Chapman sports teams help freshman athletes toward smooth transition

Freshman athletes discuss the advantages of connecting with teammates and settling into the campus community. Photos from The Panther Archives

One of the challenges for any freshman looking to establish themselves on campus is finding a supportive, welcoming community.

For Chapman freshman athletes competing in a fall sport, they had the benefit of moving into campus housing and getting to know some of their peers before any of the other freshman students.

Freshman psychology major Marissa Swindell, defender for the women’s soccer team, talked about the benefit of earlier move in and the ease she felt compared to other freshmen she knew.

“I felt pretty comfortable already because I was with my team the week before (classes started),” Swindell said. “So, I knew a lot of people here already. I know some friends who didn’t have (that) and they were nervous… It was a pretty easy transition for me.”

Freshman biological sciences major Jason Bruce, wide receiver on the football team, said he  attended a football summer camp and connected with teammates Nathaniel Espinoza, Spencer Corona and others to build momentum for the upcoming season.

“Me and Nathaniel and some of the other guys I met with during the summer — we would hang out and we would throw the ball around,” Bruce said. “(We were) just kind of getting used to how (games were) going to be and just how we were gonna start the season. And so I got really close with those guys on the team.”

Freshmen competing in fall sports are able to move into the residence halls early, giving them a chance to connect with their peers before the semester begins.

Freshman biochemistry major Olivia Sampson, outside hitter on Chapman women’s volleyball team, recalled her first practice Aug. 19 and the energy and excitement that her teammates brought. 

They even gave Sampson a nickname to create a sense of closeness with her team.

“Our very first practice, when we went into the gym, everyone was cheering for everyone,” Sampson said. “No matter what I did, (they) were always like, ‘Let’s go Liv!’ They immediately had a nickname for me, and everyone just cheering for one another just really made me feel like … I’m a part of an actual team rather than a new girl adjusting to a group of people.” 

While moving in earlier made the transition to playing volleyball easier, Sampson still felt a sense of disconnect from campus life as a brand new student. 

However, volleyball was the one thing that kept Sampson centered before the school year started.

“It felt like I was at summer camp, but no one else was there,” Sampson said. “It was nice to have something to look forward to everyday with practice. (It) was totally different having everyone on campus all of a sudden. Before it was just me and a couple other athletes and (seeing everyone on campus all of a sudden) was definitely weird.”

Freshman athletes also spent their time before school started to seek advice from their teammates. For Bruce, this involved balancing academics with his practice schedules.

“A week before school started I was asking (my teammates), ‘How should I do my schedule? How should I make my classes? What (can I) look forward to?’” Bruce said. “And they were really helpful — just telling me how it was going to be in the process of making my classes and what to expect once school starts and then plus the football side of it.”

Sampson said that in her conversations with teammates, they offered suggestions on getting more involved in campus life and going beyond the expectations of playing a college sport.

“They would ask me (about) my major and what I’m interested in, and they would recommend, ‘Oh, you should join this club, oh, I’m part of this sorority, (so) you might be interested in that,’” Sampson said. “Just showing me all the different aspects of Chapman that there are besides being a volleyball player.”

With time spent bonding with their teammates and conversations about becoming a college student, Sampson, Bruce, and Swindell felt that this gave them the confidence and comfortability of starting their college experience.

“It is so much easier to adjust with having teammates in every shape and form,” Swindell said. “I’m very thankful that I’m on the (women’s soccer) team.”