Michael Parry is a freshman exercise science major from Wales. His priority event is the 800 meter, but also does cross country in the off season. Back home, he was on the Welsh National team and he has been currently leading the team during the last couple of meets.
What interested you about cross-country?
“It’s just a bit different really [than the 800 meters]. A lot more work goes into it; early morning practices are a lot harder to recover from. The rewards are better in the end.”
Why did you come to NSU?
“Mainly the coaches, to be honest. They made me feel pretty welcome early on; they spoke to me every week. Being an international athlete, it was important that I felt comfortable wherever I was going.”
Being a freshman, how have you adjusted to being a student athlete in college?
“Going from high school to college is obviously a big difference. But with the athletic trainers, full time coaches and all the other [assistance], that makes it a lot easier.
How would you describe your relationship with your teammates?
“Well, back in high school I didn’t really have teammates, so just having teammates alone is good enough. Here, they’re my best friends so we get along very well.”
What is difficult about being a student athlete?
“Early morning classes and trying to stay up. Waking up at 5 a.m. everyday and having class at 10 a.m. doesn’t mix very well.”
What is your favorite thing to do after a meet?
“Eat. Anything and everything, pretty much.”
Do you have any pre-meet rituals?
“I do the exact same warm-up. I go for a run, do some mobility and stability [drills], get the legs moving basically. A few sprints, just get myself psyched before [the meet]. I wear the exact same pins for every meet— I wear four gold pins to hold my number.”
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
“Sleeping, that’s a big one. The rest of the team and I— we all have a thing for playing ping pong at the moment. Just recreational [activities], ping pong, basketball, anything really.”
How is doing cross-country here different than in Wales?
“It’s a lot different. First, [at NSU] we’re running on golf courses instead of knee-deep in mud. It’s just a different atmosphere, really. [Here] we’re racing at 7 a.m. purely because of the heat and back at home [in Wales], we have to start later just so the grass unfreezes.”
What advice would you give to other student athletes?
“Be patient, trust your coaches, follow the system and you should improve.”
What do you love the most about doing cross-country?
“Just the end reward, really. Seeing all of the miles that you do every week and then seeing that you are actually improving makes you feel a lot better about yourself.”
