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Hey everybody, and welcome back to Echoes of the Yard. I'm your host Kendyl Terrell, a soccer player at Jackson State University, and this podcast is your source for all things HBCU. From the guests to the topics, the good and the bad, we're here to talk about it all. For the ninth episode, hence my favorite number, I'm joined by Madison Beasley, a volleyball player at Alabama State. Say hello.

Hi, hi, hi. My name is Madison. Happy to be here.

So yeah, just give me your background. Tell me a little bit about yourself. Let everybody know who you are.

Okay, so my name is Madison. I am originally from Gilbert, Arizona, so like across the country. I ended up playing volleyball at Alabama State for five years. So we did not play my sophomore year because of COVID. So I had my fifth year at the end that I just finished up this past volleyball season. I have two younger brothers trying to get my littlest brother into volleyball, which he's loving so far, which makes my heart happy. Yeah. And then my two parents have been supporting me. I've been playing volleyball since I was 10. So countless hours in the gym, like long weekend tournament days. They've been there through it all. I tried. I tried dance. I tried soccer. I tried basketball. I tried karate. Like I did everything and nothing really stuck. And then I tried volleyball when I was 10, started out the Y. And my mom was like, 'no pressure', if you hate me, I'm not going to let you go. And I went and I loved it.

And that's, that's just been my thing ever since. So, so like, um, when did you realize you liked wanted to pursue volleyball in college? I would say once I hit high school. So Arizona volleyball is pretty, it's pretty big out there. I started playing club when I was 11 or 12, which is pretty regular; stuck with it. I would say once I hit maybe like 15, 16, that's kind of when the drop-off happened. So like, you either have to are we going to really like do this and stick with this? Or is this just kind of like an extracurricular thing? My club coaches were super helpful. And that's just kind of when that transition just went from like, like I said, extracurricular until like, okay, like this is majority of my time and I want to continue this.

So I would say freshman, sophomore year of high school for sure. So tell me about your journey, like, to Alabama State. Did you always want to go to the HBCU? I'm going to be honest. I didn't even know Alabama State was HBCU. I didn't know about the SWAC. I didn't know about the MEAC. Like, I didn't even, I wasn't, I knew about it, but I didn't know about, you know, the different schools and what they had to offer. I was just reaching out to coaches as one does in the recruiting process. And I just, you know, sent out my phone, sent out some emails. And then that's when I got in contact with the coaches there.

So I set up some phone calls and I just really loved the energy and Alabama State volleyball makes it known that it is a family and it's a sisterhood. So, regardless of what part of the country you're coming from, which for me was, a really far, like really far away. Yeah. They just made it known, like, yes, you might be away from your family, but we are your family and whatever you need, like that, we can offer to you. So that really stuck with me. So, and the fact that it was HBCU, like that obviously wasn't added, like, okay, yes. Like, I want to be here and I want to play here and I want to, I want to do this. So. I love that.

So like, I noticed that you were 2023 SWAC Setter of the Year. Shout out to you, 2023 All-SWAC First Team. And it's crazy, that's the case. Because I was 2023 Offensive Player of the Year and I made it. So I know how my experience was like hearing, um, my name being called. I was just like, there's just no way. Like I wasn't expecting it or whatever, but like, how was that experience for you? Like when you were just sitting at the table and they just announced that you were the SWAC Setter of the Year. Yeah. Um, there's actually a video, which I'm glad someone got that on video. Because, like, I wasn't expecting it. I just was like, 'I don't know.' Like you just never think, regardless of what you do.

You just never like, expect to be recognized, like, for all your hard work. So when they called my name, I'm like, kind of looked around. I'm like, 'Oh, I have to stand up now.' Like, 'Oh wait, I have to like go up in front of everybody.' And I was like, 'Oh shoot.' Like, 'Your pictures up on the thing.' And like, you know, everyone, all the teams are there, which is like, it's crazy to see that many athletes in one room. So it was crazy. I, I, I wasn't expecting it. My teammates are like the best people ever. Those are my freaking sisters. So they were all super happy for me. Um, everyone in the room obviously was, you know, supportive, but um, it was awesome.

