Change in mentality helps Wyoming track and field athlete find success
LARAMIE, Wyo. (BVM) – Adapting to change is always extremely important to success. University of Wyoming senior William Nolan learned this through plenty of personal experiences and changes in culture. It created a mentality of improvement and conviction.
In an odd season, Nolan has pushed past adversity to be one of the top jumpers on the Cowboys’ track and field team. The different season has given him the opportunity to take in his final year.
“Having practices more spread out makes it a good thing; it’s not just pound, pound, pound,” Nolan said. “It gives me the chance to have a break.”
Nolan competed at Wyoming’s Indoor Track and Field Power Meet on Feb. 5 and won the long jump, took second in the triple jump and third in the 55-meter preliminaries. He was unable to make the finals of the 55-meter dash as he was in the middle of jumping. However, he felt like his performance was lackluster, to say the least.
“There was a lot left on the table, with my scratches,” he said. “I could’ve done much better.”
Nolan has known that he can compete with the best in his events for a while. The Wyoming native has gone through changes to compete with a better mindset.
“Back then [in high school], I would say my success came from my unwillingness to quit,” the Wyoming state champion said. “Now, it has to be my willingness to trust the process.”
If Nolan had a bad performance at a meet, it always used to stick with him and be in his mind. He learned to find ways to be better and move on.
“I know I need to have expectations for my performances, but I have come to realize that it won’t always go that way,” Nolan said.
What hasn’t changed for Nolan is his work ethic. No matter what level he is at, he gives it his all.
“It’s always 110% for me regardless of who I am facing,” Nolan said. “I just have to show out and do everything I can.”
He attributes this to always being able to compete against great competitors. He summarized his mentality with this in three simple words: “always do better.”
The change Nolan has had to go through led to a much more reflective look into his athletic career.
“Regardless of how you jump, you learn something every time,” he said.
Nolan hasn’t gone without his own struggles or obstacles while trying to compete. He has been pushed to the limit with his own issues, on the track and off.
“It’s about your field of view around you, if you’re not pushing past your horizon then you’re not pushing enough,” Nolan said.
Additionally, Nolan competes with a great deal of pride competing for his home state university. As the only university in Wyoming, he came to the Division 1 program with hopes of making a difference.
“It [the University of Wyoming track and field program] is not the best program in the country, but you want to be the one that makes the change in that program,” he said.
While the men’s team hasn’t been able to take a major step forward in the Mountain West conference (both indoor and outdoor track and field), Nolan has created a name for himself in his jumps.
At both the MW conference meets for indoor and outdoor his freshman year, he placed second in the triple jump. His sophomore year, he collected six total event wins in indoor and went on to compete at the NCAA West Preliminaries meet in the long and triple jump where he placed 42nd and 39th, respectively.
His junior season brought some disappointment as he only finished fifth at the MW championships in indoor and missed out on an outdoor season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nolan’s name also is featured in the record books at Wyoming with the tenth best indoor long jump of all-time (24-3.75, 2018), the tenth best outdoor long jump of all-time (24-4.25, 2019) and the eighth best outdoor triple jump of all time (49-10.5, 2019).
The odd season of 2020-21 has given Nolan a chance to improve all of his marks and times in his potentially last season at UW.
Looking ahead, he looks to perform his best at the Championships at the Peak meet Feb. 25-27. Possibly his last indoor meet gives him another chance to beat his previous marks.
“I’m as prepared as I can be, it’s been a hard season on everyone,” he said. “I hope to compete well, and I have no doubt that I will be prepared.”
One of the most important pieces that he always reiterated to himself and that he will no doubt take with him to the final indoor meet and outdoor season was another simple three words: “trust the process.”
