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Tyler Bennett - From High School to CollegePublished by
The transition from being a high school student-athlete to a college student-athlete is quite different for everyone. While some decide to compete at programs close to home, some decide that out of State schools are more their fancy.
Some athletes decide that big Division 1 programs is where they want to compete while still others decide on DII, DIII, Juco, or even Ivy League programs.
Everyone that takes the next step and competes at the collegiate level has a different, unique story, but some of the experiences and lessons along the way are universal. Running at the collegiate level is a commitment with sometimes very different experiences from what runners experienced in high school. Our goal is to share those experiences and offer a glimpse into the life of the collegiate athlete irregardless of the size, quality or affiliation of the school.
Tyler Bennet Ft. Myers HS University of North Florida
Coming out of HS and entering your freshman year, what were your biggest concerns?
Prior to my freshmen year, I would have to say my biggest concern would have to be running 8k/10k instead of 5k for cross. I was more worried about possibly coming out and not being able to perform well.
How did you overcome them?
After a great summer of training and getting comfortable with living on campus, it helped make the transition smoother. Also having a training partner (Manuel Velasquez) just really helped me get the preparation I needed for this season. Most successful high school runners have a routine or regimen that served them well. How has your routine adjusted in college? Throughout high school I didn't really have a certain routine. Part of my success came from being focused and always ready to race. Before race I would usually listen to music, hip hop/ rap. Start off listening to something very chill and relaxing like wiz khalifa, and then slowly work my way up into something that will get me pumped up right before the race. The team dynamic can be very different at the collegiate level. How would you describe your team? Our team is very young, mostly freshmen and sophomores. Over the short amount of time we have been together, we're all really close and we all have the same goals in mind. Every weekend we go to the beach, go out and eat somewhere, watch football or a movie. We like spending a lot of time bonding and having fun. I would say the team dynamic is very similar to how my high school team was, because I was very close to them. Training is something that also goes up a notch at every level. How was the adjustment period and how do you prioritize your training with other aspects of collegiate life? Adjusting to the training and college life wasn't to difficult for me. Time management is one of the keys to being successful in college. Completing assignments, being at every practice, and making sure you're making the right decisions for yourself to better yourself as a student athlete. Taking classes and training over summer really helped me get use to college life. If you had to pass on words of wisdom for those seniors looking at competing at the next level, what would you tell them? Competing at the next level is definitely something to look forward to. It will be one of the greatest decisions you will make, but be patient with the recruiting process and make sure you absolutely love the school you pick. What's the best part of life right now? Tyler Bennett - Best part of life is being a cross country/ track athlete at the University of North Florida.
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