Fresno State Athletics
Balancing Act
12/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 28, 2005
Balancing Act
by Brian Risso, Fresno State Athletic Media Relations
For most Fresno State student-athletes, a challenging day of morning classes mixed with afternoon practice typically comes to an end later that evening when he or she gets time to relax.
Unless you are Amy Parrish, for whom those types of days are considered welcomed surprises instead of a daily routine.
That's because Parrish, a 23-year-old senior forward on the women's basketball team, has additional responsibilities unique to the normal student-athlete. In addition to her obligations in the classroom and on the basketball court, Parrish is a single-mother raising her two-year-old son, Tyus Jr., or T.J.
"It's definitely a challenge; you need to have your priorities straight," said Parrish, a Hanford native and Hanford High School graduate who arrived at Fresno State last year as a junior after transferring from Reedley Junior College. "It is getting a little harder now because he (T.J.) is able to talk. So he's always asking where I am."
At times, mom can be tough to locate. Parrish has class every day of the week in the morning before she rushes off to basketball practice later that afternoon. Then it's home to eat dinner, finish homework, spend time with T.J. and do it all over again the next day.
"He usually comes up here on the weekends with me," said Parrish, who added that her parents help out whenever possible. "During the early part of the week he's with my mom."
Not that T.J. has things too rough. A group of managers help keep him occupied on the days he attends basketball practice and he can usually be seen playing on the sideline while the team works through drills. If that starts to get boring, it's off to the locker room where he can be entertained by looking at pictures, watching television or taking a nap.
Otherwise, he can sense when the end of practice is getting near. On this particular day, he is already out on the court, watching from the stands. As Parrish begins to walk off the court, she is pulled away for an interview. T.J.'s smile transforms into a frown, and a loud, lengthy cry can be heard throughout the Save Mart Center.
"Ironically, it's not like that too much during games," said Parrish. "I think it's because he can actually see me out there on the floor."
And there's been a lot to watch- for both T.J. and Bulldog fans. Part of what makes Parrish so special is her ability to balance family, school and athletics. In her first collegiate season, Parrish was the team leader in scoring (13.5 ppg) and rebounding (6.9 rpg) while guiding the Bulldogs to their sixth 20-win season in school history and second postseason berth in three years. Furthermore, Parrish was named first team All-WAC, becoming the first Bulldog player to earn such an honor since the 2001 campaign.
"Amy is a great example of what we want in a student-athlete and she definitely deserves all the attention," said head coach Adrian Wiggins. "She has really done a good job of continuing to balance school and perhaps taking on the ultimate responsibility in raising a child. That's not easy to do. She had a 3.2 GPA last semester. She is an All-WAC performer and she is extremely skilled because she works so hard."
T.J. would agree.
