Q&A With Alex Schultz
11/28/2008 7:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 28, 2008
By Kelli Jordan, Athletics Media Relations Staff
Maryland senior Alex Schultz is in his third season with the Terps after transferring from Towson in 2005. The Gretna, La., product has served as a valuable reserve for the team at Mike linebacker. He recently sat down with Terps Gameday to discuss the transition from Louisiana to Maryland, Hurricane Katrina and his most memorable experience as a Terrapin student-athlete.
Gameday: What would you say is the most exciting part about playing football?
Alex Schultz: "I would probably have to say going out on the field with over 50,000 people. Back when I was in high school we had large crowds but nothing as big as this, obviously. It's really exciting to have all that loud noise around you and playing in front of a bunch of people on TV."
GD: If you had to use one word to describe coach Ralph Friedgen, what would it be and why?
AS: "I would say `persistent' because he has a clearly-defined goal and he never lets go of it. He will push you and everyone else as hard as he can because he doesn't want anyone to fall behind. He wants everyone to want it as bad as him."
GD: How would you describe your transition from living in Louisiana to attending college in Maryland?
AS: "I use to live in Maryland until I was about eight and then I moved down to Louisiana. It was probably an easier transition because even though the people were different, I think it was a benefit for me. Coming out of high school in Louisiana, one of the reasons why I wanted to get out of there is because I felt I couldn't focus well down there. It didn't seem like a place where I wanted to spend the rest of my life. I wanted to try something different. This is what I have been looking for, and it has really helped me for the better."
GD: What have been the effects of Hurricane Katrina on your hometown of Gretna, La.?
AS: "It was one of the roughest times for me and my family. It was really hard for me because I was up here while my family was suffering down there. Actually, I couldn't use my phone for a while because I have a Louisiana area code and the phone lines were down there, so I couldn't make calls to people while I was up here. My father was out of a job for a couple of months, and I had to live off food stamps and [Federal Emergency Management Agency] money. It was really rough. We were more fortunate than other people. We just got a lot of wind damage - we didn't get much flooding. And my father, who has his own medical practice, was able to save all his charts. He kept all of them with him when he left town, so he was able to pick up the business pretty fast. It was a really crazy experience, and definitely something I will never forget. I think it has helped to make me a lot stronger knowing that everything can just disappear in a matter of seconds. I have learned not to take anything for granted."
GD: How do you envision your life 30 years from now?
AS: "It's something I keep asking myself, especially around this time, because this is the time when you need to start thinking about it. But I have got it narrowed down to a few options. When I was young I wanted to be a doctor, but I now have started to explore more things, like a career as a physician's assistant, and also maybe one day managing my own medical practice, similar to what my father does. Recently I have thought about the idea of coaching because I have a big passion for football, and life without it is hard to imagine. I just pray to God about it, and I just have to wait and see what he has in store for me. I keep my eyes, heart and mind open to everything, and I try to listen to what my calling is in life."
GD: Do you have any game day rituals? Are you superstitious in any way?
AS: "I wouldn't say I am very superstitious, but I do pray a lot before the games. Sometimes I like to read the Competitor's Creed. It's like a motto for FCA, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I am in FCA. The first person I heard it from was my former teammate, Sam Hollenbach. It is a motivational prayer, and it really sets me on fire. That and just a lot of praying and focusing. That's all I do, nothing really to superstitious."
GD: What is your most memorable experience as a student-athlete at Maryland?
AS: "As an athlete, going down to Disney World for the first time would be my most memorable experience because that was something that all my friends had done that I had yet to experience. Just going out there and having free passes to do everything made me feel like a kid again. It was amazing. That is something I will cherish for the rest of my life. It makes me want to go back there again."
GD: If you could choose any actor to play you in a movie, who would it be and why?
AS: "Jim Carey. Definitely. Without a question. He's my favorite actor. Man, that guy is so funny. I feel like I have a lot in common with him. Except I am a little heavier than him, he is a little skinny. But he has very similar humor to me. Or maybe I should say I have similar humor to him, because he is the master of comedy."
