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LEAVING THE BLOCKSLEAVING THE BLOCKSLEAVING THE BLOCKS

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54 Redbird Magazine December

When Illinois State senior runner Sade Sealy made the decision to attend ISU, she knew the transition in a city 2,500 miles away from her homeland of Barbados would be difficult. The support and guidance of a fellow Barbadian in Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Elvis Forde, however, has helped Sealy achieve a great deal, while setting herself up for a potential All-American senior season. Growing up in St. Philip, a parish of roughly 25,000 people on the southeast end of the Caribbean island, Sealy began running at eight-years-old. Running for her schools and the Blitz Track Club, Sealy always viewed running as more of a hobby and something she did for enjoyment. However, once she realized the potential of securing a college education through the sport, Sealy’s dedication increased. “When I started hearing about college scholarships in America, I took running more seriously,” Sealy said. “I knew that college costs money. I always did my best to make sure I got a full scholarship, so my mom and dad would not have to pay money for college.” Children beginning to run at a young age as Sealy did is becoming more common throughout Barbados, in the eyes of Forde. For an island of about 275,000 people, Barbados produces a large amount of college runners, including Sealy and two others on the ISU roster – male sprinter Fabian Norgrove and female sprinter Shandel Ellis. Forde cites the country’s youth system as the driving force behind the island’s high number of successful runners. There are championships that take place at the elementary school level, which provides motivation for the natives of the largely rural island to take up the sport. “The children get excited about winning medals and getting to go to the stadium,” Forde said. “The stadium is in the city [Bridgetown, where 80,000 of the population lives], so the country kids, like me, get excited when they come to the city to compete. Then, they join clubs.” As was the case with Sealy, Forde notes that the motivation of earning a college scholarship is another big factor in a high numbers of the island’s inhabitants pursuing running. “One of the lures is that the kids want to make it to America to go to school, have the chance to study and get a degree,” Forde said. “We have a lot of kids who have come over here and are having fantastic careers. Sade, Shandel and Fabian are all a part of that system.” “There is a lot more opportunity over here,” Sealy noted,

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while also revealing that there is just one university in Barbados. “People want to be successful and are eager to get a scholarship to the States, get more opportunities and be more successful.” Sealy’s path to America and Illinois State began when Forde first contacted her in 2007. Sealy says Forde saw her competing overseas and immediately and made it clear to her why she should come to ISU. “Coach Forde was one of the first universities to call me, so that was why I chose Illinois State,” Sealy said. “He was the most persistent as well. He seemed the most interested.” Having a connection to Sealy through Barbados helped Forde in the recruiting process as well. A number of former student-athletes Forde coached at both ISU and Austin Peay, where he coached for 13 seasons before coming to Normal in 2002, are living in Barbados and scout young talent for Forde. They serve as beacons of the positive impact Forde can have on student-athletes. “I relied on my ground crew back on the island,” Forde said. “They help me a lot in regards to assisting me and talking about how I handled them. It didn’t hurt to have a good reputation with not only the athletes, but their families as well. Their families helped sell Sade’s family that I would be a good person to look out for their daughter, as she leaves the shores of Barbados to come over here. That was a big plus.” Having somebody to help with the transition to a new nation who has gone through it before has been instrumental in Sealy’s progression as a runner and person. Sealy reflected on her thoughts prior to coming to the United States as “nervous and excited, but more excited.” However, the adjustment was not always an easy one. “There was a little bit of homesickness,” Sealy said. “I cried sometimes, and was really sad.” Having Forde, however, helped Sealy through the tough times. “With Coach Forde being from Barbados, he had experienced it before,” Sealy said. “I talked it through with him, which really helped.” “I remember the transition when I first came over here to go to school [at Murray State and Southern Illinois],” Forde added. “I hope nobody sees it as easy. It is a very difficult transition, and I remember my times of first moving over here.” Forde realizes this role he plays, and takes pride in it. The mark he makes on his student-athletes goes well beyond running, throwing or jumping. Forde and his family combine to make Illinois State a welcoming and comfortable environment.

“I think one of the things that works in my favor is that we provide a sense of comfort for them,” Forde said. “Once they have established themselves and see that you care beyond sports, I think that helps them

