The Averett football season has come to an end and 12 Cougars were honored with conference awards for their performance on the field while senior Kasiem Black was honored with an academic conference award for his hard work in the classroom.

Black holds a 3.83-grade point average vouches for his receiving of this award. He started all ten games for the Cougars and found a balance between having fun and locking in on assignments. 

“Some advice I’d give to student-athletes is to understand your priorities. There are times where you can be on the scene and enjoy everything that college has to offer, but there’s also a time to lock in and do what you’re paying to go here for.” 

Over the course of a semester, things can get hectic for a student-athlete going from classes, workouts, and then practices. It will take a toll without proper management. Black speaks about his time-management and somethings that helped him along the way. 

“If you’re a struggling student or student-athlete, I have a few tips for you.  The first thing I’d tell them is to write everything down in several locations. This can be a planner, your phone or a whiteboard calendar. The more you see your assignments the less you can push it off. I would also encourage them to understand what they struggle in and don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are professors and tutors out there that are willing to help. The last thing I would say is believe in yourself and your ability. It all starts from within.” 

Black is a history major and is looking forward to student-teaching in the spring as he gets ready to graduate and enter the real world. 

Congratulations!  Kasiem and best of luck after graduation.