This week's featured college athlete is Casey Frost, former football player at Dartmouth College. Casey was a letter winner in 2007 and 2008, and earned the Earl Hamilton Varsity team Award in 2008 for his friendly personality, character and sense of humor. Casey graduated with a B.A. in English and Creative Writing, and completed the Tuck Bridge business training program. Here's more about his experience!
GamePlan: If you could sum up your college athletic experience in one word, what would it be? Casey: Perseverance
GamePlan: What is a lesson you learned while playing college athletics?
Casey: There is more to collegiate athletics than just wins and losses, although it may not seem so at the time.
GamePlan: What is one of the hardest moments you had to get through while playing college sports, and how did you get through it?
Casey: We had a winless season in 2008, going 0-10. In this same season I formed a closer bond with my teammates, some of which are my best friends to this very day.
GamePlan: What is one of the hardest moments you had to get through while going through the recruiting process?
Casey: I was one of many athletes being recruited by UCLA. My Dad studied at UCLA and as a result I was raised as a Bruin fan. For me it was a done deal, barring any catastrophic occurrence, I too would be a Bruin. Well the catastrophe occurred when Air Force began to heavily recruit me despite my clear disinterest. After various conversations, I inquired as to how they received my contact in which they responded "UCLA ran out of scholarships and gave out your info." And that was how I found out in early January of my senior year that I would not be attending the school of my dreams.
GamePlan: What is your favorite memory from playing college sports?
Casey: Making lifelong friends and having the opportunity to compete on a daily basis.
GamePlan: What advice do you have for student-athletes who are trying to play at the collegiate level?
Casey: It's not about how hard you work, it's about how well you work. A high school coach of mine taught me that and he couldn't have been more spot on. That's a lesson that transcends any sport. In order to be effective, find what works for you and invest in both your strengths and your weaknesses.
GamePlan: 🙌
GamePlan: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything? If so, what would you do differently?
Casey: I'd insist on staying at quarterback instead of agreeing to change positions. Obviously you want to help your time in any way you can but playing to your strengths puts you at a better position to do just that.
GamePlan: What are you up to now?
Casey: I work with sponsors of major sports and entertainment events in São Paulo, Brazil. Some of my clients have been World Cup and Olympic sponsors which has provided me with invaluable and once in a lifetime experiences such as running with the Olympic torch. Since moving to Brazil, I've also won two American Football National Championships and three State Titles, playing for some of Brazil's largest soccer clubs Corinthians and Flamengo. Acting is another passion that I've been pursuing as of late, having done work on a few commercials circulated throughout Latin America with my first film debut due to hit cinemas at the beginning of 2019.
GamePlan: What role did athletics play in helping you get to where you are now?
Casey: When I first arrived in Brazil, I spoke no Portuguese and other than my Brazilian ex-girlfriend I had no real connection with the country. As I acclimated to my surroundings, football offered a familiar setting in an otherwise unfamiliar land. That experience aided me in building my network, learning Portuguese and spring-boarded my presence in the domestic media.
GamePlan: Anything else you’d like to share?
Casey: Be sure to drop me a line if you're ever in Brazil (namely São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro)! That goes for any and all of you.
Big thank you to Casey! He is a great example of not only how athletics can affect your life during college, but can also help open doors to careers within the athletics realm after college. Sports can help you discover new countries, too!