Olympians go to College Too!

Photo credits: AP

By Breanna Armstrong

The life of a college athlete can be more than stressful and at times, down right unbearable. Having to juggle more than just classes, athletes have to train everyday, and sometimes twice a day. It’s the waking up early, the eating right, the traveling and keeping up with their homework that often defines their daily life.

Not to discredit any athlete but something has stuck out to me in the past few weeks, something that I am sure has stuck out to a lot of people. There are more that a few college students that are participating in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

These athletes are in a league of their own; most have been preparing their entire lives for this one season, this one moment to get a chance to receive a medal while representing their country. These athletes have more than a town, a state, a college and a team behind them, they have the entire country’s eyes fixated on their performance.

The Olympic schedule is a more than just waking up early, eating right and training everyday. These athletes literally meditate on their events and hold their performance at top responsibility. As an Olympian, throwing college into the mix would seem over bearing. But these athletes are the most trained professionals in the country and can handle more than just the Olympian schedule and the chaos of college.

A group of college student Olympians that has stuck out to me has been the select few students that attend Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah. Most of Westminster’s young Olympians are on America’s ski team. There are approximately nine Westminster students on the ski team, and America has already been sweeping up the medals in the ski competitions.

Bryon Wilson, 21, is a freshman at Westminster College, and is majoring in art. He received the bronze medal representing team USA in the men’s freestyle skiing competition. Not a bad thing to put on his resume after he graduates from college.

It is a very commendable act for anyone to represent their country in the Olympics, but for these college students to represent, it is truly remarkable.