Q&A With Track and Field's Angel Dooley
May 6, 2005 | Track & Field
May 6, 2005
Nine-time All-Conference USA sprinter and Columbus, Ohio native Angel Dooley discusses some of her favorite things about her experiences as a Tulane student-athlete.
You are from Columbus, Ohio, why did you choose Tulane?
"The weather, and the opportunity to be far from home were the key things. Being in the Midwest, everything is pretty much the same and I wanted to experience something different for a while so I decided to come where the weather was a little warmer."
Where were some of your other options for school?
"My other biggest option was Eastern Michigan, and it gets colder there than in Ohio."
How has being a student-athlete at Tulane helped you?
"It's help me become much more responsible, I have to do things on my own. Had I gone to Eastern Michigan I would have only been three hours from home and would have been more dependent on my mom. But being 15 hours away, I'm much more independent.
What is your major?
"Exercise science."
What do you plan to do when you graduate?
"I want to do something with nutrition and fitness. I'll probably take a year off and get some experience with an internship and then go back to graduate school."
If you could play any other sport at Tulane what would it be?
"It would be soccer, I played that in high school."
What has been your favorite class at Tulane?
"Biomechanics and injury."
Who has been your favorite teacher here or otherwise?
"Elementary school I liked Mrs. Blank, and in high school it was Mrs. Moore and Mrs. Garret. At Tulane it has been Dr. Waddell, my professor for biomechanics and injury. He makes learning really enjoyable."
What is your favorite book?
"I haven't been asked that in a while, the last time it was probably an R.L. Stine Goosebumps book. Now I'd have to say I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, I love that book."
What's the best advice you've ever been given?
"I wish I could call my mom and ask her really quickly. I've been told to always work hard because you never know when it's going to pay off."
Who has been the most influential in your athletic career?
"My summer league track coach at home, Mr. Moore. He coached me when I was with the Capital City Comets, and was the primary coach I worked with and helped me get scholarship offers. He called around to a lot of schools for me."
What is your favorite movie?
"I feel like a big kid saying this, but right now it's Anchorman. I also like Set It Off and Beloved, those are my primary three."
What cartoon character resembles you the most?
"My friends could probably tell you better. It would have to be one of the old cartoons, probably She-Ra... maybe I should watch some more cartoons."
What is your favorite food?
"Anything that tastes good. I like anything Southern and home-cooked like greens, chicken, cornbread, black-eyed peas, that sort of stuff."
Do you have a favorite restaurant?
"Cheesecake Bistro or Copeland's, but Cannon's is good and they give you a lot of food."
If you could have dinner with three people in history, who would they be and why?
"Jesus would have to be one to see how he was always judged but never let that stop him from what he wanted to do, and see how he was able to cope with it when people were getting to him and was a little sidetracked. Harriet Tubman would be another to see how she stayed so strong risking her life going from the North to the South to rescue all of those slaves. The other person would be Ghandi, someone who always opted for peace in a crazy world. How he stayed the same through all of the trials and tribulations is amazing to me."
What is your dream vacation destination?
"Somewhere in the Mediterranean, maybe the Greek Isles or Italy."
Who is your favorite professional athlete?
"I really admire Lauren Williams who ran at the University of Florida last year and went pro this year or Allison Felix, the first woman to go pro out of high school in track."
What was the last concert you saw?
"I saw my favorite performer Mary J. Blige, probably three years ago."
What are your goals for this season?
"Individually I would like to make it to nationals, and as a team I'd like to make it to nationals as well."
What do you do to prepare for a big meet?
"I pray a lot, and I don't think of it so much as a meet but more of a practice so I get the nervous jitters out. A lot of times practice is a lot worse."
What were your thoughts when you saw the Tulane athletics spring poster with a huge picture of yourself on it?
"Wow...that's me pretty big on a poster, but it's kind of like an accomplishment for what I've done. It shows that hard work does pay off."
How many did you hand out? "I handed out quite a few, but I still have to send one to my mom and my coaches at home, but they will get there."
Anyone you'd like to think?
"I'd like to thank my friends, Tahira, Jill, Sheena, Carlyne, Marilyn and Lindsay for always being there. If I walk away from Tulane with anything, probably the most important thing I've gained is them as friends. And also my mom, she is my hero for raising three kids by herself. Sometimes I look back now and wonder how she did it because sometimes it's hard for me to just take care of myself, and I just don't see how she did it with my brother and sister and me."
