By: Machol Chol
In this week’s segment of “Through the Eyes” with your host Machol Chol, guest Reed Bellamy stops by to help explain the changes that are associated with shifting from a student athlete into a graduate assistant/coaching assistant.
Bellamy is a GA at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. He attended UNK as an undergraduate and competed for the track and field team. He majored in business administration while running the 400, 600, 400-meter relay and the 400-meter hurdles.
Bellamy’s, track and field career began in junior high in Goodland, Kansas, where he also went to high school. During his high school career, Reed found early success when he won state titles in two relay events: both the 4 by 400-meter relay and the 4 by 800-meter relay. Both titles that he won were before his senior year.
“Coach just kind of threw us in the events,” Bellamy said, reflecting on his state championship experience. While winning two state titles felt great and is the dream of many high school athletes, Bellamy still feels strongly about not making the state championships as a senior. Bellamy said the qualifying system may have had some flaws.
“I unfortunately didn’t make it that year. Kansas has a weird qualifying system. I had a top time in the state, but they only take the top four from each region.”
After his high school career, Bellamy moved to Kearney to attend the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
When asked about his most memorable track experience as a Loper, Bellamy recalled the 2016 Pitt MIAA championships. “It was the last race of the day, the 400-meter relay,” he said as he sets the scene. “The day was just wrapping up with the 400-meter relay, and, being the last race of the day, it received a lot of attention from spectators and athletes alike.”
Reed remembers the day vividly as he recalls how fellow Loper athletes were surrounding the track to show their teammates support. “A bunch of the team was at one corner of the track chanting, ‘Lopers, Lopers.’”
Reed ran all four of his years of track and field at UNK without burning his redshirt.
After his college track career, Reed stayed close to the track program. “After I graduated, I wanted to get into a GA program. I talked to coach Bonsall, the UNK men’s and women’s track and field coach.”
During his first two years after completing his undergraduate program, Reed has been working as a graduate assistant. Reed says that the biggest difference is not competing week in and out and not seeing the friends he made during the last four years. Reed said as soon as the last meet was completed, “We all just kind of went our separate ways.”
Reed offers these words of wisdom: “Just enjoy yourself; it’s a great chance to network and meet new people.”
