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Tehya Beadles is a former soccer player who attended Alabama A&M where she was a captain from her sophomore to her senior year and led her team to become Co-Champions of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. We sat down with Tehya to talk about what it was like to be a part of a D1 Historically Black College University and the steps taken as a team to make it to the top. 

The Recruiting Process

Tehya has played soccer since she was six years old all the way to college graduation and the recruiting process was smooth for her–she attended the right camps and tournaments and started her journey in high school. She ended up getting recruited through film and dealt with a lot of back and forth communication with her current coach. Ultimately, she decided to visit the AAMU campus, loved it, felt like the school was a perfect fit for her, and committed shortly after. 

Related: Talking to a Coach: 5 Questions to Ask as a Soccer Recruit

Why an HBCU?

Growing up, Tehya heard great things about HBCUs and the amazing experiences you can have throughout your four years. Part of her decision was based on the feeling of being accepted and empowered by the community on campus. Not to mention she was getting an offer to play the sport she loved while being true to herself. It was a perfect mix of both worlds, and she had to take that opportunity.

Related: Rate your Coaches, Facilities, and Campus Visits

Oh Captain, My Captain

As an athlete, Tehya was a lead by example kind of person. She worked hard on the field and put 110% effort into everything she did for her team. She was a take-charge kind of athlete who would stay after practice, put in that extra work, lead the team in fitness, watch film, and communicate with her peers and coach off the field. These kinds of qualities are what allowed her to become a captain at 19 years old. Her coach put a lot of responsibilities on her, like keeping her teammates accountable and keeping track of team-related logistics. 

What made Tehya a great captain is that she was not afraid to be honest and tell her teammates the truth. She genuinely wants the best for the people around her and wanted to make those four years the best experience possible, so she was willing to take the extra steps. In her opinion, “if you want to be a good team, you have to talk to your team.” 

Related: Daily Grind: The Athlete Lifestyle at an HBCU

That Special Feeling 

To be victorious in her senior season felt very unreal. Tehya's team had set a bunch of goals they wanted to accomplish and reaching their goal was an incredible feeling for her. Her coach brought in unbelievable players that helped them become victorious. She has had a great experience playing at AAMU because she felt that sense of community that all players want–it was the perfect way to close off her soccer journey. 

Last Words of Advice

One piece of advice that Tehya has for all recruits is to make sure you are mentally tough to come into the world of college athletics. She mentioned that being a college athlete takes up a lot of your time. You must know how to balance both school and soccer. 

In the end, she would not change a second of it–for Tehya, the “HBCU experience is phenomenal because of the love and culture” that surrounds you.  

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Image Credit: Alabama A&M Athletics

* Originally published on January 19, 2023, by Daesha Harper