A Day in the Life with Big Ten Athlete Jalen Thompson

Once a player reaches the college level, every day brings new challenges and triumphs for athletes who devote themselves to the game. Today, we’ll take a closer look at a day in the life of Jalen Thompson, a standout player for the Michigan State Spartans. 

From off season preparations to late-night film study sessions, Jalen gave me a glimpse of his rigorous schedule and a look underneath the hood of how a Big Ten collegiate athlete runs.

Early Morning: Rise and Grind

Jalen is entering his second season with the Spartans, and he has big plans to take his game to another level this year. So, in order to get the most out of his day, he starts long before the sun rises. Jalen told me that players gather every morning during the week at the Tom Izzo Football Building, where head strength and conditioning coach, Mike Daniels, gets everyone warmed up, stretched out, and prepared for the day ahead. After the warmup workout, Jalen heads to the dining hall where he grabs a quick protein packed breakfast. As a collegiate athlete, proper nutrition is imperative, so he carefully selects foods that will fuel his body for performance. 

Mid-Morning: Recovery Session

When Jalen finishes breakfast, he heads to the athletic training room for recovery treatment. His recovery routine typically includes a cupping therapy session, compression boots for his legs, and massage to loosen any sore muscles. "The trainers work their magic, and I always leave feeling rejuvenated and ready for our afternoon practice," Jalen said.

In the Lab: Afternoon Practice, Workout, and Film Study 

After his recovery session, it’s time for Jalen to hit the practice field with his teammates. The Michigan State Spartans are known for their tough, hard-nosed style of play, and practice is no exception. Jalen told me this is his time to "sharpen his game, fine-tune his technique, and work on the fine details." Next, the team hits the weight room for two hours, where half the time is devoted on speed and conditioning work, while the other half is spent focusing on power and strength movements.

After the workout, Jalen will spend time with his coaches reviewing film from either team walk throughs, previous games, or even somebody he wants to emulate his game after. Jalen told me his favorite players to watch before a game are Chase Young, Von Miller, and Max Crosby.

End of the Day: Wind Down at Home

Once film study and all of his school work is completed for the day, Jalen says he'll grab a quick bite to eat for dinner somewhere around campus in downtown East Lansing, before hopping online to play video games with his teammates. Jalen is currently on a streak of playing Call of Duty: Warzone, however, he's excited to try out the new NCAA Football 25 game, too. 

Game Day Preparations

On game day, Jalen said he doesn’t have any special pre-game rituals, but he told me he’ll usually "start the day listening to mellow music in the morning to keep him level," then as he gets closer to game time that's when he starts ramping things up. Jalen said for a 3 PM game, the team may start getting dressed around 11 o'clock, before doing the "Spartan Walk" over to the stadium. "Now that's when I put some music on that's gonna boost me up, but nothing too crazy," he explained. When Jalen gets inside the locker room, though, "that's when it's full go and I turn everything on," he said. 

Jalen will typically take a walk out onto the field to feel out his cleats, get stretched out, and then he told me before every game he does a pre-game prayer, where he blocks everything out, visualizes himself making plays on the field, and finishes getting his mind ready for kickoff.

Conclusion

When people think of college football, they often envision the electrifying atmosphere of game day on Saturday afternoons. The fans, the cheers, and the highlight-reel plays. But what many people don't see is the relentless grind that college football players endure day in and day out. Balancing academics and athletics, all while trying to squeeze in some time for their personal life, requires discipline and determination. While the rewards on the field are great, the true victory lies in the resilience and perseverance that these athletes demonstrate every single day.