Vincent Perez 

Assistant Sports Editor

   Fantasy football takes patience and strategy. The latter is what CSU Bakersfield sociology professor Dr. Marisa Sanchez relies on to play fantasy football. 

  Sanchez, 30, in her third year, is an assistant sociology professor. 

  Sanchez, a sociological statistician, proves that fantasy football is more than a reason for beer-swilling dudes to get together. 

  “If you can get a good handle on understanding that, it helps you get a little bit more of an edge when it comes to deciding whether to drop or bench players,” said Sanchez.

  Sanchez offered advice for fantasy players. 

  “You need to learn how to read projections. These are websites that help you compare two different players based on different kind of stats on how they play that season,” said Sanchez. 

  Sanchez said that some fantasy websites collect data on players and make predictions based on running statistics.

  Sanchez is a native of El Paso, Texas, attended Texas A&M University. 

  She currently plays in a 6-team fantasy league.
  Sanchez admitted on Sept. 7 that she needed to do some trades prior to week one of the NFL regular season.

  Fantasy football is a competition in which players create imaginary teams online based on real NFL players’ statistics weekly during the regular season. Winners are often awarded cash prizes. Many leagues award cash prizes to first, second, and third places. 

 Drafts for fantasy leagues happen before each NFL season, and trades can happen between all players. Sanchez is aware of all aspects of fantasy and is successful in her professional and personal relationships.

 Dr. Doreen Anderson-Facile, CSUB department chair of sociology, described 

Sanchez: “She’s a very kind, generous person. She’s detailed and driven. She’s a great sociologist.”

 The process of finding a professor such as Sanchez was thorough Anderson-Facile said. “Her teaching style, philosophy and her research agenda – we realized she was a good darn fit for us,” said Anderson-Facile.

  Camaraderie is important with colleagues, and football brings Sanchez and her fellow professors together.

 “We all watch football together: Dr. Sanchez, Dr. Rhonda Dugan is a Bears fan, and I’m a Vikings fan,” said Anderson-Facile.
  However, Sanchez does not have a NFL team. Sanchez said proudly, “Go with the stats.”

  Her colleagues would agree on that statement.

  Anderson-Facile said she would take any advice Sanchez offered because she is level headed and practical. Every sociology professor welcomed Sanchez to the department upon arrival, including one of her mentors. 

  Dr. Gonzalo Santos, CSUB associate professor emeritus of sociology, complemented Sanchez’s mind, “She’s an expert in statistical analysis, and we are very pleased she is contributing all these things to 

compliment what we all teach and research.” 

  Sanchez has excelled on campus, and is enjoying her downtime playing fantasy. 

  Sanchez, playing her third year of fantasy, has seen some success.
  “First year, I came in second place. Second year, I came in third or fourth,” Sanchez said. Technological issues caused the second-year flub Sanchez explained.
  “That was unfortunate because my app messed up, and I couldn’t get to change my players out.”
  Sanchez added, “I had a bunch of empty spots who didn’t play – I was pissed.” Playing for money can cause issues between friends who play fantasy together. Sanchez never had that issue.
  “You would have to have a good relationship with friends to play fantasy. At the end of the day, if you’re playing for money, you want to make sure that people pay up,” said Sanchez with a laugh.
  Sanchez reflected on playing fantasy and why she enjoys playing. She said, “It’s fun and there’s a potential to gain some money, at least the way my league plays.”