University Southern California Trojans
Heritage Association Spotlight: Anna Cockrell, USC Track & Field
May 31, 2019 | Track & Field, Trojan Athletic Fund, Features
Even though she's a track star, one of Anna Cockrell's favorite memories is the two-on-one basketball she used to play with her siblings. She and her older sister would often take on their older brother for competitive games during their childhood. "We were a competitive family, always playing outside and racing each other." Cockrell's parents got her involved in sports early, enrolling her in gymnastics lessons at a young age. "A lot of people don't know I was a gymnast before I turned to track at age 13." Anna credits her parents' encouragement of her athletic abilities as one of her motivating factors to compete. She says they always encouraged her and her siblings to give their best effort in everything. "Their key message was to be your best, not necessarily the best. That meant always showing up early and leaving late. We had their undivided support."
By the time she was in high school at Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC, Cockrell was being sought after by some of the most well-known track programs in the country. She'd had enough of the cold east coast weather and decided she wanted to go someplace warm. University of Texas was her first choice, but that all changed after her visit to USC. "Something about it just felt like home. My conversations with Coach Caryl had been going well. The Annenberg School for Communication blew me away. I knew it was the place for me."
Academically, she adjusted well because of the learning strategies she'd harnessed in high school and middle school. "I came in with good foundational skills in terms of classroom learning. It wasn't a hard transition because I knew how to learn." Anna chose to major in Communications with a minor in political science and even managed to graduate in 3 years with a 3.98 GPA. She credits her academic success to hard work and great support staff. "It was first semester of my sophomore year when I first told my advisor in Student-Athlete Academic Services that I wanted to graduate in three years. I just made it a goal of mine. All of my advisors helped me get there. I had everyone's support including my coaches.
The transition athletically was a different story. When she finally got to USC, Anna was blown away by how intense training was every day. She was used to winning most of her reps in practice during her high school training days, but all of a sudden, she was training every day with other women who were state champions and college All-Americans. She recalls her first practice being one of the toughest she'd ever had – and it was just a warm up. "I wasn't used to such intense practices. My body felt like it was in a car accident when I first started training at USC. The daily competition was unlike anything I had ever experienced."
Last indoor season proved to be Anna's most challenging yet when she strained her hamstring at the indoor national championships. She was devastated, but really relied on the support of her coaches and teammates to get through it. "Coach Caryl has pushed me hard from the moment I stepped on campus and she recognizes potential in people to achieve their goals. She knew I could get through the injury and that kept me going." But, she's made a full recovery and is ready to compete at this year's national championships. "I'm ready and I'm tired of second place. I've been an All-American every year I've been here and that's something I'm proud of, but I'm ready for an individual championship."
As you can imagine, Anna has received several awards and accolades for her performance in the classroom and on the track. Her teammates voted her team captain as a sophomore and last year she received the coaches award at the annual track and field banquet, although she says the best award she received was the team espy award for their unforgettable 4x400m relay performance that won the national championship in 2018. Another honor she was given was at this year's student-athlete graduation ceremony where she was featured as one of the student-speakers. Anna was moving as she talked about her struggles with depression during her time as a student-athlete. "Being open and honest is a part of who I am. I wanted to be real with the other graduates and share what I went through because it would be the most authentic message. Giving any other sort of speech didn't feel right so I just spoke from the heart."
In terms of what's next for Cockrell, she'll begin studies for her Masters in public policy and still has one more year of eligibility. After her time at USC, she plans to run professionally and make it to the Olympics. Now that she's an alumna, she's taken time to truly reflect on what the Trojan Family really means. "Every school talks about their alumni network, but USC's is truly unmatched. I started getting support from USC alums the moment I committed to USC and it has never stopped. The overwhelming support and love….it's truly how we 'Fight On'.
As a graduate, we asked Anna if she had any advice for the current student-athletes still working their way through school. "Find your support system and build your network – and make it more than just your friends and teammates" She says she has filled her network of support with mentors and professors and has really found people who encourage her to be her best self. "Having good people around you is the foundation for success. Also, decide what it is that you want early on and always remind yourself what you came to USC for. Let what you want guide your path through college. And lastly, be honest and kind to yourself." Excellent advice from one of USC's very best!
You can watch Anna and the rest of the Trojans compete at the track and field National Championships next weekend live at this link. The men's competition will be held Friday, June 7th at 7pm and the women's competition will be held Saturday, June 8th at 5pm.
Players Mentioned
