Zoe Simmons Oral History Interview, February 3, 2022

Partial Transcript: Can you paint a picture of what your life looked like growing up?

Segment Synopsis: Simmons was born and grew up in a town in Colorado. She talks about the time she spent participating in many sports and spending time outside with her mom, dad and younger brother.

Partial Transcript: What was your relationship like with athletics growing up?

Segment Synopsis: Simmons talks about her experience being involved in sports from a young age. A primary sport she did growing up was soccer, but in middle school she started doing cross country and track, fell in love with running, and has been pursuing it ever since.

Partial Transcript: Who are important people in your life in supporting your running career?

Segment Synopsis: Family has played an import role in both developing Simmon's passion for running (especially her dad and aunt who are also runners) and supporting her during the recent years of her running career. Simmons talks about the fundamental role her middle and high school cross country coaches also played in developing her love for running and in creating who she is as a runner today. Finally, she speaks about the coaches she has on the OSU Women's Cross Country team now and the supportive role her team has played throughout different parts of her running career.

Partial Transcript: How did the process of applying to college look different for you than for other students who are not athletes?

Segment Synopsis: Simmons talks about her unique, non-traditional story of joining the OSU Women's Cross Country team. She chose OSU solely because she enjoyed the campus and because it offered her major and planned to run for fun in college. But after joining the OSU Running Club, she met some girls who planned to try out for the OSU Women's Cross Country team, decided to try out herself, and walked on during the winter term of her freshman year. This experience has allowed her to maintain two different social circles.

Partial Transcript: What are you studying and does it have anything to do with running?

Segment Synopsis: Simmons discusses her field of study, kinesiology with the pre physical therapy track, and her hopes of attending physical therapy school after undergrad. Kinesiology is important to her because she has personally experience a lot of physical therapy for her own running injuries and this field of study gives her the opportunity to connect more with trainers on the Cross Country team because she knows what they are talking about.

Partial Transcript: Can you describe a year of being part of a collegiate cross country team?

Segment Synopsis: A year consisting of summer training, fall cross country, winter break training, winter indoor track and spring outdoor track is described for a collegiate cross country athlete.

Partial Transcript: What does a typical day look like for a college athlete at OSU, specifically a runner?

Segment Synopsis: Simmons walks through her daily life consisting of waking up, eating breakfast, going to class, visiting the trainer if needed, going to practice Tuesday-Friday from 11am-1:30pm (a welcome adjustment from morning or after school practices in high school), doing weights twice a week, eating, showering, then doing homework either at home or in the training room. Monday and Saturday practice is done on their own and Sunday is a long run off campus.

Partial Transcript: Can you describe what it's like being on a team and the OSU team specfically?

Segment Synopsis: The dynamic of the OSU Women's cross country team is discussed from attentive coaches and supportive staff, a supportive group of 25 teammates, and being treated as a student first.

Partial Transcript: Do you have anything you want to share about being a female athlete?

Segment Synopsis: Being around so many strong female student athletes feels empowering and motivating. Not having a men's team actually breeds less drama and gives her and her teammates more focus from the coach.

Partial Transcript: Describe the racing experience

Segment Synopsis: This marks Simmon's first year being healthy enough to race. She describes the experience of racing in a pack during a cross country race and traveling to get to meets. A discussion about how competition differs from the OSU Running Club compared to the team follows.

Partial Transcript: How has being a student athlete expanded your opportunities compared to a "regular" student?

Segment Synopsis: First, Simmons explains the extra support, resources and opportunities student athletes have at OSU and how being a student athlete has made her more involved on campus. She then explains how scholarships work on the Women's Cross Country team and her personal scholarship situation and 'Name, Image and Likeliness.' Then, she discusses balancing life as an athlete, a student, and her social life.

Partial Transcript: Has being a collegiate athlete changed your relationship with running?

Segment Synopsis: Simmons explains how her relationship with running at this stage in life and on the OSU team specifically have strengthened her relationship with running.

Partial Transcript: Do you plan to run in graduate school/Physical therapy school? What goals do you have academically and running-wise after undergrad?

Segment Synopsis: Simmons outlines her plan regarding academics and running for life after undergrad. She ends the interview by giving a lasting idea about what being a student athlete means to her and how it has enriched her life.