The COVID pandemic affected many, especially student-athletes.
Whitney Darsey is a sophomore and double religion and English major at Piedmont University. Darsey also spends time with the track team, competing in javelin, hammer, and discus.
“I never did track until my final semester of high school,” said Darsey. “The throwing coach at my school chased me down the hallway and told me he believed I’d be good at it with my height and big shoulders. I played softball growing up, so the track was something different, but I was open to trying it, and I did.”
Darsey expressed that when it came to academics in school throughout high school, she never really had to try in her classes. She was involved in the scope program and took AP and dual enrollment classes. Things changed in 2020 when COVID hit and shut down schools nationwide.
“The first semester of my junior year of high school, I did online school because our softball coach asked us to stay home to quarantine to stay healthy and eligible to play,” said Darsey. “It definitely took a toll on my academics. It was the first time I had ever failed a class.”
Not going to class and not being provided the help she needed within her classes made it hard for her to keep up with the curriculum. She spent all her time at home online, completing assignments or on the softball field for games and practices. This included travel ball on the weekends, so she needed more time to ask for help and study. After the COVID pandemic, Darsey knew she would have to improve her time management skills once she entered college.
“Once I got out of my house and had the resources to help me with my studies, my time management in college thus far has been the best it ever has,” said Darsey. “My track coaches here at Piedmont are so flexible with practice and letting me train whenever I need to. Since track training is more individual-based, I’d sometimes train between classes. This helped me find quiet time at the end of my day to study and do homework.”
Through the challenges of being a student-athlete, Darsey had to find what worked best for her as a support system and coping mechanism.
“I like listening to music,” said Darsey. “On the way to the game and while doing my homework, you can probably find me with headphones on. Sometimes, it’s music; other times, it’s TikTok or even bible study. Bible studies helped me clear my head a lot, and especially if I had a bad meet or game, I’d do one on the way back from my game or meet, which helped me a lot. I also have leaned on my mom often because we’re close, and I like talking things out with her.”
Darsey is preparing for her final track season and semester at Piedmont University. She will continue her education at Western Carolina in the fall to pursue law school.
When asked what advice she’d give aspiring student-athletes, Darsey says, “Go for it, join the team; it’s the best way to make friends in college.
