Former Belhaven athlete finds balance as a graduate assistant
JACKSON, Miss. (BVM) — Growing up as an athlete, Rick Hodum has always had his sights on becoming a basketball coach. However, his first coaching stop has been with the Belhaven University distance track team.
With graduate positions being hard to find this year due to COVID-19, the opening of Belhaven’s track graduate assistant position has provided Hodum with an avenue to his long-term goal.
Pursuing a Master of Business Administration in leadership, Hodum’s schedule has allowed him to stay busy. As Hodum stays busy, he also finds balance in the everyday things of life. He does this by putting his faith in God, which allows him to stay grounded and gives him the confidence that he will be taken care of.
When it comes to instilling lessons in his athletes, he preaches to them that, “You get out what you put in.” This lesson has been passed down to Hodum through his previous coaches and parents. Hodum believes this principle translates directly into life as everyone gets the same 24 hours. In addition to that principle, Hodum says, “You’re not going to be good at what you don’t practice.”
Along with coaching, Hodum still has a passion for running. Hodum laces up his shoes just about every day to workout alongside his athletes. His continuous passion for running has led him to sign up for a half-marathon this summer.
Former teammate and current athlete being coached by Hodum, Matt Taylor, says, “He’s very personable because I’ve ran with him, and I know what to expect from him. He’s always going to motivate you if you do good or bad, but he truly wants to see you do good and succeed.”
During a typical week in his life, not including practice, involves a lot of him going back and forth to work. Hodum’s Monday and Tuesday requires him to wake up at 4:30 am to do his part-time logger job at the family-owned business and tune into a late-night coaches’ zoom call to end the day. A Wednesday for Hodum involves a 5:00 am commute to campus for weekly COVID testing. His Thursday and Friday involve a quick shift at a local sandwich shop and preparation for track meets if need be.
In contrast to undergrad, Hodum has found his graduate studies to be more in-depth. Hodum feels the work is more concentrated, and the grading scale is more demanding. Undergrad to Hodum is more lenient, whereas, in graduate school, assignments cannot be slacked upon.
Putting himself in a position to help his’ future family and staying in God’s will is Hodum’s motivation. His growth and his athlete’s success are sought after each day as the clock is punched.