And I just, it felt like a good way to kind of close the volleyball chapter in my life and, you know, just do something that I always aspired to do. So, I mean, it was awesome. It was super awesome. No, I love that for you. Um, I just remember when, uh, they were, they were announcing offensive player of the year and my name was called like just walking up there and nerves - oh my gosh. No, literally. I was looking around. I was like, wait, me? No. Yeah. And it's so different than like, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.

But you can play in front of people, but to like stand up and receive a recognition, like I just like, I'm not that person. Like I don't need all of that. And so to be like, okay, like this is literally all about you. I was like, okay. Yeah. I was like, alright, I can sit down now. Who's next? Like it was, it was a lot, but it was, I mean, like I said, never forget it. It was amazing. And like, I will cherish that forever. So yeah, 100%. I definitely agree. How would you rate your overall experience at Alabama State as a student? Give me a one through 10, just as a student. I would you rate my overall experience as a student: um, I would honestly like give it like a good eight, nine, ten.

I mean, obviously, like HBCUs, there's so many things that we need or are underfunded, or we just don't have access to. So, I will say state definitely did what they can with what they had. Um, obviously, like, we could have, you know, gotten some buildings that needed to be fixed or some doors that needed to be, you know, but I would say it's an amazing campus. I mean, amazing, amazing people. I think that people definitely make it what it is. Um, the staff are supportive. Teachers are supportive. I got really lucky. Like all of my teachers understood that I was an athlete as well as other students, but like being an athlete, like we are on the road and we're at practice and we have a bunch of things that play into like our academic life more than just like going to class and doing homework.

Like we have so many other things. So, they've even to this day, as I'm still finishing up my master's. But they have been, they've been so helpful with like, 'Hey, I'm going to do what I can,' but I'm just communicating with you. Like I'm on the road for four days and I'm not going to be in class, and like that type of thing. Um, so yeah, great. And I'm, like I said, I did all five years there, which is kind of rare with the transfer portal and stuff. Um, so clearly I loved it at least a little bit to be there for that long, but yeah, it was amazing. No, amazing. Amazing! So how would you rate your overall experience as an athlete? Oh, 10 out of 10.

I - it's crazy to think that that chapter is closed, but um, you don't realize like how amazing it is once you're like out of it or nearing the end of it. Definitely took those days for granted, but you know, like waking up four in the morning and going to practice and having double days, triple days, like that type of thing. Um, in the moment it's like, I literally would rather be in bed, but literally, and I will do anything, but looking back, like amazing. And just like all the hard work that we put in created such a strong bond, like with the girls I played with and like my coaches, I have the greatest bonds with them, like strength stuff, everybody, all the people that go into it, which you don't even think about until you're in it.

But like, it was, it was amazing. And like, same thing as the teachers, like super supportive, whatever we needed, they were there. The fans, we got like a new core. Like it was just, I'm telling you the best experience ever, best experience ever. So how much did COVID impact your athletic career at Alabama State? Um, a lot. And I think in a weird way, it was kind of beneficial. So we didn't play my sophomore year, which we just practiced and was just, you know, stuck with what we had. Weirdly enough, one, it gave me that extra year for my fifth year, which I was able to play and stay with some of the girls that I got close with. And then I also got hurt my freshman year and was trying to recover from surgery and stuff.

And COVID allowed me to one schedule surgery and have all that time to rehab and get back. So weirdly, it was like a good year. It was a blessing in disguise. Yes. Like I, I don't know. It was just a good chance for me to like rehab, obviously. And then just try and get better and mentally try and like grow. Um, it's like, it obviously sucked in the moment, but I'd say looking back and where I'm at now, it definitely, definitely was something, something good came out of it for sure. Yeah. So do you think like playing for an HBCU has made college sports easier or harder for you? Oh, that's a good question. I would say not hard, similar to like just HBCUs as a whole, like there's just holes in, in the system and there's things that we need that we don't necessarily have access to, or we're not priority when it comes to whatever we need.

