Greenville University has the privilege of being home to sophomore dual-sport athlete Megan Barrett from Carterville, Illinois. Barrett plays softball and basketball here at GU and over these past two years, she has made an impact in the classroom and field/court. This past basketball season, the Women’s Basketball Team won the SLIAC Championship game defeating Spalding University 72-66. Also around this time last year, the Women’s Softball team won the SLIAC Tournament defeating Westminster, 4-2. She’s accustomed to winning and it’s clear she plays a huge part in both programs.
As we all know, college can sometimes be a struggle. However, it’s all about how you react to the struggle. When discussing some of Megan’s biggest college challenges she says, “My biggest struggle has been managing time efficiently and making time for studies outside of sports. It seems like I am always busy doing something so learning how to properly rate everything I would like to do in terms of importance was critical.” Even students not on sports teams can struggle with time management but when you are an athlete, that stress can seem to double very quickly. However, like many other students athletes, Barrett has realized there are many different tips and ways to help anyone better manage their time. Some of those include using a planner or calendar, studying and getting assignments done in advance, and also trying not to take on too many responsibilities. Student athletes often have noticed that staying organized and planning their week can definitely help. Often times, athletes will do homework or assignments during their travel time to games.
The gift of sport has the ability to influence and impact many lives. Barrett admits that sport has played a huge role in her life and there have been many positive opportunities that have resulted from athletics. Some of those positives that have come out of softball and basketball are the friendships she has created, as well as the memories and experiences.
In terms of softball, she stated, “It forced me to learn how to be okay with failing. Softball is an overall team sport, but there were many times where I have let down my teammates. It’s crucial to develop the correct mindset and learn how to handle both success and failure.”
It is always good to have goals, so you can stay focused on the task at hand. Some of Barrett’s educational goals consist of getting a Master’s in Criminal Justice and her Associate’s in Business. She will graduate from Greenville University next year with a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and a minor in Business. After graduation, Barrett plans to be a part of the military and since she is already in the Army National Guard, she plans to one day be a part of the military police. “I have always loved what police officers do on a day-to-day basis and I could also imagine being a part of the military which would be even better.”
“Be ready to have a team full of lifelong friends, you will always have plenty of people there to help you along. Have the mindset to put your studies before anything else, including athletics.”
Megan Barrett ’20
Media by Brittany Lopez.
