Marin Byars Represents CSUN and the Big West on Capitol Hill

CSUN Water Polo's junior goalkeeper Marin Byars was one of a few dozen student-athletes from Division I colleges nationwide selected to participate in a press conference supporting the Protect College Sports Act last month.

While her trip to Washington, D.C. lasted two days, the Political Science major made the most of her time on Capitol Hill.

"The experience was a lot," reflected Byars. "It was so much fun to be out there in D.C. with a purpose – you could be in D.C. as a tourist or be in D.C. to say something, and to be there as someone to say something was really inspiring to me."
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Along with her time with the CSUN Water Polo team, Byars has spent the past two years as the president of CSUN's Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and this past year as the Big West's SAAC president. Her leadership and advocacy led her to a summer internship in Congresswoman Doris Matsui's district office, and eventually a path to D.C.

At the press conference on Sept. 14, Byars stood alongside her peers, while senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell, and prominent collegiate coaches gave impassioned words about the impact the Protect College Sports Act could make on the landscape of college athletics.

"We are told that our voice matters over and over again, especially when it comes to my experience with SAAC, and being a student-athlete, but being able to actually be there shows you that your voice matters," said Byars.

During her short time in Washington, D.C., Byars had an opportunity to meet with a legislative representative in U.S. Senator Alex Padilla's office, in an effort to express her support of the bill.

The conversation would lead to an interesting connection.

"When I met with a legislative aide in Senator Padilla's office, it's funny, I was explaining who I was and how I helped rebuild the SAAC program at CSUN, but he already knew what it was because he was a former Division II soccer player, and he's not that much older than me," said Byars.

"To interact with a former student-athlete in a senator's office where they represent legislative affairs was really mind-blowing for me because we're really everywhere," she added. "It was exciting to know that student-athletes can be able to do this and put in the work and time, even though we all manage so much."

In addition to her meeting with Senator Padilla's office, Byars participated in a commercial shoot for the Protect College Sports Act, narrated by actor Matthew McConaughey, and then had the opportunity to visit the House of Representatives office of Congresswoman Matsui.

Byars would also have a chance to interact with fellow student-athletes along with Senator Cruz and Cantwell during the press conference at Capitol Hill. She had the opportunity to learn from student-athletes who come from schools and conferences where the bill would affect them in different ways. To have the chance to speak about her perspective and to hear other perspectives was something she cherished.

"It was a moment where you're proud of your peers and proud of yourself because you made it into this room, and it meant everything to be able to be nominated to be in that room," said Byars. "We had non-football people there, one football player, which was really cool, basketball people who can be impacted due to the transfer rule becoming federal law. Olympic sports really matter to me, especially being a water polo athlete, and I got to talk about how they need to be protected."
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Her role as a leader and advocate in a lot of respects comes from her time with CSUN's Student Athlete Advisory Committee. Byars began attending CSUN SAAC meetings in her freshman year but wouldn't join the board until a year later. Her consistent participation would ultimately lead her to take the role of president – a role she was not unfamiliar with in school.

"I ran student council in high school, and I absolutely loved it," said Byars. "When I found the student athlete advisory committee at CSUN, it kind of reminded me of student council. My first meeting in my freshman year was a big turnout, but then we saw participation really dwindle.

"At the end of the year, they essentially had no president lined up for the next year, and I thought, it's public speaking, meeting and organizing once a month, this is something I could do," she added.

Byars would inquire about being a president, and soon after, she would be asked to take on the role of co-president as a sophomore at CSUN. As she assumed her new role, her biggest goal first was to improve participation in the organization.

"Over that summer, I started drafting ideas in my head of what we could do to gain participation, and I started to reach out to people within CSUN Athletics – Will Carter helped me out immensely with getting us gift cards each meeting because there's nothing student-athletes like more than free food," said Byars.

Among other ideas she had, Byars wanted to reach out and inform student-athletes at athletic events of the purpose of SAAC. She also hoped to foster a more cohesive community within the department, an element she felt was missing.

"I was inspired from the very beginning when I got the role because we were able to create a community," she said. "Student-athletes pass each other at Redwood Hall all the time; we're all tired and have a lot to do, but I would always encourage everyone to say hi because we're like-minded. Everyone is trying to work, do school, and be an athlete, so being able to build a community and to do it for three years is really rewarding."

This past summer, Byars' leadership guided her to an important internship, serving constituents in Congresswoman Matsui's district office in Sacramento. Byars, who worked a full-time schedule during her summer internship, felt her experience with the office gave her the preparation she would need to eventually meet with lawmakers and senators.

"As a Political Science major, I think that it's important to understand the things we complain about," said Byars. "Now, I know you could call your congressperson if you have any federal issue and if you need to have your forms expedited. They can do that. I'm super grateful for the experience."

As the SAAC president for CSUN and the Big West, coupled with her experience working in a congressional office, Byars seemed to be a no-brainer selection to represent her school and conference in Washington, D.C.
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While she received the phone call just two weeks before the press conference asking if she could attend, she jumped at the chance to represent her water polo team, CSUN, and the Big West.

"When I got the call, I was super excited to go," said Byars. "I knew I had the congressional experience, I kind of knew what type of questions would be asked based on the internship experience, but I knew people running our government are just people. I'm happy to be there too, and I'm excited to be there, so it doesn't feel like work to me."

As she returned to CSUN after the quick cross-country trip to the nation's capital, Byars brought with her a wealth of stories and experience that she hopes can inspire others.

"One of my personal takeaways was that other student-athletes are working equally as hard, if not harder, to get this bill passed, but also to form a community within student-athletes all around the nation," Byars said.

"Also, coming back, the biggest story I could tell is 'you can do it, and you can make the difference.' I got to show there is life outside of college athletics and one person can have a voice when they put their hard work into it," she added.

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Marin Byars Represents CSUN and the Big West on Capitol Hill

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