You just kind of see what we have lacking or what we need to succeed. And we kind of have to make do with what we have. Yeah. So our coach would always make sure to take us to the big school. So we went to like University of Arizona. We went to Cincinnati. Um, we went to Alabama, Auburn, all these really big places that are PWA. And naturally just have more money and more access. So they have the bigger gyms and the, you know, stuff like that, that we don't have. Um, so I would say harder in the fact of like flashiness or like they have the media teams and, you know, all these people that are there to support them that we don't have. But I would say easier.

So the fact that when we would go play these teams, like we kind of have like a little bit of like, we have a chip on our shoulder. We have some more grit that they don't necessarily have. Um, that we use to our benefit. And then when we do come in there, it's like, Oh wait, these girls can play. Like they might not have their own arena, but these girls can still play regardless of where they're at. So, I would say a little bit of both. It's just, it's, it's just a special experience that you'll never be able to understand until you're in it, which is like, there's nothing else you can tell someone about it all I want, but until they're in it and doing the dirty work, you'll never get it.

They'll never get it. So, yeah. So, you were mixed up with the other team. You were mixed up with the other team. And only like a fourth black, but has that ever been used against you? I wouldn't say against me. I don't, well, honestly, I don't know. So, to my face or from what I've seen, I would say no; granted, like kind of like winning, like winning an award and having to go up there. I don't know what everyone was thinking, or I don't; I don't know about, if a weekly award were to come out and my picture was on there, I don't know. Our team is just a mixture of people. So, a bunch of, there's a bunch of races. We have just a, just a big mix, obviously.

And so I know as a team that we were looked at differently, but I would say for myself, I just, I don't know. I would assume which kind of is; it kind of sucks a little bit, but I mean, it's just, that's just kind of what it is. I don't know. It just, yeah, it's obviously not to my face. No. Um, I can assume that maybe, in the back of someone's head possibly. But I do think it's helped me as a person kind of past volleyball and just like relationships and stuff like that. And just having my mind, like I have a kind of a different view on things, especially going to HBCU. Like I just, I don't know. It's, it's a very interesting way to think and way to grow up.

So has that like impacted your experience at your HBCU? Um, not necessarily. I definitely would get, get questions or like, 'Not why are you here,' but 'Why did you want to come to Alabama?' Or 'Why did you want to go to HBCU' or something like that? Or even like, 'Are you Hispanic?' 'Are you Samoan?' Are you like, what, like, you know, what kind of going on? Girl, I get it all the time. So like, I get everything under the sun. Like you'll just never know. Yeah. So yeah, I don't know. I just think, like I said, it's, it's a really interesting place to be. Um, and I don't know. I just think, like I said, I use it to my advantage and just had a super open mind to anyone.

And I would always tell any of the athletes like around me or any sport, like, not if you need to talk, but if there's, I mean, like, I get it. Like I promise, like I get it. And we're all just trying to do, be here and do our best. And so that's all really we could do at the end of the day. Yeah. So was there like an element of a culture shock for you when you first stepped on campus? Oh, for sure. Oh, for sure. I'm from Gilbert, Arizona. There's a cornfield across the street from my high school. All my friends have like farms. I'm like, I don't know. And like cows and stuff, which isn't, it's not always like that where I'm from, but that's just what's around me.

Um, when I first came to Alabama State, I wasn't aware, like of the, of Greek life of just like HBCU culture and like how much of a family it really is. Like even once you leave simply just because I went to HBCU, there's one connection everywhere. There's support everywhere, everywhere within the SWAC support there. And then even smaller, like within state, like support alumni, like alumni, like alumni, like alumni, like alumni, like alumni, always come back, which when I would go, so I'm from Arizona. So when I would go to like Arizona State games or U of A games, it was just that like family aspect wasn't necessarily there. And like the alumni aspect wasn't there. And granted their campuses are four times the size of ours.

