Irene Boehm, Sports Editor
Imagine walking from Gailor Hall to Johnson Hall, then to the Fowler Center, and finally
to the Equestrian Center. That trip could take hours on foot. But for first-year equestrian
team member Lily Carter, it’s only minutes away, no problem, thanks to her electric
scooter.
“I use it to get to the barn, workouts or when I’m rushing between classes and lessons, or
PT,” Lily said. “I don’t have a car on campus, so I couldn’t get to the barn without it.”
Lily bought her battery-powered scooter last winter to help her get around large horse
show venues. “It’s a fun way to move around, and it makes everything easier,” she said.
More and more student-athletes are using similar scooters to get around campus this
year, and even those who have cars are catching the scooter bug. The football team is said to have started the electric scooter trend this year. From daily practices, pre-practice taping, meals, and school, it’s no wonder that many football players have adopted scooters as their primary transportation method.
“But the scooters are also a blast to ride around the dorm!” Said one member of the football team. It has been reported that athletes, especially football players, have been spotted zooming through the halls on their scooters, especially in Smith and Hodgson Hall, where many members of the football team reside.
But why not drive? From 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., students are required to park their cars
in the designated student parking lots that are often far away from classrooms, athletic
fields and Fowler. Parking in other areas closer to central campus during that time,
including near the Fowler Center and other athletic facilities, may result in expensive
parking tickets.
Baseball team sophomore Tyler Pinson purchased a scooter a few weeks after school
started, stating, “My dorm is a long walk from central campus and I had to pay for too many parking tickets last year, so my roommate convinced me that it was a good investment.”
“It cuts my morning commute down from about a 12-minute walk to a three-minute ride… If we have a team lift at Fowler, I take it from my dorm to the indoor track, which is about a five-minute ride, and if I take it to the baseball field, it’s still only a six-to-eight-minute ride,” Pinson said.
“I have loved having a scooter so far, and I would recommend it to anyone looking to cut
down their walk to class, or any athlete looking to save their legs after tough practices or
Lifts,” Pinson said.
Electric scooters are also a great option for athletes recovering from injuries. Popular
models, such as the 5th Wheel Electric Scooter, feature smooth acceleration, strong
brakes and tires that effectively absorb shock. These features make them easy to ride
and gentle on the body.
Troy Holloway, a football player who is recovering from a sprained ankle, shared how
his scooter helps him navigate the domain:
“I got my scooter in September because a lot of the other players had one,” Holloway said.
“After I got hurt, it helped me move around without putting pressure on my ankle. I use it
to go everywhere, including Fowler, class, McClurg, the library, and to visit friends.”
While scooters are valued by many students, some students have had negative
encounters.
Afton Parks was walking to her biology class when she was nearly taken out by a
scooter rider. “They were riding in the middle of the sidewalk and going way too fast for
a shared path; it felt unsafe.”
Despite this encounter, Afton, a member of the equestrian team, is now considering
getting a scooter of her own. Recently, she received three parking tickets in two days
while she was sick and unable to move her car.
“I’ve had bad experiences with scooters, so it feels strange to think about buying one,” she said. “But right now, I don’t see any other option, especially with getting to the barn
and morning workouts.”