With a strong motivation to excel in both athletics and academics, baseball player Derrick Workman manages his busy schedule with steadfast determination.
Workman is a right fielder for the Mercer men’s baseball team. “It’s a privilege to play,” Workman said.
As a junior majoring in communications and minoring in media studies, Workman has maintained a 4.0 grade point average throughout his college career.
“Grades, going to class, and actually learning things that you can apply to your life way outside of sports [is important],” said Workman. “Baseball comes second.”
Workman receives the same amount of scholarships for both baseball and academics, therefore he devotes an equal amount of time to both activities.
His busiest day of the week is Tuesday. Workman wakes up around 9:00 a.m. to eat breakfast and catch up on any reading assignments for class.
Workman also enjoys reading sports articles and biographies of famous athletes in his spare time. “As a player I really like gaining information from guys that have already been there, and seeing how they dealt with stuff, ” he said.
The morning before a test Workman wakes up even earlier to memorize material for his exam. However, he is no stranger to an early morning routine.
During Workman’s off-season, between Nov. 1 and Jan. 1, he wakes up around 5:30 a.m. to run. “Your body gets used to getting up super early,” said Workman.
After breakfast, Workman goes to his first class, argumentation which lasts from 10:50 a.m. to 12:05 p.m.
Next, he takes a brisk walk over to his 12:15 p.m. Spanish class. Once his class ends at 1:05 p.m., Workman takes a 30-minute break to grab a snack from either the University Center or the cafeteria.
Workman’s last class of the day, old testament and prophets, begins at 1:40 p.m. After this class is over, Workman walks to his locker room, changes, and lifts weights from about 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
On days when the team has an away game, Workman misses his last class and leaves for the game, around midday on charter buses with the rest of his team.
Workman and his teammates spend their traveling time playing games and bonding. “Our road trips, I am going to remember those for as long as I live,” said Workman.
On a typical Tuesday, Workman’s practice starts around 4:20 p.m. and lasts until 6:45 p.m. After practice, he takes a shower and eats dinner. Then, he begins working on homework around 8:00 p.m.
Workman tries to go to bed by midnight after a long day of books and baseballs., “Anything over 6 hours I consider a win,” he said.
Workman is mindful of his time and devotes it to what he believes to be most important. “College gives you a great opportunity to grow, learn, and develop. You’ve got to take advantage of it not just on the field, but also in the classroom and stretch yourself to become a better person,” said Workman. “That’s the goal.”
Day in the Life: Derrick Workman