So it's like, I don't, I appreciate the smaller campuses and the close-knit family. Because you kind of know everybody on campus. I mean, it's just, it's just HBCU life. And literally, just because I went to one, and you went to one, like now there's a community there. So it's just, it's just a connection. Yes, exactly. So like, I mean, yeah, it's been great. And that's just, I think going HBCU was one of the best decisions I could have made for sure. I agree for sure, 100%. What advice would you give people struggling with that culture shock? Like just in general, like going into a big culture shock for them, like what advice would you give? Embrace it, sit in it, just live in it and just respect it. Obviously.

Um, it runs way deeper and way beyond, way before us. And it's going to continue way after us. Um, so if you're there and you have the opportunity to experience it, really just embrace it. Like I said, and yeah, grow from it; learn what you can be super open-minded. It definitely is going to change you in a, in a positive way, obviously, but your outlook on everything will change, and being like vocal about any, I mean, anything like that, like we're just told like to speak your mind. And if you see something like that type of thing and you, you stand up and you support your HBCU; that's just what you do. So I love that. So, would you advise like other minorities or non-Black individuals to attend HBCUs?

I would, I would. Um, so what do they, what do they need to know in advance? Well, you better get ready. So for us, at least you have like the cafeteria is, is it, it's a moment, like it's, you're not just going to eat. So you better be dressed or you better be ready to spend like three hours in there. Um, Greek life, obviously I'm, I'm never been a part of it. I'm not Greek, but just like seeing it and seeing like the relationships that it creates, um, events, stuff like that. You better be able to time manage. I can tell you that much. So, you better be able to be on your things and undo your homework before you can go to the, to the yard or to whatever's going on.

Like that type of thing. Um, and you can't really, which I learned, like, I'm a kind of like shy individual. You can't be an introvert at HBCU. You can try. And especially like, I feel, at least I don't know about your experience. Like, I feel like I stuck out like a sore thumb. Like one, you're an athlete, you're a female. You're like, I don't know, I don't know, which obviously you're an athlete, female, and you don't look like everybody else. So in that aspect, like you just have to, like I said, embrace it. And just like, it's so fun and it can be overwhelming, but it's just an experience that you'll never be able to have unless, like I said, unless you go to one, like you, there's no other place that compares to an HBCU besides the HBCU.

Yeah. So like, just going back to what you said about sticking out like a sore thumb, I'm six feet two, I have like 20 tattoos. I'm covered from head to toe. So I don't help my situation. But like, I can definitely tell like everybody, oh, that's that girl that plays soccer. The girl with all the tattoos. Like, they don't even know me by my name. No. I was the foreign girl on the volleyball team till about my junior year. And that was like after season. I was like, guys, like, not that it's a problem. Like I have a name. Like, hey y'all, I've been here for four years. Like, yeah, I was the foreign girl or I was the Hispanic girl or I was the Hawaiian girl on the team, but whatever.

It's just like, you just, it's crazy to just walk in somewhere and just be like eyes immediately on you. Like, wherever you go. Yeah. I'm curious. What is your ethnicity? I'm half white, a quarter black and a quarter Japanese. Okay. Okay. I love that. I'm just, I'm just a white Native American and black. So amazing. Amazing. But it's like, a really interesting mix. Like people are like, oh my gosh, I have no idea. Like I just, and I get asked all the time, like straight, I've never met someone like, what are you? Like, can I just like, before you even ask my name, you're asking me what I am, which is like crazy. Yeah. Yeah. They're like, 'I can't.' And like, my hair is not curly. Like, it's just like a super interesting mix.

And I mean, granted you can, you can definitely like relate to what I'm saying. It's, it's crazy, but I wouldn't have changed it for anything. I had so much fun, so much fun. Literally. I love that. Before I get to my last question, is there anything else you want to share about your story or your experience as a student athlete at Alabama State? Not specifically. I mean, I always tell the girls now, I mean, this is really just for any, any athlete, but I mean, specifically HBCU athletes, specifically Alabama State athletes, like really just embrace the time that you have there. While you're there, it's going to feel like it's lasting forever. But before you know it, it's over and you can never go, but yeah, you can never go back to it.

