A Day in the life of a Student-Athlete, Leader, Advocate… and More.
How Analise Kusleika Manages to Do it All
It’s six in the morning at the Graham Athletic Center. Everything is quiet and still, like it should be at this hour, except for the weight room on the lower level. The room crackles with popular rap and pop music as the Whittier College Women’s Volleyball team gets ready for their lift. Through the cacophohy of music and the clanking of weight machines, one voice stands out as the team finishes their warm-up and gets ready for a break. “Let’s go volleyball, let’s have a good lift today!”
Analise Kusleika’s voice echoes throughout the weight room and out to the hallway just outside of it. With that, just like all the other workouts, the volleyball team is ready for another morning lift. At 6' 2", with dark brown hair that’s being held back into a short ponytail for the morning workout, Kusleika would stand out regardless. But even if she wasn’t one of the tallest team members, her enthusiasm and energy make her the center of things as she high fives, cheers and supports her teammates while they workout.
After Kusleika finishes the moring lift, she showers and eats breakfast before heading to her two classes for the day: Environmental Science and Spanish 221. After class, she’ll have a short amount of time to catch up on homework, spend time with friends or take time for herself before her schedule begins to pick up.
Kusleika spends the afternoon at a meeting with the National Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) to discuss ideas on how to bring more awareness of the student athlete’s life and also to discuss rules and regulations across the collegiate athletic division in which Whitttier College competes. Then, she will meet with her academic advisor, professor Anne Sebanc, to discuss registering for next school year’s classes.
In the evening, Kusleika goes to track-and-field practice where she focuses on technique in her four field events: javelin, shot put, discus, and hammer throw. She then ends her day back in the Graham Athletic Center for volleyball practice. There she is continuing to learn a new position: Middle and Right Side hitter. After that, Kusleika will typically be back in her room at around 7:30. Her grueling schedule leaves just a bit of time to do school work at the library, or relax and prepare for the next day.
It’s a daunting schedule, one student-athletes trying to juggle sports, extracurriculars, studies, and some semblance of a life are familiar with. Somehow, Kusleika manages to navigate hers with a positive attitude, nonetheless.
Danielle Burrell, the school’s former Coordinator of Compliance and Student Athlete Success, has been a mentor and a supervisor for Kusleika during her first two years at Whittier College. During the 2023 spring semester, Kusleika applied for an internship under Burrell, along with her positions as co-president of Whittier College’s Student Athletic Advisor Committee and Poet Student Athlete Leadership Academy (PSALA), also administered by Burrell.
“She’s incredible,” Burrell says. “She’s a hard worker; she’s dedicated. If anything she may care too much. She is not only vocal about her student voice but about making sure student-athletes have a good experience. She’s very professional and I have no hesitation in looking to her as an athletic representative to speak well on behalf of the department if needed. She’s very articulate and very thoughtful.”
Leadership positions are not new to Kusleika who was the varsity volleyball captain and student body president her senior year at Claremont High School in Claremont, California. As Burrell noted, that experience has contributed to her ability to advocate for not only herself but others as well.
With Kusleika being SAAC co-president, she has helped organize events such as the 2023 Poet Pageant, intramural sports such as flag football, dodgeball, softball, and spike-ball, as well as helping put together the Special Olympics held in the beginning of April 2023. Kuleika continues to be involved in other community activities — such as being a member of Environmental Sustainability Club at Whittier College. Kusleika has also maintained an impressive 3.84 grade point average, with a double major in Child Development and Spanish.
Chris Duarte-McDermott, the head coach of volleyball at Whittier College since 2013, has coached Kusleika since she was 14 years old and recruited her to play for him at the collegiate level. Duarte-McDermott was an Assistant Coach at Texas A&M International University (2012) and Pasadena City College (2010–12). He has coached nine Poet volleyball players that were recognized by the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) for their athletic performance. In 2017, he coached the SCIAC Newcomer of the Year, Ashley Whittall, and two All-West Region selections, Makenzie Thieme & Rebecca Slattery.
“I think she’s a leader,” Duarte-McDermott says of Kuleika. “She’s a team player, I think she cares about this program just as much as I do, which is what you want to see in a player. She’s gifted and puts her work in the weight room.”
Given her bustling schedule and wealth of commitments, Kusleika sometimes forgets to put herself first. Taking a pause during the spring semester to ponder this, she admits, “I have a cyclical thing that I do where I build and build and build until I break. Then I have to gather all the pieces and start over again. I know I’m getting to a place where I need to stop or say no when I am not enjoying the things I usually enjoy doing. Or I’m sitting in my room and thinking about all the things I have to do.”
I have a cyclical thing that I do where I build and build and build until I break. Then I have to gather all the pieces and start over again.
Despite her desire to take on so much, Kusleika says she has to make sure she focuses on what’s most important to her. “I prioritize volleyball, school, things that have been consistent in my life always, family.” she says. “Then, something gets put on the back burner. Sleep fluctuates, sometimes I get five [hours], sometimes I get eight.”
It’s sometimes hard for Kusleika to attend to personal needs due to her work load. People may be used to seeing the enthusiastic, energetic, and cheerful athlete that loves and cares for others, but Kusleika is a real person, with all the vulnerabilities that go with being so. Like anyone else, Kusleika sometimes needs to speak with close friends or mentors and have an emotional-release therapy session, to reset and refocus.
The main concern others have for Kusleika has been the possibility of burning out from all she does. She likes taking on the responsibilities and being involved with what interests her, but it’s hard not to recognize her need to be invested into herself.
“I hope to see that she never loses her light, or gets so overwhelmed or stressed because she tries to do everything and be everybody’s hero,” says coach Duarte-McDermott. “That light that she has to light up a room and the ability to be infectiously dedicated doesn’t get extinguished because I believe that’s one of her super powers. And I hope that she enjoys the benefits of all the hard-work she’s put in.” Kusleika puts forth time and effort to be the best she can be and it’s hoped she can be proud of her accomplishments within her first two years.
With that Kusleika, will be going into her third year of college and there are high hopes for what she can contribute to the Whittier community. Both Burrell and Duarte-McDermott believe Kusleika has a bright future ahead and know she will contribute to society in a positive way. “Analise is a very good advocate,” says Burrell. “I know she wants to teach and coach, but I would love to see her do something in policy because she is so selfless and very vocal and you need that balance for people to make that big decision. But whatever she decides to do, she is going to be advocating for other people. That’s exciting for me because with the issues in the world today, you need someone that knows what they’re talking about while also putting the work in to support you.”
