At the end of their summer 2024 training camp, the Diplomats football team hosted a celebratory talent show. Against the lights at Stahr Auditorium, senior football player Daniel Ollom ‘25 performed his new single, “Dip Anthem.” We sat down with him to discuss the story behind it.
Growing up, Ollom possessed a passion for music, frequently singing at his church and in his elementary and middle school choirs. Since his freshman year at F&M, he has served as the worship leader for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship on campus. In the summer of 2024, his father started the record label Two Rivers AP, and Ollom seized the opportunity to compose music of his own. Located in Southern Maryland, Two Rivers is one of the few affordable recording studios available to Maryland’s large population of aspiring musical artists. Beginning at the end of May 2024, Ollom spent the summer composing the lyrics of “Dip Anthem” and designing the album cover in time for a late August release. Although he had previously dabbled with songwriting here and there, this album, which includes an introduction, “Dip Anthem,” and a bonus track entitled “Who is Jesus to You,” was his first full attempt at writing music.
Inspired by his relationship with his teammates and a desire “to honor the experiences I’ve had playing college football,” he intended “Dip Anthem” to serve as a “hype song” during warm-ups and workouts with his team. Ollom collaborated with artists T.SIG, TrisRX, and Justin Hanrahan, and he drew inspiration from Christian rap and alternative rock artists such as Caleb Gordon and Nickelback, both of whom he listened to often growing up. When asked about his writing process, Ollom described how he kept things simple: sitting down in the studio with his fellow artists and working together to create the final product, even dropping “some of my teammates’ names in it to make it fun.”
Following his summer dedicated to “Dip Anthem,” Ollom began working on “Forks Down,” a song inspired by the F&M and Dickinson College rivalry and annual showdown for the Conestoga Wagon trophy during True Blue Weekend. Written on the spot in freestyle form, Ollom said the goal of the song was “to really get us hyped and really get us focused on the goal and the mindset that everybody has for Wagon Week.” He recently released the song on February 27, making it the third full song of his discography.
With his football career at F&M coming to a close, writing these songs has allowed him to reflect on not only the sense of community and belonging his team has provided him with, but also on the type of legacy he wants to leave behind. He hopes that both his teammates and the campus as a whole will continue to listen to his music and use “Dip Anthem” in particular to “bring some great school spirit.”
After graduating this spring, Ollom plans to continue writing more gospel and hip-hop music on the side while attending a two-year pastoral development program at Lives Changed by Christ Church. This program will allow him to earn credits towards a master’s degree at Lancaster Bible College while simultaneously training to become a pastor.
Through songwriting, Daniel Ollom has blended his lifelong passion for music with his love of football. His music reflects the excitement and camaraderie of being a Diplomat, adding a new layer of team and school spirit. As he continues to produce music and prepare to graduate from F&M, his work remains a reflection of his time and dedication on the field.
Lyrics to Dip Anthem:
Out in the field tryna catch me a play,
I’m tryna catch me a play (x4)
I’m with Daniel hittin’ moves like receivers, if you is not with us then watch from the bleachers
Go and work on your footwork I’m not tryna teach you, I was runnin’ right past him I dodged I him by meters
Bull right there when we come through up in the middle, he ain’t know the formation it looked like a riddle
I just hit my touchdown
Out in the field and I’m catching it, pull out the slammer, I’m snatchin’, I’m treacherous
She cheering for me and she glamorous, but she ain’t Fergie, I’m using my hands with it
Switch up the play like an audible, say you gon’ stop me, I swear it’s impossible
After we come at your neck and we cook you, they gon’ put it up in the article
Play with the Dips imma pop out and show you what’s really back up in my arsenal
Then imma give you a chance to come play and its optional, break em’ right down to an atom and particle
That struggle is real out here on the field, I get the touchdown and I’m switchin’ my gears
How you gon stop us, been steppin’ for years, we gettin’ that money, we stoppin’ careers
The women gon’ come and battle for years, they come and they go like volunteers
Scoutin’, looking for tickets and meals they wildin’, I’m tryna get my deals
Stiff arm, I put the stick on em’, spin move, make em’ fall off, then I dip on him, take a look back and he drop like a hit on
Put the moves on and mix em up like yule log
Now the whole team in the gulag
Bout to pack em’ up, send em’ off in the U-Haul, you gone
Now my whole team in the end zone, go get our rings man I told you we’ve been on too long,
Go get our rings man, I told you we’ve been on too long
Out in the field tryna catch me a play,
I’m tryna catch me a play (x4)
I’m with Daniel hittin’ moves like receivers, if you is not with us then watch from the bleachers
Go and work on your footwork I’m not tryna teach you, I was runnin’ right past him I dodged I him by meters
Bull right there when we come through up in the middle, he ain’t know the formation it looked like a riddle
I just hit my touchdown
I’m tryna catch me play, I’m catch me a play, I’m tryna catch me a play
Step up let’s get it or stay out the way
I’m in the field, down, set, hut
Got my dawgs all around me we not giving up
Monday through Friday we putting in work
Game day comin’ we ready to work
Game day come, whole squad locked in, whole squad locked in
Shak in the locker room gettin’ us hype, when they step on the field they gon’ run for they life
Do you feel how I feel when you under these lights, ain’t no way we gon’ lose cause this song makes us fight
Friday night lights, grass or court I’m an athlete
I’m runnin’ in tennis shoes or cleats, yeah, I really like puttin’ in work
What else can I say, wake up in the morning the first thought on my mind is
I’m ready make me a play, I’m ready make me a play
Work for the Dips and I’m on defense you ain’t hurdling me I’m like a chain-link fence
Hit him once and his body went limp, that play that they running was simp
Cause I read it, scholastic, now I’m feeling fantastic
Made his helmet look plastic, I ain’t touchin’ that bench
Unless its about 335 over my head and I’m in the gym
Go to my body but this ain’t the sims, sums, yeah I’m coming for em’
Where the scouts at, I got something for em’
Prison time doing burpees, feeling my arms busting out the shirt sleeves
Break a sweat with ease, work my brain hard for this music too when it blow
I’m just flowing to the seas, I’m flowing straight overseas
Got my man Daniel out there and he knocking them down to they knees
Dip Anthem
We showing out all year
Thanks for coming, see you next time
DO
Already know’, we coming to show, yeah
Freshman Lavanya Seshasayee is the Sports Editor. Her email is lseshasa@fandm.edu
Freshman Lena Smith is a Staff Writer for The College Reporter. Her email is lsmith4@fandm.edu