JUST A SMALL-TOWN GIRL

My Coach Never For a Second Let Me Doubt Myself.

Champions' TriBUne 3/20/2020 2:24:00 PM

Champions' TriBUne Archive

By: Tuesdi Tidwell

Champions' TriBUne is a special feature through Baylor Athletics that gives you the student-athlete's perspective and the chance for them to share their own story. Tuesdi Tidwell, a junior from Blanket, Texas, broke Baylor's indoor pole vault record with a mark of 14 feet, 9 inches that ranked fourth nationally this year. A two-time conference runner-up and five-time All-Big 12 honoree, she also lettered in cheerleading and volleyball at Early High School:

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with glory that will be revealed." – Romans 8:18

Just a week ago, I was going into the NCAA Indoor Championships ranked fourth nationally in the pole vault. We showed up in New Mexico for the NCAA meet, and in less than 25 hours we were on our way back because of the meet being canceled due to COVID-19.

This track meet is the biggest collegiate indoor track meet of the year, with only the top 16 in the nation in each event qualifying for it. Last year, I was the very last person to make it, being 16^th on the list, and was just happy to be there. This year, I was actually prepared to compete and was expecting to earn All-America honors for the first time.

You can only imagine the heartbreak of all the athletes who were already practicing in the facility and preparing to compete the following days being told we had to go back home. It is tough on my teammates, the coaches, every athlete there, but especially for the seniors. Everyone else that is not a senior has time to plan out what they want to do with this extra year of eligibility, but the seniors have already had their next year planned out and many cannot use the extra year of eligibility, anyway.

Of course, we all understand and know the cancellation of the season is for the greater good, but it was a hard pill to swallow for everyone involved.

Certainly, the events and decisions made in the last week have changed it to some degree, but here is my story:

I grew up in the small town of Blanket, Texas, with a population of about 375 people, so having someone go to a Division I school for athletics was a pretty big deal there. I drove to the "big city" of Early for school, and every time I go back home I have both places to workout/lift at any time I need.

My family has always been a huge part of my life. They have supported me in everything I do, and I would not be anywhere close to where I am without them. I began doing gymnastics at age 3 and got into cheer soon after that. Robert and Kristin Wade were my coaches for these sports and started my love for being an athlete. In middle school, my mom was the person that talked me into trying this thing called "pole vault." She figured since power tumbling and cheerleading came pretty easy to me as a child that it would be a good transition to keep doing a sport that my body is thrown upside down. Ever since the first day I went to practice, I knew I loved it and had so much fun while doing it. My amazing club coach was Troy Hunt from Hico Texas, so for practice my parents had to drive me an hour each way three days a week for nine months, starting from 7th grade.

Tuesdi Tidwell

I decided to go look at how other clubs functioned one day, because of my mom's suggestion again, and I happened to run into Coach Brandon Richards at a practice. That is how this journey to Baylor started. Honestly, Baylor was not even in the top five choices of schools by the time I was a senior in high school. I did not have "impressive" heights at the time. With a PR of only 12 feet, 2 inches, not many college coaches would even look at me. Coach Richards was the first coach to see me for the potential he knew I had rather than the heights I was performing at the certain time. I was already pretty sure that I wanted to go to Baylor, but I was not absolutely positive until I went on my recruiting visit.

On the first night of my visit here, one of my closest friends, "Mickey," had passed away from a car accident. She was a high jumper in college at the time, and I had always looked up to her and wanted to be a college athlete just like her. My family took me away from the college kids when telling me the news, but all of the coaches were outside and showed me more love than I could have ever asked for. The entire outlook of the visit went from them wanting to recruit me to just simply wanting to help me get through my tough time. They never even mentioned college after that point and told me when I was ready, I could come back whenever I wanted and we could figure it out. This might have just been a normal act of kindness for them, but it was one of the deciding factors that made the choice to come to Baylor so easy. "Trust in the lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:3-6.

The coaching staff at Baylor grew a fire in me before I even got to Baylor, and I knew this was the school where I wanted to go. Baylor is a costly school, so I did not get the benefit to say "yes" right off the bat. With God's grace, I was given a financial aid scholarship that allowed me to come here. I also made the Baylor cheerleading all-girls team my freshman year, but I ended up having to pick either cheer or track. For me, this was an obvious choice. It was tough leaving one thing that I also loved, but I knew I cared about pole vault more and that was where my future would be.

Tuesdi Tidwell

My first year at Baylor, I knew I needed to improve quite a bit if I wanted to be able to stay and afford it here. Coach Richards stood by me all year and never for a second let me doubt myself. The scholarship did not come easy, but at the outdoor conference meet I double PR'd and cleared 13-7 to squeeze out a scholarship that allowed me to stay at this university. Ever since then, I have never doubted what my coach believed I could do. Don't get me wrong, I have always had support. But, when someone so knowledgeable about the sport tells me I can accomplish something, I know I am actually capable of it and it isn't just an untouchable dream.

The training staff, massage therapists and academic staff at Baylor have always been so supportive and a huge part of any success I've had. Our trainers have listened to any physical problem I have had since I've gotten to Baylor, but have also been a strong emotional part of my journey. They seem to pick up when any of us are in stress, and are able to calm us down before competition. Lee, our traveling massage therapist, has been very supportive and will check on me every meet on how I felt both physically and emotionally. Even the professors here are super supportive. For each track meet, at least one professor will come watch me, look for my results after the meet or ask me how the meet went when I get back to class.

I am now the indoor school record holder with a vault of 14-9 – more than 2 ½ feet higher than my career-best when I was being recruited – and the fourth-best mark in the nation this year. I am so thankful that Coach Richards and Coach Harbour took a chance on this small-town girl from Blanket, Texas.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." – Jeremiah 29:11. I am blessed with all of the support I have around me, and I compete with everything I have for them.

Tuesdi Tidwell