Ariel Atias has just begun the 2023-24 season with Illinois State track and field as the Israel-Hamas war wages on in his home country.
"I'm an Israeli. I'm Jewish. And I'm a Redbird," Atias said.
With ISU, Atias leads the Redbirds regardless of whether he is competing or cheering on his teammates. The senior from Haifa, Israel, brings a unique presence to the team.
"He's just constant energy," ISU head coach Jeff Bovee said. "Consistency is his biggest key across the board in all the events, but also every day in training and competition, you always know what you're going to expect out of him."
The energy that Atias brings to the team is the result of a greater purpose that he is hoping to serve.
"My life goal," Atias said, "after college, after sports, after everything is impact, influence people and help people. With sport, out of sport, everything. Good influence, good impact. That's me. If you know me as a person, you would know that's my main characteristic."
Not only is Atias successful in that goal, but he is successful as an athlete for ISU. Transferring from South Alabama after his freshman year, Atias is the Redbirds' record holder in the heptathlon and the decathlon. He was a 2022 MVC Indoor Champion, winning the heptathlon.
But as Atias competes and collects more accolades as a Redbird, the Israel-Hamas war is dominating national headlines.
"I'm taking from them lots of energy. And I want to try to give them lots of energy. All the hostages — I'm praying for them, praying to bring them home now, as soon as possible," Atias said.
"Yes, it's dirty. It's pretty brutal on both sides. But it's not equal. We all know what happened and we all know that we can't let it happen ever again, because it happened 75 years ago in the Holocaust and it cannot happen in our own country," Atias continued.
In ISU's first meet of the season, Atias wore a temporary tattoo on both sides of his neck displaying the Israeli flag. Atias took first place in the heptathlon — totaling 5,266 points to beat Southeast Missouri State's Isaac Readnour, who had 4,816. The Redbirds' lead multi-event competitor took home Missouri Valley Conference Field Athlete of the Week honors.
While supporting his country, Atias finds himself answering questions about the situation from individuals who are unfamiliar with the conflict. In those conversations, Atias believes that it is "super important" to educate people with facts.
"There is confusion all around. People are uneducated because this story is not like 20 years or 75 years old. This story is like 3,000 years, 4,000 years old," Atias said.
"Our region is from this country. And it's our right to protect the country and be there," Atias said.