Graduating Athletes Speak on Life After College Sports

John Elrod

Contributing Sports Editor

With the spring sports teams having wrapped up their seasons earlier this month, all Oberlin athletes set to graduate in June have completed their athletic careers. Some of them feel the pressure being lifted and an appreciation for their newfound free time. Still, many look back on their time on an Oberlin sports team nostalgically and want to stay connected to their sport.

Fourth-year jumper on the women’s track and field team Aesha Mokashi went through an array of emotions after completing her college athletics career two weeks ago.

“I remember going back to my parents’ Airbnb, reminiscing and getting very emotional about it,” she said. “It hit me that it was the last time I would ever run track. There aren’t that many opportunities to just pick up and go and do track in the way that you can [with other sports].”

For many college athletes, their final event or game for their school is their last opportunity to participate in their sport competitively. For Mokashi, it was the first time something that had been such a major force in her life ended in that way.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a moment in my life where I’m like, ‘Oh, this is the end of something,’” she said. “There’s always been continuation and it was such a big part of my life. It was kind of overwhelming.”

Fourth-year Bonnie Wileman appreciates the free time she has had since her field hockey career ended in the fall, but still misses being on the team.

“I have a lot more free time than I previously had,” she said. “Now it’s the offseason, so during previous years, I would still be lifting and conditioning and practicing right now. I miss my team and seeing everyone every day, and I miss the structure of that.”

Fourth-year soccer player Ryan Kim also has mixed emotions about his career ending this past fall.

“The fact that I am finished with soccer did not sink in until the start of this semester,” he said. “It was a bittersweet moment, as I was grateful for everything that soccer has given me, but on the other hand, it was sad that I could not put an Oberlin uniform on again.”

Kim felt some relief when he completed his career, but nevertheless, he misses the excitement of the competition.

“There definitely was a feeling of relief after ending my college career because I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself to perform well, which has helped motivate me to become a better player,” he said. “On the flip side, this pressure can sometimes be a lot because the upcoming game can be the only thing on your mind for days as matchday approaches.”

All three retired fourth-year athletes have incredibly fond memories of the experiences they had on their teams. Mokashi cherishes the support she got from her teammates while competing in her events.

“I was so blown away that every single person on this team cared about me and cared about what I was going to do and wanted to give me that energy,” she said. “They were so loud that the officials of the track meet had to put up a rope to keep them from getting too close.”

Wileman values much of the time spent with her team, including the field hockey team’s Teamsgiving celebration where they ate and sang together. She also describes a moment on the field that she will never forget — her team’s 1–0 victory over Transylvania University in the last game of her career.

“I watch the video back so many times,” she said. “I jump up in the air when [second-year] Susan [RobinsonCloete] scores and then I hug her and pick her up. I have a really sweet screenshot of that moment.”

Kim looks back fondly on his team making the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament after winning their last regular season game of 2019 as well as his two-goal performance against Wittenberg University last season.

Although they may no longer be able to play competitively, Mokashi, Wileman, and Kim all intend to stay connected to their sport in the future.

Mokashi, who is headed for the University of Washington’s School of Public Health to study ecotoxicology, is considering signing up for open track meets or finding a way to be involved in the university’s track meets in a non-athlete role.

Wileman, who will work at the Bank of America in Charlotte, North Carolina after graduating, is looking forward to supporting college teams in the city and the rest of the state. She is excited to watch the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s powerhouse field hockey team with Review Contributing Sports Editor Zoë Martin del Campo, who will be attending graduate school there as well.

As Kim looks forward to a career in software engineering, he intends to keep playing soccer in some capacity, and may explore coaching. As his time at Oberlin comes to an end, he has some words of encouragement for younger Oberlin athletes.

“Cherish your time as a student-athlete at Oberlin because it is a privilege to be a part of the community,” he said. “You will meet awesome people and make so many memories on and off the field. I would say to never give up on yourself and to push to become the best athlete you can be.”

Fourth-Year Athletes Write to their First-Year Selves

Alex Caceres Francesca Kern

Dear first-year Alex,

Looking back on my time as a student-athlete, here are five pieces of advice I would give to you as you enter college. Enjoy the ride while it lasts.

Live in the moment. As I look back on my collegiate, academic, and athletic career, I always felt the need to stress about my future. I believe that part of that stress stemmed from the fact that I am a first-generation Asian and Latino student. I continuously asked myself: What am I doing right now that will contribute to my career post grad? While it’s important to take the necessary steps to achieve the goals you set for yourself, it’s okay to take a walk and enjoy the scenery. It’s okay to take a break and listen to some music. It’s okay to play a game of cards with your friends. Looking back on my experience, I wish I listened to my desire to live in the moment and enjoy the subtleties of college life instead of stressing solely about my future.

