Foot Locker | Judges

College: University of California, Berkeley, B.A., Corporate Finance
Sport: American cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles; previously played for the Oakland Raiders
How has earning a college degree made you into an even stronger athlete?
Earning a college degree has made me into an even stronger athlete because it taught me that discipline and perseverance are essential to achieving any goals I set for myself, not only in the class room, or on the football field, but in all aspects of my life. Earning my college degree has been the single most important accomplishment in my life so far.

College: Dartmouth College
Sport: Played 18 years in MLB with the San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros & Los Angeles Dodgers
How has earning a college degree made you into an even stronger athlete?
For me, college isn't solely about the classroom education. It is equally as important to gain the social education that is inherent with the undergraduate experience. As a college student, a person is exposed to people of different backgrounds, views and practices. These experiences were invaluable in baseball. Players from all parts of the world are put together to form an MLB team. College helped teach me how to work well with such a diverse group. Oh, and those Spanish language courses helped tremendously.

College attended: University of Wisconsin
Sport: Track and Cross Country
How has earning a college degree made you into an even stronger athlete?
Discipline / Determination / Goal Setting all enhanced

College attended: US Air Force Academy, B.S.; Harvard Business School, M.B.A.; Oxford University, DPhil
Sport: Air Force Falcon football
How has your sport helped you refine your skills as a leader?
Upon arriving at the US Air Force Academy several years ago, we were told to memorize this quote by General Douglass MacArthur: “On the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that on other days and on other fields will bear the fruits of victory.” I may have repeated those lines over 500 times as a cadet, but it wasn’t until later in life I truly appreciated what playing a sport did for me. I thought a high school football state championship—in Texas no less –and starting on the Air Force Falcon football team as an Academic All-American served as the pinnacle of athletics influence in my life. I was wrong. Not a day goes by that I don’t draw upon the discipline, teamwork, attention to detail, mental toughness, endurance and perspective I learned “on the fields of friendly strife.” I could not have served my country as an officer in Afghanistan, led non-profits, excelled as a young business executive nor run Hampden-Sydney College as one of America’s youngest presidents without the lessons sport taught me.

College attended: UC Berkeley, B.A.; Yale School of Drama, M.F.A.
Sport: Portrayed a basketball star on Love & Basketball
How has earning a college degree made you into a stronger leader in your community?
My college education helped give me the tools to navigate the life that I’m living. Learning a discipline, having the structure of sticking to a schedule, working with others in class and out of class helped me be the professional that I am today.

College attended: University of California, Los Angeles
Sport: Portrays a gymnast on the TV show Make It or Break It
How has earning a college degree made you into a stronger leader in your community?
I think one of the greatest assets that I've gained from my college degree is a strong work ethic and strict discipline. Working as a full time actress and college student, time was always limited so I had to discipline myself to get things done. Focus was key and giving up was never option. My college degree also taught me how to perform under pressure, which has always helped me as an athlete. A person can have all the talent in the world, but if they crack under pressure, the game is over. I was a communications major at UCLA and it sounds funny, but the skills that I learned in the classroom have improved my athletic skills as well. I have a better understanding of team dynamics and group relationships. A team that is in sync is unstoppable even if they may not be the most talented. My college degree is priceless. I am a better person, actress, and athlete because of it.

College: Dartmouth College
Sport: Triathlon
How has earning a college degree made you into an even stronger athlete?
I have always enjoyed and love competing in sports, but for me achieving a college degree was just as important. During college I majored in history and planned on becoming a high school history teacher before my career in triathlon took off. Now that I am racing triathlons full time I have been able to travel the world and see all of the history that I studied in college.

College:UC Santa Barbara, Los Angeles Pierce College, and the University of Southern California
Sport:Pitcher for the San Francisco Giants; previously played with Oakland Athletics
Brief bio:
Barry Zito is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. Zito played collegiately at UC Santa Barbara, Los Angeles Pierce College and the University of Southern California. In 1999, he was drafted by the Oakland Athletics with the ninth pick of the first round.