July 18, 2020

By Fred Liggett
[email protected]

There is a lot of uncertainty right now about plans for the upcoming 2020-21 season for college athletes. Many of them are still working hard thanks to voluntary workouts and other measures to prepare for a winning season.

One of them is Alyssa Pemberton a 2019 Summit Christian Academy graduate who competes now at Kansas State University in a sport she did not participate in back in high school. Pemberton lettered in four sports while an SCA Eagle, golf, track, soccer and basketball. K-State Wildcats know Pemberton as a member of the school’s rowing team.

Rowing? Pemberton says is unlike any other sport as there are “no timeouts.” Pemberton feels having competed in golf and track in high school, which are individual sports, helps her excel at her current sport. In addition to that Pemberton says “having team sports background like in soccer and basketball helps “prepare me for my current success.”

How did a university in Manhattan, Kansas find Pemberton and get her to commit to being a Wildcat is a question she hears a lot. K-State found her by looking at roster sizes, body type and athletic build. Pemberton first heard from the Wildcats with a letter to her home her junior year. From there Pemberton “Went on a school tour. Kept going back on visits and ended up loving it.” Then she got an offer as Pemberton says she “Couldn’t pass up a D-I offer.”

This summer the K-State Rowing team had Zoom workouts with their coaches. The staff recommended endurance workouts for the team members. Pemberton supplemented those workouts with her own cross fit work out.

As of now, plans at K-State are to welcome spring sports teams back to campus on Monday, Aug. 17. All members will face a COVID test, once tests come back negative then the fall workouts will start up. The rowing team looks forward to the annual Jayhawk Jamboree against KU in the fall. The event has yet to be canceled. The team also is looking forward to a spring camp in California to compete against several teams but it’s unknown if any travel restrictions will impact those plans.

Pemberton has been back to visit with the SCA basketball team, but opportunities are limited due to her six days a week schedule at K-State. Her SCA coaches are happy for Pemberton as they were “originally concerned about me taking on a new sport.” Away from her Rowing commitments, Pemberton is excelling in the classroom. Currently Pemberton is a double major in Biology and Economics. Earlier this month on Jul. 2 Pemberton was awarded an academic award from the Big 12 conference. She was named to the All Big 12 Rookie Team.

Pemberton now awaits her next honor which she hopes to start working for upon return to the K-State campus in mid-August.