Mitch Caron. Photo courtesy of Castletonsports.com

Three multi-sport student athletes at Castleton University are proving that hard work and dedication can overcome the common obstacles of a college student.

Tayler Larmie, Mitchell Caron and Ryan Barry say their schedules are insane, but they like it that way.

“There’s no end, it’s non-stop,” said Larmie, a junior Exercise Science major from Wilder, Vermont. “Yeah they say you have two weeks off, but that’s just a joke. If I took two weeks off, for me, that’s half a season I could be working for.”

Larmie plays football and is on the track team and when asked if he could feel the effects of being a multi-sport student athlete mentally and physically, Larmie emphatically replied, “big time!”

But the big, loving, bearded blonde said intrinsic motivation is what drives him everyday to get better in all aspects.

“If I do good, I’m gonna be okay. I don’t believe in going lower than 110 percent,” he said.

Joining Larmie on the football and both indoor and outdoor track and field teams is junior Ryan Barry. A captain of the football team and lead sprinter for the Spartans, Barry attributes his hard work effort in the classroom and in athletics to his parents.

Tayler Larmie. Photo courtesy of Castletonsports.com

“I kinda owe it to them… I don’t wanna disappoint them,” he said.

The Merrimack, New Hampshire native notes that his parents have never missed a sporting event of his, displaying an incredible amount of love and support. Barry says it would be “different” if he was just a student at Castleton, not a student athlete.

“It would be weird, but nicer in some aspects… not having to rush through things,” he said.

But Mitchell Caron, the quarterback of the football team and third baseman of the baseball team, finds comfort in the tight schedule.

“I love being active, it gives me some kind of structure,” the junior from Augusta, Maine said.

Caron said he shows appreciation to his support system of friends and family.

“I have great people around me wanting to help if I need it. The great thing about sports is you get to know people,” said Caron, a double major in Exercise and Health Science.

Ryan Barry. Photo courtesy of Castletonsports.com

Assistant football coach Casey McDonnell talked about the traits of organization, time management and punctuality in the three student athletes.

“I think there is a little bit more responsibility,” McDonnell said, adding that he is “very understanding” of the physical and mental demands that these specific players go through.

“As a football coach here, our biggest thing is that we’re never going to tell someone they can’t do something because of football, so we’re going to be supportive in whatever the kids want to do, and if kids feel that they are capable of handling that schedule, then we’re going to support them in doing that,” McDonnell said.

The three multi-sport student athletes all agreed that younger athletes should follow their footsteps in playing more than one sport during  a school year.

“I definitely recommend this for kids,” said Barry. “It develops coordination, improves work ethic, and specifically, taught me how to work hard and organize my life.”