March 3, 2009

 

Shoshanna Brown, a senior Huskie track and field athlete, took some time away from her class and practice schedule to talk with NIUHuskies.com about roller coasters, Nefertiti, and being from Jamaica.

NIUHuskies.com: Tell us something about you few people know.
Shoshanna Brown: I came here when I was nine. I live here with my dad but my mom’s still in Jamaica. I go back every two years.

NIU: What’s your biggest fear?
SB: Heights. Being on roller coasters, and skyscrapers. I don’t like that feeling.

NIU: You’re a senior, so what are you plans for after graduation?
SB: I’m probably going to be here for another year working with Coach Teaberry and the junior girls. I want to train with them and see how they do their senior year. While I’m doing that, I’ll take some classes and prerequisites for PT (physical therapy) school.

NIU: What are you goals for the season?
SB: Make it to NCAA Regionals. I want to have my personal best reach at least 43 in triple jump and I’m striving for 20 in long jump.

NIU: What’s your favorite food?
SB: Jamaican food. I love that. I probably would have to go with curry chicken and rice or jerk chicken and rice. As long as it has some rice and some chicken, we’re all good.

NIU: How did you get started in track and field?
SB: My step mom used to do track in high school in Jamaica. She was like “You should go out for the track team” and I was like “No, I hate running.” So, one day I just showed up for practice and never left. I didn’t know I was good in jumps until the end of my sophomore year at conference actually. My coach said “I’m going to put you in this and see how you do,” and I ended up winning both long and triple, so it was pretty good. I think practiced it once before that meet.

NIU: What do you want to be doing in 10 years?
SB: I want to be a wellness person. I don’t know the real title for. Cardiovascular disease is a number one killer and I want to be the person that helps prevent that. I know physical therapy is the aspect of when you get hurt. I want people come see me because they want to be well and insurance will pay for it. Until a job like that exists, I have to find my way somewhere else. Prevention is better than cure.

NIU: What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten from Coach Teaberry?
SB: Believe in yourself. Even if nobody else does.

NIU: Who’s your hero?
SB: It would have to be, not one specific person, but my friends because they keep me on a good path. I’m not around my family a lot so I depend more on them for support. I look up to them and they keep me rolling.

NIU: What’s your most annoying habit?
SB: I’m a procrastinator. That’s very annoying. I would say in schoolwork, I wait until the last minute because I feel like I work better under pressure, but that’s a mind thing.

NIU: What do you consider the best part of being a division I student-athlete?
SB: The support that we get from the university and our coaches. I always wonder if I was regular student if I would be this organized. I don’t think I would. I would have all this time on my hands I would be like "I’ll just study tomorrow." But because you have track and other stuff everything has to go in a specific order or you just never get anything done.

NIU: If you stop at a gas station on a road trip, what do buy?
SB: Flaming Hots with Doritos. Probably a Snickers, a Raspberry Ice Tea or a Snapple.

NIU: What TV show are you addicted to?
SB: Grey’s Anatomy. I love it, I don’t know why but I just love it.

NIU: Who would you most like to meet from history?
SB: I don’t think I have a logical reason why I want to meet her but Queen Nefertiti. I would just want to talk to someone from Egypt because they seem pretty cool.

NIU: What actress would play you in a movie about your life?
SB: Angela Basset. I like the Return of Tina Turner. She did How Stella Got Her Grove Back, so she’s pretty diverse.

NIU: What do you consider your biggest athletic accomplishment?
SB: My improvement. I have improved a lot over the last four years, first as a walk-on and now as one of our top athletes, I think I’ve came a very long way.

NIU: What are you hobbies?
SB: Listening to music and talking on the phone excessively, but mostly listening to music because it calms me.

NIU: So you’re a music buff, what’s on your iPod?
SB: Right now Beyonce is winning because she just came out with an album, but Alicia Keys and artists like that.

NIU: If you could be on one reality TV show, what would it be?
SB: Survivor. I’d like to know out there what kind of instincts would kick in being without a lot of stuff. I know I’m from an island but we still have our basic needs. Put me in Africa somewhere where there is a lion staring at me and see what I’d do, I’d probably freak out.

NIU: Shoshanna, Thanks for your time!
SB: Thank you!