2008 Woodie Awards
Jugglling Act
Cross country athlete juggles life as UCM athlete, student and ROTC member
Anne Carlson/Muleskinner
Issue date: 10/5/06 Section: Sports
Akers starts his day by getting up at 5 a.m. and going to Physical Training for the Army (ROTC). After ROTC, he goes to class until 3:30, where he ends his day by going to cross country or track practice.
Akers said even though both take a lot of work, he thinks that one helps him with the other.
"ROTC helps with my leadership and helps build confidence and cross country reinforces that and keeps me in shape," Akers said. "Sometimes one can take away from the other but for the most part it is all good."
"Both help test him and push himself to new limits," said MSG Dale W. Land, Akers ROTC instructor.
Head cross country coach Kirk Pedersen agreed that one activity can help with the other.
"Obviously there is a display that is required in both," Pedersen said.
Doing both is not always easy. Akers says that sometimes when cross country, ROTC and classes are all in full swing it can get to be a lot, but for the most part it is not that bad.
"There are some conflicts, it takes time management, Land said. "Both are pretty time consuming. ninety percent of the time you can do both pretty well."
Akers has a lab for ROTC that makes him late for practice once a week, but Pedersen said it isn't really any different than any other major.
"A lot of programs have afternoon labs and classes," he said. "It is easy for us to accommodate them because it is an individual sport; you can run by yourself. It's not like basketball where you can shoot by yourself, but you really can't have practice alone."
Land said they try their best to help Akers be sucessful at both.
"Most of the time, we let track or cross country take priority," Land said. "It takes a special person to do cross country, and a special person to do ROTC and it takes a really special person to do both."
"Most people might be able to do it for a year or two but not all four years. Someone must be willing to work hard; you have to really want it."
Pedersen said doing both cross country and ROTC isn't something that most people could do.
"I think it is a great discipline," Pedersen said. "Adam is a quality person; he wouldn't want it any other way. Adam is very focused on ROTC.
It is not something he takes lightly, and it is part of his career."
Akers and the rest of the Jennies' and Mules' cross country team will be in action Saturday competing in the Border Wars in Edwardsville, Ill.
Akers said even though both take a lot of work, he thinks that one helps him with the other.
"ROTC helps with my leadership and helps build confidence and cross country reinforces that and keeps me in shape," Akers said. "Sometimes one can take away from the other but for the most part it is all good."
"Both help test him and push himself to new limits," said MSG Dale W. Land, Akers ROTC instructor.
Head cross country coach Kirk Pedersen agreed that one activity can help with the other.
"Obviously there is a display that is required in both," Pedersen said.
Doing both is not always easy. Akers says that sometimes when cross country, ROTC and classes are all in full swing it can get to be a lot, but for the most part it is not that bad.
"There are some conflicts, it takes time management, Land said. "Both are pretty time consuming. ninety percent of the time you can do both pretty well."
Akers has a lab for ROTC that makes him late for practice once a week, but Pedersen said it isn't really any different than any other major.
"A lot of programs have afternoon labs and classes," he said. "It is easy for us to accommodate them because it is an individual sport; you can run by yourself. It's not like basketball where you can shoot by yourself, but you really can't have practice alone."
Land said they try their best to help Akers be sucessful at both.
"Most of the time, we let track or cross country take priority," Land said. "It takes a special person to do cross country, and a special person to do ROTC and it takes a really special person to do both."
"Most people might be able to do it for a year or two but not all four years. Someone must be willing to work hard; you have to really want it."
Pedersen said doing both cross country and ROTC isn't something that most people could do.
"I think it is a great discipline," Pedersen said. "Adam is a quality person; he wouldn't want it any other way. Adam is very focused on ROTC.
It is not something he takes lightly, and it is part of his career."
Akers and the rest of the Jennies' and Mules' cross country team will be in action Saturday competing in the Border Wars in Edwardsville, Ill.
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