Dual success of student-athletes

Universities across the nation, including JMU, host a unique group of individuals who embody a demanding dual existence. These are the student-athletes, young men and women who strive to excel in the classroom and on the field. On top of a regular class schedule, they must find the time and motivation to stay physically fit, study, participate in and travel to-and-from games, stay focused on their future careers and still find time to relax and enjoy being a young adult.

It truly is a jam-packed schedule and lifestyle. “It’s basically two full-time jobs in which your coach and your professors expect you to be giving 100 percent in both areas,” said Demitri Turner, a senior Quantitative Finance major, with minors in Mathematics and Economics, and a captain on JMU’s Men’s Soccer team. 

Balancing the rigors of academic coursework with the demands of athletic excellence is no small feat. Yet, individuals like Turner personify the spirit of perseverance, demonstrating that success in one arena does not preclude achievement in another.

When Turner arrived at JMU as a first-year student, he was not a starter on the field, wasn’t sure what career path he wanted to take and didn’t even have a car to drive to 6 a.m. practices. However, Turner is the type of individual who, thanks to the habits instilled in him by his parents, always gives his best effort and frequently repeats the mantra “your best is good enough.” 

So as he walked through the still-dark pathways of The Village (JMU’s first-year student housing) to arrive at soccer practice an hour early, the only person to whom he had to prove anything was himself. 

“It’s all about mindset,” remarked Turner. Noticing that the more he stressed over soccer and his academics the worse he performed, he was prompted to make a shift. “Sometimes you have to have mature conversations with yourself and realize what really matters,” he said. 

Turner decided to stop putting so much pressure on himself and instead focus on doing what made him feel good. “I don't care about how many minutes I’m getting on the field. All that I focus on is putting forth as much effort as I can right then and there so that I can look back and say with no regrets, ‘I gave it all that I had.’”

Turner says that once he took the pressure off himself he felt a sense of pride and accomplishment. He began to get more game-time and noticed his grades improving. 

The same mindset follows him into the classroom. Combining the Quantitative Finance major with two minors is a rigorous undertaking, and those who choose this path typically begin devoting a significant amount of time to their academic endeavors as soon as they arrive for their first year at JMU. Even so, Turner wanted to challenge himself. 

“I could have chosen an easier major to balance with soccer, but that’s not who I am,” he said. “I like the challenge of the course material and the challenge of working to balance both.” But, that’s not to say Turner hasn’t faced his fair share of challenges. Whether it be missing classes traveling to a soccer game, or pulling all-nighters to teach himself the work he missed in three different classes, he is constantly persevering.

Although soccer has played a large role in Turner’s collegiate experience, his career dreams go beyond the field. This past summer, with the support and guidance of the Ole School Alumni Group, Turner accepted an internship at Freddie Mac as a capital markets intern. With multiple advanced mathematics and finance courses under his belt, Turner aims to be a “quant” after he graduates this December. 

Between soccer and classes, he’s found that the skills he’s learned as a teammate have translated well to the business world. He’s observed that extra effort goes a long way in both sports and academics. “Sometimes you have to make certain sacrifices like getting in early, staying late and putting in those few extra reps or practice problems,” he said. Ultimately it has paid off for Turner, who noticed his increased success on the field being mirrored during his internship. “I would take the time to research extra things, read primers, read different articles being published, take notes in my little black journal, and stay later in the office,” he said of his time at Freddie Mac. 

Turner knows well that success sometimes requires extra effort. From the very beginning, he has remained disciplined, driven and committed to achieving his goals and driving his future forward — and his hard work has paid off.

At last year’s JMU Athletics Dukes’ Choice Awards, Turner was named winner of the Servant Leader Award, presented to a student-athlete who through numerous hours of community service has made a significant difference for the better in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Turner participated in 68 unique service projects, completing 82 hours of community service last year while contributing to his team's community service project with Shenandoah Valley United during the spring semester.

He was also the recipient of the Purple & Gold Award, which is presented to the student-athlete who embodies success across athletics, academics, service, overall engagement and embodies the true definition of what it means to be a Duke. Additionally, he was named as the Casey Carter Male Scholar-Athlete of the year.

Though he is a decorated athlete, Turner stands out in the College of Business, too. He is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, acted as a student representative at the Finance and Business Law Executive Advisory Board meetings and has spoken on behalf of the Quantitative Finance major at the CHOICES Admitted Students Open House. Last spring he was the recipient of the Faculty Award for Excellence in Quantitative Finance. 

Turner epitomizes what it means to be a dedicated and resilient student-athlete and serves as an illustration of how the disciplines of athletics and academics can complement and enhance each other. His achievements in both areas highlight how powerful a change in mindset can be, and how with hard-work and dedication the greatest of achievements can be reached.