There are countless kids who dream of playing under those bright field lights or being in the spotlight of the sports media. The truth is, not everyone ends up like an A-Rod or Michael Phelps. For seniors Kevin Fox and Curtis Jones, their lives represent the reality that sometimes dreams can change unexpectedly.
Left-handed pitcher Kevin Fox, 24, was given a scholarship from a Division I university. Little playing time prodded his transfer to Biola to pitch for head coach John Verhoeven.
By the end of his 2006 season, the Houston Astros drafted Fox in the 16th round. “The biggest challenge was playing [baseball] everyday,” Fox said about his transition from college to the pros.
After Fox finished two seasons in the minor leagues, he was released.
“I had some shoulder problems [and] I hadn’t been throwing the ball as good as I had, ” he said.
When asked about the time spent on the Houston team Fox said, “The type of people I was playing with in pro-ball come from D-1 schools, not Christian schools, so they had different lifestyles. When you come back to Biola there are a lot of home schooled missionary kids, so it’s a whole different environment.”
Fox, majoring in journalism, felt a need to finish his degree at Biola and to pursue a scouting career.
The intensity of playing sports never dies down, but helps in setting goals, especially in the life of Curtis Jones.
Jones, 29, majoring in biblical studies, feels more than happy to be at Biola. “It is an atmosphere of love and learning about the Lord,” said Jones.
His previous commitment to track at James Madison University encouraged him to be more disciplined. “We were a very competitive school,” said Jones. Unfortunately, an injury suffered in high school lead to conflict in his college career.
“I only got to run three or four races,” Jones explained. “When that dream got pulled out from underneath me, I really started to look for a reason why I was here on this earth, if it wasn’t for sports.”
Jones left school and entered the military for five years, taking college classes in the third year. According to Jones, he realized what he wanted in life, and started looking for options. With professional sports eliminated, Jones turned to biblical studies with vigor.
“I’m using what I learned in sports to apply to my education and my life with Christ.”
Jones hopes to graduate by spring and work in the military chaplain program while getting his master’s degree.
