- Why are you the best choice for our team?
- Is there another athlete you mentored or helped train? …
- Have you ever come up with your own plays? …
- What’s your technique for memorizing and teaching yourself new plays before an upcoming game?
Big Ten Media Days came to a close Tuesday, as the second and final day of the event was filled with plenty of juicy material. Players and coaches filled the Downtown Chicago Hilton Hotel while fielding questions from media members in a roundtable format.
In order to not repeat some of the often-asked questions throughout Media Day, I made it a point to go around and ask players some out-of-the-norm questions, and I certainly got my fair share of great answers.
Here is a look at some of my questions and how current Big Ten players responded to them.
1. Youre an NFL GM and can pick any current Big Ten player to start a team – who are you taking?
“I would probably pick Randy Gregory. He looks like he really works hard, and I would need a defensive lineman who can get the job done. Im not worried about skill guys right now. I need someone on the d-line or o-line.” – Purdue RB Raheem Mostert
“Thats a great question. Ive recently watched Brandon Scherff power clean a whole lot of weight. Immediately after that, I started watching some of their football games, and I saw him put down a lot of linebackers, so Im going with him.” – Illinois TE Jon Davis
“I would take Stefon Diggs. I dont think theres a college football player like him in the league right now. In fact, I dont think there has been one since maybe Percy Harvin. The dynamic he brings to the game, the allusiveness and the knowledge to the game is second to none. I think that would be a good fit for a lot of teams.” – Maryland QB C.J. Brown
“Im picking Brandon Scherff in a heartbeat. It all starts with the offensive line, and just knowing him personally, hes a humble, hard-working guy. Nothing goes to his head whatsoever. Thats really what you want. Hes striving to be a great player and theres no reason to think he wont be as great of a player in the NFL as he is in college.” – Iowa RB Mark Weisman
“I would take Ameer Abdullah. That took me way too long to think about. Hes the best player in the Big Ten. Thats going to be a locker room statement. Theres not too many guys who are like Ameer Abdullah in this conference. Theres great players everywhere, but you talk about a guy who brings it every single play, every single down, Ameer is that guy.” – Nebraska WR Kenny Bell
“The best guy to follow on Purdue is Ryan Russell. He brings a lot of words of enlightenment to the table. He tweets a lot. He really makes you have a positive attitude about life, and about the game, and about football.” – Purdue RB Raheem Mostert
“He doesnt play on the team anymore, but Id say the best to follow is Beau Allen. He had a pretty good Twitter going on. Im sure once he gets more comfortable down in Philadelphia, hell also have a pretty good Twitter. Beau is such an outgoing guy. Its just a real treat that you can hear some of his inner thoughts come out on Twitter. – Wisconsin OT Rob Havenstein
“It would have to be Mike Sadler. Hes a super funny guy, and hes extremely smart. The stuff that goes on in his head… I really dont know how that all goes about. Hes really sarcastic, and just a good guy. Hes really funny and creative on Twitter. He has kind of a smart aleck mentality. I think its been fun joining him and just the Twitter activities. – Michigan State QB Connor Cook
“Someone asked me if I think we can compete with some of the other teams in the Big Ten? I told him, not only do I think we can compete, I think we can beat any team in the Big Ten.” – Minnesota RB David Cobb
“What would you do if you were the commissioner? I told them that I have absolutely no clue what I would do if I was the commissioner.” – Ohio State DT Michael Bennett
“I would say Ohio State. That was pretty cool last year to play in the Horseshoe in front of 100,000-plus people. It kind of stinks that Ill never get to play there again. It kind of sticks I never got to play in Penn State or Wisconsin.” – Iowa RB Mark Weisman
“Weve been to a lot of great places. My freshman year we went to USC, which was great, but Im going with the Big House. 100,000-plus screaming. I like that atmosphere. I love those big crowds.” – Minnesota RB David Cobb
“Its Kyle Costigan. Hes the toughest man in the world. Its a Ripleys Believe It or Not fact: He wakes up and eats bowls of nails for breakfast. I dont think he actually knows what the word pain means. Hes a heck of a guy and hes a heck of an athlete. Hes a machine. Hes a freak. You can go on with all of these analogies, but when it comes down to it, the man is just purely tough. Hes just real tough.” – Wisconsin OT Rob Havenstein
“I would probably give that to Betim Bujari. Hes the strongest man in the business. Thats all man right there. Hes 100 percent man.” – Rutgers DE Darius Hamilton
“Im interning down in Baltimore with Under Armour. Im doing supply chain operation. There hasnt been too much free time, but its great.” – Maryland QB C.J. Brown
“We had a giant pig roast at my house, which was awesome. Its a pretty long process if you do it yourself, so we got it catered. We had the entire team over, so it was a good time.” – Northwestern QB Trevor Siemian
