College student athletes have it extremely tough during the school year, having to practice, work out, do homework and play games. Managing all of these activities along with trying to enjoy the life of a college student might seem impossible, but — miraculously — they manage During the summer, most athletes take time away and do things they wouldn’t get to during the school year, like normal students do and take vacations or get jobs.
Editor’s Note: Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.
Max Hemmings (Men’s Soccer, Midfielder, No. 21, Senior)
How has your summer been going so far?
Hemmings: The summer so far has gone very well. I managed to go home for May and take some time off to see my family and friends back home in England. It was great to get back and spend some much needed time with my family. In June and July, I’ll be playing for Ocean City Nor’easters in New Jersey which is a Premier Development League team. I was here last year for the summer so it’s good to be back at this great place where I can continue to push myself in training and matches.
Since you have more time during the summer, what kind of activities do you get to partake in that you wouldn’t get to during the school year?
Hemmings: Finishing for the summer and taking May off to go back allowed me to spend time with family and friends back in England. I only get to go back home at most twice a year, so it was lovely to go back and relax and catch up with the people I grew up with in England.
More time during the summer with no classes also allows me to practice the things I need to work on in soccer as well which is great.
Though you can’t officially practice as a team, have you still been able to work out a lot and work on the things that your coaches want you to improve on?
Hemmings: We finished officially training as a team with coaches at the beginning of April, but as a team, we have been out by ourselves to train and work on areas that we know we need to get better at, whether that’s on the pitch or in the weight room. A lot of the boys have gone off to play at different summer clubs across the country so regarding team stuff, it’s hard to get together during the middle of summer. But with so many boys playing at clubs, we can work on stuff at these clubs.
The club I’m at here at Ocean City sorts us out with a gym membership and access to soccer fields 24/7, so it is a great place to work on the things I need to improve on as well.
Brandon Wright: (Football, Placekicker & Punter, No. 93, Redshirt Junior)
How has your summer been going so far?
Wright: Pretty good. I started summer classes, and workouts have been pretty good and kicking training has been going pretty good. Just staying healthy and ready to get back into the swing of things for camp.
Do you think that athletes should be paid? Or should they have to get a job if they want to earn money?
Wright: I believe that athletes should be paid considering that if they aren’t on scholarship, then they should at least get a stipend and at least meal plan. Me personally — I’ve been working every summer and during the spring to help pay for school, but that’s just me because I have the time during the weekends. But I strongly believe that they should be paid.
Where do you work and what do you do there?
Wright: Top Golf and [in] guest services, so anything front of house — whatever guest relations, or whatever guests needs — any problems they have come to me.
Aaron Winchester (Football, Quarterback, No. 11, Redshirt Junior)
How has your summer been going so far?
Winchester: It’s been going great. I feel like this first week we took a step forward, and I hope that we can take another step forward into the second week and I feel great, I feel good about how our team is going.
Are you taking any classes this summer?
Winchester: Yes, I’m trying to be a lifeguard. So we’ll see what happens.
Is that just something on the side that you want to do?
Winchester: Yes, just something on the side because I took a Maymester class that went towards my major. So I’m just taking a class where I can get certified and be a lifeguard and get paid some money.
Was there anything else that you got to do during the summer that you wouldn’t get to do during the school year?
Winchester: I got to go on a vacation with my family. Wwe went on a cruise to the Bahamas, so that was fun. I got to get away from football for a week, but that’s about it.
How do you think being here for so long has given you a leg up in the quarterback battle?
Winchester: Just the guys. You are around the guys for so long that they know you, they know how you operate, so they respond to me because they know that’s how I am. That’s one thing that’s good about being here as long as I have been is that we’re brothers and I’ve built this brotherhood with these guys since day one.
Hemmings, Wright and Winchester all got to enjoy their free time away from their respective sport to live like normally college students do, so now its back to their regular lives as student-athletes.
