Scholar Stories: Yesney Blends Passions for Running, Travel and Film at Michigan
1/12/2022 10:55:00 AM | Men's Cross Country, Men's Track & Field, Features
Continuing the series that began in 2016-17, each Wednesday MGoBlue.com will highlight a Michigan student-athlete and their academic pursuits. These are our Scholar-Athlete Stories, presented by Absopure.
By Catherine Heher
Colton Yesney is someone who might leave you wondering how he fits everything into his days. He is a member of the University of Michigan cross country and track and field teams, coming off a breakthrough cross country season in which he finished in Michigan's top seven in all six races in which he competed. Beyond the trails and the track, Yesney keeps busy as a double major in international studies and film, a vlogger, an avid geography buff and a leader in both his school and hometown communities.
Though Yesney enjoys every aspect of it, he is forthright about how difficult it can be to balance everything.
"It's stressful, very stressful," he said. "It's a mental grind for sure."
His vlogging (video blogging) and film pursuits often have to take a backseat to his athletic and academic commitments if he wants to have any semblance of a break. Still, his ability to take on those passions along with an already demanding schedule is nothing short of exceptional.
Like many student-athletes, Yesney can attribute a great deal of his success to hard work and discipline.
"The best way to learn how to do something is to do it," he said when explaining how he got into vlogging. His content frequently captures not only his own travels and experiences, but those of his teammates throughout the season. It started largely because Yesney wanted to get better at filming and editing, so he began documenting his life whenever he could.
Such commitment also is evident in his growth as a runner. Yesney said that he truly became a competitive athlete early in high school, when he started training through the summers on his own time. He is originally from Negaunee, Mich., a small town in the Upper Peninsula where he knew of few runners who had been recruited by NCAA Division I schools. To make up for this, Yesney attended many college running camps across the Midwest to gain the exposure he needed for him to compete for a school like Michigan.
His commitment to vlogging and his experiences as a young runner both demonstrate the powers of time and practice. There may not ever be a perfect opportunity to go after one's goals, but there is always somewhere to start. Such discipline has been an important theme throughout Yesney's life.
Growing up in a small town, an experience which cultivated a desire to see the world, Yesney expressed his interest in being able to visit every country. He has always been interested in maps and geography, which he said only made him want to travel more as he learned about different regions and cultures. Such wanderlust is what inspired his interest in film.
"It's this way of documenting and sharing ideas, both visually and audibly that you can't get with any other medium," he said.
A big part of what inspires Yesney's love of film is its ability to document the stories and experiences that he has dreamed about from a young age.
Yesney is not entirely sure what life after the University of Michigan may look like, but his ultimate dream is to make documentaries based on his experiences. He is considering continuing his education by pursuing a postgraduate degree in film to accomplish these goals. He also hopes running will continue to play a role in his life, noting that he might like to run marathons around the world as he travels. Ultimately, he intends for the many things he does as a student to continue playing a major role in his life.
Inspiration is perhaps the greatest theme in all of Yesney's motivations. While he is incredibly attentive to the things that inspire and move him, he is also dedicated to bringing that passion out in others. This is present in his conversations about film and travel, but also when he discusses his hometown. His ultimate goal is to be an example to kids from small towns everywhere who may feel like their circumstances are keeping them from achieving their dreams.
"Even if you come from a small town that maybe doesn't have the best resources or the best coaching, there's ways to work hard and get to where you want to be," Yesney said.
Above all, Yesney is incredibly grateful to be where he is today, and to the people and experiences that have influenced his journey. Though he has great ambitions, he also is focused on enjoying the present. In many ways, this rests on his strong faith in the things he is meant to do.
"I want to inspire people," he said. "I want to go out and help people, help communities around the world and make an impact as much as I can."
Players Mentioned
