and there is an abrupt end in sight is intimidating, but what athletics does is it really prepares (athletes) for the next season of life.' Jeff Couto, CBU diving coach
26 | PURSUIT
athletics does is it really prepares (athletes) for the next season of life,” Couto says. “Athletics teaches (athletes) steps along the way on how to become a better employee and it builds time management because (athletes) have to balance a busy schedule of academics, athletics, extra-curricular activities, personal life, church involvement and so many other things.” Trophies may collect dust, wins and losses may fade into the seasons played, but the athlete within will never go away. Saying goodbye to a sport after graduation may bring confusion for athletes, but the life-lessons gained and the passion for the sport will forever be a part of athletes and will create a smoother transition into life after being a Lancer. With only a few months remaining in my water-polo career, I am learning to no longer look at early morning wake-up calls or two-a-day workouts as a chore, but something I should cherish before time slips away. ◆
Meghan Rowland, senior, public relations major, recounts her memories from her time spent playing water polo from her childhood into her college years. Rowland’s home displays trophies and photos from her and her brother’s athletic journeys.
Written by Meghan Rowland Photos by Mariss Eanes
H
T I M E O U T. R E P L A Y. ATHLETES’ JOURNEY TO THE FINAL GAME
22 | PURSUIT
eavy-eyed and drowsy, I stare at the dullness of the concrete pool deck beneath my feet. My toes are frozen and all I can think about is the warmth and comfort of my bed. Practice is about to start as my coach begins the 10-second countdown to jump in the pool. Even with clouds of steam rising into the dark skies above, the water still presents an unpleasant invitation. About to jump into a pool that will awaken my sore muscles and make my skin crawl, I question my decision to become an athlete as I envy the students still sleeping soundly in their cozy beds. After the initial shock of the cold water passes, I am whipped back into reality realizing life as a student-athlete is a privilege. Growing up I played a variety of sports such as soccer, softball and basketball. However, it was the chlorinated community of water polo of which I became most fond. Fast-forward 13 years — my time as a water polo player is dwindling down to numbers that can be tallied in my head. Thirty-five games. Eight tournaments. Four months. These are the countdowns defining the last season of my waterpolo career. With one final semester as a Lancer at California Baptist University,
the painfulness of reality begins to evoke emotions of uncertainty, nostalgia and fear. As much as I have complained about the countless early morning alarms, grueling workouts, one-point losses and irrational referees, water polo is a pillar in my life and the vision of living without it is difficult to grasp. I have grown up with a tight-knit group of teammates always by my side and the thought of not always having a friend close by to vent to about practice or share endless laughs with makes the transition from a student-athlete to a graduate daunting. My life has been absorbed by water polo. I have grown accustomed to a lifestyle routine consisting of eating, sleeping and practicing. With this type of schedule on repeat, I have been stuck in the “athlete bubble” for more than half my life — I have not experienced what life is like without the word “athlete” associated with my identity. Right now my relationship between player and person is inseparable, reinforcing the fear I have for my future. Like most athletes, I have become a target of identity foreclosure — my sport has taken possession of who I am. My days have been measured by hours training in the pool; my needs have been focused around sleep and protein; my emotions have been controlled by wins and losses. Investing most of their lives into a ➤ PURSUIT | 23
RELATIONSHIPS
sport, some athletes may suffer from a loss of identity when they graduate and must say goodbye to athletics. They grow up with their sport as their brand — everyone who knows them associates them with the sport they play. James Bogdanovich, senior kinesiology major on the CBU men’s soccer team, says soccer is engraved in his identity and it was not until he decided to take a break from the sport his freshman year of college that he noticed how much people associated 24 | PURSUIT
him with soccer. “Soccer was what I identified with; it was my brand growing up,” Bogdanovich says. “My freshman year (at CBU) I didn’t play and people thought of me as James, but when I started playing again, people thought of me as the soccer player.” Although a sport consumes an athlete’s dedication, some student-athletes are able to break free from the fated identity and characterize themselves as more than just a name on a roster or a number on a jersey.
