As a little kid, my dream was to become a professional hockey player. At some point I realized that not only were there no women in the NHL, but that it was a lofty goal. As I grew older, I changed my dreams to play college hockey and eventually found that Division III athletics would be the best fit for me. Most DIII athletes choose this route because they are able to focus on school, sports and have a social life at the same time.
This week, April 8-14, marks the second annual Division III week. Division III has over 170,000 athletes participating in a variety of types of schools and teams, creating a diverse community. The unique challenges of DIII athletics are sometimes overlooked in the presence of the sheer talent of DI players. Most DI players spend hours a day practicing, training, and travel for weekends at a time, sometimes even missing classes. Their sport becomes their life. However, DIII athletes learn to balance academics and social lives with their sports. It is pretty rare for DI athletes to play multiple sports, but there are a lot of Oles on our campus alone who play more than one sport. As a DIII athlete at St. Olaf, I feel like my sports have enriched my experience, but I also have been able to pursue two majors and participate in other extracurriculars. In conversations with other athletes at Olaf it is obvious that they have had similar experiences. The week is about acknowledging what is not normally acknowledged: the unique experience of DIII athletics and how valuable it can be.
Make sure you wish your fellow Oles good luck this weekend! Softball, Baseball, Men’s Tennis and Women’s Golf all have scheduled competitions, if the weather cooperates and actually turns to spring. Support DIII athletics this week by throwing a good luck thumbs up to your fellow athletes! Um Yah Yah!