Embrace the culture, embrace the environment, embrace practice, the hard stuff, whatever it is, build connections with your people. One thing I do wish I would have done is I would have done a lot of things. I would have done a lot of things. I would have done a lot of is like connecting with other HBCU or like student athletes or just even individuals in that realm for like post-grad work or like outside of sports things. Because you have all the tools right there in front of you. You have all the connections. Like I said earlier, like just because I went to HBCU, I have like, or like I have like first dibs on something simply just because I went there or because I know someone or I played under this person, that type of thing.

So like use that edge and use it. Use it early and then always give back, give back to the sport that like created you and that gave you everything you had, whether that be coaching or whether that be, and in some aspect, give back to that sport because that sport basically made you who you are today. And then give back to your HBCU and support HBCUs and stand up for them. And regardless of what school it is, like be there and be a voice and be someone that like little girls can look up to. I always think about that. Like if I was a little girl, I was a little girl. I was a little girl. I was a little girl. I was a little girl.

I want to be the girl that a little girl sees in the store and is like, oh my God, I want to be like her. Or when I play, like, okay, like I want to play like her. Like, because I remember when I was little, I always used to look at those girls. So it's a really, really special place to be that I'm not, not a lot of people are able to be in the position that you and I were in or are in. So yeah, use it. Especially, I just could talk about birthing HBCUs forever and just everything that they've given me and they've taught me and Alabama State was a great place. And yeah, I'm so glad I did my time there. So. Yeah.

I'd like, I love that you said that because I'm going into my fifth year and this will be my third year at Jackson State. And just like, just hearing you like talk about your HBCU and just knowing that your time has come to an end and like me going into my last year, it's just like, okay, like maybe just appreciate things that I didn't even consider to appreciate or I took for granted. So like, I definitely think that people going into their fifth year, going into their last year will definitely benefit from hearing just like, being appreciative of being at an HBCU and accepting the acceptance they give you. So like, no, I definitely think that'll be a hit for sure. Yes, yes, yes. So our last question is presented by our sponsor, Cricket Wireless.

So, shout out to Cricket, a proud supporter of HBCU culture and community. How has going to an HBCU influenced the person you are today? I think, well, one, college is such an interesting time in your life, and it's such like a growing period. Like when you come when you're 18, you might come one way, and you leave when you're 23, depending on how long you're there; you're a completely different person, regardless of where you are. So I think me being grown and going through the things of like growing up in that environment has taught me so much about the outside world and really opened your eyes just to like what else is out there. So, I would always advise people to get out if they can of their hometown.

And then, like I said, an HBCU specifically, like it just shows you so much that you probably would not have known about. So, I would always advise people to get out of their hometown unless you were there, unless you do some research or whatever the case may be. But I just do think it's changed my mindset. My confidence for sure has definitely increased. For sure. Confidence is a whole different boost. Yes. Like, I'm a complete person when I tell you coming in at 18, like I'm completely different than who I was. I'm different now than who I was when I got there. So I just give them props for that and just creating, props to my coaches too, but creating like a strong individual, a strong woman that is confident in what they can do has kind of just done what I've done, not on my own, but like you have this confidence.

Like you said, you have this confidence, like you can kind of handle anything. Like you, we create at Album Estate and other HBCUs, like we create strong individuals. So you kind of have no other choice than to be like a boss when you leave. Like there's no other option. No, literally, like you own everything. Yes. And like you can do anything. So I think it's awesome. And I'm so, so, so grateful for that place.

I love that. Thank you so much for joining me and sharing your experiences with us, Madison. Like I've genuinely enjoyed this. It was just like a really mature conversation and good workout of everything. Listeners, thanks for tuning in. We've got a ton more great guests and we'll continue talking about HBCUs from all angles. Make sure you rate, review, and subscribe so you don't miss out on more echoes of the art. Thank you so much. Thank you so much.