By: Sydney Brooks
FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. (UATV) – A former razorback track star founded an organization to change how people see athletes on and off the field.
Tamara Kuykendall created “Athletes Raising the Standard”, a platform that educates and mentors high schoolers and incoming freshmen.
The organization focuses on academics, time management, and the social experience involving student athletes.
Kuykendall started out as a walk-on to the program and after proving herself and talent to the coach, she was able to gain a scholarship.
“Through a lot of hard work and dedication I was able to show for myself,” Kuykendall said.
She hopes to use her experience as a lesson and pass the baton on to the next individual.
After the NCAA announced the idea of allowing students to get paid for their name, likeness and image, Kuykendall said she felt its now more important for students to hold themselves to a higher standard.
“Knowing that students will be able to monetize off of who they are as people, i feel like they need to know that you have to bring yourself up in a certain way and understand you’re in a social sphere,” she said.
Athletes raising the standard’s mission is also to change the black athlete narrative.
Kuykendall hopes to get rid of the stereotypes that label black student athletes as lazy, and unscholarly.
“Soon they’ll take off the uniform, hang up the shoes and just be regular people. So I just want to highlight the aspects of black athletes and let people know that it’s possible to be a scholar and also a champion at their sport,” Kuykendall said.
Kuykendall’s goal for this year is to one day make the organization a limited liability company.
She hopes to potentially be hired by school systems and districts to inform high school athletes on what they need to know to become collegiate athletes.
Those who are interested can stay up to date on the organization by following @artsathletes on instagram and twitter.