Jim Bossert, a kinesiology graduate student on the men’s swim team, says swimming plays an important role in his life, but he finds his identity in Christ. With 20 hours of practice a week, daily trips to the athletic trainers and constant muscle soreness, life as a collegiate athlete is not very glamorous. Despite the rough patches an athlete may face, the love they have the sport is what drives them to commit their time and sacrifice their bodies for a chance to compete. Bossert says swimming provides an outlet where he can escape the realities of life and serves as a unique way to show who he is as an athlete and servant of God. “Swimming has taught me so much about life in general and it’s always been an escape from portions of my life I’ve wanted to get away from and distract myself from,” Bossert says. “It has taught me about who I am as a person, what God has to teach us, who God is and his love and grace for us.” With the same training schedule on constant replay, an athlete’s life takes on a rhythmic pattern, forming a devotion that becomes hard to break away from once the time to clean out his or her locker has come. Eric Carnohan, a 2015 CBU political science graduate and men’s water polo alumni, decided graduation was not going to be a pre-determined finish line to his athletic career. Now a professional water-polo player in Spain, Carnohan says he will know the time to stop playing competitively will be near when his body can no longer withstand the impact of the sport and, even then, it will not stop him from being a part of the water-polo community. “That will be the most difficult part, knowing that my body cannot compete where my mind wants me to be,” Carnohan says. “My career will never completely end, as I plan to coach as a career and continue playing club for the rest of my life once I retire professionally.” According to the National Collegiate Athletics Association, only 1 percent of collegiate athletes go on to play professional sports, making cases like Carnohan’s exceedingly rare. With this dose of reality, collegiate athletes need to accept the departure from competing is inevitable. Although athletes can no longer ➤ Photo by Tyler Rhode
Chris Brown (left), CBU men's basketball alumnus, coaches younger players on how to properly navigate the court and move around their opponent. James Bogdanovich (right), senior kinesiology major, played in the American Youth Soccer Organization for his second year and fell in love with the sport. Young James Bogdanovich (below), early in his athletic development, dribbles ahead of the opposing team toward the goal.
Photos courtesy of James Bogdanovich
PURSUIT | 25
represent a school once they move on to the next phase of their lives, they are not stripped from their sport completely. Many athletes try to stay involved in sports through coaching or continue their career. Chris Brown, a 2015 kinesiology graduate from CBU and men’s basketball alumnus, is working at Adrenaline, a private athletic training facility in Corona. He has the opportunity to help kids reach their fullest potential through training and gets to stay in shape himself. “I am still very involved with (basketball)," Brown says. "I work out almost every day, play in adult leagues and I also train at my job. I get to help kids get the best (workouts) and I get to work on my cardio, strength and skills. I love it.” Just like Brown, Kimberly Allard, kinesiology graduate from CBU and women’s soccer alumna, says her sport is still a part of her identity even though it does not play such a prominent role in her life and daily schedule as it did in college.
Jim Bossert has a moment of solitude in the aquatic center as he reflects on his time as an athlete and how the next season of his life will look.
“My identity is still surrounded by the sport of soccer and fitness,” Allard says. “I recently have been hired to work at UFC Gym as a personal trainer and I play in coed leagues.” A sport can always be a part of an athlete’s life, whether it is coaching, participating in adult leagues or simply playing a quick pick-up game with friends. However, once graduation comes, an athlete’s career is sidelined and he or she must figure out a new way of living without his or her schedule focusing around practice and school. Jeff Couto, CBU diving coach, says the transition from being a student-athlete to a graduate may be daunting at first, but rather than being intimidated by the change, athletes should focus on how being an athlete has trained them to make a statement in the workplace. “Knowing (athletes) have done something for so long and there is an abrupt end in sight is intimidating, but what
‘Knowing (athletes) have done something for so long and there is an abrupt end in sight is intimidating, but what athletics does is it really prepares (athletes) for the next season of life.' Jeff Couto, CBU diving coach
26 | PURSUIT
athletics does is it really prepares (athletes) for the next season of life,” Couto says. “Athletics teaches (athletes) steps along the way on how to become a better employee and it builds time management because (athletes) have to balance a busy schedule of academics, athletics, extra-curricular activities, personal life, church involvement and so many other things.” Trophies may collect dust, wins and losses may fade into the seasons played, but the athlete within will never go away. Saying goodbye to a sport after graduation may bring confusion for athletes, but the life-lessons gained and the passion for the sport will forever be a part of athletes and will create a smoother transition into life after being a Lancer. With only a few months remaining in my water-polo career, I am learning to no longer look at early morning wake-up calls or two-a-day workouts as a chore, but something I should cherish before time slips away. ◆
