Day in the Life: Athlete at University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy

Dresden Robers Year in School: Freshman (Class of 2028

Major: Pre-Pharmacy

Years Playing Rugby: 9

Position in Rugby: Center

Photo Credit - Dresden Robers, UHSP Rugby

Why did you choose your school?

UHSP is a school full of promise. With pharmacy as my chosen career path, UHSP just made the most sense. It is home to one of the oldest and most prestigious pharmacy schools in the country - St Louis College of Pharmacy. I value my education and future opportunities on and off the rugby field and wanted to attend a university that

would reflect that. This environment of academic rigor and history of success, as well as the opportunity to be a part of building a rugby program from the ground up made choosing UHSP easy.

What was your process of being recruited?

Being recruited was a fun and family-like experience. Coach Peter scouted me my junior year at the Tropical 7s tournament in Tampa, FL. From then on he was in touch: making sure I was having opportunities to play and demonstrate my skills before he officially sent me an offer mid-way through my senior year of high school. I

came down to St Louis and toured the school, spending a night with the players and joining a practice. I liked what I saw in the school and rugby program and felt that I could have an impact on the future of the program while being a part of a close knit family of players and coaches.

What are your favorite parts about being a member of the rugby program?

The bonds formed on a rugby team are truly something special. Maybe a little corny to say, but we are a brotherhood. Even though we are all from different places, we get along better than most real families. Most of us are roomed together, which pushes this brotherhood to the next level. Life or death, these guys will be there for you.

What are your favorite parts about being a student at your school?

It's not very often you can have a one-on-one meeting with your professor at a college, if at all, but here you are encouraged to. The school's size makes it feel like you are not just another number. If you have a bad grade on an exam, we are encouraged to schedule a one-on-one meeting with the professor and to examine our study techniques and materials to see what can be done to ensure success next time. Struggling to study or prepare for an exam? Go to study times set up by the professors or taught by past students who have been successful in the course! These things can only be done if your school is small enough and cares enough to provide an individually tailored experience for you.

How do you balance schoolwork and rugby?

I'm not going to lie; it is a full schedule with practice and or lifting every day on top of school. You can easily fall behind on your classwork if you don't balance everything right. That being said, we make grades a top priority in our rugby program and even dedicate 2 hours for study hall every Sunday morning to ensure everyone is up to date with class work and getting what they need to do. The school has a fantastic study place in the library; you can even book your private study room for yourself or a group of friends. This, along with study sessions for each class being held weekly by peers, makes it almost what could be an easy fate of drowning in work nearly impossible (as long as you put the work in). We also have an amazing team manager, former rugby player, and pharmacy student who helps us learn life and academic skills to keep our grades up and will even help tutor you if you're struggling.

What does a typical day and/or week look like for you?

I usually wake up 15 minutes before my first class, scramble to brush my teeth, and get ready before walking less than 5 minutes to Jones Hall, where my first class begins at 9 am and ends at 10 am. With an hour to spare between my first and second classes, I will either take a well-earned 30-45-minute nap or do a post-class assignment while the subject is still fresh in my mind. 11-12 am is the second class block of the day, with lunch right around the corner. The afternoon is usually class from 1-2 pm and practice from 3-5, and from then on, I will either be doing homework or hanging with friends.

What’s the biggest challenge about playing rugby at your school?

While we may be low on numbers, that doesn't stop us from improving and growing. Instead, it strengthens the numbers we do have in a more focused environment and makes us a better fit to grow together. This has developed into a habit of looking for good elite players from my hometown and scholars to join this rugby family.

Besides rugby, what else are you involved in on campus?

As a freshman student-athlete with a full schedule of rugby and pre-pharmacy classes, I’m not super involved on campus outside of building my rugby team. With our student body at UHSP being mostly athletes, I get to experience attending all the other sporting events and supporting my peers at school. UHSP plays pretty much everything but football, so there’s a lot to watch. In the future, I am looking forward to joining clubs like the pre-pharmacy club and FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes).

Is there anything else you’d like to share with a high school player who is interested in your school?

‘Together’ means everything to us, both on and off the pitch. We live in the heart of St Louis, where there are great restaurants, the beautiful Forest Park within walking distance, and even a free zoo. Our coaches and managers will literally move mountains for us to make us better players and students. At UHSP, we are all in it together, so getting help and studying is as easy as talking to your buddy in the same class. On top of all this, we have really nice dorms compared to what I saw at other colleges. School Website: https://www.uhsp.edu/ Team Website: https://eutecticsports.com/sports/mrugby/index Head Coach Peter Lang Peter.Lang@uhsp.edu