ONE MORE TIME AROUND THE TRACK
6/19/2020 8:08:00 PM | Track & Field
Croson Relishing Opportunity to Work with Ford Again
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
When Ryan Croson transferred from the University of Washington to Baylor two years ago, he made the decision to take a redshirt year "in order to get two years" with sprints coach Michael Ford.
"That was a big part of my commitment to Baylor was being able to be there for two years and understand (Coach Ford's) system and let my body adjust to how he trained me," Croson said.
Now, after earning indoor track All-America honors as part of Baylor's 4x400-meter relay, he gets a third year that wasn't promised. With the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility for spring sports' athletes because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Croson is coming "Back to Baylor" for another year to train under Ford.
"As soon as Coach Ford texted me and asked me if I intended to come back, I instantly said, 'YES!' without even checking with my parents first," said Croson, a native of Bothell, Wash. "I certainly had to figure some things out school-wise and talk it over with my parents, but it was definitely an easy decision for me."
Part of the 4x400 relay team that finished second at the Big 12 Indoor Championships, Croson was in Albuquerque, N.M., waiting to compete in the NCAA Championships when first the meet and then the spring season were canceled.
"My stomach dropped, my mind was racing, and I was super, super quiet," said Croson, who ran second leg on the relay team that beat national leader Texas A&M at its own meet with a season-best time of 3:06.93.
"I like to think I'm a friendly, personable guy. I tell everyone on the team that you can come to me with anything, and I'm going to pray to the Lord that I can give you the best advice that you need to hear. But, I went radio silent for about a week. I felt physically sick for at least that day, just because there were so many unknowns."
Those unknowns began to clear up when the NCAA granted the extra year of eligibility and then awarded All-America honors to all of the qualifiers who had made it to the NCAA Indoor Championships. It was the first All-America recognition for Croson, who earned five all-conference honors and qualified for the NCAA West Preliminaries in each of his three seasons at Washington.
"Being the competitor that I am, I believe that if we did get to race it out, me and my boys would have definitely earned first-team All-America honors," Croson said of a relay team that included fellow senior Maxwell Willis, junior anchor Howard Fields III and sophomore Matthew Moorer. "But once I got the official news, it was definitely a blessing. It stinks that they took away our indoor season, and I don't get that back for next year, but the fact that they're awarding us that is really, really cool."
While his collegiate indoor track career is over, Croson could make a huge impact during the 2021 outdoor season. With Croson and Willis both expected to return, Baylor should have one of the top 4x400 relays in the country.
"We definitely had a special group of guys this past year, and I believe they're all coming back," Croson said. "That's definitely a blessing. It's one more year to work with the boys and bond with them, and hopefully we're all going to get stronger and faster and come out swinging even harder."
The track part is what everyone else sees, Ford says, and Croson has made amazing strides in the 200, 400 and 4x400 relay.
"But off the track is where I am most impressed by Ryan," Ford said. "I know over the past two years, his faith and his relationship with God have grown unbelievably. And on the team, his leadership is amazing. From encouraging his teammates when they have a bad meet or a bad practice, to just picking up the ones that need a ride, he is what a captain is all about. I'm definitely looking forward to coaching Ryan for another year."
In the same vein, Croson says that his relationship with Ford has been "absolutely huge . . . not just his track knowledge and his track coaching experience, but his ability to connect with you as a person."
"Just the fact that I can go to him with anything, regardless of whether it's track-related, personal-related, school-related, anything, he makes himself available at all times," Croson said, "Even though I haven't necessarily used him in that capacity, I like knowing that that's there. That helps build my trust in him, so that when he gives us hard stuff on the track, even if I don't want to do it, I know it's for my own good."
Not that it was the ideal situation, but finishing his spring classes online was actually a good fit for Croson, who had taken some online classes already at both Washington and Cascadia College.
"You have to be disciplined and a self-starter, which thank the Lord I believe I'm both of them," he said. "I actually liked it, because I could get things done on my terms. I would frontload my day and get everything done by 11 or noon, and then I would have the rest of the day to do whatever. I also had professors that were very flexible in uploading power points or lectures. That helped me out as well."
Since going back home to Bothell at end of the spring semester, when he graduated with a degree in health, kinesiology and leisure studies, Croson has been able to resume his workouts at a local track. But, he's looking forward to returning to campus next month and getting back into his normal routine.
"I didn't realize how much I liked having a routine until it was taken away from me, to where I had to structure one myself. Which, I can absolutely do," he said. "But, I definitely like having a structured schedule and not being in my apartment for 10 hours a day. I think coming back and mainly getting to train again and see my friends and teammates, that will be the best part for me."
Croson, who will begin working on a masters in exercise physiology this fall, said the scholarship support from the Bear Foundation and generous donors is "a blessing."
"Not being from Texas, you want to feel like it's home," he said. "And that financial help is a huge piece for a lot of kids. That's a huge blessing not only for me, but for all the people that you have reached out to and helped."
Baylor Bear Insider
When Ryan Croson transferred from the University of Washington to Baylor two years ago, he made the decision to take a redshirt year "in order to get two years" with sprints coach Michael Ford.