“One Wednesday morning we had a 5:45 a.m. team run. They had us get dressed and everything, guys had their cleats on. We go to our stretch lines to warm up. It was kind of weird because all the coaches still had their coffee in their hand and normally they dont have their coffee when you go on a team run, which I thought was kind of weird. Then the coaches told us that we were all going to Zoombezi Bay and spent a day at the water park. And then Coach Meyer had all 110 or 115 of us over to his house for a team cookout. That was a blast.” – Ohio State TE Jeff Heuerman
Athlete Interview Questions
Athletes can answer the 30 questions on their own or coaches can turn some of these questions into a great team building activity. For example, teammates could answer chosen questions and post the answers on a huge wall in the locker room and guess which teammate gave the answer.
Confidence is something we normally think of as a mental state. But many athletes actually display confidence in how they handle their body or feel it in their body. You might recall someone who stared and looked tough or someone who stood tall and had a swagger when she walked. How do you show your confidence?
When you were little, did you ever imagine meeting your favorite sports idol? Or, did you ever picture yourself competing in some big event in front of a large crowd and winning? I can remember being in high school and Evelyn Ashford (sprinter) was my idol.
It’s odd to think that this person is still alive but had no idea she inspired a young, white girl living in a small town in the Midwest. It might be fun for you to reflect on the questions below and write answers.
Or teams could choose their favorite quote or mantra based on everyone giving an option and this could be their inspiration for the season. Have some fun as you take a moment to reflect.
1. What motivated you to become a sportsperson? 2. What other sports do you love other than the one in which you already are a professional? 3. What is your work regime? 4. Do you always eat healthy food? 5. What kind of diet do you prefer? 6. Do you think the life of an athlete is tough compared to other professionals? 7. Who is your favorite sports hero? 8. What are three reasons you like being part of a team sport? 9. How do your teammates make practice fun? 10. What is your favorite sports quote? 11. What emotions do you feel when you play well? 12. What is your favorite sports? 13. Who do you wish was watching you perform at every game or match? 14. What is your favorite song to listen to prior to competing? 15. According to you, what qualities make a teammate a good team captain? 16. How does being an athlete make you a better person? 17. What is the one thing you always do after a good performance? 18. What do you do to calm your butterflies while you compete? 19. At what age did you start your sport? 20. What is your favorite food to eat the night before a big competition? 21. What is your favorite place to compete? 22. Who inspired you as a young athlete? 23. What one word describes you? 24. What do you give up to play sports? 25. Who was your favorite coach and why? 26. What mental tool do you use under pressure? 27. What is your favorite mantra? 28. Do you think attitude is a factor in winning? 29. What gets you ready to compete? 30. How does being an athlete inspire you to do good? 31. How does athletics make you a better student or worker? 32. How do you cope with mental pressure faced during tournament? 33. Name five sports personalities you think all must follow. 34. What sports others than yours you think should be promoted in your country? 35. How do you plan to use your personality to inspire the youth to excel in different sports? 36. Please tell us the role of your parents in your success. 37. Do you have any heroes or role models that you look up to? 38. Your favorite holiday destinations. 39. What do you do to relax? 40. How did you pick up your career in this field? 41. What would you like to say to your fans? 42. We all know you are successful in your sport, but do you remember your 1st success? Describe that moment. 43. Tell us about your greatest achievement till date. 44. What kind of songs you like to listen? 45. Do you like to watch movies? 46. Who is your favorite movie star? 47. Do you like to watch movies based on sports? 48. If in future a movie is made on you, who would you want to portray your role? 49. Do you like to read books? 50. Who is your favorite author? 51. Which book you read last? 52. What would you say in one aspect of your game that is a real strength for you? 53. What sacrifices did you find the hardest to make your career in sports? 54. Do you think being a sportsperson has changed your life? 55. What kind of things you are working on? 56. Tell us any anecdote that happened while playing sports. 57. How much consistency is required to be on top in your game? 58. What role a coach plays in the life of a sportsperson? 59. What inspires you to give your best every single day? 60. We all have our own struggles. What kind of struggles you had? 61. How do you feel being a role model of so many? 62. Why do you think your fans love you so much? 63. Do you have any secret talent? 64. How many hours do you sleep? 65. Do you like to go to gym? 66. How do you handle your fame that has come with your success? 67. Do you ever feel to use your VIP status? 68. Do you get time to spend with your family? 69. Do you like to be compared with any other sportsperson? 70. According to you, what is the toughest aspect of being an athlete? 71. How do you prepare for a match? 72. Does an athlete, in your opinion, have to lead a healthy lifestyle? 73. Do you have any advice to young people who want to start a career in sports?
