Meet Sophomore Student Athletes balancing school, practice and ACE
The ACE Program has been known to have student athletes as participants over the past few years, and the new ACE 2021 cohort is no different. In addition to achieving success in the classroom, cohort members Jake Landrum and Brendan Jones are committed to excelling in sports.
Jake Landrum, an Undeclared Business major from San Jose, is a member of the men’s water polo team. As a student athlete, Jake begins his day around 8 am to complete an hour of weight training. After a full day filled with a big meal, a nap, and class, he attends a three-hour practice in the afternoon. In regards to ACE, Jake says that he has enjoyed expanding his network, because athletes typically spend lots of time with their teammates only. His favorite part of ACE is hearing about the experiences of older members and learning about their past internships and job opportunities.
Brendan Jones, an Undeclared Business major from Sacramento, is a runner on the men’s cross country and track teams. A typical day for Brendan begins with practice at 7 am, followed by an hour of lift/core session in the weight room. Afterwards, he usually grabs a quick snack and then heads to class. In the afternoon, Brendan attends the team’s afternoon shakeout or cross training cooldown, then passes some spare time by relaxing, playing the piano, or hanging out with the friends. In the evening, Brendan likes to cook dinner with his friends and head to the library afterwards for studying. Like Jake, Brendan has enjoyed being able to network outside of his teammates with a “brand new community of individuals who are similarly focused, yet with different perspectives, motivations, and experiences.” ACE has helped him move in a direction that he wants to go, and he is grateful for many new connections. Aside from delicious ACE dinners, Brendan also enjoys listening to Brenda’s professional development advice and Jack’s funny stories. If you are interested in seeing Brendan in action, feel free to come out and support the men’s cross country and track team at the West Coast Conference Invitational at Bellarmine High School on Saturday, February 23!
Thanks to Jake and Brendan for sharing their athletic experiences and we wish them the best of luck in their upcoming seasons!