The Runner’s spotlight this issue is on CSU Bakersfield men’s basketball player Shawn Stith. This season is his debut with the ‘Runners after transferring from Saddleback College. 

  Stith was introduced to basketball by his older sister after tagging along to one of her practices. After being introduced, he found himself liking the sport and has since started training. 

  “I started watching, and reading about it…We lived down the street from a high school, so I started going to the games, like, really started studying the game, ‘cause I really wanted to do this,” Stith said while explaining how he started getting into basketball. 

  Stith does want to go professional after college and plans on playing for a while, but as of now, he’s focused on playing basketball for his team. 

  “That’s my goal that I’ve been having all my life. As of right now, I’m a college basketball player, so I can’t really focus on that [going pro] right now. I got to really focus on helping my team win, being present, and being a good college player,” Stith said about his plans for playing basketball. 

  While his goal is to continue playing basketball, Stith’s life plan is to open his own practice for marriage counseling, sports psychology, and children’s psychology after he retires from basketball. He’s not only interested in it, but feels he’s also good at it. Along with the practice he wishes to open, he also wants to open a few restaurants before relaxing through his years after basketball. 

  Even though Stith’s schedule can be hectic with how busy he is with practice, weights, study halls, and classes, he enjoys cooking in his spare time and likes to whip himself up something, but cooking is not the only thing he does in the extra time he has. 

  “If it’s not talking to my family and loved ones, it’s just catching up on my TV shows. There’s a lot of great TV shows out there and I’m falling behind, so other than that it’s just sleep,” Stith said while explaining how he finishes his day.