“ONE OF THE LURES IS THAT

THE KIDS WANT TO MAKE IT TO

AMERICA TO GO TO SCHOOL, HAVE

THE CHANCE TO STUDY AND GET A

DEGREE. WE HAVE A LOT OF KIDS

WHO HAVE COME OVER HERE

AND ARE HAVING FANTASTIC

CAREERS.” -HEAD COACH ELVIS FORDE

56 Redbird Magazine December

tremendously. That piece of communication from me and my family has helped Sade get acquainted to Illinois State.” A less serious, but still important, adjustment that Sealy and other runners from the Caribbean have to go through is the climate change. “The coldest it gets in Barbados is 70 degrees, so when it started to get cold in November, it was a tough transition,” Sealy said. “I had never been in the cold before, or even seen snow.” Forde recalled picking up Sealy at the Central Illinois Regional Airport for a visit in January. It was a cold, winter day, one that makes Illinois natives cringe, let alone someone from the Caribbean. “I got there, and it was not a nice day,” Forde said with a chuckle. “It was really cold, and she realized it would be like that. My wife was there, who is also from the island, so she was able to visit with Sade and tell her about things to do and how she can help herself. It was still a difficult time.” While it may seem like a superficial concern, Forde stressed that adjustment to the cold is a serious threat to bringing runners like Sealy to Bloomington-Normal, and keeping them here as well. “We know that sometimes the coldness on the skin, the ears, and all those things are surprises,” Forde said. “It made it a difficult transition for Sade, because I remember her first year of competing and having to go outside. You get nervous wondering if the kid is thinking about leaving and finding some warmer grounds to go to.” Despite the adjustment period, Sealy’s freshman season on the track was a success. While Sealy can run anything from the 100-meter to the 800-meter, the 400-meter is her specialty. Sealy has not lost a 400-meter race in her time at Illinois State, including three indoor and outdoor Missouri Valley Conference titles. Only two other runners in conference history have won six-straight conference matches, with only one winning all eight between the indoor and outdoor seasons. “I like the 400-meter the most,” Sealy said. “I dabble a bit in the 800-meter and 200-meter, but they are too long and too short, respectively. The 400-meter is right in the middle and perfect for me.” As a freshman in 2009-10, Sealy won four 400-meter races during the indoor season, including the first of her Missouri Valley Conference Indoor championships. She ran a career-best 53.75 to win the MVC outdoor 400-meter

title and qualify for the NCAA West Regional. However, despite her success as a freshman, Sealy decided not to pursue a spot in the NCAA Championships. Forde feels that Sealy’s homesickness played a large role in the decision. “I had all of these expectations for Sade her freshman year, but I had to realize she was going through a transition period,” Forde said. “It was very difficult for her. At the end of her freshman year, she was running very well. I talked to her about the NCAA Championships, and she wanted to go home as soon as school was over. I didn’t think that she really got the importance of a collegian going to the NCAA Championships. “I’m not going to force a kid to go, because you have to want it,” Forde added. “That’s a part of sports. Athletes have to want something to really perform well. I’m not one to take a kid some place if their heart and soul is not into it.” Sade came back as a sophomore and continued to be successful, again winning the indoor and outdoor conference 400-meter crowns. Sealy did go on to the NCAA Regionals this time, finishing 15th with a time of 54.31, but did not qualify for the national meet. Last season looked to be the then-junior’s chance to advance past the regional meet. Sealy claimed two more MVC titles in the 400-meters, winning the outdoor meet in a career-best and school-record time of 53.16. However, while going through a light workout leading up to regional competition, Sealy got injured, causing her to again miss out on nationals. “In the past, I think Sade was just happy enough to win some conference championships,” Forde said. “Last year was the first year that I really saw a difference from her in what she wants from running.” Heading into her final season as a Redbird, both Sealy and Forde have goals and expectations. For Sealy, it’s breaking the 53-second barrier in the 400-meters. “Since I got here, I have not been able to get lower than 53 seconds,” Sealy said. “I want to break that mark and get to 52 seconds, or even 51 if possible. I want to break my personal record.” Forde believes that, should Sealy be able to reach those goals, success will come for her in the NCAA Championships. “She has to run faster than 53 seconds indoors,” Forde said. “That’s where it has to start. I want her to think beyond the conference championships, and know that, if she can run under 53

“I LIKE THE 400-METER

THE MOST. I DABBLE A BIT

IN THE 800-METER AND

200-METER, BUT THEY ARE

TOO LONG AND TOO SHORT.

THE 400-METER IS RIGHT IN

THE MIDDLE AND PERFECT

FOR ME.” -SADE SEALY

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seconds, she will win that title. That’s just part of the goal. Then, outdoors, the goal is to run consistently to advance to the NCAA Championships and potentially become an All-American.” The key for Sealy is to believe she can achieve those accomplishments herself. Coaches can only motivate so much. At the end of the day, it’s up to Sealy to realize that she has the potential to do special things in her final season as a Redbird. “Everyone tells me to believe in myself,” Sealy said. “People tend to believe in me more than I do in myself. I have to keep reinforcing that.” “Sometimes coaches see more in athletes than they see in themselves,” Forde added. “My vision is to keep telling her things she needs to do to get to certain levels of performances. I want her to have a vision. Sometimes, when you have a vision, you have obstacles that get in your way. I’m trying to use last year [the injury at regionals] to help her build a passion to move up to the next level and leave her name in the annals of Illinois State. I really hope that is something that she wants.” Sealy is anxious and “hungry” for the season to get underway. Depending on how it goes, she even has plans to possibly continue running professionally. “I’ve thought about running professionally a lot,” Sealy said. “If I improve this year, I definitely think I will run professionally. If I don’t get any better, then I don’t think I will continue. I would definitely like to, so I am going to continue to work hard.” Forde added that he would like to see Sealy represent Barbados in the future, as she did at the 2012 North American Central American and Caribbean Under-23 Championships this past summer. However this season unfolds and whatever the choices Sealy makes after it, she will rely on her coach to help plan her future. “Coach Forde and I have a great relationship,” Sealy said. “I can talk to him about anything. He gives me great advice.” “Those first two years, Sade was still very quiet,” Forde added. “One of the nicest things that I have going for me in my relationship with her is that there is more open conversation, and she shares more of her thoughts. That is helping me in terms of coaching and teaching her.” Sealy is nearing graduation with a telecommunications management major, a field she would not have been able to study had it not been for her running ability and Forde bringing her to Illinois State. In turn, Forde hopes Sealy will be able to leave a lasting impact on the university as well. “Illinois State has been good to her,” Forde said. “I really want to see Sade leave her signature on this university. A part of that would be her becoming an All-American athlete here before her career is done next year.”

The times are getting there. The passion is there. With the help of Coach Forde, Sade Sealy has overcome homesickness, the cold and injury, and is set to make Illinois State history this season.