Being a college athlete comes with responsibilities and commitments on the field and in the classroom, but when trying to fulfill the duties of fatherhood at the same time, tackling everything can be a heavy load to manage. For University of Utah running back Troy McCormick, Jr., it’s the love he has for his daughters, two-year-old Kayia Russell and seven-month-old Ava Rose, that keeps him going even when times get tough.
“My dad always told me, ‘A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do. You can’t let nobody else try to make a way for you, you got to go make a way for yourself.’ So that’s what I try to go do,” McCormick said.
Those words weren’t preached only to go in one ear and out the other ear, McCormick took these words to heart. The sociology major, who is on track to graduate at the end of this year, knew college was something he wanted to pursue even with kids in the picture — he understood the effect it would have on his family.
“You’ve just got to take advantage of the opportunities as given to you,” McCormick said.
Trying to create a life his daughters will benefit from is something he said he would do anything to make happen. Even if that meant he had to work a few jobs over the summer while playing football in order to help support his family. Not only does he want to protect and be an example for his biological family, but for his football family as well. Being a senior this season, he wants the younger Utes on the team to feel like they can look up to him during practice, during a game and away from the bright lights.
From the time McCormick was little, his mom Carol, a former athlete herself, always made sure he knew he should be striving for the top — settling shouldn’t satisfy him, nonetheless be an option if there are opportunities for growth. That mentality has carried over into his position as a father and a football player.
With two little ones to take care of, Troy has found that he now looks at things in the world differently. Of all the lessons his girls have taught him so far, one that stands out to Troy is how it has changed the way he views women.
“My mom taught me right, to treat girls with respect,” Troy said. “And I just want to bring that to them, too. Don’t let a man treat you with disrespect. Coach [Kyle Whittingham], he shows us that, too, treat women with respect.”
Carol said she raised her boys and her daughter to respect everybody, but she especially taught her boys the importance of treating females with respect. His parents had what Carol described as a “bad experience” and Troy witnessed it all. That influenced her to make sure her boys grew up knowing how to treat other women so that they wouldn’t put anybody through what she had to go through.
“I told them to love and when you love, love hard and just be respectful,” Carol said.
Despite the full plate Troy has in front of him, he doesn’t look at everything he has going on as a challenge, but rather as things he’s thankful for. This year, he is focused on taking each game play-by-play and continuing to compete for Utah and the last name on the back of his jersey — his family.
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