Princeton University Athletics
How about next year?
March 31, 2000 | General
The date was May 9, 1998, and the Princeton men's track and field team had just completed a rare feat. They had just won the coveted "triple crown"-Heptagonal championships in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field-and coach Fred Samara had one thing on his mind: "How about next year?"
"Specifically, that is what we wanted--a second triple crown," Samara says with the utmost confidence.
The book on Fred Samara is certainly interesting. It seems to have two chapters, ability and intelligence. When you combine ability and intelligence one thing usually comes out ... success. Success has followed Samara wherever he has gone, and his career at Princeton has been no different. The last two seasons set a standard of excellence in the Ivy League.
"For our staff, myself included, when you set goals and achieve them three seasons in a row, it takes a tremendous effort from all involved," he says. "Having support at all levels goes a long way to achieving greatness."
The first chapter, ability, speaks for itself. His resume is an honor roll. After all, he was a two-time All-America while a student at Penn. He established a world record in the indoor pentathlon in 1974 and was the second American finisher in the decathlon at the 1976 Olympics.
The second chapter, intelligence, is evident through the accolades he and his athletes have received. He has mentored 10 athletes to All-America honors (including Rob Manning '99 and Tora Harris '01 this spring) in his coaching career. He has been named to the coaching staffs of seven international teams and was the 1996 NCAA Division I District II coach of the year.
Together the two chapters spell success. The past two seasons have been the golden age of Princeton track and field. The Tigers have achieved their success through Samara's coaching philosophy that combines both ability and intelligence.
"Everyone is capable of doing a lot more than they think they are," Samara states. "As a team, we get our guys to believe that they are competing for 36 guys instead of one guy."
This season the cross country team's victory paved the way for the second consecutive triple crown. The indoor track team brought home the second leg with a resounding win during the winter. The Tigers ran away with the title, beating second-place Navy by 47 points. In May, one year after the first triple crown was placed on the Tigers' heads, the outdoor track and field team polished off the "Repeat Three-Peat." With individuals like the meet's Most Outstanding Performer, John Mack and super sophomore Harris, the Tigers got stronger as the competition wore on, in much the same way Secretariat won the 1973 Belmont Stakes and with it, the triple crown.
"It's a clich?, but we refuse to lose. That's the bottom line." Samara declares.
It's that kind of attitude that may have fans of Princeton track celebrating an unprecedented third triple crown at this time next year.
by Matt Ciciarelli