An ode to non-traditional collegiate athletes.

I am an athlete. (And I don't mean that in a "feel my roaring strength on the treadmill" way, either.) I am actually an athlete who routinely dons the school colours to represent my university at intercollegiate events on a national (and occasionally international) stage. I put on my game face and represent my university by playing my heart out.

But none of that really matters, because I don't play football. (Or basketball, or track or whatever else is more important/interesting than my sport.) I buy my own equipment and I pay my own way to meets. The costs are enormous, but I don't typically mind -- I get satisfaction from playing my sport well. So why don't you notice me?

Why doesn't the pep band ever show up to serenade me? Why do I only ever have three fans at a time? Why does no one on campus ever recognize me? Does the fact that I don't do my thing in a large stadium make me any less important?

I guess so.

So, over the next few weeks/months, I'm going to hunt down some less-than-well-known college athletes and sing their praises so that they know that, at the very least, I care.