As a student-athlete, I became accustomed to a certain way of life. I would encourage you to attend events outside of athletics and continue to push your boundaries. I recently went to Porchella, where I met so many students from corners of campus I never usually engage with. I loved seeing students dance as they enjoyed the music and one another.

Express yourself in ways you have not tried. Dress differently — no one but you can decide what is fashionable. Listen to music you don’t normally listen to. Read articles that cover a topic you don’t quite understand. The possibilities are endless. Continue to push the boundaries that society sets on you, and the ones you set on yourself.

Throughout my life, I have felt a huge lack of self-worth and self-belief. You need to speak to yourself as you would like to be spoken to. I know that everyone struggles with this at some point in their lives. You have to speak to yourself with sincerity, kindness, and compassion. Rather than “I can’t,” say, “I can,” “I am able,” and “I am capable.” This small change in language will really help you, especially in moments where you feel lost and unworthy. Try not to be so hard on yourself and recognize that you are here for a reason. You are worthy and you can and will find yourself. Utilize this power in language!

Comparing ourselves to others is extremely toxic; understand that everyone is on a different path, and that is okay. Getting caught up in the accomplishments of others, hindered me from recognizing my own. Each and every one of your friends is on a different path in life. You’ll learn different life lessons at different times, understand material in different ways, and find different professional paths at different rates. Spend less time comparing yourself to others, because you are unique and so is your path. Give yourself grace and, most importantly, understand that when one door closes, another one opens.

There are moments when you will feel overwhelmed, anxious, and on the verge of tears. It is good to cry. These emotions are normal and healthy. So often you’ll try to repress your emotions, but it is extremely important to let it all out rather than bottling it up. If you need a shoulder to cry on, call a friend, family member, or even your coach. Go to the coaches’ office to let them know what you’re struggling with — building that type of relationship with your coach will really help you. Express every emotion in a healthy manner, and trust that you will feel a lot better afterward.

As I look back on my college years, I’m extremely grateful for the people I have met, the moments of euphoria in sport, and the pride in being the first person in my family to graduate from college. I look forward to continuing this journey of life and further understanding myself so that I can share valuable lessons with others. I hope that these points spoke to you and that you truly enjoy your career as a student-athlete. You will continue to get stronger, and influence others for the better.

– AC10

Dear first-year Francesca,

I know a lot of people have told you what to expect in the next four years. Many people have talked about how college will be the best time of your life, where freedom will bring countless opportunities and new avenues of exploration. People have also warned you to be prepared for academic and athletic challenges, as the hardest obstacles are soon ahead as a college student and athlete. While many aspects of these things are true, I want you to remember how far you have come.

Although it is hard to reflect on the adversity you have experienced, remember what you have learned. You have the tools to push forward, to find drive and motivation no matter how hard life hits. In these moments, take time and give yourself the attention and care. You deserve to heal and rest. Believe and trust that you can and will continue to thrive, even when the road seems too long and you feel as if life is wearing you down. You’re not a quitter and, believe me, that doesn’t change in the future.

With both athletics and academics, I want you to challenge yourself. Use your curiosity and passion to find what you love, and that is how you will find joy in your pursuits. Listen to others with patience and an open mind, and always engage with a goal to understand. Don’t be afraid to fail. If you get lost, lean on the people that bring you peace and comfort in every sector of your Oberlin life. You love helping people, and you will find the same love all around you in your community. Remember that trust is earned, so seek out those who have earned it for support and you will find strength.

I want you to remember who you are, and what you value. Know what you are worth and how you should be treated, and you will gain the confidence and positive energy that will provide uplift. College is the best time of your life, but there are still ups and downs. While exploring and pushing yourself, remember that change is inevitable and sometimes you have to ride the wave and take life as it comes. Enjoy the time you have at Oberlin, whether it’s a doubleheader match, going to an amazing jazz performance, or learning something that is exciting and/or confusing. You have so many beautiful people and things to experience moving forward, but don’t forget to seek out the unknown.

The unknown can be intimidating, but so rewarding all at the same time, and you will learn that soon enough. You are going to do great things and accomplish so much on internal and external levels that will lead you to new, exciting opportunities beyond Oberlin. Sometimes, it is easy to feel discouraged. When you feel this way, take a step back and remember all of this, and never sell yourself short. When you are afraid of the future, consider how you have grown, and know that you will continue to grow and realize more about yourself and the world around you.

