UTC defensive lineman D.J. Prather pressures Samford quarterback Devlin Hodges during their game at Finley Stadium last season. Prather is gaining work experience through UTC's health and human performance program this semester.D.J. Prather never thought his college career would include making important, work-related phone calls that could affect businesses. The term "tennis" never would have been used in connection to Alphonso Stewart prior to college.
But college is not just for football for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga duo, and the two have been pressed beyond their normal boundaries in recent months.
Being involved in the health and human performance program going into their final year of college, the two have been inserted into positions they'd never imagined for themselves. Prather, a 6-foot-4, 255-pound defensive end, is heavily involved in ticket sales during the day; Stewart, a 6-3, 210-pound receiver, works in the athletic office.
"I think it's awesome," UTC coach Tom Arth said. "I think it's so important to have great balance in your life and to be involved in as many things as you can be. These guys, they just have to realize how special they are and realize what special talents they have, and it's not just football.
"A lot of these guys have such great personalities that are able to deal with people. They relate to people so well, and to be able to go out and use those talents and help impact this community is significant, and the more they do that, the more opportunities we can help create for them to do that, and the better we'll be overall."
According to UTC's website, the department of health and human performance exists "to educate and train students, conduct and translate research, and provide service in the areas of physical activity, preventive and rehabilitative exercise, nutrition and health promotion. These activities engage the university and the community for the purpose of enhancing health, performance and quality of life among all people."
Prather spends about 20 hours a week in the ticket office, primarily printing tickets for shows inside McKenzie Arena and making phone calls to gain corporate sponsors for the Porky's Open, which is May 2 at Council Fire Golf Club. It was something he didn't think he'd like initially, but he admits he's "embraced" it.
"When you first go into something, you don't know what to expect, but I graduate in December and I have to get ready to work and do whatever I've got to do," the former Gordon Central High School standout said. "I've learned a lot from Garrett (Brooks, assistant director of ticketing); I've never had to make personal phone calls before, so I've learned a lot."
He admitted that his overall lack of patience probably will prevent any future he may have had at a call center.
"You get people that ask the same question over and over. You answer it, then they ask you another question that has the same answer," he said with a laugh. "You get frustrated, but at the same time you have to be polite, 'cause they're just asking questions."
Stewart works in the UTC athletic office for about 15 hours a week. He's been asked to help in the scoring of tennis matches and softball games. He's also written some stories for men's tennis matches and has helped with the work during basketball games.
The time has opened his eyes, and he said he's "learned a lot" from the time spent with other sports.
"I didn't know too much about the sports I'm doing, but I've grown to enjoy watching games as well as scoring and being out there," Stewart said. "It's also given me a chance to meet some athletes I didn't know, as far as some men's tennis and softball players, so it's been a great opportunity."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.