"That was a big part of my commitment to Baylor was being able to be there for two years and understand (Coach Ford's) system and let my body adjust to how he trained me," Croson said.
Now, after earning indoor track All-America honors as part of Baylor's 4x400-meter relay, he gets a third year that wasn't promised. With the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility for spring sports' athletes because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Croson is coming "Back to Baylor" for another year to train under Ford.
"As soon as Coach Ford texted me and asked me if I intended to come back, I instantly said, 'YES!' without even checking with my parents first," said Croson, a native of Bothell, Wash. "I certainly had to figure some things out school-wise and talk it over with my parents, but it was definitely an easy decision for me."
Part of the 4x400 relay team that finished second at the Big 12 Indoor Championships, Croson was in Albuquerque, N.M., waiting to compete in the NCAA Championships when first the meet and then the spring season were canceled.
"My stomach dropped, my mind was racing, and I was super, super quiet," said Croson, who ran second leg on the relay team that beat national leader Texas A&M at its own meet with a season-best time of 3:06.93.
"I like to think I'm a friendly, personable guy. I tell everyone on the team that you can come to me with anything, and I'm going to pray to the Lord that I can give you the best advice that you need to hear. But, I went radio silent for about a week. I felt physically sick for at least that day, just because there were so many unknowns."
Those unknowns began to clear up when the NCAA granted the extra year of eligibility and then awarded All-America honors to all of the qualifiers who had made it to the NCAA Indoor Championships. It was the first All-America recognition for Croson, who earned five all-conference honors and qualified for the NCAA West Preliminaries in each of his three seasons at Washington.
"Being the competitor that I am, I believe that if we did get to race it out, me and my boys would have definitely earned first-team All-America honors," Croson said of a relay team that included fellow senior Maxwell Willis, junior anchor Howard Fields III and sophomore Matthew Moorer. "But once I got the official news, it was definitely a blessing. It stinks that they took away our indoor season, and I don't get that back for next year, but the fact that they're awarding us that is really, really cool."
While his collegiate indoor track career is over, Croson could make a huge impact during the 2021 outdoor season. With Croson and Willis both expected to return, Baylor should have one of the top 4x400 relays in the country.
"We definitely had a special group of guys this past year, and I believe they're all coming back," Croson said. "That's definitely a blessing. It's one more year to work with the boys and bond with them, and hopefully we're all going to get stronger and faster and come out swinging even harder."
The track part is what everyone else sees, Ford says, and Croson has made amazing strides in the 200, 400 and 4x400 relay.
"But off the track is where I am most impressed by Ryan," Ford said. "I know over the past two years, his faith and his relationship with God have grown unbelievably. And on the team, his leadership is amazing. From encouraging his teammates when they have a bad meet or a bad practice, to just picking up the ones that need a ride, he is what a captain is all about. I'm definitely looking forward to coaching Ryan for another year."
In the same vein, Croson says that his relationship with Ford has been "absolutely huge . . . not just his track knowledge and his track coaching experience, but his ability to connect with you as a person."
"Just the fact that I can go to him with anything, regardless of whether it's track-related, personal-related, school-related, anything, he makes himself available at all times," Croson said, "Even though I haven't necessarily used him in that capacity, I like knowing that that's there. That helps build my trust in him, so that when he gives us hard stuff on the track, even if I don't want to do it, I know it's for my own good."
Not that it was the ideal situation, but finishing his spring classes online was actually a good fit for Croson, who had taken some online classes already at both Washington and Cascadia College.
"You have to be disciplined and a self-starter, which thank the Lord I believe I'm both of them," he said. "I actually liked it, because I could get things done on my terms. I would frontload my day and get everything done by 11 or noon, and then I would have the rest of the day to do whatever. I also had professors that were very flexible in uploading power points or lectures. That helped me out as well."
Since going back home to Bothell at end of the spring semester, when he graduated with a degree in health, kinesiology and leisure studies, Croson has been able to resume his workouts at a local track. But, he's looking forward to returning to campus next month and getting back into his normal routine.
"I didn't realize how much I liked having a routine until it was taken away from me, to where I had to structure one myself. Which, I can absolutely do," he said. "But, I definitely like having a structured schedule and not being in my apartment for 10 hours a day. I think coming back and mainly getting to train again and see my friends and teammates, that will be the best part for me."
Croson, who will begin working on a masters in exercise physiology this fall, said the scholarship support from the Bear Foundation and generous donors is "a blessing."
"Not being from Texas, you want to feel like it's home," he said. "And that financial help is a huge piece for a lot of kids. That's a huge blessing not only for me, but for all the people that you have reached out to and helped."
Players Mentioned
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & FieldBaylor Track & Field: 2026 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships Recap!
Tuesday, March 17
Baylor Track & Field: 2026 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships Molly Haywood 60m Hurdle's Final
Tuesday, March 17
Baylor Track & Field: 2026 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships Demario Prince 60m Hurdle's Final
Tuesday, March 17
Baylor Track & Field: 2026 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships Tiriah Kelly 200m Final
Tuesday, March 17
