May 5, 2015
Outside linebacker Stephen Weatherly is coming off a sensational sophomore season in which he led the Commodores in tackles for loss (12.5) and sacks (4.5) while contributing 55 tackles. The redshirt sophomore from Snellville, Ga., also has an impressive resume off the field. A jack of all trades, he plays a multitude of instruments, skate boards, cooks and loves complex brain teasers.
Commodore Nation: You can play a variety of instruments. What do you play?
Stephen Weatherly: From elementary school all the way up to 10th grade I played flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, baritone, tuba and saxophone. And recently, last semester, I took piano here at Vanderbilt.
You hit the whole spectrum then. You just wanted to try a lot of different instruments?
It started off in elementary school. My best friend at the time played flute. So I was like, I’ll play flute with him. From then I got further and further deeper into the band. Clarinet was pretty fun. I realized trumpets were the vocals of a song. I realized all the soul was in the sax. That’s when I got into jazz a little bit. Then I realized all the bass and all the thump comes from the big boys in the back. Low brass.
So were you in the marching band?
No. That is actually when I had to decide if I wanted to play football or join marching band. I picked football. I was in concert band.
Do you have a favorite instrument?
I would say to this day, baritone is my favorite. It is not too deep. There is still a little bit of soul and funk to it. It still brings that powerful bass.
Do you have any of your instruments here?
They are all at home. The only thing I do practice regularly is piano. I took that last semester because I want to get better and better at it. I have a couple pieces I really want to play (such as Beethoven’s Fur Elise and Carmen Habanera) and play for my grandmother, who also played piano. That was one of the reasons why I wanted to learn how to play.
How has that been, learning to play piano?
I ended up getting an A in the class for beginner piano. She said I was one of the faster learners in the class because of all the other instruments I played. Reading music wasn’t hard. Reading both space clef and treble clef. The hardest part is some songs your left and your right hand are doing two completely different things. That was something I had to get used to. After I got that down, it was pretty smooth sailing from there.
So you also skateboard as well?
Yes. I picked up long boarding toward the end of the summer. I live on a hill so class would be downhill but not too steep where I’m going too fast. I get on and stand and just ride, smooth sailing to class. Then I walk here (to practice) and then I walk back to class. When it is sunny out, it is nice, breeze through my hair, long locks flowing.
Any reason you picked it up?
I have a car but not many parking spots here at Vanderbilt. I had a scooter but I wasn’t really that safe driving a scooter. So I just get on the sidewalk instead of walking. A couple teammates — Caleb Azubike had a long board, Paris Head, Ladarius Banks. I saw them have it and I was like that can’t be too hard to learn, just standing still. I have pretty decent balance so I gave it a shot. Sometimes, during the offseason, over the summer, we would go to hills and we all just ride down hills together and walk back up.
Any other hobbies or interests?
Chess. I love playing chess. I love puzzles. I can solve a Rubik’s cube. I love other puzzles I can fidget with, like a Gordian’s knot or a Babylon Tower. Things of that nature, things that I can sit down and use my mind to try to figure out.
You cook as well?
Of course. Being from Atlanta, my mother and grandmother said you are going to know how to cook so I know how to cook. My favorite is Italian — baked ziti.
You’re a sociology major and a minor in corporate strategy. What do you hope to do after you graduate?
I want to work in human capitol for a consulting firm and take people who have been laid off because of budget cuts or they want to optimize their business so they get rid of a certain sector, I want to take those people, retool their skillset and then put them back out there in the job market so they can have a better chance of getting a better job.
So you seem to be a guy who is not afraid to try anything? Were you raised that way?
My mother said to always keep an open mind to things. You don’t know if you like something until you try it. So I try to give everything — food, different cultures, different things, different hobbies — I tend to give them a shot. Don’t knock it until you try it.
