Stephen Slezak, Campus Carrier asst. sports editor
Playing a varsity sport in college requires as much time and effort as a job can require. On top of having to balance a class schedule like many of their peers, athletes also have to play in a sport, and in this case multiple sports outside of school.
Junior Jacob Bridges and freshman Maddie Dahl played two sports at one time during their freshman year at Berry. Bridges participated on the football team in the fall as well as the baseball team in the spring. Bridges came to Berry after having a batting average of .349 with 22 runs batted in (RBI) his senior year at Archer High School. After a productive senior year at Archer, Bridges was then offered the opportunity to play baseball at Berry.
“I came to Berry recruited as a football player, which I was super excited about,” Bridges said. “However, I loved baseball just as much, and it was what I really wanted to pursue in college. I got in touch with Coach Beasley, and he told me I could come in and play both sports. I am super blessed that Berry is a school that encourages two-sport athletes, as that was the deciding factor in my decision to attend Berry.”
While participating in football in the fall, there is also a fall baseball season that Bridges had to compete in. Balancing a regular student course load with multiple sports after classes is something that requires a freshman to learn time management skills very quickly.
“Utilizing all of your hours in a day is crucial to be a successful student – athlete of two sports,” Bridges said. “You don’t have any off days if you want to compete at the highest level and still excel in the classroom. Organization and time management are two skills that I learned probably the most.”
Bridges played linebacker in football and came in as a catcher for baseball. Both positions are some of the most physically demanding positions in each sport. Training for both sports and positions in the offseason requires double the time and double the energy for Bridges to stay on top of his game.
“Offseason training is difficult as the summer is so big for development and the ability to get better,” Bridges said. “Not only running and lifting to stay in shape but also having days where you have to train for both sports. For baseball, that looks like throwing and hitting, while football looks like staying short and quick and the ability to cover receivers and many other tasks.”
Bridges now only participates on the baseball team, as he stopped playing football after his freshman season. When he participated in both sports during his freshman year, it was very rewarding for him.
“The most rewarding aspect of playing multiple sports is that you get to help Berry win in different ways,” Bridges said. “It’s awesome to be able to help the school that gave you so much, help them win on the field and not just in one sport but in two. I think contributing to both sports is the most rewarding as that is the reason why I came here, helping Berry reach new heights is always worth it.”
Freshman Maddie Dahl who is from Lexington, VA, and attended Rockbridge County High School. Dahl participates both in indoor volleyball and lacrosse as a student athlete for the Vikings. Dahl has recently started the women’s lacrosse season and is already off to a fast start. She has 94 draw controls in the season, which has been good enough to rank 24th in the nation in draw controls per game.
“I started talking to Berry College volleyball in my sophomore year of high school and kept in contact with the coaches through the next couple years,” Dahl said. “I only started messaging Coach Hall at the end of my junior year [lacrosse] season, but I ended up committing to play both sports the June before my senior year.”
Playing multiple collegiate sports can be tough at times but can also be rewarding.
“Playing multiple sports widens the net of people I get to create relationships with,” Dahl said. “The culture on both teams is the reason why I am so happy and willing to put in so much time. Without the coaches and teammates that I have, managing two sports would be trickier.”
With the right mindset and work ethic, any young athlete aspiring to play two different sports in college can attain that goal.
“I would tell any young athlete that if they love their sports enough, they can make it work,” Dahl said. “With the right time management and communication with coaches and teammates, being a dual athlete in college is attainable.”
With the right opportunity, being a dual sport athlete can be attainable as both Jacob Bridges and Maddie Dahl have proven. Both student athletes have learned valuable life skills while playing the sports they both have a passion for.