By Jim Hague
Travia Smith has always been involved in athletics and has enjoyed diversity in her athletic career.
For instance, when Smith was attending Hunterdon Central High School, she participated in track and field, where she was the team’s Most Valuable Player, and also played field hockey.
And then when Smith enrolled at Rutgers-Newark, she tried out for the softball team on a whim and ended up her freshman season last spring as a right fielder and leadoff hitter.
“I didn’t come to Rutgers-Newark to play sports,” Smith said. “I never played softball before, but it turned out to be a good experience. I was really impressed with how well I did in softball.”
Smith batted .254 with 16 hits and scored six runs in limited action. But deep in her heart, she knew she still had the passion for track and field.
“I love to run, but I knew there wasn’t a track team here,” Smith said.
However, Smith’s fortunes changed last summer, when Rutgers-Newark hired Juan Edney to begin the school’s new track and field and cross country program.
Smith had no idea that Rutgers-Newark was initiating a track program, until she received an e-mail from her former high school soccer coach.
“She was the one who told me about it, because she knew I liked to run,” Smith said. “She told me to contact Coach Edney.”
Because Smith was assigned to be a resident advisor in one of the school’s freshman dormitories, she arrived on campus in August, much earlier than most. At that time, she set up a meeting with Edney.
“I was very impressed with him,” Smith said. “I figured I would be happy to be a part of the track team.”
There was only one catch. Edney wanted Smith to be a part of the new R-N cross country team as well.
“Coach Edney wanted me to run to get in shape for indoor and outdoor track, but I had never run cross country before,” Smith said. “I figured, `Why not give it a shot?’ But I never ran more than 400 meters before. It was very hard.”
But Edney loved Smith’s determination.
“Here’s a girl who never ran cross country before, but she was out there every day, working her tail off,” Edney said. “She showed a lot of toughness early on, because in the beginning, she couldn’t handle the distance. I kept telling her that she could do it.”
“I never ran miles before,” Smith said. “So I had to build up some endurance. It was tough.”
But Smith finally handled the distance and competed in four meets for the Scarlet Raiders, including a personal best of 32:00.54 in the New Jersey AIAW championships, finishing 40th overall.
“She’s a fighter,” Edney said. “It’s tough to keep her down. I think she got better as the season went on and I think that helped her.”
“It turned out that I really liked it,” Smith said. “I like running. I didn’t think I’d like cross country, but I came to love it. I also liked getting other people to join and stay with the team. We all stayed together and that was something.”
Now that the distance running is over, Smith can go back and concentrate on what she does best, namely sprints and jumps. She will compete in the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes this winter, as well as competing in the triple jump and high jump.
Smith stands only 5-foot-3, but she’s already jumping better than her height (5-4), while also reaching 36 feet, 10 inches in the triple jump.
“She’s small, but she can definitely jump,” Edney said. “I think the experience she gained in the cross country season will eventually pay off for her in the long run. The three-miles running in cross country builds up the strength and prepares you for the indoor and outdoor (seasons). I think she’s ready now.”
“I’m very excited to begin the indoor season,” Smith said. “I can’t wait to go back to the New York Armory, where I competed in high school. I’m really looking forward to the season now.”
Smith, who is majoring in marketing and legal studies, is planning to go to law school upon graduation from R-N in a few years. She aspires to get into either entertainment or sports law and wouldn’t mind becoming an agent in the future.
Right now, she has to juggle the duties of her school work, her athletic responsibilities and her job with the school’s Residence Life department.
“It’s all tough to balance, but it’s good to handle that kind of responsibility,” Smith said. “It’s a co-ed dormitory and I have a co-ed floor with about 40 students on my floor. It’s very demanding, being a counselor and advisor while learning to expect the unexpected. Because they are freshmen, they want to come and talk to me about everything and I have to be a good role model for them. It’s not easy at all, but I like it.”
A lot like her experiences running cross country.
And with the indoor and outdoor track seasons approaching, it’s safe to say that Travia (pronounced TRAY-VEE-AH) Smith has retired the softball glove for good.
“Softball was a good experience,” Smith said. “But I’m a runner. It’s what I do.”
