University of Massachusets Athletics
Q&A With Tracy Belton
November 17, 2006 | Football
Nov. 17, 2006
Q: What first inspired you to play football?
A: When I was young, football was something I always wanted to do. At the age of six, I would go outside and play touch football in the yard. My friends and I would always play catch, and after that, I began to love the game of football. Later, I started to play in leagues that my father coached, and eventually I ended up here.
Q: Who has had the biggest impact on your football career?
A: My father had a big influence on me. He was there for me whenever I needed him. If anything happened, he was at every game. He coached me when I was younger at the Boys & Girls' Club
Q: Does your father make it to a lot of games now?
A: He was a high school coach last year, but he quit that job so he could come to my games. It means a lot to me that he can be in the stands.
Q: Why did you choose UMass?
A: I had some options, and I could have gone other places, but I liked UMass. I liked the facilities and everything else about it. Also, I felt the coaching staff was a good fit for me.
Q: What do you plan on doing with your sociology major?
A: I want to be a teacher and since UMass does not have education as a major, I'm majoring in social services.
Q: Do you plan on becoming a teacher next year?
A: Yes, I would like to be a teacher and a coach. I think I would like to work at the high school level.
Q: What do you miss most about Maryland?
A: I miss some things about home, but when I go back, everyone is doing the same old thing. All my friends are at school now, so I really don't have that much to go back to. Sometimes my friends and family will come to the games, so I don't really miss going home that much because they are here.
Q: Do you plan on staying here or going back to Maryland next year?
A: I plan on going back down, but who knows. We will see.
Q: Is Towson close to your home?
A: Yes, Towson is about 45 minutes away.
Q: How did if feel to play in your home state?
A: A lot of my friends and family that can't make it up here to UMass came to Towson, and it was a big game for us, so it felt great to play down there. It was very big for me.
Q: What makes the UMass defense so good?
A: The UMass defense is good because we are so quick. You can see that we aren't that big, but we make up for what we lack in size with speed. We play together as a team. We take the game very seriously, but we have fun on the field and just play together.
Q: As a senior, what have you done to lead the younger players?
A: I don't talk a lot, so I try to lead by example. Whatever I do, the younger players look up to me. I try to help out, explaining plays and working with them on the side. They listen to me and I think it has really helped our team come together.
Q: What has been your most memorable football moment?
A: My most memorable moment was probably the last play of the New Hampshire game. That was a big play for our defense because UNH beat us the year before.
Q: What are you going to miss most about Amherst?
A: I am going to miss McGuirk Stadium. I love coming to our home field. I will miss the coaches because they have helped me out a lot along the way. When I was having some trouble academically, they set me up with tutors to help me get by. Amherst is a fun place to be. I'm going to miss everything about it.
Q: Do you have any pre-game rituals?
A: No, not really. I listen to my `go-go' music before the game. It's a D.C. thing. Then we have team music in the locker room, get pumped up for the game, and play.
Q: What do you wish you had known as a freshman?
A: As a freshman, I wish I would have known how to play man-to-man. I was originally a safety coming in, and then I got switched to corner and I didn't know how to set up in man-to-man coverage. Coach Brown came in and helped me out a lot. There are a lot of different, little techniques that you have to learn to be a successful corner, and had I known man-to-man, it would have been a lot easier.
