KAPPAS IN SPORTS
without him. That was instilled in me as a young kid as well. So having my faith built strong, and knowing that with God I can do all things. So in matriculat- ing into my adulthood and becoming a member of the grand board, I was hav- ing to travel two to three times a month, as well as work twice as hard as the guys who literally don't care about class and only care about their sport. So that discipline I learned as a young person, along with wanting to set an example for my younger brother and cousins in addi- tion to the fact that I love being busy. I tell people all the time “If I'm not busy, I feel like something is wrong or some- thing is off.” And definitely having the support of the brothers behind me on the board was helpful. Brother Shelton and I have talked numerous times about it. He was an athlete himself at the University of Kansas, so he understands the grind. As a result, he was super sup- portive of me and my endeavors on and off the track. There were some fraternal events that I couldn't make because I may have had a meet that weekend. And also I'm thankful for my coach at Iowa State who was very understanding of my fraternal obligations. So having that support from both sides was a great thing for me. Just having all that blend together worked out perfectly. Journal: Of course something devas- tating happened to the entire world beginning in the winter of 2020. That being the COVID-19 Pandemic. This actually caused you to lose what you thought at the time was going to be your last season of eligibility for outdoor track and field. And a very promising season as your team won the indoor title, and had an excellent chance to duplicate that success outdoors. How did you deal with that? Nixon : Initially, I was devastated, angry, and upset. I didn't know what to do. I was shocked and there was so much uncertainty in that moment. But I had to refocus and think: 'What do I always go by?' With God, all things are possible. And everything happens in his time. So I had to trust in him and know that every-
thing was going to work out for the good. And it really did. I try to see the positive in every situation. Although this situa- tion was unexpected. We were actually on the track in New Mexico getting ready for the track and field champion- ships when the officials came on the track and informed us that COVID was getting serious and they were shutting the meet down. A couple of hours later the spring season was canceled. A cou- ple of hours later, everybody was leaving. I thought about the fact that I came out there with so many goals for one season and it was gone. It wasn't until after I spoke with my coach and the athletic director who is a very personable and great guy. In fact, he was the first person to shake my hand after we won the Big 12 Indoor Track Title. He assured us that he was going to fight, and do every- thing he could to make sure we what we deserved. He lived up to it, and was able to bring us back for an additional year. Which was very fortunate because many schools were unable to do that. Some programs were getting cut, and even to this day some programs are still getting cut. The NCAA granted seniors another year of eligibility. So a few of us were
given the opportunity to return. Like I said before, I try to see the positive in every situation. The positive in this is I get more time to train and really work on my craft. I also am getting a chance to further my education and train longer to prepare for Olympic trials as well. And finally, I'm able to be at home right now able to attend my brother's football games and train with him while also pursuing my masters. With so much un- certainty surrounding COVID, I've just had to focus on what I can control. And what I can control is making sure I take advantage of all 24 hours in the day. And making sure the next 24 hours is better than the last 48 hours.
Journal: What is your field of study for your graduate degree?
Nixon: I'm working on my Masters in Financial Planning.
Journal: What are your plans for your post athletic career?
Nixon: My ultimate goal is to be an athletic director at a major academic institution. It's a great way to posi-
90 | SUMMER-FALL 2020 ♦ THE JOURNAL
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