GETTING TO KNOW CLARK ATLANTA SOFTBALL SUPERSTAR AMILYA LITTLE

What Effect has the Pandemic had on College Athletes?

From the classroom to the field— Amilya Little discusses her college softball dreams and what the future hold for her within her major.

Detroit, Mi.—The date is Sunday, February 28, 2021. It’s a very gloomy and cold day in Detroit, Michigan, a long way from Amilya Little's current home of Atlanta, Georgia. Normally, these would be challenging circumstances under which to conduct an interview about the subject of sports, but given the current state of the world, this did not impact this virtual interview. College students have become one of the pandemic's hardest-hit demographics. It's become much more difficult for student-athletes. Managing coursework while still juggling practice and games has proved to be a difficult challenge. Amilya Little is a sophomore at Clark Atlanta University and pitcher for their softball team. This interview aimed to get a firsthand look at the challenges that college athletes face. Little had returned to campus, but the forthcoming softball season had not yet begun. In high school, Little discovered her love for both sports and movies. “I took a computer tech class in high school and learned how to deal with lighting, cameras, and soundboards,” she says. She hasn't decided on a career path yet, but she's getting a sense of all the possibilities. Although her future career aspirations are still unclear, her softball plans are unaffected. “Softball is one of my favorite sports. It's something I started in high school and grew to love a lot more than I expected.” States Little. Little explains why she chose Clark as the institution to explore this dream. She says, "I chose Clark because I had the opportunity to play softball here." According to ClarkAtlantaSports.com Little has had a busy schedule with 9 confirmed upcoming games just from March 10 to April 15. “Yea, it’s really hectic when you look at it.” Little reflected. I decided to look at Little's post-college ambitions, both in the short term and in the long run. Little is a Mass Media Arts major with a concentration in Radio/Television/Film. She hasn't settled on a future career yet, but she wants to work behind the camera. Little says, "In all honesty, I don't know and I'm trying to be okay with not knowing," when asked what she wants to do after graduation. She went on to state that what she wants is to be able to provide for her family and be happy overall. I asked Little whether she felt the pandemic and attending classes online had an effect on her college softball career. “I definitely had my fair share of obstacles to overcome this semester,” Little sighed. “I expected the switch to online school to mean more time and attention for training but it just made my schedule more hectic and my concentration a little shaky.” Students of all classifications have been forced to switch to an online environment all over the world. This has been a challenge for students and faculty alike, from laughing in the dorms with friends to attending class via Zoom in bed. “Juggling class and games has been busy for all the girls,” says Lawanda Pearson, head softball coach for the Clark Atlanta softball team. “These have been uncertain times but we’re making sure we navigate them as best as we can.” Little and I both Clark Atlanta students of the same classification had to switch interview times twice due to conflicting zoom schedules and stubborn internet speed. I asked Little if she was prepared for the return to normalcy, or at least the start of it, for the upcoming Fall semester. “To tell you the truth, I am but I am not,” she says. “This has been a very difficult and exhausting year, and I believe it will be difficult to return to a normal environment.” When asked if she had any advice for other students, she laughed and then collected her thoughts. "I'd just tell them to keep going no matter what and never lose concentration." Little exclaimed. “The fact that we made it through this difficult period is a blessing in and of itself, and it demonstrates to the post-college world what we're capable of.”