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‘It’s definitely a lot of hard work’: What it’s like dating student athletes

February 14, 2019
Senior elementary education major Jessica Line (right) and redshirt junior forward Kenny Goins (left) pose for a photo together. Photo courtesy of Jessica Line.
Senior elementary education major Jessica Line (right) and redshirt junior forward Kenny Goins (left) pose for a photo together. Photo courtesy of Jessica Line. —

Athletes are known to have overloaded schedules as they balance sports and school along with daily activities. Throw a relationship into the mix and some would fear that it would be overwhelming, but for others, it is a support system worth having.

Being in a relationship with an athlete can be complex due to traveling, time and school. However, for Alexis Downie, Rachel Hyams and Jessica Line, love is worth the added pressure. 

Journalism senior Downie met her boyfriend, junior offensive tackle Cole Chewins, through a friend her freshman year at Michigan State. After reaching out to him again over the summer, they began dating and have now been together for over two years. 

“In the beginning, it was tough because I didn’t know his schedule and I didn’t want to be prying at him and be like, ‘Oh, so what’s football today and what time are you done?’” Downie said.


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Journalism junior Hyams also met her boyfriend, senior punter Jake Hartbarger, while in school. They have been together since October 2016.

Elementary education senior Line met redshirt junior forward Kenny Goins when she was in middle school. They began dating their senior year of high school and have been together over five years.

Despite the large amount of responsibility that a sport requires, each couple has managed to find their own balance.

“It’s definitely a lot of hard work in the sense that you have to realize that he is involved in a major time commitment and respect it as well,” Hyams said. “Throughout our relationship we’re both encouraging each other and uplifting each other through any situation that we’re going through and, through him being an athlete, I think it’s helped my perspective when it comes to communication and putting my all in certain things.”


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Being understanding of the demands of being an athlete helps the couples balance their schedules.

“If you don’t understand their athletic demands and how much time that they put into the sport, then I don’t know why you would date the person, because it’s a part of who they are,” Downie said. “You just have to be understanding and supportive of them and ... as a sports journalism major, I get it. I know the life that he’s in. So, it works out pretty nicely.”

Support is a major aspect of sports relationships. Downie, Hyams and Line can each be found cheering on their significant others at all home games — and sometimes even away games.

“It’s really fun being able to experience what he’s doing right now with the basketball team with him. I get to spend so much time with his family and I travel a lot with his family to away games when I can, so that’s always been fun for us to experience,” Line said. “This is his dream and I’m able to experience it with him, so overall … being able to be by his side throughout his journey would be my favorite thing.”

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