MWSU Track & Field head coach ready to move forward
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Missouri Western State University reinstated the Track & Field program after 'new information and a new level of support' came forward.
Head Coach Cody Ingold said after the initial release he had discussions with his assistant to figure out how to move forward.
"We'll figure it out, that's what I have always done, that is who I am… We put some thoughts together, figure out how to make this work," Ingold said. "I helped start this thing so I wasn't going to let it go anywhere, I was going to figure it out regardless."
He said he was constantly getting messages from the community and saw the support the program was receiving.
"It's cool because it's track, you know, it's not football, it's not those pretty things you see on TV," Ingold said. "I love it, I think it is the best sport in the world… The community support was awesome."
The support was recognized by athletes like Mason Orscheln as well, a Central High School graduate who is heading into his senior year at MWSU. Despite not knowing if he would have a track season for his final year, he made up his mind before the program was reinstated.
"I told coach immediately right after he told us the news that the program was going to be gone, I said I'm staying no matter what," Orscheln said. "For you and for the town."
Currently, it is not known how many athletes are staying with the program or transferring. Ingold said he pushed forward and continued to recruit during this period.
"We just sold the new vision with the recruits coming in and continued recruiting," Ingold said. "We have two kids on campus today (Monday) and we had that planned before the announcement. We're moving forward, we're going to make this work."
The program is scheduled to run the same next season as it has in previous years.
"There's going to be a little bit of fallout," Ingold said. "But I think we had the right people in place where I don't think it's going to be as bad as probably what a lot of people think."
