Another night @ Hume Field...

Tonight I went to the second half of The University of Florida's Women's Rugby team practice. I got there around seven and as soon as I looked on the field I saw ten girls laying in the wet and muddy grass ready to jump on the ball as soon as it was thrown from the coach. By the time I make it up to where they are practicing on the other end of the field I see the girls are covered in grass and sweating from all the physical contact they are doing. There were a lot of girls out there tonight, even more than on Tuesday. Two of the girls that were sick or injured on Tuesday were up and ready for action today. At the end of practice Coach Eric Keys spoke to the team and praised the new girls on how hard they worked in their first day. He went on to explain that everyone will get a chance to play in Saturdays games. Keys said they would be in the best learning environment, just getting out there and playing.

What my first Gabcast is all about...

The gabcast I posted today hopefully will let you all in on why I decided to do my blog on student athlete life. I also talked about which female athlete I'm using and what male athlete I hope to get in contact with. The second half of my gabcast talks about my experience at the University of Florida's Women's Rugby practice last night. I interviewed some players and wanted to share with everyone what they told me. The atmosphere there was great and I wanted everyone to sort of get how much these girls love this unique sport.

Student Athlete Life #2

Gabcast! Student Athlete Life #2

A new sport... a new experience...

So today I went to the University of Florida's Womens Rugby practice and it really was such a new and eye opening fun experience. The girls on the team are so friendly and open to talking. I interviewed five of the girls and they were so happy to talk with me and explain the sport, their love for the game, and how they handle doing a club sport at UF while staying up with their academics. Four of the girls were either injured or sick and had to sit out of portions of the practice. During practice the girls explained drills to me and why they did them. I never really knew much about rugby but after leaving practice it made me want to come back on Thursday to get more sound and get even deeper into the sport and the girls that love to play it. The coach's are dedicated to helping the girls learn the sport and everyone I spoke to that played couldn't wait to play in the next game Saturday against Florida State.

It's all about contacts and networking...

The more I'm in this major and trying to do this blog and project I notice that it is all about who you know. It actually becomes more evident every day. I e-mailed Marcie Hampton today to let her know I would be needing her help with gathering information this week about herself and her sport along with maybe getting help with my gabcast portion. I know this season is really taking off for her so I know that she might be really busy. This past weekend she had a double double in the game against LSU with 20 kills and 10 digs. Marcie's double double was her sixth of the season and it was the 33rd time she has done this amazing feat in her career at UF.


In the hopes of finding a male athlete... well I might have just accomplished finding one. But I think I might still have to cross my fingers. A friend of mine is now the student manager for the UF baseball team and could possibly help me get in contact with a player.

Where do I begin?

I think my biggest challenge with this blog will be finding the male athlete I hope to interview. I have mapped out a lot of different topics and brainstormed story ideas. Although, I'm still lacking a male athlete. I want to find an athlete that is a little bit more low key than a football or basketball player. In doing so, I believe they would be easier to get in contact with and get together with on a regular basis. Not only that, but they could give me a different perspective on being an athlete on campus. The University of Florida being so large and unique, it has its positives in athletics that can also stump the media. Getting in contact with an athlete is a difficult process, which is for their protection so it is definitely necessary. With Marcie Hampton I had a contact that I already knew and Marcie is a very kind and giving person. In my opinion, I think she understands what a telecommunication student goes through since she is one. Now all I need is an understanding male athlete...

What I would like to find...

Well so far I have found one athlete to focus my blog on, however I think I will definitely need one more. I have a female athlete to talk with and learn about, Marcie Hampton. It would be really interesting and I could give more insight if I could find a male athlete to interview and focus on as well. It would be cool to see the differences a male and female athlete have at The University of Florida. Are there different stereotypes? Does a certain male or female sport get different opportunities and treatment around campus? Do male or female athletes bond differently when they are on a team? How the lifestyle of the opposite genders fair in their living situations. Do female and male athletes get noticed in different amounts on and off campus? These are just a few topics I would like to question the athletes about. I'm sure more will develop the more I get in touch with each athlete.

What to expect to see...

Well hopefully there are people out there that find being a student athlete is a pretty tough and interesting role. I know I really admire some of the hard work and dedication student athlete's put into their schooling and their sport. This semester I'm looking forward to exploring the life of a student athlete. Spend a season with someone that has to balance their time between a passion of theirs and getting an education. The University of Florida's athletic programs are some of the best in the nation. Three national championships in the past two years, with many Southeastern Conference Championships as well. Marcie Hampton is one student athlete that I will focus on throughout her season as a women's volleyball player at UF. She is a Senior at UF and a journalism student, which is a full load right there in itself. Marcie has received many honors and awards during her first three years at Florida and is continuing to make a name for herself this season.