Matt Baxter - Team First
"Our team had stepped up to another level and we were getting along like never before."
To many, Matt Baxter is known for being apart of one of the best collegiate programs that did something historic as a team, in an individual sport. Baxter though has had a career that is more special then just being another member of a team, his running is strong enough to stand alone. This Kiwi has fought to keep being successful and pursuing his dreams no matter where he was in the world.
Growing up in New Zealand Matt Baxter would have to learn to love the sport of running to turn himself into one of the best high school runners in his class. Getting into running for Baxter would take a few years to become something he loved. To find this passion for the sport, Baxter says, “I came into high school with little desire to pick up running as a sport, but I finished high school with an absolute love for running. The more I matured and came to understand that running can be a team sport—in the way we train and the way we race cross country—the more I came to enjoy it.” This love of team sports would continue for years to come and lead to great success for Matt Baxter. This new found passion for running would lead to outstanding performances to end off his prep school career. He would turn heads when “breaking the New Zealand high school 3000m record (8:15.5) and winning our National cross country championships in my final year.” Though Baxter ended his high school career on a high note, he would have some low moments that would test his passion for running. Throughout his prep years, “…lows came in being disqualified from my first national title, having an inflamed appendix on my first track and field trip, and getting mono right before my final year.” These moments helped assure Matt Baxter could sustain his passion for athletics over a lifetime of ups and downs. These performances would lead to him gaining a scholarship across the globe from Northern Arizona University.
Moving across the world comes with some expected struggles that people will face when transitioning. Adding the need to perform in sports and school add another level of intense pressure on top of moving to a new country. Matt Baxter when first arriving in the United States said that, “The struggles I faced moving to the US centered around my specific move to Flagstaff. I arrived during an awful snow storm and struggled with the transition to altitude. I was constantly struggling in workouts for my first year. Even when I started to race better, I still hadn’t managed to master how to push myself at 7000ft.” Having to adjust was tough for Baxter but he would need to overcome these issues to find success. He would struggle with more then just those issues listed before, he said, “When moving to another country there is always going to be an element of culture shock and a period of adjustment. Although the US seemed like an easy place to blend in, there were still moments when I felt like an outsider. Thankfully, the NAU team made me feel at home and those guys were worth staying around for even when I struggled.” With the help of willing teammates, Matt Baxter would fight through the adversity when it mattered most. With struggles behind Baxter, the future was looking bright for the New Zealand native and his NAU teammates.
Going forward, Matt Baxter started clicking with his new surroundings at Northern Arizona University. The start of a legacy would begin the following year, Baxter says, “The first national title carried a lot of pressure. Coach Heins announces he was leaving the program following our 2016 cross country season and wanted a national team title before he left. Initially we thought we had lost that race and it was one of the most devastating feelings. Thankfully, we were crowned the winners in the end.” With the transition of coaches happening, Baxter and his teammates won the first title in time before coach Heins left. Going into his third cross country season, Baxter says, “The 2017 win was definitely the most satisfying for me personally. Our team had stepped up to another level and we were getting along like never before. However, you still had ups and downs as guys dealt with injuries and we adjusted to having a new head coach; Coach Smith.” The struggles leading up to the 2017 championship title for Baxter and his teammates were important to move past for the team to win back to back titles. This team atmosphere that brought Matt Baxter to love running was prominent throughout his NAU tenure. Baxter and his teammates were not satisfied with there two titles, they wanted to continue their success. Baxter discusses his final year, saying, “The third title in 2018 was a hard one for me. I went from 2nd as an individual in 2017 to 15th in 2018. My own performance was disappointing and the conditions in Wisconsin were draining. The guys were more relieved than anything else to get that title because we had a big target on our backs from how dominant of a performance we had in 2017.” This performance cemented the legacy of NAU, but this team success relied on individual performaces, Baxter finished 2nd and 15th showing he was one of the best runners in the NCAA.
Following Matt Baxter’s brilliant career at Northern Arizona he would need to decided where he would go now that his college running days were over. Soon after the last title he would start thinking about the decision, Baxter says, “My decisions after I finished at NAU in December 2018 revolved around where I wanted to be based. The two options I felt most comfortable with were either go back to New Zealand or stay in Flagstaff.” With these two geographical locations in mind he could focus on who he wanted to be coached by. Focusing on two coaches, Baxter says, “I definitely seriously considered staying with Mike. He helped get me to performing at another level, I believed in his training, and he was a fun person to work with. However, I was looking for a situation where I had a team to train with that had a similar vibe to what I had at NAU. After a few conversations with Ben Rosario (coach of NAZ Elite) I was confident that his group would be a great fit that was still based in Flag.” The decision of team and coach now made up, he new where he wanted to live and train for the foreseeable future. Baxter would start transitioning to the professional ranks soon after with some struggles, he says, “My transition from college to pro life hasn’t been as smooth as I would have hoped. I spent my first 6 months as a NAZ Elite athlete in New Zealand trying to get a visa sorted. This was a long and stressful process, but thankfully I am good to stay in Flag for a while now.” With a tough situation being an international worker and student, he overcame the barrier and was able to start adjusting to his new team.
In the ensuing months to come Matt Baxter would form his schedule for his first professional indoor track season. Fortunate enough for Baxter, his al mater would give him some good competition, he says, “I would say the NAU guys structures their season around me more than I did around them. I did a mile in the Dome as an opener that turned into a fast race that a lot of the NAU guys committed to have a go at.” Being able to race with familiar faces can be very helpful, also racing against people who are as good one’s self can make a difference. Baxter discusses the indoor season, saying, “I had always planned on going to Boston for a 5k and then back again for a 3k. I am so glad the NAU guys came out for the 5k because they made that a race. It also gave Tyler an opportunity to run what he has been capable of for a while (13:16). The 3k race was being set up by NAZ Elite. We employed a good pacer and then the field filled up as people got word of how fast it was going.” This idea of being apart of a team goes back to when he was beginning the sport and can be seen once again in these moments when Baxter wanted to run fast with his teammates rathe than alone.
Matt Baxter shows people what making an individual sport, like running, into a team sport can positively affect any athlete. Putting the emphasis on having a strong team of individuals around himself, Baxter was able to succeed and will look to continue his success. With the future in mind, Baxter says, “So I haven’t really had an opportunity to show how fit I have got and what I am capable of now that I am used to Ben’s training.” Once track and field is back on the schedule, people will know that Matt Baxter is going to be ready.
Sources: Direct quotes from Matthew Baxter to Evan Smith via Direct Message, Instagram. (May 2020)
Photos- Getty Images
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