During Black History Month, App State Athletics is highlighting some of the accomplishments and perspectives of student-athletes who strive to make a difference.
Daye Talley is a junior exercise science major and is part of the women's track and field team's sprints squad. Competing on the men's track and field team and specializing in the sprints is junior
Deuce Crawford, who is a cybersecurity and CIS major.
Who would you say your most influential role models/mentors have been?
Talley: Well, I just think any Black woman that is in sports right now, they've all been a role model to me just looking up to them and seeing the barriers they've broken and the opportunities they created. Personally, at App State, one of my former teammates,
Taylor Smith, has influenced me. She just showed me a lot of leadership and helped motivate me while she was here.
Crawford: I guess all the past African Americans, like leaders, all these athletes that set a path for us to follow and to be better than, honestly. More notable athletes like Nigel Wilkins. He was like a big brother to me. He mentored me, told me to lead by example and to always look at the positives rather than the negatives.
How did you get into doing track and field?
Talley: It's actually funny, I was at PE in school, and we were just running or doing a fitness test, and my PE teacher said you should come out to track practice, and I was like 'I don't want to,' but I went and it was the hardest thing I've ever done. It was the hardest thing I've ever done and I thought 'OK, I don't want to go back,' but I decided to go back. After that, I thought, 'I can do this and it was fun,' and I've been running since then.
Crawford: I was mainly recruited by App State to play football, and I used track as a way to stay in shape. I didn't think I would be running track in college.
What's your favorite track and field event to compete in?
Talley: Honestly, probably the 200 meters. It's right in the middle of 400 meters and 100 meters and it's the perfect length where it's not too long and not too short.
Crawford: I like the shorter stuff, but I can run as long as the 400 meters. My favorite event would probably be the 100 meters. I say the 100 and 60, but I also like the 4x100-meter relay, just because you feel like everyone's watching, so you get a little bit of an adrenaline rush each time.
What brought you to App State?
Talley: Honestly, just the environment and atmosphere. It's a change from what I'm used to, but it's a positive change. It's making me try new things and see new things. I've never really been to the mountains and stayed in the mountains before and it's definitely nice. I love it.
Crawford: The atmosphere. I come from Lynchburg, Va., but we're like 20 minutes away from mountains, but Boone, you had to come up a mountain to get here. I like the scenery and atmosphere — it was a change. Then, of course, Coach McLean. I wasn't supposed to run track in college, but I started running fast my senior year of high school. I ended up beating the state record in the 55 meters, and my coach reached out to him and he reached back. I had a couple calls with him, and then he offered me a scholarship and he said he trusted that when I got here, I'd get better.
What do you want your legacy to be?
Talley: I just want people to remember me bringing a positive energy to everything that I'm doing. I want to be someone who is uplifting others and supporting other people not just an athlete, but in everything that I do, and just be someone that truly cares for everybody around me. I just want people to be like, 'That's a very nice person.'
Crawford: I don't want to be remembered as just someone that ran fast or broke records or just some student-athlete. I want to be remembered as someone that was involved on campus, cared about others and just was a leader and set the standard for those coming after me. I'm involved with King's Round Table, a group that meets every Sunday, just Black men talking about discussions around campus, news, all that stuff. I'm also a part of BSA, which is the Black Student Association.
What does Black History Month mean to you?
Talley: It's just recognizing everyone that came before me and the achievements that they had in the sacrifices that they made, the resilience that they showed to create a path that I can follow and have people to look up to and carry their legacy forward and never forgetting that they had such a huge impact on our lives and where we are today. It's just recognizing that bringing attention to it.
Crawford: It's a time to remember all the achievements and accomplishments of the past African Americans in American society.
