The Student-Athlete Transfer Experience
Featuring three transfer student-athletes and their perspectives on the transfer process and experience!
Oftentimes transfer student-athletes are deemed “newcomers” and grouped in with the incoming freshmen on a team. They may have to undergo similar initiation activities or be forced to partake in “freshmen duties,” such as cleaning up, carrying gear when traveling, or being the last to eat at team meals. This is both a blessing and a curse: they get a fresh start, but it is also not a completely clean slate. When an athlete decides to transfer, it may be for a myriad of different reasons but are commonly compounded by a negative experience or a desire for something more. That said, when beginning their collegiate journey once again, they carry their past experiences with them, good or bad, as they navigate new pressures and challenges. They also face the challenges of being the new person, on campus, and on a team’s roster, more than once. They must learn a new campus, adapt to a new coaching style, find their footing academically, and replace all of the contacts of their old support staff. Many athletes at the University of the Pacific are not strangers to this adversity; three of their stories are featured in the remainder of this article.
Amanda Bricker is a sophomore on the softball team, majoring in Speech and Language Pathology. She is originally from Oakdale, California, and spent her freshmen year at California Baptist University (CBU) in Riverside. At CBU, she played in 33 games, starting in 14 of them and making an impact instantaneously. After her inaugural season, Bricker says she ultimately decided to enter the transfer portal “because the culture at my last institution wasn't the best fit for me as a person or player.” Now calling Pacific home, she adds that the best part has been the “culture and team dynamic,” saying that, “We all rely on one another, and it's a safe environment knowing we can confide in one another.” Bricker cites the most challenging part of transferring as, “entering the portal itself because you go from knowing you have a home to not knowing where you will end up.” But, in conclusion, she is ultimately thankful for her path to the Pacific, as her old institution taught her that “only God defines me as a human being, not my sport, not my coaches, not other individuals around me.” An exemplary student-athlete, Bricker has not had an ordinary collegiate athletic experience but tells her story with pride nonetheless.
Another transfer student, Burke Smith is on the men’s basketball team and is originally from Glen Allen, Virginia. As this is Smith’s first year at Pacific, he spent three years at Boise State, redshirting his second year. He is majoring in Business administration, with a concentration on Business Analytics. Since being at Pacific, Smith has made an immediate impact, registering four double-figure scoring games. In reflection, Smith said that he chose to transfer schools because he was “in need of a new opportunity at a different school.” Offering further perspective, Smith also says that “the most difficult thing about transferring was getting on track academically,” as he had to take summer classes to be eligible for basketball season, and his graduation was pushed back a year. As challenging as this was, Smith is thankful for the professors and programming at Pacific, “because there is no beating around the bush” and he is “learning so much more.” Building on this, Smith says that he is “ a big fan of all the people here,” cementing the impact of the people, whether it is a coach, professor, or other support staff, and beyond, at Pacific.
Last but not least, Natasha Dykman hails from Alberta, Canada, also making her an international student. Dykman is majoring in Health and Exercise Science, with an emphasis on Human Performance. She transferred from a Junior College, in American River College, and is already making her mark on the women’s water polo team at Pacific. Choosing a new career path in her transfer, Dykman is realizing her dreams, saying she is a “very committed individual to my sport, my education, my friends, and my future career path” making Pacific an obvious choice. She says, “I also wanted to continue playing the sport I’ve trained for my whole life, and that has taken me all over the world representing my country.” Reflecting on her journey, Dykman says the most difficult things have been “adjusting how the school itself is structured, going into the classes for the first time, meeting new classmates, teammates and playing for new coaches” She added that, “The professors stand out as the best part of my time here at Pacific,” as well as the fact she knows she is “a person here on campus versus just a number, making everything more personal.” In conclusion, Dykman says, “I was lucky I am on sports teams which allowed me to meet other students with similar hobbies that I enjoy.”
Though they may not be strangers to collegiate athletics, transfer students face new, different challenges no matter their backgrounds. The perspectives of these three Tiger student-athletes showcase only a glimpse of their stories but further demonstrate the commitment of Pacific to its athletes and the commitment of these athletes to their sports.