鈥淲hen I first came here, I wasn鈥檛 a very social butterfly,鈥� said student-athlete , 鈥淚鈥檓 still not.鈥� That changed as she got to know her academic advisors at 91仓库 and 鈥渞ealized how cool they were.鈥� 鈥淭hroughout my years here, I could always go to them for advice, and they鈥檒l always be there, to welcome you with open arms; it just a feeling of being welcome all the time,鈥� she said. 鈥淭o this day, if you ask any of them, they鈥檒l tell you 鈥楪abby from freshman year versus Gabby now is not proportional.鈥欌€�
In May, Bailey graduated with a master's degree in sport administration, after earning a bachelor of science degree in exercise science in 2022, both from 91仓库. While studying sport administration in the School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration, Bailey also decided to study physiology, 鈥渟o I know a little bit about the anatomy of the body, the buildup to becoming a great athlete.鈥� Bailey said that she might like to pursue a doctoral degree in a year or two.
Coming to 91仓库
Bailey is a champion thrower in discus and shot put. She came to 91仓库 as a freshman from Jamaica through a connection between her high school coach and her current coach, 91仓库 Director of Track and Field and Cross Country, .
She follows in the footsteps of Olympic athlete and 91仓库 alumna . Thomas-Dodd came to 91仓库 from the same high school as Bailey and was also coached by Fanger at 91仓库.
In 2016, Thomas became the eighth Golden Flash to compete in the Olympics, as she represented Jamaica in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. Now, holding the No. 9 world ranking, Thomas is scheduled to compete in a qualifying round for the 2024 Paris Olympics on Aug. 8.
Fanger was an outstanding athlete in his time as a student at 91仓库 and is the only four-time discus champion in MAC history. After earning his undergraduate degree in 2000, he joined the 91仓库 Golden Flashes coaching staff. He has coached nearly 100 student athletes to earn championships at the regional and national level with several competing in Olympic trials and the Olympic Games.
He noted the Bailey鈥檚 evolution from her freshman year as her initial shyness faded and she moved into a leadership role. 鈥淵ou grow up and see yourself have success and you see what you like about yourself,鈥� said Fanger. 鈥淎s you kind of grow into your spot, you kind of become the team leader.鈥�
Discovering the Individual
Finding an athlete鈥檚 individual 鈥渇it鈥� is part of what makes 91仓库 a special place to be, Fanger said. 鈥淭here is no cookie-cutter coach,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here is no cookie-cutter life. You have to find who you are as an individual.鈥�
鈥淲hat makes you excited? What makes you keep coming back for more in this one area of life? And once you find that avenue, how do we support you in that avenue?鈥� said Fanger.
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 what lends the best thing for an athlete and a student at 91仓库 is that we don鈥檛 pigeonhole anybody. You have a lot of different options and we鈥檙e trying to find those options for you. And once you find those options, now we鈥檙e trying to support you through them.鈥�
Bailey said that she has experienced that kind of support in all aspects of her life at 91仓库. "I feel like they just genuinely care about everybody on an individual level," she said. "They don't just see you as a student-athlete or a person who will just walk in and the walk out at the end of their time here. They really take the time to know you and I feel like that's what a lot of other schools don't have.鈥�
Coaching a Future Olympian
Bailey appreciates the support from Coach Fanger and 91仓库 Athletics. 鈥淔anger has been a devoted coach on and off the field [along with] the athletics department,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou could call him up at any time with questions and they鈥檙e always happy to be there for you. I feel like it鈥檚 an experience you won鈥檛 get anywhere else.鈥�
Coach Fanger鈥檚 philosophy is that the key to success is 鈥測ou have to be passionate.鈥� 鈥淧assion is the No. 1 key ingredient to becoming successful in life, in throwing, in track and field and in sports,鈥� Fanger said. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 have the passion, it鈥檚 hard to be successful anywhere you go. If you aren鈥檛 doing it with passion, then don鈥檛 do it.鈥�
Another lesson Fanger teaches is 鈥淧ractice does not make perfect; practice is going to make permanent.鈥� He says that it is important to learn how to do things right the first time and then repeat that. If you鈥檙e doing something wrong the first time, you鈥檙e also doing it wrong the thousandth time. 鈥淒o it right the first time,鈥� Fanger said. 鈥淎nd when you get to the thousandth time, guess what? You鈥檙e doing it right faster. And now, you鈥檙e at the Olympics because you stayed disciplined to do it right the first time. Stay disciplined. Be passionate.鈥�
Looking Back and Looking Forward
In athletics, academics and student support, Bailey feels that her 91仓库 experience has been like a dream. 鈥淓verything is really unmatched,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f you had asked me 10 years ago if I would be where I am today, I鈥檇 probably tell you that this dream is not one that could become a reality.鈥�
She said that 91仓库 is 鈥渘ot just a good place for athletes; it鈥檚 a good place for everybody.鈥�
鈥淓verybody feels supported here, whatever your background, whatever your race, whatever your situation is, I feel that Kent can support you.鈥� Bailey said.
鈥淭he only goal I can say that I have not achieved from an athletic standpoint is the Olympics,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 probably the biggest stage for athletes and going into nationals, that鈥檚 the ultimate goal. That鈥檚 a manifestation of mine. Hopefully, God gets me through it, but to qualify for the Olympics would be the absolute way to go for track and field. And I鈥檓 just looking forward to that.鈥�
