INDIANAPOLIS – Kentucky Wesleyan freshman quarterback and newly minted Great Midwest Athletic Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) president Wiley Cain provided some insight on his current mindset after accepting a new leadership position in Division II.
 
The product from Eubank, Ky., takes over for former Findlay softball student-athlete Lauren Yacks with a three-year term that runs through the conclusion of the 2023 NCAA Convention.
 
 
1. Is there one specific area for student-athlete welfare that you feel particularly passionate about?
 
A great deal of student-athletes enter college so primarily focused on their life as an athlete that they spend little time in those first three years imagining their eventual life beyond athletics. For many, there is a reluctance to really process this eventuality. I would like to see more programs provided for freshmen and sophomore student athletes to encourage them to formulate a vision early on for their life after sports, and not to wait until their Junior and Senior years when the time is upon them. I have seen how hard the transition can be, especially when the love of playing the sport to which the student-athlete has devoted so much of his or her life has sidelined career plans and goals. An essential part of taking care of the student-athlete is making sure he or she is completely prepared for everything in their life, during and after sports.
 
2. How would you like to see this role play a part in your career aspirations?
 
This position will allow me to learn many skills that will aid me as I work toward becoming an Orthopedic Surgeon. First it will sharpen my ability to learn from others around me. While I have always been highly self-sufficient, I know that the task I am about to undertake will have to be tackled with the input of the entire conference. I look forward to working collaboratively and benefitting from the diverse perspectives of the collective. I will be a better doctor and healthcare provider as a result. Another skill I am hoping to hone with this position is my ability to be a leader off the football field. As a surgeon, I will have a team helping me with every step, but I will need to be effective in leading that team to accomplish our goal of helping patients heal. This position will allow me to learn from my peers and, when needed,to lead in issues that the conference deems important when talking to the NCAA.
 
3. What comparisons strike you while comparing this leadership position to commanding the huddle of the offense on your football team?
 
Commanding a huddle is a very unique position. It requires you to know exactly what everyone does, where they need to go, when they need to be there. There is a lot of responsibility placed on the Quarterback’s shoulders. But, I love the quarterback position more because a quarterback is nothing without those 10 other guys in the huddle. Those guys give me feedback, and they carry out their assignment, which allows me to do what I need. As president, I will act as the GMAC representative nationally and lead, but the voices of student-athletes on campuses all around the conference make the wheels turn. Without his team, the QB can’t score. In this new position, I will utilize the strengths of my teammates, and together we will accomplish common goals.
 
4. What will it mean for your vote to count as a voice for Division II at the NCAA Convention?
 
My priority will be to ensure a strong voice from the Great Midwest. My first responsibility will be to the athletes in my conference. On a wider scale, my vote will be toward the welfare of student athletes all over the country. Having this vote toward the rules and regulations that impact our daily lives is such a weighty responsibility, and I take it very seriously. I feel honored to have this responsibility entrusted to me.
 
5. What kind of support have you received from the administration, coaches and your teammates during the application process?
 
I can’t say enough about my coaches, administrators, teammates and friends at KWC. When I came to KWC, I was inducted into a family who have adopted me forever. My coaches encouraged me to apply for the position when they heard I was interested, and I even put a couple as references. Our supervisor of SAAC, Greg Richard, was the reason I knew about the position in the first place. And at Kentucky Wesleyan, no one is ‘better’ than anyone. I have had multiple conversations with our Dean McQueen-Ruark, our athletic director Rob Mallory, and many other administrators who have been nothing but supportive of me during the process. Without my family at KWC, I know I would be in a much different position at the end of my freshman year in college than I am now, and I am very grateful for each and every one of them.
 
6. What motivated you to apply to be the Great Midwest SAAC President?
 
I have a great respect for the student-athlete. Obviously I am one, but beyond that, I see the impact we have on others. This impact can be extremely positive, and I love nothing more seeing athletics benefit their community. A wise friend of mine once told me that you cannot pour into others as effectively if you are not poured into as well. This motivated me to apply for the position. Being able to give to the student-athletes who so greatly impact the lives of others is an amazing opportunity to show that all they do does not go unnoticed. My main goal is to allow student-athletes greater opportunities, so they can continue to turn around and give to the people around them.
 
7. Brief message you would like to let all Great Midwest student-athletes know.
 
I’m here for every student-athlete in the Great Midwest and I’m so excited to get to learn, build relationships and grow over these next 3 years. I will do everything in my power to represent our interests! I will strive to have a positive impact on the welfare of the players in our conference and I can’t wait to represent the competitors that I know are some of the very best in the country!
 
8. Most memorable moment(s) as a freshman student-athlete (G-MAC Founders Cup game win?)
 
I have two memories that stick out to answer this question. The first happened week one of the season at the beginning of the 4th quarter against Concordia. It was 3 and long and we were down 10, needed a score. We were at their 40 going in and we called our all go play. I stepped up in the pocket and launched a ball, completing it in the end zone with an amazing catch, throwing my first college TD pass. It was a moment I dreamt of for a long time and was all it was supposed to be. However, you guessed correctly, my favorite moment from this season was the elation our team felt after the Founders Cup win. To be with my team and finally top the mountain we had been climbing all year, that was truly special. I can’t wait to be a part of more moments like that with my guys.
 
9. Favorite NFL QB and why.
 
I have two, one retired and one active. Both are not only men with great talent, but also men with great character. My favorite Quarterback of all time is Peyton Manning. The way he played the game is the way I want to. He always knew where everyone was on the field, exactly what they were supposed to do and what he could do to make them better players. He played chess with the defense every Sunday, and was always a step ahead. The best compliment I could ever receive would be “you play the game like Peyton Manning”. My favorite current QB is Carson Wentz of the Philadelphia Eagles. When Peyton Manning retired, Wentz was just entering the NFL, and I didn’t have to look far for a new favorite QB to follow. What I love about Carson Wentz is that he is so much more than a great QB. He is also very outspoken about his faith. I have as much gear representing his foundation, Audience of One, as I do representing Carson Wentz the football player. An amazing player, strong Christian, and an amazing person off the field, I will be cheering for Carson Wentz until he retires.
 
10. Learning curve from freshman to sophomore on the field - what are you most looking forward to getting ready for the 2020 fall season?
 
The primary learning curve from year 1 to 2 I think will be that the game slows down for me and the chemistry my team and I have will really show. Last season, starting as a true freshman, the game moved a lot faster than it did in high school. And when everyone is learning at the same time, it moves pretty quickly. However, even toward the end of the season, I felt it slowing down, and becoming a lot more comfortable. Our whole team settled in as well. I’m excited to see what happens next year when we are all that much more experienced, more knowledgeable of each other, and benefitting from working together like we know we can.