Continued from page 16 well-being of both players and coaches is more important than winning any game.”

As a check-in, the Oberlin softball team responds to a question every day before practice. Schoenhoft finds this helpful as a coach, because knowing how everybody is feeling before practice starts might impact how it is run.

“We also do multiple check-in meetings throughout the year to check in [about] softball and everything else,” she wrote. “Once you get to know a player well enough, you can usually tell when something is off. Depending on the severity, that might constitute a casual check-in, a more official check-in, or a [Student Health and Resource Exchange] report.”

Despite the department’s best efforts to offer support, Brito was unhappy with how the institution responded to the incident.

“As a woman of color, I felt unsupported by Oberlin as an institution,” she said. “As a POC you can expect not to be treated fairly, but I had higher expectations for Oberlin.”

Lopez is aware that there might never be a way to ensure racism won’t exist in competition, but they hope that this can be a learning experience and wake-up call for the College so that proper protocols can be put in place for the future.

“I know it’s impossible to solve global racism from Oberlin, Ohio, but I hope that Oberlin College, as an institution, can move forward and help its students of color should another thing like this happen again,” they said.

Lopez knows that this experience will stick with the players forever, but also says it’s important that it doesn’t define them.

“I don’t want mine and my friends’ legacy at this school to be that we were victims of racism,” they said. “I want people to know us for who we actually are: kind, hardworking, dedicated, and incredibly smart, among other beautiful things that make each of us great people. The color of our skin doesn’t define us as people.”

IN THE LOCKER ROOM John Elrod, Zoe Kuzbari, and Zoë Martin del Campo, Review Sports Editors

Sports editors John Elrod (left), Zoe Martin Del Campo (middle), and Zoe Kuzbari (right) sit on a couch in the Review’s office. Courtesy of Zoe Kuzbari

Kayla Kim

Production Editor

College fourth-year Zoë Martin del Campo and College third-years John Elrod and Zoe Kuzbari are the current sports editors for the Review. I sat down with them in the Review’s production room (not the locker room) to reflect on their work and time together. While their time as a trio is coming to an end, they are grateful for the experiences they had together in the office and in the Oberlin community.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

When did you start working for the Review and why?

JE: I started working for the Review this fall. I’d written a few times last year during the spring and applied for the staff writer job, but I was approached about an opening in the sports editor role. I knew I wanted to take it because journalism is something I wanted to do. It really wasn’t a hard decision to join.

ZK: I started working for the Review at the beginning of my second year. I was just helping out Khalid McCalla, OC ’21, because he needed an interview and I was like, “Oh I can do it, I know the coach.” Then we got sent home in March 2020, and I continued to write remotely just because I wasn’t really doing much at home. I thought it would be a good way to stay connected with the community. I was hired full-time as a senior staff writer that summer, and I’ve been working here ever since.

ZMDC: I’ve actually been at the Review for some time now and have witnessed a ton of shifts within the sports section since fall of my second-year. The contributing sports editor was a new position for this section when I started, whereas now it’s much more established. I’ve gotten to see the section and the paper change over time, and I’ve also worked with lots of different staff members, including one of my best friends who I met through the Review, Khalid McCalla.

If you did not work as sports editors, what section of

the Review would you work in?

ZK: I think I would want to work for Arts — I really love what they’ve done with their section. Editors Lily D’Amato and Kathleen Kelleher, especially this semester, have really been able to expand the section and have focused a lot on what they both really want for it. I would just love to write a fun, cutesy piece, maybe something a little bit less serious. John does a really good job of making the sports section funny, but I like the fact that the arts section has more creative liberty.

JE: Similar to Zoe K, I would definitely do Arts. I actually wrote an Arts piece before I was hired by the Review. It was a film review on Nomadland. I’d like to do more stuff like that. I think it would also be really cool to get to know the Oberlin arts scene because I definitely don’t go to enough of those types of events.

ZMDC: I think I would probably work for Opinions. I love reading their stories every week and I think it’s fun that you can essentially just publish your thoughts.

Other than the Review, what are your extracurricu-

lars at Oberlin?

JE: I’m involved in club soccer, which is really fun. It’s honestly a really high level of talent, especially compared to what I’ve heard from people talking about other years. The other thing I do is statistics and other types of communication work for the varsity athletics teams. I work really closely with Mike Mancini, who’s the director of athletics for Communications & Compliance.

ZK: I’m on the women’s volleyball team and was a captain these past fall and spring seasons. I work as the diversity, equity, and inclusion coordinator for the North Coast Athletic Conference Student Athlete Advisory Council. I’m the co-president of Oberlin’s SAAC, and I’ll be working as the athletics representative for Student Senate next year as well.

