Hit the Road – What Blue Dragon Athletes Do on Long Road Trips

By Gabe Perry
Staff writer
IG: gabep_24

When most people think of how juco athletes travel, they don’t think of plane rides.

NJCAA athletics are known for their long bus rides. These bus rides can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 10 hours.

“The longest bus ride I’ve had was two years ago. I was at my baseball academy in Columbia, South Carolina, and we drove to Miami, Florida for a three-game series,” redshirt freshman Reece Usselman said. “The drive was about 11 hours long and our (air conditioning) broke half way through so it was definitely a bit of a battle.”

Hutchinson Community College is a part of the Jayhawk Conference. The shortest bus ride from Hutchinson in the Jayhawk is to Pratt, coming in at one hour. The farthest in the Jayhawk Western Division is Colby, coming in at three and a half hours.

For softball and basketball, add 45 minutes for trips to Goodland.

So, what do these athletes do on these bus rides?

“On long bus rides, I like to listen to all my different playlists that have a mix of genres, it really depends on the vibe I’m in. I also take the time to catch up on homework and get things done while I have the chance,” said redshirt freshman volleyball player Tiana Simmons. “One of my favorite things, though, is talking with my international teammates. I love hearing about their lives back home and how different things are compared to being here in the states. It’s always super interesting and gives me a new perspective.”

These athletes definitely have to be able to be creative and find ways to kill time on these long bus rides.

“The teams I’ve been on over the years have gotten creative with how to kill time. My favorite thing to do is play ‘Mafia’ with the team,” Usselman said. “It’s hard to explain what the game is without going into detail but it involves everybody working together and having conversation to try and win”

The other big question that has to be answered is what athletes choose to eat on a road trip?

“My favorite snack is definitely white cheddar Cheez-Its or Cheez It Grooves,” Simmons said. “I don’t like eating anything sweet on buses because it makes me feel sick. I mainly focus on staying hydrated on bus rides especially if i’m about to go play.“

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