Communication major Solo Hines ’24 is a two-sport athlete who plays on the Whitworth football team as a running back and returner and is a sprinter on the track & field team, holding the all-time school record for the 100-meter dash at 10.62 seconds! He plans to declare for the CFL or NFL draft after graduation. We asked Solo about his experience as a student-athlete:
“I have all these accolades and awards and whatnot, but without the help, encouragement and support from my football brothers and track & field brothers and sisters, I wouldn’t be the man, nor would I be the TEAMmate I would be today. These teams have shown me the value of family and what it means to truly be loved by those who aren’t blood related to me. I thank all of my family and coaches for treating me as one of their own.
“In football, I love that I can go out each week and compete for and with the guy next to me – the guy who wants the same goal as me and wants to fight for me, too. In track, it’s the feeling of running freely with no restrictions, nothing holding me back, nothing blocking me. Running is something I love to do. Track allows me to do what I love.
“For both track and football, I treat each and every practice like it’s a game/meet. This practice plan allows me to basically practice what I’m going to do come game/meet time. For my workouts, I focus on a lot of explosive lifts to help with my explosiveness and speed.
“I intend on starting my own business that builds homeless shelters for homeless people and gets them off the streets and into these shelters. Everyone deserves a second chance, and I want to be that person who gives that to them, to let them know that there is someone out there who cares for them and wants to help them.”
Worth a Look 