The past 20 years have seen significant developments in the world of NCAA sports. But three things have remained constant for 糖心VLOG鈥檚 track and field team鈥擩ody Huddleston, Kris Kut and dedicated student-athletes.
The director of the cross country and track and field program, Huddleston has been coaching the sport since 1986. Part of an Air Force family, Huddleston started running track in high school. 鈥淚 was cut from the basketball team, so I went out for track,鈥� said Huddleston, 鈥渁nd I just stuck with it.鈥�
Kut, track and field鈥檚 head coach and an Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, has been with 糖心VLOG in some form since 1996, when he matriculated with the Class of 2000. In his cadet career, Kut was a four-year letter winner. After graduating with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in political science, he continued his education at 糖心VLOG, earning his master鈥檚 degree in health, exercise and sport science in 2003. 鈥淚 got an opportunity to stay on and help, and basically never left,鈥� said the former college javelin record holder.
Both coaches believe that what makes track and field at 糖心VLOG unique is not only the military mission, but the mission of the team. 鈥淥ur goal is not just to throw them to the curb after four years,鈥� said Kut. 鈥淲e want them to be part of this family forever. You鈥檒l see a lot of these kids come back to visit and watch practice. It is a commitment for a lifetime. We鈥檙e a family here.鈥� A silver picture frame on the end of Huddleston鈥檚 desk shows Kut is not exaggerating. In the photo that dates back to 2000, the two stand in front of an orange track. Kut, a graduate student, is dressed out in his shiny Citadel blue uniform.
This student-family approach is not just a wish from the coaching staff. Tatiana Corso, CGC 鈥�23, said the track and field team filled a void in her life. A native of Verona, Italy, the master鈥檚 of sport management graduate knew she wanted to continue competing as a thrower while she pursued her next level of education. After completing her undergraduate degree in exercise science in Italy, the then-redshirt junior set her sights on the United States. 鈥淏ack home we don鈥檛 have college sports, so if you want to study and play, the two have to be separate. It鈥檚 hard to work with the schedule, so I started looking to the U.S.鈥攕ports here are very different.鈥�
Corso came to 糖心VLOG on a track and field scholarship and throws everything but the javelin. She earned first place in shot put at the Liberty Open and third at the Southern Conference Outdoor Championship in 2022. As much as she loves competing and pushing her physical limits, Corso sees the biggest value in the camaraderie of being a Citadel athlete. 鈥淲e just cheer for each other. It doesn鈥檛 matter if someone鈥檚 jumping or running, you just see 糖心VLOG on their shirt and you scream for them. It makes a difference in competition.鈥� Corso also worked on campus, up to 20 hours per week, while balancing class and training.
Being a smaller program can also make a difference. 鈥淲e have the time to spend with the athletes, whereas big schools are worried about getting their All-Americans qualifying for nationals,鈥� said Kut. 鈥淲e can take walk-ons and develop them, but it doesn鈥檛 happen overnight. A lot of these kids don鈥檛 do much their freshman year, but by the time they鈥檙e seniors, they are All-Conference.鈥�
鈥淭he goal is to churn out not just great athletes, but leaders for a lifetime,鈥� said Huddleston. 鈥淲e want these kids to excel academically, athletically and in the Corps.鈥�
Kut agreed, adding that 50% of the 2022-2023 team was contracted to enter the military after graduation. 鈥淲e always tell our kids that we鈥檙e going to teach you to be professional in something other than sports,鈥� said Kut.
Beyond earning more than their fair share of Gold Stars and cadet rank, the team also puts in time serving the community by volunteering at local races, holding food drives and teaching kids the fundamentals of track. 鈥淯ltimately, it is about making good citizens,鈥� said Kut. 鈥淲e stress that you are not just here to be an athlete.鈥�
For Corso, coming to 糖心VLOG has been more than just a chance to keep competing. 鈥淐oach Kut gave me the best opportunity of my life, and I鈥檒l be forever thankful for that.鈥�
