A Thanksgiving Tradition
November 29, 2021 | Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE – Gregor Ramskogler came to the United States four years ago to play tennis at Mississippi State.
Little did he know then, but a tradition would soon be born.
During his freshman year, Ramskogler's doubles partner Trevor Foshey invited him and a few other international teammates to join him and his family for Thanksgiving.
"We international students don't know Thanksgiving," said Ramskogler, a native of Austria. "That's definitely an American tradition. It's a pretty big deal here."
Ramskogler has gone on to spend each of the last four Thanksgivings with Foshey's family. The first two holidays were held in Louisville, Kentucky at Foshey's uncle Chris Halioris' house before moving to Foshey's parents Todd and Melissa McGlinchey's home in St. Cloud, Florida.
Ramskogler, Florian Broska and former MSU standouts Niclas Braun and Stahinja Rakic attended each of those Thanksgivings together with Foshey and his family.
This year, Thanksgiving moved to the McGlincheys' new home in Sevierville, Tennessee and Ramskogler made sure not to miss it. Ramskogler, who uses a bicycle to get around campus, rented a car and made the nearly seven-hour drive just so he could continue the tradition with Foshey and Braun.
"They definitely mean a lot, they really, really do," Ramskogler said. "They've picked me up and given me a family here besides the team. If I had to call another proper family my family, it would 100 percent be them. They've invited me (to Thanksgiving) every year and that's where I still go because I really enjoy being around them."
Although Ramskogler's first experienced Thanksgiving four years ago, the tradition of inviting his international teammates dates back to Foshey's freshman year at MSU in 2015.
"It actually started with my family," said Foshey, who is now an assistant men's tennis coach at Liberty University. "They were like 'bring whoever you can'. They wanted to meet my teammates and just have a big party…It's just become like a little tradition that we have. We're big on family.
"Guys from Brazil and Germany came with me the first year. You just ask who has nothing to do or nowhere to go. International guys can't go home to Europe or wherever for a week because they still have to come back for finals. Not everyone has that kind of money so I invite those guys. Not everyone takes me up on it, but we always have a couple and in return, our friendships have grown exponentially."
Some of the staples of Foshey's family Thanksgiving are turkey two ways – classic and cajun style – along with sweet potato casserole and macaroni and cheese. The sweet potato casserole has become one of Ramskogler's favorite American dishes.
"That's not really an athlete answer, but I really like it," Ramskogler said. "We have sweet potatoes back home but the marshmallows on top is really an American thing so that was definitely new."
But Thanksgiving is not the only holiday Ramskogler has spent with Foshey's family. When it was deemed too risky for Ramskogler to return home to his native Austria for Christmas last year due to the pandemic, Foshey's uncle Chris welcomed him to spend nearly two weeks with him and his family in Kentucky.
Ramskogler, now a senior for the Bulldogs and one-half of the nation's No. 6 doubles team along with Broska, was aware of the Thanksgiving holiday before he arrived in America but did not fully understand it until he experienced it firsthand with Foshey and his family.
"For me, it's really just a peaceful gathering of friends and just really being thankful and appreciating what we have," Ramskogler said.
In fact, Ramskogler may try to continue the tradition even after his time at Mississippi State comes to an end in the spring.
"I feel like Thanksgiving is a time to be around those that you love and like so you'd definitely need some time away from work to spend time with them to that extent," Ramskogler said. "It'll be hard to continue doing that back home because all the people work during this time. It would be hard, but I'd love to keep it alive."
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Little did he know then, but a tradition would soon be born.
During his freshman year, Ramskogler's doubles partner Trevor Foshey invited him and a few other international teammates to join him and his family for Thanksgiving.
"We international students don't know Thanksgiving," said Ramskogler, a native of Austria. "That's definitely an American tradition. It's a pretty big deal here."
Ramskogler has gone on to spend each of the last four Thanksgivings with Foshey's family. The first two holidays were held in Louisville, Kentucky at Foshey's uncle Chris Halioris' house before moving to Foshey's parents Todd and Melissa McGlinchey's home in St. Cloud, Florida.
Ramskogler, Florian Broska and former MSU standouts Niclas Braun and Stahinja Rakic attended each of those Thanksgivings together with Foshey and his family.
This year, Thanksgiving moved to the McGlincheys' new home in Sevierville, Tennessee and Ramskogler made sure not to miss it. Ramskogler, who uses a bicycle to get around campus, rented a car and made the nearly seven-hour drive just so he could continue the tradition with Foshey and Braun.
"They definitely mean a lot, they really, really do," Ramskogler said. "They've picked me up and given me a family here besides the team. If I had to call another proper family my family, it would 100 percent be them. They've invited me (to Thanksgiving) every year and that's where I still go because I really enjoy being around them."
Although Ramskogler's first experienced Thanksgiving four years ago, the tradition of inviting his international teammates dates back to Foshey's freshman year at MSU in 2015.
"It actually started with my family," said Foshey, who is now an assistant men's tennis coach at Liberty University. "They were like 'bring whoever you can'. They wanted to meet my teammates and just have a big party…It's just become like a little tradition that we have. We're big on family.
"Guys from Brazil and Germany came with me the first year. You just ask who has nothing to do or nowhere to go. International guys can't go home to Europe or wherever for a week because they still have to come back for finals. Not everyone has that kind of money so I invite those guys. Not everyone takes me up on it, but we always have a couple and in return, our friendships have grown exponentially."
Some of the staples of Foshey's family Thanksgiving are turkey two ways – classic and cajun style – along with sweet potato casserole and macaroni and cheese. The sweet potato casserole has become one of Ramskogler's favorite American dishes.
"That's not really an athlete answer, but I really like it," Ramskogler said. "We have sweet potatoes back home but the marshmallows on top is really an American thing so that was definitely new."
But Thanksgiving is not the only holiday Ramskogler has spent with Foshey's family. When it was deemed too risky for Ramskogler to return home to his native Austria for Christmas last year due to the pandemic, Foshey's uncle Chris welcomed him to spend nearly two weeks with him and his family in Kentucky.
Ramskogler, now a senior for the Bulldogs and one-half of the nation's No. 6 doubles team along with Broska, was aware of the Thanksgiving holiday before he arrived in America but did not fully understand it until he experienced it firsthand with Foshey and his family.
"For me, it's really just a peaceful gathering of friends and just really being thankful and appreciating what we have," Ramskogler said.
In fact, Ramskogler may try to continue the tradition even after his time at Mississippi State comes to an end in the spring.
"I feel like Thanksgiving is a time to be around those that you love and like so you'd definitely need some time away from work to spend time with them to that extent," Ramskogler said. "It'll be hard to continue doing that back home because all the people work during this time. It would be hard, but I'd love to keep it alive."
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