Through a shared love for sports and a weekly radio show, two athletes have formed a bond that will live long after their time as teammates.

Track and cross country runners Adam Cortez and Shea Foster are co-hosts of “CrunchTime Sports,” a KSLU talk show that goes live every Tuesday at 7 p.m. The 60-minute segment shows that Cortez and Foster are not only sports fanatics, but they are also best friends. 

Foster first met Cortez after a series of unfortunate events led him to Hammond. Previously a student at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, Foster suffered a broken kneecap that led him to believe he would never run again. He found Southeastern by chance after searching for scholarships.

He said, “I had to look it up on Google, I didn’t know where Hammond was. I was honestly kind of nervous. I didn’t know anyone. I just came here for school, and after a semester I was like ‘man, I need to get back to doing something I love.’”

Upon joining Southeastern athletics as a walk-on, Foster said he found more than a team. He found a friend who pushed him to become a faster runner.

“I was trying to get back to running, and he was in tip-top shape. We went on our first 45-minute run together, and that was the first time I met Adam. Just talking to him, I was like ‘holy smokes, I have a long way to go.’ From that point on, I was just trying to get in as good shape as him, and that just started our friendship,” Foster said.

Foster knew Cortez as a good athlete, but as a communication major, Cortez also had a passion for media. 

After becoming the first student to ever manage music at the KSLU radio station, all that was left for Cortez to do was integrate his love for sports into the world of broadcasting. He decided to invite Foster along for the ride.

“I knew I needed to start a sports show because I didn’t want to lose touch with what made me fall in love with broadcasting in the first place. Shea was the natural pick. I texted him and was like ‘hey man, do you want to start a show?’ and that was literally it. We just took off and every week it got better from there,” Cortez said.

Cortez admitted he was hesitant at first to let other people into his love for broadcasting.

“It was really hard for me to let friends into broadcasting because I felt like that was my safe space. I could get beat in track and cross country, but I would not let anyone beat me in broadcasting. Selfishly, I wanted that to be my thing, but it is so much more enjoyable now because I share it with people I really love, and that bled into running as well,” Cortez said.

Each week, Cortez and Foster fill their radio time slot with discussions they described as friendly banter. Whether it is NBA, NFL or NCAA, the two have always found something to debate.

“We talk about sports, and we will argue all the time. It’s a healthy type of arguing. We’re always trying to convince the other person, and sometimes, I’m like ‘oh wow, maybe he is right.’ It’s that competitive spirit we have, and it’s kind of our lifestyle. I think Adam will be one of the best ESPN broadcasters someday, if you ask me,” Foster said.

Co-hosting a weekly show has been a growing experience for both athletes.

Through his friendship with Foster, Cortez learned how to prioritize his personal growth on and off the track. He said the lessons he has gained from Foster are lessons that will last him a lifetime.

“Now it doesn’t really matter if I’m first or fifth, it matters if I’m maximizing what I can do and maximizing what I bring to the team. I definitely didn’t have that perspective before I met Shea. Our friendship has made me a better person, a better teammate, a better broadcaster, and I think that will continue for the rest of my life.”

For Foster, the bond is mutual.

“I see Adam standing at my wedding one day. That’s the bond this has made. It’s more than being just another division one athlete, it’s real friendship.”