Calista Snyders '20 Recruiting Profile

My Motto: Practice like you’ve never won, perform like you’ve never lost

Track and Field brings me genuine enjoyment in all aspects of my life.  It has been a true passion of mine ever since I was a little girl.  My love for throwing has provided me the opportunity to grow as a thrower and person, tackle challenges, drive myself to improve, experience the excitement of reaching and re-setting goals, uphold a positive mindset and attitude, and so much more.  While I’m practicing, lifting, or competing, I’m always focused on giving the best of myself, contributing to my team in both attitude and effort, and also having fun.  I take my track career very seriously and work hard in the rings to improve my performance whether at practice or in competition.

However, my best performances are yet to come.  I struggled with childhood PTSD after witnessing my mother nearly lose her life when I was 11 which led to debilitating performance anxiety.  I made huge strides in overcoming this between my junior and senior years in high school, and was looking forward to finally performing in competition what I had repeatedly demonstrated in practice when my senior season was cancelled due to the pandemic.  I have not allowed this to defeat me, and have continued to practice and coach over the last year.

I bring a great attitude, an outgoing personality, natural optimism, clear communication, hard work ethic, leadership, encouragement, determination, integrity, accountability, and an open mind to any situation.  I also believe that team sportsmanship, camaraderie, and support help each athlete feel comfortable and confident in their approach which contributes to everyone’s overall success.

Not only do I dedicate much of myself to track, but I take pride in my academics.  I believe that academics and athletics go hand in hand, and maintaining a healthy balance between the two is ideal.  It is extremely important to me that I sustain a good GPA, find dedicated study time, and understand my classwork.  Furthermore, I wish to see my peers succeed so I often encourage group study time and ask for help when needed.

I would not be the person I am and the powerful woman I’ve become without this sport.  The challenges I have encountered throughout my journey have made me a stronger person, teammate, student, and athlete, and I am looking forward to continuing that growth!

Fun Facts About Me:

I enjoy using a variety of paints and mediums to create different art pieces, pottery and ceramics as well as design and create jewelry using various gems and metals.  I also love to play piano and ukulele, lift weights, participate in various intramural sports, attend sporting events, and spend time with family and friends.  My mom was a track and field athlete at the University of Minnesota, my brother is in the Professional Aviation Pilot program at MNSU, my family founded the largest track and field club program in Minnesota, my best friend is Joe Fahnbulleh, my uncle is ESPN broadcaster, Mark Jones, and I’ve been involved in track and field since 6 years old!