The fall sports season requires many hours of focus and hard work with strong training over the summer months. For Ithaca College junior Maddie Cox, volleyball setter, her summer training was unconventional. Instead of honing her skills on the court, Cox underwent intense cadet training.
Cox was stationed at Fort Knox in Kentucky, where she worked with a team of other cadets reporting to drill sergeants. There, she graduated from the Regiment for Basic Training and Cadet Summer Training.
Cox received the Reserve Organization of America Award, which is presented to a cadet who demonstrates overall excellence as a soldier and strives to enhance their performance to combat adversity.
She said her time at Fort Knox left a major impact on her life and was something that will help her in the long term.
“It was definitely a life-changing experience,” Cox said. “I went in not knowing if I wanted to be in the military and I was kind of giving it a shot to see if it was for me. Playing sports my whole life has helped me a lot with the culture of it because the army is one big team and you get put into squads and it’s a really big team atmosphere.”
Cox, interested in joining the military, said people in the military hold a special place in her life as they motivate and provide her with goals to strive toward.
“I always felt really impressed and inspired by people in the military,” Cox said. “I really respect them, what they do is amazing and you do hard things because you want to help and defend people.”
Camryn Bancroft, assistant coach for Ithaca College volleyball, said she knew Cox was a hard worker, but above all that she had the ability to commit to a grueling task such as military training and finish the program.
“It was so awesome for her to complete that and it makes total sense when you know her,” Bancroft said. “She’s a fighter, super competitive and driven and so I’m not surprised at all that she completed it.”
Bancroft said Cox’s summer training exemplifies the type of teammate and player that she is: someone who is always willing to do more for others.
“Maddie is always that kid that you want on your team that gives that extra effort,” Bancroft said. “She’s always throwing her body on the floor to get the ball and make the plays go further. I’m super proud of her, but not surprised because she’s that type of kid who can accomplish anything.”
Cox said her cadet training was one of the biggest challenges she has ever faced, but that she pushed through by building strong relationships with the cadets around her.
“One of the biggest takeaways is that it made me feel very proud of myself,” Cox said. “I graduated knowing you can do hard things, as some of the days there were some of the hardest days of my life. You keep pushing and you keep making it through the day as the next day comes and it keeps getting better.”
Working with cadets who shared the same goals, Cox said, was a rewarding experience, especially when all the hard work pays off.
“I think going into this season having such amazing teammates and coaches is going to be a wonderful experience, which is what basic training was like,” Cox said. “You lean on the people around you. In my opinion, if you’re there alone, you’re not going to make it. It was a team atmosphere that we had and it kind of got me warmed up for the team this season.”
Cox said this summer helped her work on developing her self-confidence, which is a skill needed to reach the highest levels of success in whatever path she ultimately follows.
“I feel like at our age, or at least in college, confidence is definitely something that everybody has to actively work on every day,” Cox said. “I think I’ll definitely take that into everything going forward, having that gratitude at a young age of being surrounded by a bunch of people that got your back. I have definitely taken a lot of confidence away from that experience and a good amount more than I had going into it.”
Junior outside hitter Karina Garcia said Cox’s experience this summer added another player to the leadership group on the team.
“I would say she picked up some strong leadership skills out there, as she’s definitely had a stronger voice on the court from what I’ve seen,” Garcia said. “She’s much stronger now and mentally stronger, too. I think it was a great experience for her and will carry her for the rest of her volleyball career.”
Garcia said she was impressed by her teammate’s drive with such a demanding summer activity, but like Bancroft, was not surprised to see her succeed in her position.
“We’re always busy doing something and the fact that she was able to go through this summer in an intense cadet training camp is brutal,” Garcia said. “She came back on the court playing amazing and that takes a lot, but she did it so well. If anyone could do it, it would be Maddie.”
Cox, who is studying biology to prepare for medical school, said she has decisions to make, but that the military remains one of her major fields of interest.
“I think I’m definitely going to keep doing it,” Cox said. “I love people, being with people and being a part of something bigger.”
