Army West Point Athletics
Feature Friday: The Uprising of Cross Country
October 13, 2016 | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Cross Country
Feature Friday highlights the tremendous personal stories our coaches and cadet-athletes have to share on a weekly basis. Each Friday, a new feature story will be prominently highlighted on GoArmyWestPoint.com. The features will include multi-media pieces, as well as written stories by media outlets and the Army West Point athletic communications staff.
Cross country is a sport that has been around for centuries. It started in the country side of England where young students would try and track older students running through the woods.
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Cross country at West Point came to be in 1825 with a men's team that would spark a tradition that continues on today. The newest Director of Cross Country/Track and Field Mike Smith arrived on the banks of the Hudson September of 2014 looking to bring back the great tradition of the rich program.Â
"I came to West Point because I was looking for a challenge and to work with people that strive for success," commented Smith. "I have discovered that the kids that come here are looking for something more than college. This is a place where you can be excel in the classroom, as leaders and be very competitive in track and cross country, and I wanted to be a part of that."
In order to achieve that level of competitiveness, Smith knew that he had to bring in new talent. Having a young team would allow him to develop and shape the program into a powerhouse like it once was. Smith has since brought in a group of young and enthusiastic freshmen that have immediately impacted both the men's and women's teams. Â
"It is no secret that we have a young team," said Smith. "I think that we are a work in progress and our best athletes are the rookies on the team. The downside of course, is that freshmen at Army undergo a lot of extra challenges. Getting them to the starting line and keeping them healthy while performing at a high level is a challenge.
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"On the other hand, there is a lot of optimism. You can tell that they are going to be successful, but and they will work towards that. I am trying to dispel the myth that freshmen can't compete at a high level. I think if you are good, you will be good and you will dredge through the water to prove you can compete at this level."
Looking towards the future, Smith hopes to keep growing his young team. He hopes that they will be able to compete nationally and become one of the best programs in the nation.Â
"We are laying a foundation for the future," noted Smith "When I arrived here in 2014, we started to look for athletes to recruit for the Class of 2020. The arrival of this group of plebes was 2-3 years in the making. When I first got here, we were working on making a better 2017 and we are almost there. We are always working ahead 2-3 years. It's not that we can't be good now, it's that we have to look forward to the process that brings the results tomorrow and the next day.
"I think we have the foundation together now on both teams for a very competitive program. We have a good group of young men and women that, if we train them properly and motivated, should lead us to a very bright future. When matured and developed, they will be far more competitive."
Click here to read previous Feature Friday stories.
