By Catherine West
Senior Stefan Huber from Nederland has had a Baylor experience most high-school students only imagine. Not only is this health science studies major filling out medical school applications, but he is also preparing for the 2012 football season. Number 54 on the field, Huber plays center for the Baylor Bears.
For the past four years, Huber has juggled the heavy demands that come along with being a student-athlete. With a tough course load and a demanding practice schedule, Huber is not your ordinary twenty-two year old. His roommate, Baylor’s right guard Cameron Kaufhold, describes what it is like living with Huber. “Stefan enjoys spending time in his room, alone with his science books,” Kaufhold says. “He goes to bed at 8:30 p.m. and eats a lot.”
Huber said the biggest benefit of being a Baylor athlete is the opportunity to receive a Baylor education, of which he seems to be taking full advantage. Huber is eager to earn his degree in May but is also excited to stay at Baylor and complete his four years of eligibility in the 2013 season.
Unfortunately, being a collegiate student-athlete also causes many physical bumps and bruises. Last October, Huber tore his labrum, cartilage in the shoulder, and spent the rest of the season 
recovering from surgery. He was devastated by the injury, especially after sitting out the previous season due to another injury. He recalls how difficult it was to stand on the sidelines but says, “You can’t show emotion on the sidelines. You have to be upbeat and cheer on your team.”
Sitting out last year made Huber even more excited for this season. He feels confident of his health and speaks highly of Baylor athletics’ physical therapist. “I had a great physical therapist Michael Martin; he is one of the best bio-mechanists around,” Huber brags.
He also feels confident in his teammates. While he mentions they do not have the years of experience that last year’s team had, the younger players are very skilled and Huber expects they will do well. Training year-round for only twelve games, Huber is just ready to get the season started.
The 2011-12 season for Baylor sports was one of the greatest in history, and Huber is determined to keep that going. But he’s not worried about pressure. “It’s not pressure; it’s a standard,” he says. “We hold ourselves to a higher standard.”
As football kicks off a new season, Huber’s looks back at his time on and off the field. He is grateful for the people he has met and the opportunity given to help change the Baylor football program. While Huber has been a member of the team, the Bears have gone from winning eight games in two years to ten games in a single season.
Like any other senior, Huber anxiously awaits his diploma and prepares for what is next — medical school. He hopes to attend the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and one day become an orthopedic surgeon.
Fellow teammate Alex Bonilla said Huber’s determination will take him — and the team — a long way. “Stefan is a great friend because he is so passionate about everything he does. He gives 110 percent day in and day out.” For both Baylor football and Stefan Huber, the future is full of possibilities.