ZMDC: I’m on the field hockey team. I’m also a student researcher in Associate Professor of Neuroscience Tracie Paine’s behavioral neuroscience lab. I’m a Bonner Scholar and work with America Counts at Oberlin Elementary School as a tutor. I also do some private tutoring on the side in math, science and English.

Do the three of you spend any time together outside the office?

JE: The main thing is walking into their parties unknowingly. That’s the way we connect outside of the Review.

ZK: We run into John at parties all the time. John actually walked into our house one time in the fall and had no idea it was our house. We threw a party, and I turned around to see John just standing in the kitchen taking a shot. We were excited to welcome him to our home. Zoë and I live together, so we spend a decent amount of time together outside of the office.

ZMDC: Zoe and I also take a running class together, which has been tough but also a rewarding experience. Zoe and I also went to high school together, so overall we spend a lot of time together and have really seen each other grow as individuals throughout college.

What’s your favorite piece that you wrote?

JE: My favorite piece that I’ve written for the Review is actually something I wrote before I worked as an editor. I wrote it about a year ago, and it was about the Oberlin High School sports teams changing their name from the Indians to Phoenix in 2007. I was connecting it to the name change that the Cleveland Guardians were going through at the time. I got to talk to one of the main activists who was a part of the name changes in both Oberlin and in Cleveland, and it was just really cool to be able to hear about that firsthand. It was definitely the most meaningful article I’ve written.

ZK: I recently wrote a piece on the controversy at the Beijing Winter Olympics about the 15-year-old figure skater Kamila Valieva. I was a competitive figure skater for about 11 years before I started playing volleyball. That sport is just really tough mentally on young women. So I think being able to write about her and her experience and her lack of support was something that I really related to. I like being able to write more editorialized pieces. The Olympics also need to protect their athletes, and talking about how difficult her experience has been in a sport that can be so isolating is so important.

ZMDC: I don’t know if I have specifically a favorite piece, but I enjoyed writing pieces that sparked conversation. In my second year, I wrote a piece about changes in the football team and how some of the members of the team felt unsupported. It was really incredible to have people talk about what I wrote and watch it start conversations about how to better support student-athletes. After one piece I wrote about the Inter-Regional Rumble, one of the people I interviewed thanked me and told me that her parents didn’t understand why she decided to do cross country on a collegiate level but understood why after they read my piece. I’ve also written more vulnerable pieces such as the impacts that body image can have on players and pride. Overall, I’m grateful for everyone that I’ve interviewed throughout the years for trusting me with their stories.

Which sport do you enjoy writing about the most?

JE: It’s something I haven’t covered that much in The Oberlin Review, but growing up as a kid, I was always a huge baseball nerd and read a lot of baseball writing. That’s something I’m getting a chance to do over the summer for a job. I think the intricacies of the game and all the advanced statistics are really cool.

ZK: I really like writing about tennis. I don’t really know why — maybe it’s because I like to watch tennis and my first-year roommate is also on the team, so I spent a lot of time going to their games. I like being able to write about it and then having to explain the score to people. It’s always funny to see their reaction to how confusing the score can be and then seeing their face when they finally understand.

ZMDC: I’m a bit biased. I love writing about field hockey — my teammates are so amazing and accomplished, and I like talking about them every chance I get. I also enjoyed writing about track and field and cross country. Both teams are insanely good, and they’ve accomplished so much during my time at Oberlin. Being able to cover that, especially the individual players, has been such an awesome experience.

Who is your favorite athlete?

JE: I mean, this is a common answer, but as a kid I always loved watching LeBron James play. Especially being from Oberlin, I was able to go see him in person a lot in Cleveland. I used to think about how that must have been what it was like for people to watch Michael Jordan, somebody who you could tell in real time was one of the greatest players ever.

ZK: I would have to say Mats Zuccarello. He’s a hockey player in the NHL, and he used to play for the New York Rangers. First of all, I loved him because his last name started with a Z, and I’m Zoe with a Z — when I was little that was awesome. But he’s really short, super feisty, and was known for being one of the most aggressive players on the Rangers at the time. Even though he could probably get himself knocked out if he checked the wrong person, it was always super inspiring and fun to see this little guy skate on the ice super fast and be super fiery. I always wanted to embody that kind of spirit.

ZMDC: Serena Williams. I think she’s just had an amazing sporting career, has had to endure so much, and has given back so much to her community, both as an advocate and an athlete. She’s definitely an inspirational figure, not only for athletes, but for everyone.