Athlete of the Week

Rashad Bartholomew, MC '01 Hometown: Washington, D.C. Major: Economics Favorite food: Pasta Favorite song to listen to before a game: "Before I Die," by Mr. Serveon Favorite player: His brother, Antoine Bartholomew, a cornerback at Colgate

Two years ago, he was a self-professed "nobody," starting college at the Air Force Academy. After two years of playing cornerback—not his favorite position—he realized that Air Force wasn't the best place for him to attain his goals and decided to transfer to Yale.

Bartholomew attributes his football success to his desire to accomplish his dreams. "I see goals," he said. "When I focus on something, that's it. I'm going to do whatever it takes to achieve that goal." Since coming to Yale he has done just that. His record-breaking has brought fame not only to himself, but to the whole Yale program. This past week he was on the ESPN.com website in a poll asking users to pick the college player of the week. Unfortunately, not enough Yalies logged on, and he ended up with a mere nine percent of the vote. However, having a Yale football player on the ESPN website was a first. ESPN's "noticing me is like noticing Yale," Bartholomew said. "They were simply giving props to Yale for their 800th win, and I got to be a part of it."

Beating Dayton had special significance for Bartholomew, who attended Catholic school in Dayton for a year and remembered being beaten up on the playground. "It felt good to beat back up on Dayton," he said.

Bartholomew's father is in the Air Force, and his family moved around the country when he was growing up. Always an athlete, Bartholomew played soccer, basketball, and ran track, but football has always been his best sport. As a kid, he admired Darryl Strawberry, but baseball lost its glamour when Straw started to have trouble with the law.

Yet his interests don't lie only on the playing fields. Last spring, he acted in the Yale Children's Theater and hopes to be more involved in the Yale Political Union in the coming months. If he could be anything, he would be an actor, a cross between Jack Nicholson and Will Smith to be exact. Unfortunately, he will have to pursue his other interests outside of Yale, as he is graduating this December, right after football season ends.

Bartholomew, who worked this past summer in Virginia at an Internet start-up firm, will spend a few months back in Washington, D.C. with his family after graduation, but he isn't sure where he'll seek employment. He's interested in acting classes. As for thinking about playing professional football, he merely acquiesces, "Every football player thinks about it."

Whether you'll see him someday in a film like Independence Day or As Good as It Gets or playing for his favorite pro team, the Washington Redskins, you know he'll get there through hard work and following his dreams. Enjoy watching him do just that upcoming Saturdays at the Yale Bowl, while watching him is still free.

Photo by Julia Tiernan.

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