From Walk-On To Champion
By Liz Murray
Patriot League Intern
In her freshman season, Holy Cross walk-on Tiffany Reid spent each
practice getting lapped in warm ups and constantly falling behind.
Her season ended two weeks early when she failed to qualify for the
2008 Patriot League Indoor Tack and Field Championships.
Flash forward two years to the 2010 Patriot League Indoor Track
and Field Championships. Tiffany was named the Female Track Athlete
of the Meet. She won the 60-meter dash and the 200-meter dash,
resetting her own school record in the 60-meter dash with a time of
7.65 seconds.
The junior English major won both events without running on her
right leg for weeks before the event. A pulled groin muscle
prevented Tiffany from competing in Holy Cross's final two
pre-championship meets. "My coach pulled me out because he thought
that Patriots was too close to risk it," Tiffany said.
But Tiffany was prepared. Although running was not an option,
Tiffany spent each day rehabilitating with pool and bike workout,
and an hour of sports medicine treatment. Such deliberate
preparation and dedication is nothing new for Tiffany.
For the Poughkeepsie, New York native, freshman season was,
"definitely the most humbling experience of my track career," and
her memories, disappointment and frustration are an impetus. "I
never forget freshman year," she said. "Every time I am at the
track, every time I go to practice, every time I'm at a meet, I
never forget the season."
More important, Tiffany remembers the summer after her freshman
year, when frustration with her performance inspired her. That
summer, Tiffany was up at 6 a.m. every day, following her own
training regimen. Her days involved driving twenty minutes to a
track, embarking on longer runs, taking multiple exercise classes
and having regular lifting sessions. Not to mention that she was
also working two jobs.
"I never forget that summer that I really worked hard and made
sure that I was going to come back a completely different athlete,
mentally and physically."
The work paid off, Tiffany said, "I started to see the
improvements when I got back to campus." And Tiffany was able to
keep up with her team in practice from the start. She finished the
2009 season a Patriot League Champion in the 200-meter dash, her
favorite event.
Seeded second after morning prelims, Tiffany was nervous about her
competitor. Tiffany said, "I had been stalking, I guess, the girl I
was running against and her times and what she ran. And I was like,
`wow, I haven't been close to this time yet. But lets throw all
that aside and see what can happen.'" It was the hardest race she
has ever run, but one of her proudest moments in track.
For over five minutes after Tiffany won, the time between the race
and podium ceremony, the Holy Cross team cheered, jumped and
applauded their champion. Tiffany said: "I remember I was sitting
by the podium by the other two girls who came in second and third
place, and the one was like, `wow, your team is so crazy. Your team
is so energetic.'"
Tiffany fuels off of her team support. "I couldn't see myself
running for any other school," she said. "I mean, I applied to
other schools in the Patriot League but I couldn't see myself
running for anyone else but Holy Cross."
Tiffany returns to Holy Cross with her little blue planner and
many responsibilities. Besides being a student-athlete and a
school-record holder, Tiffany is also co-chair of her school's
Black Student Union chapter, a peer-mentor for diverse students,
and a residential assistant. She also spent the spring 2009
semester in Washington, D.C. as an intern with the Community
Relations Service in the Department of Justice.
Tiffany admits to stress from trying to balance all of her
responsibilities. "I try to map out all of my appointments and
schedules and adhere to things accordingly, and you have to
prioritize and learn to say no to some things because I can't get
involved in everything," Tiffany said. "[Time management] is
something that I am always working on."
Tiffany's passion lies in civil justice, and she hopes to
eventually apply for an Army JAG after graduation.
For now, Tiffany enjoys relating her experience to those she
mentors, both on and off the track. One of her mentees is a
freshman winter athlete facing performance problems similar to her
own. Tiffany said: "She has been having some difficulties with how
she has been performing, issues with teammates and coaches. I have
definitely been able to relate to her with what I went through
personally as an athlete in a similar situation."
Tiffany added, "Having such an interesting first year and such a
humbling experience, I love being able to share that."
When underclassmen look to Tiffany for leadership and advice,
Tiffany says that she hopes to impress that "if you make the time
for the things you that want to make the time for- so where your
heart is- you are going to make it work out for you. You can't
expect anyone else to lay that out."
She added, "As hard as I have worked and with the records that I
currently hold, if that ideology I can share with the girls I am
running with right now, and if they use that to break those
records, then I couldn't be any happier."
