Danny Rowe ’12 has had an outstanding season for the University of New Hampshire’s football team. His impressive accomplishments this fall include being ranked seventh in the nation in forced fumbles and a career-high, thirteen-tackle game against San Jose State.
In addition to his success on the field, Mr. Rowe is very proud of his focus and drive in the classroom at UNH. He was recently informed by Williston’s Head Football Coach, Mark Conroy, that he was a semifinalist for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy, an honor awarded to the nation’s top football scholar-athlete.
Coach Conroy speaks very highly of Mr. Rowe: “Considering the young man I worked with for four years at Williston, I cannot say that I am surprised! During his time here, he took full advantage of every opportunity, both on the playing field and in the classroom. He is a wonderful role model for young scholar athletes. His nomination recognizes everything we would hope to see in a graduate: leadership, citizenship, and a strong academic record.”
We were fortunate to speak with Mr. Rowe over the past few weeks. His busy schedule has him booked from 6 a.m. to midnight on most weekdays, but he was able to carve out some time to speak with us about his nomination after reading to at-risk youth who live around UNH’s campus.
When did you start taking athletics and academics seriously?
Since elementary school because my mom always talked to me about having a good academic record. Good grades were a staple in my life because my mom encouraged me to always give my best, and it was around the same time that I started to enjoy athletics. I started running track in third grade and from there, I picked up football and basketball.
What would you consider to be your biggest accomplishment in football?
That is a tough question. The Campbell Award is quite an honor, but I am also proud of being one of only a few true freshmen to ever play at UNH. I have been a Colonial Athletic Association Scholar three times and I was All-New England twice at Williston; it is tough to choose because I am proud of them all. I was shocked when Coach Conroy texted me about the Campbell Award, but it is nice to see that all of my hard work on the field and in the classroom is being recognized.
Who inspires you to be at your best on the field and in the classroom?
My mom, definitely. I never wanted to let her down, and I didn’t want to let myself down either. I saw how successful she was, and I wanted to emulate that. She always motivated me to become a better student with positive reinforcement. If I feel any pressure, it is because I put it on myself because I just want to be the best I can be. I wanted the highest level of academics too, so when I went into the real world I wouldn’t have any trouble finding a job.
How do you manage your high academic standards and such a demanding athletic schedule?
Basically, my free life is gone. I wake up at 6 a.m. for a 7 a.m. team lift. From 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. I attend classes before heading to the trainer for treatment. I eat lunch at noon and then head to team meetings to watch film at 2 p.m. Then the team trains until around dinner time, and after dinner I just focus on my homework until 11 p.m. or midnight. I just repeat that schedule for most of the week and then the weekend is dedicated to the game.
The off-season is not much different. We have a little more free time in the afternoon, but I never really stop. I am always working on bettering my craft as an athlete and as a student. What many people don’t realize is that you have to put in extra time in order to better your craft, not just the time that they [teachers or coaches] require you to be there.
You sacrifice the weekend and weekday fun, but to me it is not really a sacrifice. I do socialize with my teammates a lot, but an hour or two just sitting around and doing nothing is not really a sacrifice. I would rather put my mind to work, which is going to benefit me and put myself in a better position in the overall picture. The real sacrifice is when I don’t do anything to better myself.
What are some keys to your success?
The main reason for my success is my internal drive, wanting to be the best I can be at a certain thing. When I step into a classroom, I may not know the material well because the class is not in my major, but I want to be my best so I can do as well as possible. The same is true on the football field. I am a competitor on the field, but I am also a competitor in the classroom. I don’t compete against other students, but I compete against myself. If I get an 80% on a test, for example, then I try for an 85% or 90% on the next one instead of just settling for the grade that I got.
What is the best advice you were ever given?
My mom told me if you sit there, pay attention, ask the appropriate questions, and go to extra help, then there is no reason for you not to understand the material. So I just took that approach my entire life. I pride myself for being proactive, going to teachers, doing the work, focusing in class and learning the material, and so far, after 21 years of my life, it has been working.
How did your experience at Williston make you a stronger student-athlete?
What I learned at Williston is that you have apply yourself. You have to be the enforcer in your own life and that will determine how you’re going to turn out. Do you want to be great, or do you want to do the minimum just to pass? For me, I have always wanted to be at the top, the champion, not average. If you apply yourself at Williston you know you’re going to be successful after Williston because it is was such a great school. I just applied the skills that I learned at Williston to UNH. That was one of the factors that my college coach noticed when I arrived on campus; I was already mature and that is why I had the opportunity to play as a true-freshman.
What can current students at Williston learn from your experience? What advice would you give them?
Be a competitor on and off of the field and don’t settle for being average. Try to be the best you can be, and always compete with yourself to achieve as much as possible. If you’re successful at Williston, you can guarantee yourself that you will be successful after Williston.