Meet Our Student Athletes - Camiron Pate Cathey - "Community is Fundamental"
Major: Kinesiology
How long have you been playing your sport? What sparked your interest in it?
I started playing when I was 9–10 years old. Softball was actually one of the last sports I tried. I played soccer, basketball, gymnastics, and lacrosse before that, and then softball just stuck. After playing volleyball and doing track and field, and contending in powerlifting and CrossFit, for some reason, I decided to stick with softball. Softball requires an ability to adjust quickly and has so many aspects and details that you must always pay attention to. It challenges you instinctively and is one of the most mentally challenging games, and I liked the challenge and competitiveness of that!
What do you feel are the greatest challenges in being a student athlete? How have you overcome them?
I believe one of the greatest challenges in being a student-athlete is the lack of community outside of the sport. Athletes are so used to being around their teammates all the time, but they don’t have many other positive groups of influence to support them and form relationships with. Being involved in FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) and a church community has given me a strong community of believers to fellowship with and grow with, and to see how the Lord is using us as witnesses for the gospel of Christ and in leading our teammates.
How do you manage your time?
I manage my time by getting work done that needs to be done!! I’ll usually make a to-do list of homework assignments and try to get them done as soon as possible and stick to a time I want to be in bed by. I’ll wake up early because I can get a lot of my work done in the mornings!
What kinds of skills have you gained as a student athlete that you will take with you into your future profession?
Leadership skills. I have learned what it looks like personally to be a good leader and a bad leader—and that as a leader, you will not always be liked by everyone! I think another important skill I will take with me is knowing who I ultimately work for and serve. All my service and work are due to the Lord and will be due to Him, and so I remain obedient to Him through my work ethic, service, actions, and time spent with Him.
What are your professional goals?
My professional goals would involve mentoring other young people or those who don’t fully know the mission and new life that God has invited all of us into. I love working with people, and I am passionate about sports, so working with FCA or another organization where I can train and disciple others through their sports/life in general would be awesome!
###
Go Miners!
Photo courtesy of Ruben Ramirez
