FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Thursday, September 29, 2016 New Faces: MSUB Cross Country Freshman Lydia Foster
Making a bang in her very first semester at MSUB, freshman women’s cross country runner Lydia Foster is blazing her own trail on the course while pursuing a degree in music performance as a pianist. By: Steen Fredrickson, MSUB Media Relations Intern (’19) BILLINGS, Mont. – Formerly known as ‘Coach’ Molly Foster, working with her daughter on her running and on her mental game are some of the things that Montana State University Billings women’s cross country freshman Lydia Foster attributes to her early college success. But, don’t let yourself think that athletics were the only thing that Molly, a former high school hurdler, coached her daughter on. Piano practice was a must and many mornings from an early age onward Molly and Lydia could be found sitting on the piano bench letting their legs take a rest from running and letting their fingers pace themselves. Don’t mistake Foster’s calm demeanor though, because behind her piano skills is a competitive spirit rivaling that of any college freshman runner. Athletes are often told that they do not have to be the loudest person on the team to be a leader, and sometimes it is the quiet ones who make the biggest impact. Transitioning from being the only senior on her
high school team to being one of six newcomers to the Yellowjackets’ squad this fall, her leadership role has had to change slightly. “I think I can be a quiet person, but if you give me a leadership role I will do everything in my power to let others know I am there for them in whatever capacity they need,” said Foster. “Running is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical.” When your body becomes engrained with the determination to always push through and lead with the most positive attitude possible, amazing things can happen. Foster’s typical high-school routine of starting her morning at 4:30 a.m. left her well-equipped to hit the ground running when she reached MSUB. Her two-to-three hours of piano practice before starting her academic and athletic day built a work ethic in Foster that has already shown on the course and through her first semester of class. Balancing everything college has to throw at you can be difficult for some, but barely into the first semester of her college career Foster has everything exactly how she likes: organized. Her everyday life can’t throw anything at her that her competitively-trained mind cannot deal with, and she credits all of that control to her mother. “She had the whole package; she was a perfect fit,” said MSUB head coach Dave Coppock in response to a question about what enticed him about recruiting Foster. “She just loves to run and brings tenacity every day. She is willing to put in the extra effort, and I just feel thrilled to have her running for us.” Growing up in Richfield, Utah, Foster spent her first two years of her high school experience competing in five different sporting events throughout the year. In the fall it was soccer and cross country, basketball and indoor track consumed her winters, and she wrapped up with outdoor track in the spring. Prior to her junior season however, Foster’s family made the decision to move to Gillette, Wyo. Handling the move as smoothly as she handles the rough terrain during a race, she stayed mentally tough and kept a smile on her face. The ease of her transition was evidenced by her role in helping Gillette High School’s decorated program to yet another state title in her very first season with her new team. Within two years, her obvious talent and academic prowess had drawn heavy notice from Coppock, and he promptly got Foster onto MSUB’s campus. Already placing within the team’s top-five runners, Foster’s impact has shown immediately through her first three races with the Yellowjackets. During last week’s NCAA Division II West Region Preview meet at Amend Park, Foster placed 23rd overall and fourth on the team, as she completed the 6kcourse with a time of 25:33.82. As Foster stays true to herself her family always stays right by her side as well, and along with her parents and four younger siblings they run through life always sticking together. A ‘family affair’ is really the best way to describe it. On
family days you can often see the Fosters going running, playing football and running, soccer and running or playing volleyball but don’t forget about running. “Everything is always competitive between us,” Foster said with a laugh. The music performance major has always held academics at the forefront of her priorities, papers neatly stacked next to her laptop as she works through an assignment. A small planner is what she uses to control her academic life and she relies on it heavily. “Always do the little things first,” is a quote Foster obviously follows with all of her heart, and it has put her on an organized and effective academic path as well as a successful athletic one. And she got it from her mother. Running is not something Lydia Foster plans on ever giving up. “Even when you hate it you just have to go for it,” she says smiling. She runs because it is what she loves to do and she brings her best every single day. Her work ethic has gotten her this far and will propel her even further along the road. Foster may only be a freshman but she is already a force to be reckoned with in all aspects of life.
Foster (702) and her Yellowjacket teammates prepare for the starting gun at the West Region Preview meet at Amend Park on Sept. 23.
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