Q & A with Adom Crew

Adom was named second team All-Ivy after competing in only eight games because of an injury in 2002. Yet he still had three game-winning goals and finished with a team leading 22 points (10 goals, two assists).

Tell us a little bit about your background, where you are from, what your major is and how you came to the Ivy League.

I grew up in Columbia, Md., which is a suburb about 30 minutes away from Baltimore and a hour away from Washington D.C. I went to a public high school in Clarksville, a nearby town, called River Hill High School, where I played soccer there and was very successful, winning three state championships and being named a high school All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Athletic Association. My success in soccer and also in academics at my high school attracted me to Brown University, as I was interested in medicine and looked to gain acceptance into their Program in Liberal Medical Education, an eight-year program that guaranteed admittance to Brown's Medical school. I was accepted into this program, and thus found myself at Brown. I am majoring in this Medical Program and also Business Economics.

Was there a time when you thought, "Hey, I could go to an Ivy League school" or was that always in your mind?

That thought was actually never in my mind until I started being recruited by a few Ivy schools to come play soccer there. I had good grades in high school and I was planning on going to a good school both academically and athletically stimulating, but I guess it was at that time that I realized I could go to an Ivy League school.

What perceptions did you have about the Ivy League when you first arrived?

The only perception that I had was that the academics would be very rigorous. My sister also attended the school so I knew that the scene outside of academics would be attractive to me, and from my official visit I believed that the soccer would also be a good match for me.

How have those perceptions met with reality?

My perception was correct, as the academics at Brown, especially in the science field that I am taking a majority of my classes in, are very difficult. It is manageable, however, with the proper time commitment towards both studying, social life, and athletics.

What about going to an Ivy League school most appealed to you?

I think that I wanted to go to a school that would challenge me in both academics and athletics, both experiences I believed would help me later on in life. From its reputation, I believed that Brown was very academically rigorous, and from my official visit and the past success of both teams and players in Brown's soccer program, I also believed that I would be challenged athletically by competing in this league.

As an African-American, what experiences have stood out to you about adjusting to college in the Ivy League?

I think that the biggest adjustments have just occurred as a result of being placed in a new environment with new people and so much freedom, experiences that you will find at any college. I think that in the Ivy League, however, it is necessary that you get adjusted to the academic side of the school relatively quickly, because if you don‚t the work can become unmanageable.

Since you've been in college, what have been some of the most memorable moments for you as an athlete and a student?

As an athlete, I think that the most memorable experiences have been winning Ivy League championships. To train so hard for the season in the summer, and then to go through all of the ups and downs in a particular year, it is special when a team can come together and get through adversity to win a title. As a student, my most memorable moments academically have been in specific classes where I have had to work especially hard, and through this hard work I have been able to learn the material, earn a good grade, and establish good relationships with teachers. As a student, many other memorable moments have just occurred through the interactions that I have had with so many different people, and through the great times that I have shared with these people.

What historical figure do you admire most and why?

The historical figure I admire the most is Martin Luther King, Jr. He was the major figure for African-Americans in the fight to eliminate racism in the United States, and thus the biggest target for criticism. I admire him because he never lost sight of his final goal, and despite all of the hindrances that he faced towards this goal, he continued to fight for what he believed was right.

Who had the biggest influence on you as you grew up? Why?

I would say that my parents had the biggest influence on me as I was growing up. They instilled in me many of the values that I have today, and many of them, including my work ethic, attitude, and beliefs, are things that I am very proud of.

In an age of ultra-glorification of athletes and sports, what would be the best advice you could give to a middle schooler about the value of education, and the best role for sports in their education?

I think that the best advice for a middle-school student concerning sports is to just have fun. I remember those days as an athlete and the reason that I think I enjoyed them so much was not because I was striving to be a professional, but because I loved the sport, the competition that it produced, and the good times that I had with my teammates in the process.

What would be the best advice you could give to a young African-American who has aspirations to attend an Ivy institution?

The advice I would give them is to work as hard as they can academically and to be involved in various activities, whether clubs or sports, as they will give them the balance and perspective they need to be successful in such an environment.

***Please note, this story was written for a previous Ivy League Black History Month celebration. It is reproduced here for archival purposes and has not been updated.***