Family Matters

Strong family ties bring a brother and sister together in birth, college and sports.

Playing a college sport is challenging, but twin student-athletes from Sarasota, Fla., have managed to bring a familiar support system with them.      

"I don't know what I would do if it wasn't for my sister," said Andre Booker, freshman undecided major who is a running back for the Marshall University football team. 

"She even wakes me up in the morning if I really need her," Booker said.

Booker has a fraternal twin sister that also attends Marshall. 

"I've been really proud of him," said Andrea Booker, freshman criminal justice major. "There's been a few times when I have had to get on him, but he's been doing really good."

Andre is not the only athlete from the Booker family. Andrea is on Marshall University's volleyball team.

"I came here last summer to bring my brother to pre-season," Andrea said.

Andre said, upon his sister's arrival, the football coach told her to meet with the volleyball coach. She tried out and was given a scholarship.

Originally Andrea had her mind set on attending the UCF for academic reasons.

"At first I wasn't going to come, even though my coach had offered me a spot on the team," Andrea said. "I actually had my mom take me back home, thought about it and came back up that Monday night."

Andrea said she made the right choice by attending Marshall and admits the only reason for attendance was her brother.

"If she wasn't here I could make it, but it would be a lot harder," Andre said, "She's always been the brains and I've always had the athletics."

Andre's mind was set on Florida State University coming out of high school.

"Marshall gave me a second chance because my ACT score wasn't high enough to get into FSU," Andre said, who is at Marshall on a conditional admittance in the University College. 

The pair has been playing sports together since elementary school.

"We ran track together and played tee-ball together," Andrea said. "But of course, he was faster."  

Andre credits his sister for even being at the university.

"She keeps me on track," Andre said.

The freshman transition to college sports has been hard on both athletes. However, they are using each other's support to continue pushing to be the best.

"This is a different game than high school, it's so much more fast-paced," Andrea said. "I've learned so much from my coach since I have been here and the game has changed so much."

Andre's transition has been a tough road physically, however it paid off when he recorded his first touchdown with a 58–yard punt return at the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl on December 26, 2009.  

"It has been hard, because the game is so much more intense than it was in high school," Andre said. "But with the coaching staff, they have helped me ease into football."

And while coaches can do so much, they lean on each other as much as possible to get the support they need.

"He knows what he wants and is willing to go out and get it," Andrea said.

Both athletes have had numerous injuries since they began their college athletic careers, but it's been easier to handle with the family around.

"Andre has a shoulder injury, and I have a lumbar strain, but there's nothing you can really do for that but stretch, so we help each other out," Andrea said. 

The pair of twin's hope their hard work will pay off for them in college sports said Andre. 

"We have definitely had those nights where we needed each other to be iced down, but not as many I thought I would.  Our bodies were just not used to the intensity."

Andrea was left in a medical boot for her shins several weeks while her brother helped care for her.

"He did all the things I couldn't do, like go to the store," she said, "It was great."

Both student athletes have vigorous schedules to deal with while still finding time to hang out with each other or watch the other one play. 

"I saw the Bowling Game green, and I watched some games on TV, because with volleyball we are always traveling. It makes it hard," Andrea said.

Andrea is like a sister to a lot of his teammates, said Andre.

"You can always find me in his room hanging out with his friends," Andrea said.

Andre tries to attend every game he game.

"I'm always rushing my friends because I have to see my sister play," Andre said, "Its important for me to there for her and I try to see her play as much as I can."

"The plan is to finish school together," Andrea said.

From elementary to high school the twins have been inseparable and regardless when they finish college they plan to finish as one.

"He won't finish until 2013, I'll be done in 2012, but I'll wait for him to finish so we can finish together," Andrea said.

Breanna Jones can be contacted at jones435@marshall.edu.