Athletes: practice makes pledging
In recent years, college athletics and Greek life have slowly drifted apart. Two worlds that used to coexist smoothly have been separated by the advancing pressures of being a student-athlete — from yearlong practice schedules to ever-present social media.
According to Bloomberg Sports, there has been a 19 percent drop in fraternity alumni in the NFL since 2003. This has been tied to the shrinking number of college coaches who even allow their players to go Greek — a pattern that extends, on a smaller scale, to sports outside of football. Most of these coaches are very aware of the risks inherent in fraternity and sorority life, brought to light now more than ever by advancing technology.
Even at USC, a school historically tied to both high-profile athletics and a strong Greek community, this trend has not been absent. For many athletes, juggling a full course load and the responsibilities of sports with the demands of Greek life is just too much. Still, even as maintaining this balance becomes more difficult than ever, many USC athletes are proud and active members of the Greek community.
This strong but relatively small group includes Robby Kolanz, a redshirt sophomore wide receiver on the Trojan football team and a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. Kolanz recognizes the difficulty of his undertaking, but is appreciative of the fraternity experience.
“Obviously I can’t do all the things that my friends in the house can,” Kolanz said. “I don’t have the freedom that they do. But I think it’s a cool balance because I have all my friends here on the football team, and I also have a whole other group of friends.”
Soma Vainuku, a redshirt junior fullback and a member of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, also spoke highly of the friendships he has made in Greek life.
“To tell you the truth, when I get some spare time I just try to spend it with my Greek buds,” Vainuku said. “Actually a lot of the time I just hang out with them at school, and after school, too, when I’m done with practice.”
Kolanz is aware of the stereotypical reputation that fraternities can have in the outside world, but is quick to point out that there are plenty of legitimate reasons to participate in Greek life.
“I think I do it for the right things,” the Palos Verdes, Calif. native said. “Not necessarily going and getting drunk every night, but maybe just going to dinner at the house and participating in the events that I can to balance things out.”
This idea of balance is crucial to student-athletes, especially those who participate in Greek life. Elizabeth Eddy, a senior on USC’s soccer and lacrosse teams and a member of the Delta Gamma sorority, knows this better than anyone.
“It’s definitely a lot to handle,” Eddy said. “But it has also helped me balance my life. I just try to be the best sorority sister I can be and the best athlete I can be and enjoy it all.”
Junior wide receiver Christian Tober, another member of Sigma Chi, knows he has not chosen an easy path.
“Balancing school and sports and being in a fraternity is not easy,” Tober said. “My freshman year was the hardest, because I was pledging the fraternity, and it was my first year at school so I was basically pledging the football team.”
Still, Tober is appreciative of the lessons he has learned in Greek life.
“It was a big time commitment, and I just had to work on scheduling everything,” the San Clemente, Calif. native said. “There were times when I had to give up things just to get stuff done, but it was a good learning tool.”
Though their experiences in Greek life have been positive, USC athletes know that they must tread carefully when participating in social events. Any evidence of underage drinking or other illegal behavior could put their athletic futures in jeopardy. Kolanz knows the responsibility that comes with his position.
“Without a doubt, I think whether you’re [Cody] Kessler or the last guy on the team, when you play for the ’SC football team, you put yourself in a different aspect of this university,” Kolanz said. “It’s actually something that I’m really proud of, and I want to be a good representation of the house.”
Tober, Kolanz’s teammate and fraternity brother, agreed.
“I don’t drink, so that helps me out a lot off the field,” he said. “I don’t have [to] worry about getting in pictures or doing anything stupid. But I’m also looking out for my brothers and my teammates that I see out and about.”
Vainuku emphasized the tradition of USC athletics. “[We’ve] got a reputation to uphold, the brand and the ’SC logo, and you can’t really mess it up or anything,” the Eureka, Calif. native said. “When I go out I’m representing the house, the football team and the school as well.”
The life of a college athlete is extraordinarily different from that of the average student. From grueling workouts in the early hours of the morning to long road trips, nothing about the experiences of Kolanz, Tober, Vainuku or Eddy have been typical. And though their participation in Greek life can be stressful and risky, they are truly making the most of their four years at USC. Eddy was frank in her evaluation of Greek life.
“Being an athlete has made my experience in a sorority very different,” she said. “But it’s the best decision I’ve made in college.”