Dear Pittsburgh Track & Field: A letter By Kollin Smith
5/17/2022 2:17:00 PM | Track & Field
Dear Pittsburgh Track & Field,
As I take this time to reflect on my years here at Pitt, it feels like it was just yesterday my family was helping me move into House 8 in upper campus right next to Sutherland. The time between then and now, I have created friendships that will last a lifetime and memories that will stick with me forever.
I'm so grateful to have joined a community that continues to support me both on and off the track. There were a couple I had trouble dealing with Adversity. And it caused me to second guess a lot of things at the time. One thing Coach Zo made sure I understood was that I was never alone during these times and that no matter what he would be there for me.
A moment that I will always remember is when I broke my foot in 2019. I felt very discouraged and worried about my recovery process and when would I bounce back, but if I were to bounced back would the feeling in my foot be the same. Luckily, my recovery process was a smooth.
Big shout out to Molly Trott and Tony Salesi ! Without you guys I wouldn't have been able to come back stronger and more confident than before! I would have never been able to make a successful comeback in 2020 by winning 3rd place in Long Jump at ACCs and qualifying for the preliminary (regional) round of NCAA championships.
The love and support I received from my coaches and teammates when I ever faced adversity is what kept me pushing and I thank you guys for that. I'm going to miss those long days in the training room after a hard practice, really just in there talking about life. Nothing but good vibes and laughter.
It is memories and relationships like these that I will value and hold near to my heart for the rest of life. It is undeniable that That the University of Pittsburgh and in particular Pitt Athletics has played a pivotal role in molding me into the young man I am today, and for this I am forever thankful.
Lastly, I'd like to give a Big thanks to Coach Webb, Coach Zo, and the rest of the coaching staff for having faith in me, by giving me the opportunity to represent the University of Pittsburgh during my collegiate athletic career here at Pitt.
Pitt Athletics has instilled in me a set of values that will continue to translate across other aspects in my life long after I stop running track and that is something that is invaluable to me. With that being said, I am forever grateful for the time I spent in Pittsburgh, and as always Hail 2 Pitt!
Sincerely,
Kollin Smith
Players Mentioned
