Raucous crowds, rivalry games, fans going bananas crazy—what isn’t there to love about college basketball? Virtually any serious high school basketball player would jump at the opportunity to be a member of a Division I NCAA basketball team. A Big Ten regular season and tournament championship, a second consecutive trip to the Final Four and a spot in the NCAA National Championship may seem like a dream come true to some. For me, it is.
My name is Matt Ferris, and I’m a redshirt sophomore walk-on on the Wisconsin Badgers basketball team.
Two years after head coach Bo Ryan gave me the opportunity of a lifetime to join the team as a walk-on, The Daily Cardinal has given me the unprecedented opportunity to share my story.
After spending approximately 45 seconds debating my college choice, I ultimately decided to commit to Coach Ryan. Two rings and a mountain of memories later, I have no question I made the best decision of my life.
If you’ve read up to this point so far, I guess I’ll explain myself. I’m writing this column for a variety of reasons. One is to share my experiences as a redshirt. I still travel with the team, participate in practice and basically do everything the same as the other guys, with the exception of suiting up for games. In return, I’m able to spend an extra year in college. And who doesn’t want that?
Secondly, I have a unique perspective that I’m excited to share with you. Many view college or professional sports teams solely with an outside lens, focusing on how the media portrays the team.
Instead, with this column, I’ll be able to explain firsthand the intricacies of the team. From funny stories to features on specific players and whatever else you guys would like to read about.
Along with the prestigious perks of being a member of the team, there are also numerous obstacles that non-athlete college students are oblivious to. Both the highs and the lows will be covered as I do my best to communicate the life of a student athlete here on campus.
I’m open to any suggestions that you, the loyal readers of The Daily Cardinal, have to offer. You can tweet me, email me, Snap me, snail mail me, Facebook chat me or however else you’d like to contact me with any ideas.
Well, I think I ran out of space to write words. I’m looking forward to spending my time with you for the rest of the season. Stay tuned for my next column profiling Aaron Moesch: man or myth?
Walk-On, Wisconsin,
Matt Ferris
