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Amherst Captain Daoust Expert at Juggling Sports
 AMHERST, MA - Senior tri-captain Brian Daoust wouldn't know what to do with himself if he weren't playing football...or basketball...or studying...or preparing like a maniac for one or all of the above. He's not good with leisure time, because he's never really had any.
"I don't have a day off from August 28 until spring break, which is a little depressing," Daoust explained, glancing helplessly at his date-minder. "But actually, I'm a better student during basketball or football season. Without that focus, I'd be kind of lost."
Since entering Amherst as a first-year student in 1997, Daoust has turned into one of the most prolific two-sport athletes in recent school history, juggling basketball and football like a master circus performer.
Entering his second season as a football tri-captain, the Dover, MA, native and former NESCAC Defensive Rookie of the Year already cemented his place in Jeffs football lore as a sophomore, leading Amherst with a team-high six interceptions to go along with 38 tackles, earning First-Team All-ECAC plaudits along the way.
Last season figured to bring more success, before an early-season hamstring injury limited his production and playing time. Despite the minor setback, Daoust still managed a team-high three interceptions in just two games, including a pair of picks in the '99 season-finale at Williams.
And then there's basketball, where Daoust is also a captain and a three-year starter at point guard, leading the NESCAC in free throw percentage as a junior at just over 93%.
"I love basketball, sometimes more than football," he said, daydreaming of long afternoon workouts on the LeFrak Gymnasium hardwood. "Football can be grueling where basketball isn't. On the football field you perform a lot of little tasks that are small parts of a larger picture. In basketball, you're just playing basketball."
"I love two-sport athletes because they're tough," Amherst basketball coach David Hixon added. "Brian comes in after football season and bumps us around until he gets used to playing basketball. His physical and mental toughness brings an added dimension to our basketball team that can only come from a kid like Brian. He leads by example, but boy does he lead!"
Daoust should be a good leader. He has extensive experience. In high school he captained his hometown Xavieran Brothers to three football state championships and a pair of berths in the Massachusetts State Basketball Tournament. As a perennial prep all-star he only knew one way to lead - through action - until adversity on the football field forced the older and wiser Daoust to change his perspective
"I originally pulled my hamstring in pre-season and had never pulled a muscle, so I didn't really know what happened," he said. I was off it for a week and went up to Bates for the first game. It started raining, and it tightened up so I didn't play. The next week against Bowdoin, I pulled it again in the second series of the game."
Forced to the sidelines for the first time in his career, Daoust reexamined his role as team captain. No longer able to lead by example, he had to find other ways to get his point across to younger, more impressionable teammates.
"It gave me a new perspective on sports. I got to see what it's like not playing every day and I learned not to take the game for granted. I tried to relay this point to our underclassmen as often as possible."
His playing career drawing nearer to its inevitable conclusion, Daoust looks forward to life after Amherst, possibly as a financial consultant or maybe even a coach. He'll always remember his days in a Jeffs uniform, no matter which of the two uniforms he chooses to conjure up, but it won't be the trophies won or the glory earned that he'll look back on.
"I'll remember my teammates and what it's like to be part of a team, because I'll never seriously have that luxury again. The camaraderie is what I hope to find after school, something that I'm passionate about. I don't think you can find that anywhere like on the field with your teammates."
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