Pioneer Trails - Q&A with Pioneer Student Athletes
Alfred State sport management students enrolled in a field experience class during the spring semester recently interviewed student athletes about their experiences wearing the blue & gold.
Lacrosse player Chris Lynch interviewed by Corey Woods
Part of the interview Chris imitates Seattle Seahawk Marshawn
Lynch's interview technique from the Super Bowl
How has your career gone so far in terms of being a part of Alfred State Lacrosse? It's been fun and exciting. It's sad to think that it's coming to an end soon, but I'm going to make the best of this final season.
What’s your Major? "I'm here so I won't get fined" Sport Management
Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? "Shout out Seattle" I'm not sure yet, hopefully with a job!
Softball player Kelsey Lewis interviewed by Brandon Serkleski
How many hours do you spend a week on training and participating
in softball? I would say around 30 hours a week, sometimes
it seems longer than that. But in the end it is worth the effort
put in.Is it hard to balance time between athletics and academics? It definitely is! Some weeks are harder than others, but i just keep in mind that school comes first.
What brought you here to Alfred State? The softball coach here is the main reason i came to Alfred State. That and the fact that it is a small town and small school, it really appealed to me.
Did you want to play anywhere else? After I was introduced to the softball coach I didn't want to play anywhere else.
Quick Hits
- What music do you listen to before games and training? Mostly country and rap music
- Favorite sports team? New York Giants
- Favorite hobbies? softball, hunting, and fishing
Football player Jason Gordon interviewed by Josh Ashley
What are some of your personal goals for the upcoming 2015 football season? What are some of the team goals? My personal goals are to become a captain/co-captain on the team, become an all-region/all American, improve stat sheets on receiving/rushing yards & TD’s, and to become a scholar athlete. What my team goals are is to have a winning season, if not have an undefeated season, win and lead our division/conference, to play in and win a bowl game against our opposing opponent, and to win a championship for Alfred State.
What is one of the hardest things for you to work on in the game of football? Consistency. I believe consistency is the epitome of unlocking and elevating your skills overall to reach its full potential, and attain new levels. It doesn’t just come overnight or just by one day of practice. It takes numerous amounts of repetition to be able to master a certain skill or ability that you’re trying to work on, so it can become second nature to you in your sleep. I feel that consistency sets everything to fall into place for you in the right direction and enhance any skill set you possess or truly desire.
Who are your biggest competitions to compete against on the football team for Alfred State? Leiaje Sidberry & Josh Ashley. These two have so much passion, desire, and love for the game just like I do. To be able to play together on the same team is truly a blessing and a great opportunity for me. We push each other out there every time we’re about to go to war on the field. I feel as if it’s a different vibe and a different atmosphere when our ego’s start to commence. There my biggest competition since coming here on campus, so it’s very vital to me that I cannot slack off. Even though there be days where I struggle, I still pick my head up at the end of the day, and compete to my heart’s content.
Quick Hits:
- Who’s your favorite NFL player? My Idol, AJ Green
- What fear/fears troubles you the most? Death, diagnosed with a disability/severe injury, & being unsuccessful as a human being.
- What is your dream car you wish to desire one day? Mercedes Benz!!!!
- What are the top three things that you truly hate? Annoying people, wasting money, and wasting my time.
- If the game football wasn’t introduced to you, what other sports would you pursue? Wrestling & Lacrosse
- What is your favorite Drake verse in any song? (We Made it) - “My family gets all of my loyalty, all of my patience.”
Football player Leiaje Sidberry interviewed by Jared Williams
Who motivates you to do better? My family and
myself. His grandmother, my little brother and my uncle. Because
thats who he grew up with.
If you could tell an incoming freshman student athlete for the Spring 2015 season what would you tell him? I would tell him to choose his dorm wisely. The walk from MGB to Orvis isn’t a joke!
Do you feel like significant others get in the way of your goals here at Alfred? I feel like it all depends on how you balance your time. So how you manage your time with your significant other, it’s all on you.
What do you wish you would have done in high school to help you now? I wish I would of taken college credit classes. More COMP & grammar courses.
Rugby player Jason Moore interviewed Brandon Caratozzolo
Rugby is not an intercollegiate sport but is one of a few club teams on campus.
What made you decide to play rugby? I got tired of football and a couple of friends recommended it to me so I figured why not give it a try.
What was the hardest part of moving from football to rugby? By far the hardest part was the fact that you can’t block in rugby, as an offensive lineman it was second nature.
Do you see yourself taking rugby to the next level after college? No, I feel like I have the mental capacity to do so but I feel like I don’t have the physical attributes that it takes to make a career out of it.
Do you have any pre-game rituals and if so what are they? Yes I do, I listen to many Ray Lewis speeches to pump me up and motivate me before a game and I have to scream at the faces of my allies to also pump them up.
