Do sports and academics mix? No matter how much society works to bind the two, each new NCAA scandal seems to push us closer to the day that we permanently separate the entities. Yet, for so many athletes it seems that competing at the college level may be the most cost-effective way to fund the education that will prepare them for their eventual careers. Meet McDaniel Olivier, who arrived at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University with an academic scholarship and left with an athletic scholarship for his work on the men’s track and field team.

He sits stretched out on the couch reminiscing on his college days, and it’s not hard to imagine he has a background in sports. Olivier has a long, wiry frame with defined veins showing in his arms and legs. He scoffs at the idea that he was a natural in the sport, but his story suggests otherwise.

“I only ran a month and a half to two months of high school track” says McDaniel casually. He attended Miami Lakes Tech that had a limited athletics department. With strict Haitian parents that stressed education, he was unable to commit the time necessary to be an active participant in high school sports. During his last year of high school, he decided he’d give track a try or as he put it “screw this, I’m gonna live my life”.

He performed well, but this was late in his senior year of high school when nearly all athletic scholarship slots have been filled. He earned what he calls a “preferred walk-on” spot at FAMU, though he was in the fortunate position of having an academic scholarship secured. He wouldn’t have to worry about his tuition payments like many others in that position.

A strong freshman year as a walk-on helped McDaniel to earn a full scholarship through the end of his undergraduate career. He performed well in the 400m, the 400m hurdles, and the 800m, but he truly saw track as a fun way to get through his undergraduate studies. He had no intentions of pursuing track post-college and placed his focus on the LSAT, until a friend suggested he run for Haiti’s national team. Sure, friends have all kinds of crazy ideas, but this was the same friend that encouraged running the 400m hurdles that he excelled in at FAMU.

Olivier did his research and made some contacts. “The Haitian national record for the 400m hurdles was around 49 (seconds), I’m like, ‘I’m at 51-low’, and that’s without me knowing how to hurdle, so it’s definitely something that I can achieve” explains McDaniel. “Seeing what those goals were and how close I was, I’m right there, why not do it?” In short time, he began competing for Haiti in a number of meets, including the Penn Relays.

While track picked up, McDaniel still had the career goals that he set for himself long ago. He entered FAMU’s law program in Orlando looking to earn a law degree He describes a grueling schedule that included waking up early to train before class. Then staying up late to work and study afterwards. Law school and professional sports are tough on their own, but combining the two is a maddening proposition, even for those as committed as Mr. Olivier. “I ended up leaving there for personal reasons and I wasn’t running the times I expected to be running, so I took two L’s. It was tough, that was the closest I’ve ever been to being depressed”. Olivier’s mother battled cancer around that time, and he made sure to be there for his family through the trying time.

Fortunately, time can give you the wisdom and perspective you need to push through. McDaniel is back in law school at Saint Thomas University and still running and training when opportunities present themselves like the Star Athletics Sprint series above.

Though he initially went against his parents wishes when he began running track, he still holds onto one of the lessons they gave him long ago “you’ll always have a job in a field that requires a license”. He’s currently working to finish his law degree and pass Florida’s bar exam. His career goals may have taken a short detour, but he’s still very much on track to accomplish everything that he envisioned years ago. In this race called life, McDaniel Olivier will always run (and strive) at his own pace.