May 24, 2017
Allie Dusha is a 2016 graduate of Auburn University and a former member of the Auburn equestrian team. The Ohio native joined the then three-time national championship and three-time Southern Equestrian Conference championship winning team in 2012 as a freshman.
She had an excellent junior season for the Tigers in 2015, going 7-5 in Reining and earning three MOP honors with a Rider of the Month nod in the spring. She also earned an NCEA All-American Honorable Mention in Reining and was named to the 2015 All-SEC Team in the event. Dusha not only excelled in the arena but also in the classroom, her hard work resulting in her being named the 2015 SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
In her senior year, she helped lead the 2015-16 Tigers win the Southeastern Conference and NCEA championship titles while being placed to the SEC Academic Honor Roll and NCEA Academic Honor Roll for the third-consecutive year each, and was named to the NCEA Scholastic First Team All-American for the second consecutive year. Dusha is currently earning her Doctorate degree at Ohio State University and is continuing to compete successfully in Reining.
What did you major/minor in at Auburn?
I pursued a dual degree at Auburn, so I ended up with a degree in Exercise Science and a degree in Fitness, Conditioning & Performance.
What are you studying in grad school?
I'm getting my Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree at Ohio State.
Where do you want to be employed/live once you graduate?
As of now I'd really like to stay in Columbus where OSU is located. It's a great place for young professionals, there's lot's to do so it's hard to be bored, and I can see myself staying there for a long time!
What do you love most about what you're studying?
This is tough! There's so much that I've ended up loving about PT. I'd have to say my favorite part is genuinely being able to help people improve their quality of life. A lot of people think that they get hurt and the only options are to live with it, have surgery, get an injection, etc. But, by studying PT, we can offer people help in simpler and less invasive ways. Being able to make lifelong improvements in people's quality of lives via exercise and activity is really inspiring to me, and motivates me to be the best possible student for my future patients.
You were the 2015 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year and on the NCEA and SEC honor roll three consecutive years, how did managing your time as a student-athlete help you prepare for graduate school?
It helped me immensely! Honestly, at first my grad school schedule felt like a breeze compared to what I was used to at Auburn. Having to budget my time as a student-athlete between early morning workouts, classes, and practice really taught me a lot about how to prioritize my time and studying efforts. Having to dedicate so much time to team activities while I was a student-athlete taught me how to be on top of studying and assignments and to get ahead when possible, especially when we were traveling. Also, my time as a student-athlete taught me how to prepare for unexpected changes in my schedule. Learning how to be adjustable has helped me a lot in grad school when we get random events and meetings thrown into our already busy schedule.
What skills did you learn from being part of the team that have helped you now?
Definitely time management. Also, when you're surrounded by 39 other girls essentially 24/7, you learn how to work with and communicate with lots of different people. All of us were different and had different personalities, and for the team to work and be cohesive we all had to put in a lot of effort to communicate with each other. This has helped me communicate with my classmates, professors, and patients that may be different than I am.
How do horses fit into your life now?
I am lucky enough to still be showing horses! When I graduated, I gave up the all-around life and bought a Reiner. I actually went and picked her up the weekend after we won nationals in 2016, so I wasted no time making sure horses would still be a part of my life! Although I can't ride every day like I did at Auburn, I was lucky enough to find a great trainer that keeps up with my horse for me and I try to go ride once a week when I am in class and not on a clinical rotation. I show whenever I can, although again not as much as I have in years past.
Have you showed anywhere recently? If so, how did it go?
I showed at a Central Ohio Reining Horse Association show last weekend, and ended up winning the Green Reiner Level 2 both days of the show. At the end of last year, I showed at the Quarter Horse Congress and was Reserve Champion in the Green Reiner Level 2 and was in the Top 5 in the Novice Amateur Reining.
How do you balance riding and school?
It's hard at times! My first semester of grad school, I kept my horse at a place about 20 minutes from campus and went out almost every day to ride and take care of her. After doing that for a semester, I realized it wasn't totally realistic with all the studying I had to do. That's when we decided that it would be best to find a trainer to keep my horse with. When we go to shows, you can usually find me with a textbook and my laptop so that I can keep up with school and study for exams during down time.
Do you see horses as always being part of your life?
Definitely! They've been a part of my life for so long that I can't see myself giving it up anytime soon. I've met so many wonderful people through horses, and I wouldn't be willing to give that up anytime soon.
What do you miss most about being an Auburn Equestrian?
I miss my teammates the most, by far. My four years at Auburn were a bit of a roller coaster, and my teammates were there for me through it all. Whether it was to offer emotional support or just being around them and having fun, all of my teammates definitely helped to make my time at Auburn so great. I also miss hearing all of the cheers from them on meet days for every Auburn rider that stepped in the ring. When you're a student-athlete, your teammates are really the only people who truly understand what you're going through and everything that your schedule and life entail. My teammates were a crucial part of my success at Auburn!
How do you think the team helped you grow throughout your four years at Auburn?
The team helped me learn a lot about myself and my personal strengths and weaknesses. I had lots of highs and lows over my four years, and through each of these, I learned a little bit more about myself and what I could handle. I came out of my four years with newfound self-confidence as well as conviction in my values as a person, all of which were strengthened while I was on the team. Being on the team pushed me in ways I never thought possible, both physically and mentally, and I know that I came out of Auburn a much stronger and better person than I was when I first started there as a freshman.
What do you consider your greatest accomplishment at Auburn and why?
I was an All-American in Reining my junior year, and prior to my junior year I had never shown reining a day in my life. I ran my first reining pattern at Auburn that year, and was able to learn as much as I could over the course of that year in order to earn an All-American honor. That showed me how sticking with something and being open to learning, help and advice could really pay off.
What horse do you miss most at Auburn and why?
I probably miss Matt the most. He wasn't the most talented horse, and one time when I was riding him he literally laid down in the middle of the arena (thankfully I wasn't the only one this happened to), but he was just one of the kindest animals I had ever met. I rode him a lot my junior year when I was learning about the reining, so I guess he's just been my favorite since then.
What's your favorite memory from being on the team?
Winning the 2016 SEC Championship. We won Nationals that year, too, but my class (the seniors) had already won a national title our freshman year and were without an SEC championship. Also, our first year, we just barely lost the SEC title to South Carolina on our home turf. Ever since then, I felt like my class had a chip on our shoulder and wanted so badly to win an SEC title to prove that we were a force to reckon with. Being able to do that was an incredible memory that I will never forget. The fact that it was so rainy that day made it even more dramatic and memorable.
Are you still close with any of your former teammates?
Yes! I'm probably the closest still with Katsy Leeman. She helped me so much my junior year and helped me get started in the reining, teaching me most of what I knew. Katsy also found my horse that I got right before graduation for me! We still see each other at shows and talk often about our time at Auburn.
What do you miss most about Auburn in general?
I miss being able to say "War Eagle" and people not ask me, "Isn't your mascot the tiger?" The whole "War Eagle" thing just makes sense when you're an Auburn student and represents the Auburn Family, one of the best things about Auburn. When you leave Auburn and move back to the Midwest, people just kind of look at you funny if you ever accidentally let a "War Eagle" slip out.
Is there anything you miss that you didn't think you would?
Bus rides and traveling with the team. So many random, stupid, funny things happened on long bus rides and there is definitely nothing in my life now that compares to that. I remember being so excited when I stepped off the bus for the last time, but now, I kind of miss those trips! On trips where we had to fly to wherever we were going, without fail people in the airport would ask us questions about what was in our hat can. If I remember correctly, one lady thought that we had turtles in there.