Changing a Culture: Track & Field Team Captains Crystal Jones and Sylvia Wilson

Going into the 2017-18 track season, head coach Elvis Forde told his team he would be naming captains, but he didn't tell them who they were.

The announcement came at the first team meeting of the year when he officially named juniors Crystal Jones and Sylvia Wilson as team captains.

"I had no clue," said Wilson. "I was late because I was coming from my night class and I walked in and Coach Forde was like, 'Hey, welcome your new team captain.'"

Jones and Wilson have always been a part of Forde's plan to change Temple's track and field program.

They were the first two recruits he signed after being named the head coach in August 2014 and the first captains he has appointed in his three years at Temple.

"Both of them have demonstrated the success level we want," said Forde. "I think they have taken it to another level in terms of trying to console their teammates as well. We don't see all the things that they do, but we know from conversations with the other kids that they are saying things to some of the new kids about the purpose of being here."

The captains have been getting those new girls, which include 16 freshmen, ready for the season by setting the example.

"I come to practice and do what I'm supposed to do," said Jones. "I'm leading by example and I feel like I'm someone they look up to because when they see how hard I'm working in practice, it makes them want to work hard too."

That work doesn't just apply to one event. Jones competes in the pentathlon which includes five different events: 60m hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800m run.

"I feel like I know what they do at practice and what they go through because I also do what they do," said Jones. "So I feel like I can connect with them more on a personal level."

Wilson brings a different experience to the mix. After a successful freshman season where she was the American Athletic Conference Indoor Champion in the 60-meter hurdles, Wilson missed all of the 2017 season due to injury.

"I was out for a really long time," she said. "So when the girls have injuries or they need help or they need motivation, it's helpful that I went through it and I can personally relate to it. I can give them advice on how to get through it and how to get past it because it takes a toll on you mentally and physically."

Though Forde didn't give them any set roles to fill as captains, Jones and Wilson are figuring it out as they go.

"We just kind of keep the girls all together," said Wilson. "We relay messages from the coaches to try and schedule events and team bonding activities, and get them involved with the coaches and what we are doing."

Forde is confident he picked the best captains for his team. He hopes the freshmen learn from what Jones and Wilson have been through and who they become, not just on the field, but also off, both having been named to Temple's Director's Honor Roll for having a GPA of 3.0 or above.

"When these kids came in as freshmen they had to prove their worth," said Forde. "Most of the other kids were old and they were the only two freshmen we had in the group at times, sometimes they got pushed to the side because they were new. But they stood their ground. They realized that they came here to work and they proved their worth by what they did on the track and as people, growing and developing and their work in the classroom because they're two excellent students as well."

Temple University Athletics

Changing a Culture: Track & Field Team Captains Crystal Jones and Sylvia Wilson

Players Mentioned

Crystal Jones

Sylvia Wilson

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