As most of the IU students pack up and head home for the week, there are some students who don’t get that luxury. Athletes.

Men’s soccer, football, men’s and women’s basketball, swim and dive, and cheerleaders are just a few of the athletes that will barely get to go home this Thanksgiving. They will be practicing, having games and training and lifting.

Each athlete I interviewed said the last time they got to be home for Thanksgiving was when they were a senior in high school. Some teams, like the men’s soccer team, are lucky enough to be in post season tournaments, the basketball teams just started their season, the football team always plays the Saturday after the holiday, and the cheerleaders are preparing for nationals while cheering on the Hoosiers over their break.

Since their Thanksgiving is spent in Bloomington, the athletes will usually get together with their team and have dinner and spend the holiday together. Although they can’t go home to their families and hometowns this Thanksgiving, they spend it with their second families.

I asked a De’Ron Davis, Spencer Glass, and Gavin Shmuckler their family thanksgiving traditions that they miss most. One misses games, the others miss the food they serve. You can watch the video above.