Will Hoogendyk IV, Campus Carrier sports editor
The start of each school year at Berry brings along a new group of freshmen to campus, many of whom also play on a sports team. Most have been playing their respective sport for several years and bring a lot of prior experience onto Berry’s campus. High school sports offer students a great platform to build on once they reach college, but there are some big changes that come along with playing sports at the next level.
Tyler Whitaker, a freshman on the men’s soccer team at Berry has already noticed differences on the pitch from what he was used to in high school.
“Practices are more organized, and the skill level is better,” Whitaker said.
Whitaker is one of six freshman that joining the Vikings this fall as they look to rebound from a 5-7-5 finish last year and a 1-3-3 finish in conference play. Whitaker comes to the men’s soccer team from Sequoyah High School in Canton, Georgia, where he earned Second Team All-Region honors his senior year while playing in the midfield.
Sports are also a great way to get acclimated to college during a time that is challenging for most first year students to adjust to. Being away from your hometown, friends and family is not easy to get used to, no matter where you come from. Annaliese Neal, a freshman exercise science major on the Berry Volleyball team, appreciates how helpful her teammates have been in welcoming her.
“It’s incredible how much everyone is invested in one another,” Neal said. “They will support you through non-volleyball stuff, and they are there for you for everything.”
Neal comes to Berry from Konos Academy in Sharpsburg, Georgia, where she was a four-year varsity starter and a team captain for her sophomore, junior and senior seasons. Neal joins a dominant women’s volleyball team with five other incoming freshmen. Neal and her teammates look to win their fourth Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Conference championship in as many years and seventh title all-time.
The Vikings will have their work cut out for them as they look to hold off Centre College, a program that had a breakout season last year. Neal has already noticed the elevated playing field in college compared to her high school competitions.
“It’s way faster pace and way more intense,” Neal said.
Another change that both Neal and Whitaker have experienced while playing collegiate athletics is the amount of time they have before games. Away games can be more frequent and farther away than what players are used to in high school. This year, the soccer and volleyball teams’ itineraries include Texas, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Minnesota, Arkansas, Kentucky and Virginia. To stay focused during this travel, Neal keeps two journals before the game: one with goals she would like to accomplish during the game and another with prayers about the upcoming contest.
Whitaker tries to stay loose and relaxed before soccer matches and enjoys the time that can be spent with teammates.
“I’ll get to the locker room with maybe half an hour almost to an hour before [the game starts], “Whitaker said. “Just hang out with the guys in the locker room, maybe eat a banana or two [and] we’ll listen to music.”
Blakely Barnes and volleyball team go for another successful season
With volleyball and soccer both being fall sports, all members of the teams must move in early so they can start practices and training for their 2024 campaigns. Neal and Whitaker both agree that the athletic teams at Berry have a very welcoming environment to freshmen athletes, and they enjoyed getting to know the upper classmen during the summertime.
Now that classes have started for the fall, Whitaker notes that he has had to adjust his schedule accordingly to make room for both soccer and school.
“In college, I’m already doing a lot of work,” Whitaker said. “Time management is hard because practices take up a majority of [my] time.”
Maintaining an organized schedule is a vital part of having a successful college career, and playing a sport and taking classes can be a lot to balance. While the average college student takes around 15 credit hours per semester, practices, games, meetings and other team events can fill another 15 to 20 hours throughout the week. Across all fields of study and sport, athletes at Berry set an example of being able to excel at both, a tradition that both Whitaker and Neal hope to continue themselves.