Spring Break
With graduate, all sports are fair game
By: Morgan Pindel Special to The Battalion
Issue date: 7/1/09 Section: Opinion
In a country on the other side of the world, the term "sport" has a slightly different meaning. For Graduate Student Council President Husameddin AlMadani, this meaning is table tennis.
Growing up in Saudi Arabia, indoor sports were preferred over outdoor activities because the temperatures are so high.
"Except for soccer," AlMadani said. "Everyone plays soccer."
AlMadani started playing table tennis at the age of 6 when his parents brought a tennis table to their home.
"My siblings and I used to spend most of our free time playing table tennis," AlMadani said.
All of his playing and practice paid off when he won the championship at his intermediate school for table tennis and went on to win third place in a district competition.
In Saudi Arabia people do not play football or baseball. Even though basketball is becoming more popular, the main sports people play are volleyball and soccer.
"Apparently, the passion for soccer is overshadowing many other good sports," AlMadani said. He received his undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas in computer science engineering. It was there that he took a tennis class and fell in love with the sport. At one point when he was first learning the game he wanted to become a professional tennis player.
"I realized my time had passed," AlMadani said. "Now I just play for fun."
It was also at Kansas that he learned to scuba dive. This has become a passion for him.
When AlMadani came to Texas A&M University to obtain his masters in petroleum engineering, he became invested in the University's sports. He is a fan of the men's and women's basketball teams and the football team.
He has started to get into baseball because his son plays baseball in the College Station league.
AlMadani, like any other Aggie invested in this University's sports, was excited about the national championship titles in track and golf.
"I am very proud of the way the track team is building their program," AlMadani said.
He uses the championships and great school athletics in conversation with other students and friends as a form of recruitment.
"Championships like these bring great publicity to the school," AlMadani said. "It really helps the University and I like to talk about it."
Growing up in Saudi Arabia, indoor sports were preferred over outdoor activities because the temperatures are so high.
"Except for soccer," AlMadani said. "Everyone plays soccer."
AlMadani started playing table tennis at the age of 6 when his parents brought a tennis table to their home.
"My siblings and I used to spend most of our free time playing table tennis," AlMadani said.
All of his playing and practice paid off when he won the championship at his intermediate school for table tennis and went on to win third place in a district competition.
In Saudi Arabia people do not play football or baseball. Even though basketball is becoming more popular, the main sports people play are volleyball and soccer.
"Apparently, the passion for soccer is overshadowing many other good sports," AlMadani said. He received his undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas in computer science engineering. It was there that he took a tennis class and fell in love with the sport. At one point when he was first learning the game he wanted to become a professional tennis player.
"I realized my time had passed," AlMadani said. "Now I just play for fun."
It was also at Kansas that he learned to scuba dive. This has become a passion for him.
When AlMadani came to Texas A&M University to obtain his masters in petroleum engineering, he became invested in the University's sports. He is a fan of the men's and women's basketball teams and the football team.
He has started to get into baseball because his son plays baseball in the College Station league.
AlMadani, like any other Aggie invested in this University's sports, was excited about the national championship titles in track and golf.
"I am very proud of the way the track team is building their program," AlMadani said.
He uses the championships and great school athletics in conversation with other students and friends as a form of recruitment.
"Championships like these bring great publicity to the school," AlMadani said. "It really helps the University and I like to talk about it."
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