Faith Starnes: From basketball to rec sports

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Faith Starnes is one of the University of Dallas’ most hard working student leaders, who sets a fantastic example for all of her peers.

Starnes, currently a senior theology major, is particularly thankful for the education and the comradery present at the school, saying that “each person I met at UD really has positively impacted me and set me on the right path after graduating.” 

Starnes played basketball during freshman year with the intent to stick with it for all four years, but decided against this as she believes that she would not have been able to take advantage of the many “spiritual or social opportunities” that UD offers. 

Starnes understood that although she would thoroughly miss playing sports, the choice to leave basketball would in the end be fruitful for her in every avenue of her life. 

This choice led to Starnes becoming a Recreational Sports intern for UD. She pointed out that “this position allowed me to still be surrounded by sports, which I have always loved, in addition to providing others with the same opportunity.”

Starnes has maintained the job as a Rec Sports intern for two years, believing that the many athletes present at this university would have no avenue to do what they loved without intramurals. Intramurals “allows them to still compete and have fun doing it.” 

Starnes said that the most difficult and rewarding part of her job was managing rec sports during COVID-19. She pointed out that since this was a new challenge, she couldn’t “look back on any work someone has done, but instead had to rely on my own ideas to try and attract students to still participate in intramurals.”

Even in the face of this daunting task, Starnes was still able to keep rec sports alive “even amidst the insanity COVID brought.”

In addition, Starnes served as Charity Week co-chair with Damien Walz in 2020. She said “being co-chair made me realize how much I loved being involved on campus and making connections with people.” 

She and Walz led UD to a record-setting and exciting Charity Week, navigating the challenges of the tradition with grace and agility. 

Starnes is grateful for the year she spent playing basketball, recalling some of her fondest memories. At her first home game of the season, she came off the bench to score 16 points, feeling that she had something to prove. 

Starnes also recalled her favorite memory of intramural sports which was winning the indoor volleyball championship last year. She believes that these opportunities for intramural sports are a necessity and must be further progressed and improved by the incoming classes. 

Starnes hopes to carry sports with her into the future, as she intends to be a teacher and a coach. 

Starnes hopes to be like her own coaches and be a “transformative and a good role model” for the athletes she will encounter. 

Starnes not only has her heart on her sleeve when it comes to basketball, but also when it comes to academics, friends, and her faith. We should strive to replicate Starnes’ work ethic as well as her kindness as we attempt to challenge ourselves every single day.

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