Montana's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) has adopted 'More Than An Athlete' as its slogan, hoping to showcase that each of them have interests, passions and pursuits beyond their field of play. Each week throughout the summer, Griz student-athletes will share personal, first-hand letters about who they are and what the slogan means to them.
To read more about the initiative, click here. For an archive of previous first-hand stories, click here.Â
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Meredith with two children in Lamadi, TanzaniaMeredith Boos, Women's Golf
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I grew up as a multi-sport athlete. I was a thrower and sprinter on the track & field team, I ran two seasons of cross country, I swam, I played varsity soccer and I dabbled in rugby and basketball. I lived in Tanzania my sophomore year of high school where I competed for the Tanzanian National Swim Team and set a national record in the 4x100 freestyle relay. I started golfing my junior year of high school and was captivated by the physical and mental challenge that golf presents.
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Choosing to play golf over swimming was not an easy decision. It meant giving up the opportunity to swim competitively at a collegiate level, which I had been working toward for years. However, the challenge and potential for growth in golf were too great to ignore. I was drawn to the mental fortitude and strategic thinking required in golf, and I knew that it would be a sport that I could play for the rest of my life.
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Golf practice, team workouts, and tournaments tend to make up a significant part of my schedule. When I am not focused on training or schoolwork, I perform with my brother, organize blood drives, volunteer at food banks, take boxing classes and enjoy the occasional dinner with friends.
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For me, being 'More Than An Athlete' means showcasing my passions outside of athletics and humanizing the student-athlete experience. I am passionate about ecosystem conservation and sustainability, which led me to UM and its world-class sciences department. I have loved my time in the wildlife biology program where I have taken classes in wildlife handling and chemical immobilization, and volunteered with research projects in the Avian Sciences Center. I'm a farm girl at heart and take every chance I get to work with animals.
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Meredith tending to cows on her family farm in Wisconsin
Meredith painting a bowl she made while
taking a ceramics class at UM
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In addition to my love for the environment, I have a variety of hobbies that I enjoy. I love skiing, as well as cooking, ceramics, crocheting and sewing. During my first quarantine, I started making clothes and recently finished my first sweater. I also enjoy research and I presented a paper at the Ecomusicology Conference in November. I recently finished my senior thesis and presented at UMCUR (UM Conference of Undergraduate Research).
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I am the secretary of my family's non-profit organization, ZeruZeru Simama Sasa, which advocates and protects people living with albinism in Tanzania. We operate a center in Lamadi, Tanzania, where we currently care for more than 100 children. While I have not been able to return to Tanzania since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, I remain heavily involved in fundraising, social media platforms and board meetings.
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Overall, being involved in activities outside of my sport have greatly enhanced my experience as a student-athlete. Not only do my passions bring balance to my life, but they also allow me to connect with others and make a difference in the world.
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Meredith skiing Snowbowl with her teammate, Teigan Avery.
