Brandon Andrews is a junior at Tennessee Temple. He is the student body president as well as a member of the football and basketball teams.

Q: How much time do you spend in your role as student body president and how much do you enjoy it?

A: “It can be time-consuming at times. . . it takes a good amount of time. But they try not to overwhelm me because of academics and athletics. It’s a lot of fun. I enjoy representing the student body. It’s supposed to be a one-year deal, but I’m going to try to do it next year, too.”

Q: Earlier this year you found out you had a shoulder injury that eventually led to surgery (on Dec. 12) and you missing your junior year of basketball. How tough has that been on you?

A: “It’s been tough. I’ve missed playing. It’s even tough going to practice because I want to be out there with my teammates. But, at the same time, everything happens for a reason. Looking at it, in the long run I think this will be the best thing in the long run. I just put my trust in God. . . he knows what’s best. Everything will work out for the good.”

Q: How does your shoulder feel now?

A” “It’s been a month since the surgery. . . It’s feeling better. I haven’t done a lot of rehab because the doctor says he really wants to take it easy. Even though I’m ahead of schedule, he doesn’t want me to re-injure it. We’re into the second month now, though, so I’m going to try to hit (rehab) as hard as I can and try to make a comeback.”

Q: What do you like about Temple?

A: “Just about everything, really. I love the atmosphere here. There’s really not a lot of pressure. I love the people. And I love the focus on God. You can grow here physically, mentally and spiritually and that’s hard to find at most schools.”

Q: You seem to have a lot of fun with the younger kids at the Academy. You’re always spending time with them and joking around with them. Why is that?

A: “I love being a role model for them. I think that’s important. I know when I was their age, I always looked up to the older kids. I rather have them looking up to me than some other people. That’s something I take pretty serious because I feel like God has blessed me with that, being a mentor to the kids. Especially the boys because I grew up with all sisters. I didn’t have any brothers, so I kind of look at them like my brothers.”

Q: Speaking of your sisters, how are they doing?

A: “My oldest sister (Brandi, 18) is at Oklahoma State running track. She’s doing good. Breonna (12), she’s doing good, too. She plays basketball at GPS. And my youngest sister (Baily, 6), she’s playing, too. Her team is good.”

Q: You look a lot like your father, Anthony. Bet you haven’t heard that one before, right?

Rector is a freshman at Tennessee Temple. He is a member of the football, basketball and baseball teams.

Q: What do you like about Temple?

A:  “I’ve been here so long that I know everybody and everybody knows me and my family. That makes it easy to get along with everybody. I like the fact that it’s a big campus, too, so everybody’s not cramped into one building.”

Q: It’s unusual for a freshman to start at quarterback on the varsity team. You’re also one of the team’s leading tacklers, too. How do you feel you’ve performed this season?

A: “I really wasn’t expecting to be starting at quarterback. Everybody always tells me I’m too stupid to play quarterback (laugh). I haven’t played nearly as good as I’m capable of playing; I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I always think I can do better. It’s been fun, though.”

Q: You recently received a recruiting letter from defending national champion Florida. How excited were you about that? And do you like your new nickname, Tebow?

A: “It surprised me, really. Obviously, I was real happy, though. My dad is trying not to make a big deal about it. He doesn’t want me to get the big head or anything like that. As for the nickname, some of the guys have been calling me that because Florida’s quarterback is (Tim) Tebow. It’s kinda funny. I like it.”

Q: Is Florida you’re favorite team?

A: No. My favorite team is Penn State. But Florida is my favorite team in the SEC.

Q: You play the three major sports. What is your favorite?

A: “Football. I’m not very good at basketball (laugh).”

Q: You’ve got an older brother, Caleb, who also attends Temple. Is there any kind of sibling rivalry between you and him?

A: “We don’t fight. .  .we get along most of the time. We really do. We have another brother, too, Chance, who is older than both of us. We’ve always been real close.”

Q: What is one thing that is unusual about you?

A: “I can’t eat chocolate. When I try to eat it, it makes me sick. I can eat it a little bit, and I can drink chocolate milk. But I really don’t like it.

Dyer is a junior at Tennessee Temple. She is a member of the volleyball and basketball teams.

Q: You excel at volleyball and basketball. Which is your favorite sport and why?

A:  I like basketball best. It’s such a competitive game, and I’m a competitive person. And a lot of my friends play basketball at some of the other schools we play, so I get to play against them.”

Q: Have you always liked sports, or is it something you grew into?

A: I’ve always played and liked sports. My parents have this picture of me when I was a baby, and I was holding a basketball. They say I held it all the time.”

Q:  Your mom works in the main office here at the Academy. Does that keep you from getting in trouble more?

A:  Yes, definitely (laugh). Some of my teachers in the past have called her (in the office) when I’ve gotten in trouble, and I’ve had some other teachers kid me about calling about her.”

Q: Some teachers and coaches say your mom can be a troublemaker at times. Any truth to that?

A:  I better not comment on that one (laugh). You’d have to ask her on that one.

Q:  What do you like about Temple?

A:   I like that it is a Christian school, and we can worship God and learn about him in Bible class. And I like the staff a lot, too. You can tell that the staff cares about each and every one of us.”

Q:  Most people know about you as a volleyball and basketball player. Name something about yourself that people may not know.

A:  I’m a health freak. Most of my friends already know that. I started a couple of years ago, eating real healthy and exercising a lot. I want to live as long as I can and as healthy as I can. It’s helped me a lot in sports, too. My performance has been a lot better.”