Northwestern University Athletics
Drew's Views Debuts
12/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 7, 2009
Hello, Wildcat Fans!
My name is Drew Crawford, and I am a freshman on the Northwestern basketball team. I am excited to have the chance to share my life as a Wildcat with you! College is still a somewhat new lifestyle for me, but the ability to attend such a great university and to play for Coach Carmody is a true blessing. So far my experience here has been unbelievable. Being a Division I athlete is a lot of work to say the least, but the satisfaction of it is unparalleled. There is no better feeling than winning a big game at Welsh-Ryan, coming back to the dorm room exhausted, and having all of the students on the floor approach you yelling, "What a dunk, man!" or "C'mon Drew! How did that guy block your shot?"
So far this season we are 6-1, and we're starting to get close to the Big Ten opener against Illinois December 30. We have had quite a few big wins this year, wins against Notre Dame and NC State are particularly special because people didn't expect us to win against those teams. NC State was the first road game for me, and the feeling of playing in such a huge atmosphere with 11,000 people yelling from the stands was a huge rush. I have never played in a game with nearly as much excitement and I loved the experience! We got the win, listened to our post game talk from Coach Carmody, and headed to the airport for a trip back filled with laughs and excitement leftover from the win.
This past week was the infamous finals week, and I must say I now know why it is infamous! Studying for finals and writing papers are even more difficult than running sprints or lifting hard in the weight room. The Sunday beginning finals week, I took part in an interesting Northwestern tradition. It's called the "Primal Scream" in which all of the students walk outdoors at 9:00 to yell at the top of their lungs to release the tension and stress of studying for finals. I was delighted to be a part of the tradition, but I put my own spin on it by yelling out of the window rather than going outside. Why? Because after 19 years of living in Chicagoland, I still can't stand the winters!
Now I am relieved to be done with my finals, and the team is getting prepared for our game on Sunday against North Carolina A&T. Winter break starts this weekend and during this period we will be living the lives of "professional athletes," because with no school work we will be completely focused on basketball and winning games. With no classes, I am particularly excited for the extra nap time! Working hard in on the court is no joke, and I am very appreciative of any time I get to relax. Upcoming this month is our first Big Ten game against Illinois which I am very anxious to experience. It is unusual to think that some of the players I have watched on TV for the past couple years are the same ones I am playing against this season, but once we get on the court and I see them eye-to-eye, it is just like any other game and I am ready to play.
It was great to have the opportunity introduce myself, and I look forward to sharing my experience with you next time, hopefully with some more wins under our belt!
Until next time!
Drew Crawford
