From LC State to the Olympics

If anyone ever wonders what Lewis-Clark State College’s “Go Small. Go Big.” advertising campaign is about, Olympian Sam Atkin provides a clear and resounding answer. Atkin, a product of Lincolnshire, England, has used the small-college experience and connections gained at LC State to catapult his way to one of the biggest stages in the world – the Olympic Games in Paris in the summer of 2024. Sam’s story is a perfect example of the big things that can happen when potential is matched with perseverance and personal connection – attributes that have been a hallmark of LC State and its success stories.

Growing up in Lincolnshire with his parents and twin sister, Atkin played multiple sports, soccer being his main sport, until the age of 16. This was the age he decided to fully pursue track and field for collegiate scholarships. This decision dramatically changed the trajectory of his life.

When it came time for him to sign on with a collegiate team, LC State and Atkin weren’t on each other's radar. LC State head coach for track and field Michael Collins was pointed in Atkin’s direction by a Division I coach who was looking at him. 

“Sam came in pretty talented. I talked to his coach from back in the UK and one of his comments was that Sam’s good... that if you can keep him healthy, he’s really good,” Collins said. "He was obviously a talented athlete and, in our world, probably one of the most talented that we had come in at that point in time.”

Atkin started his journey with LC State in 2011 and competed for five years in both track and field, and cross country.

As a freshman, Atkin ran his first record time of 25:02 in the men’s cross country 8K; which ties for third in LC State’s freshman records. Atkin worked his way up to obtain the record in LC State’s 8K as a junior, with a time of 23:25, a record that still stands today. Overall, Atkin holds five all-time records at LC State.

During his time at LC State, Atkin was a four-time national champion and a national runner-up twice.

Although he is the most decorated runner in LC State history, Collins says the impact he made off the track was even greater. