Wednesday, June 14, 1995 - The Michigan Daily - 11
Having fun and doing "regular, col-
lege-student" things is more important
ontnued from page 11 for a star athlete than one may realize.
Some may think this is flattering. But Wheatley sometimes has a hard time
or a guy who is down-to-earth and just functioning in society when he's not
lain normal, this was a highly uncom- playing sports.
ortable situation to say the least. "Sometimes I'm lost," Wheatley
Being a football star has affected says. "To have a conversation with (non-
heatley's life in other ways as well. athletes) ...it's kind of hard because
"By me being an athlete, I never re- sometimes your conversation can revert
ally had a chance to hang out with the back to sports - whether they do it be-
ther guys," Wheatley says. cause the conversation is kind of dying
Wheatley juggled three, sometimes down or I'll do it. So I tend to want tojust
our sports in high school, went to foot- be regular and go out and have fun -
all camps in the summers and came to "Som
Michigan, where football became a full- $S metimes I'm lost.
time job. On top of it all, he ran track.
"I never got a chance to explore ex- To have a conversation
cept for my last two years here," with non-athletes ...
Wheatley says.
Between sports and academics, it's kind of hard
Wheatley did not feel that a social life
was necessary. However, in.his junior because (it) can
year, things changed.
"When I first started doing things, it's
ike, 'God, Imissedthis place.' There were ports."
Ines when people would say, 'Let's go
here, let's go to Rick's,' (and I would think) -Tyrone Wheatley
What's Rick's? My first time going to Michigan athlete
Rick's was my junior year."
So Wheatley does not regret staying his
senior year to graduate. Not only did he get
his diploma and finally have the opportu-
nity to go to track NCAAs, where he fin-
ished eighth in the 114 hurdles, but he got
to have fun, to be regular. What most stu-
ents take for granted.
and just be a person."
There is no doubt that Wheatley is
different from most students. He spends
a third of his time at Schembechler Hall,
a place most students don't ever see.
Wheatley has no time to procrastinate
with friends. He has no time to waste.
He wakes up, usually sore, and goes
to class - which is mandatory,
Wheatley explains. One missed class is
equivalent to missing one football half.
And for a starter, that's nothing to take
lightly. Then he has practice, which in-
cludes conditioning and watching films.
He comes home late, eats, does his
homework, and then goes to sleep. His
weekends are filled with travel, travel
and more travel.
But Wheatley is happy with his life. He
feels that whathe does is nothing compared
to what some other students do.
"I go out there and play football. I'm
doing something I like and going to
school," Wheatley says. "These kids are
working two or three jobs, they have
loans they have to think about paying 10
years down the road - with interest.
Here Iam crying about being sore.
"I'm happy for what I have."
Tyrone Wheatley's normal after all.
So if you see him on the street, dont bow
down - a casual "hi" will do.
Notes
Scott Weaver, a designatedhitter
on the Michigan baseball team was
named to the GTE Academic All-
Americanfirstteam.Thejuniorcaries
a 3.21 GPA inKinesiology togo along
with a .500 batting average and Big
Ten co-player of the year honors.
Centerfielder Brian Simmons and
softball pitcher Kelly Kovach were
named to the second team.
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