Commonly, people are not aware of the importance of the interview questions, which negatively affects them. Don’t forget that an interview is a great way to showcase and position your personal brand; therefore, it is suitable for a professional athlete/sportsperson to have these questions in mind before giving an interview. Here is the list of interview questions for athletes and interview questions for sportsperson which can be asked during the interview.
“I would probably pick Randy Gregory. He looks like he really works hard, and I would need a defensive lineman who can get the job done. Im not worried about skill guys right now. I need someone on the d-line or o-line.” – Purdue RB Raheem Mostert
“I would say Ohio State. That was pretty cool last year to play in the Horseshoe in front of 100,000-plus people. It kind of stinks that Ill never get to play there again. It kind of sticks I never got to play in Penn State or Wisconsin.” – Iowa RB Mark Weisman
“Weve been to a lot of great places. My freshman year we went to USC, which was great, but Im going with the Big House. 100,000-plus screaming. I like that atmosphere. I love those big crowds.” – Minnesota RB David Cobb
“Its Kyle Costigan. Hes the toughest man in the world. Its a Ripleys Believe It or Not fact: He wakes up and eats bowls of nails for breakfast. I dont think he actually knows what the word pain means. Hes a heck of a guy and hes a heck of an athlete. Hes a machine. Hes a freak. You can go on with all of these analogies, but when it comes down to it, the man is just purely tough. Hes just real tough.” – Wisconsin OT Rob Havenstein
“What would you do if you were the commissioner? I told them that I have absolutely no clue what I would do if I was the commissioner.” – Ohio State DT Michael Bennett
Why did you decide to apply for a place in our team/club/school/organization?
The research you’ve done will come handy at this point. However, you should be realistic. Saying that you want to “play for the best” while applying for a team that ended at the bottom end of the league last year won’t take you far in the interviews. You should always think about the situation of the team, and adjust your answer accordingly. Perhaps they aren’t doing well, but you like challenges, and for you it is motivating to apply for a place in a squad where you can make some positive difference, and perhaps become the one who helps them escape the averages, and finally shine at the pinnacle of the sport.
Another alternative is referring to things that stand out in your eyes. Think facilities for the athletes (perhaps something you can just dream of in your city), coaches, management of the entire operation, sponsors, team philosophy, etc. As you can imagine, the answer depends on the place and the sport, but once you know what you should focus on in your answer, and do a good research prior to your interview, you should be able to deal with this one fairly well.
FAQ
What are good questions to ask about sports?
- “If you had a choice between two superpowers, being invisible or flying, which would you choose?” …
- “What was the last gift you gave someone?” …
- “How many square feet of pizza are eaten in the U.S. each year?” …
- “If you could compare yourself with any animal, which would it be and why?”
What are good casual interview questions?
- What sport do you like and why?
- Do you play any sports? …
- How can you become better at playing sports?
- What team sports do you like?
- Which sports personality do you like and why?
- What qualities do you need to be successful at sports?
- What qualities make a good sports coach or manager?
