Academics opens more doors for a student than athletics ever will (unless you’re Lebron James - then go for it), and that’s a tenet that’s gradually gotten lost due to the rise of “mixtapes” and AAU exposure. The hard truth is that you or your kid isn’t going to be the next Jeter. That’s something that I dealt with as a kid, harboring the same dream that every kid in sports does. I wanted to be the next shortstop for the Yankees, but however, reality set in as it does and I came to learn that although baseball is a major interest of mine, playing it wouldn’t pay the bills or provide much growth for me. I also came to learn that learning and writing about it reinforces the “academic” brain, and emphasizing education for growth while continuing to derive the lessons we all learn from sports benefited me greatly.
Encouraging a child to play a team sport is probably the best thing you can do for a kid, but we need to make sure that we’re placing more emphasis on the educational side instead of bringing on “project Ohtani” (as much as I want to for my future kids - joking kinda). Finding the perfect balance between academics and sports is something that’s evident in the world of D3 athletics, where there’s a very little chance that an athlete will go pro, naturally. Combining tenets from two major parts of life is something that D3 athletes embody, and they come out on the other side with better communication and team skills, time management, and sense of self.
I met with one of my good buddies, St. John Fisher volleyball player Evan Hernandez, and we discussed what goes into D3 athletics, the classroom, and moves for the future. Evan is a prime example of a driven student-athlete, and I hope you enjoy what he has to offer!
Joe: To start, what made you choose D3 athletics?
Dez: I would probably say it was for a good balance between athletics and my education. In high school, I always found it really important to get good grades, my mom always had expectations for me to get a 95 or above in class, so I kind of carried it over into college as well, holding high expectations for myself. Also, getting the chance to play volleyball at a high level here at Saint John Fisher was just a good opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
Joe: What do you want to do with your degree in the future?
Dez: I have a passion for working in college athletics. My mom works at UB, she used to work in the athletic program there, so I think it would be cool. When I was younger, I would always go see what she did at work and see what went into it behind the scenes, I thought that was really cool. Growing up I always wanted to do that, so if I could carry that on and work in athletics that would be great.
Joe: Through that future role, how do you think that you could impact students in the position that you are in now, or even younger athletes?
Dez: I would say bringing kids into games and showing them the high level of athletics being played at wherever I’m working - giving the opportunity to come in, maybe meet the players, get behind the scenes and I’d show them what it’s like to be a D1 athlete if I’m working at that level to inspire them in a way to keep pushing and growing to hopefully play at a high level.
Joe: What would be your emphasis on the classroom? How would you prioritize student engagement on top of athletics as well?
Dez: For the younger kids, I’d definitely say that it’s very important to be able to balance your sport and athletics at the same time in whatever you’re doing.
Joe: That segues right into my next question, how do you emphasize your own education and time management while balancing school and athletics?
Dez: I like to use the agenda on my phone and I have a written agenda that I like to utilize, so I’ll write down all the stuff that I have for my classes, and I use my Google calendar for games and practices. I don’t like to procrastinate, I really like to get my stuff done early in the week, so I make sure that I get my work done in a timely manner so I’m able to participate in my sport as well.
Joe: I’ve heard the phrase “academics opens more doors than athletics ever will.” What are your thoughts on that?
Dez: Yeah, I would say especially at the D3 level, I’m not expecting to go and play pro volleyball at the end of my career. I had an injury this year that kind of emphasized that more, and when I was talking to a doctor, they basically told me “yeah, you’re not going pro,” so making sure I’m locking in and staying focused in the classroom, so networking and making those connections in my field can hopefully carry on my career.
Joe: Love that. What do you prioritize in your own education?
Dez: Especially in my major (sports management), a lot of professors emphasize networking and making connections. In sports management, there aren’t really job postings online so it’s really all about who you know to get jobs. I had an internship last year in May at the University of Buffalo where I was able to connect with other people in athletics and kind of show them the hard work that I put in. One of the people there told me “I would definitely hire you to work at UB” so that was a cool experience to have in my first experience in athletics. I’m getting an internship this summer, not sure where yet, but just networking and making connections is really important.
Joe: Finally, you mentioned that you want to be an athletic director before and I just wanted to follow up on that. What advice would you give to young people chasing their dreams and going into sports, and how does education through your role as an AD fit into that?
Dez: I would just say make sure you’re holding yourself to a high standard in the classroom. I try to use the same standard I hold myself to in volleyball in the classroom as well. I know that when I have a test coming up that I’m not going to study just once, I know that that transitions right into the sport as you have to practice multiple days a week. When I have a test coming up, I have to study multiple days prior to make sure that I’m able to get the good grades that I need. Being an athletic director is a goal I have for myself, and I’m not going to go into an organization and be at the top right away. I know that I’ll have to work my way up and show the company the hard work I can do to be able to get to that top level.
Joe: That’s all I got for you today, that’s everything I need. You said all the right things, and not just what I wanted to hear. Dez, it was great working with you and good luck to you in your career brother.
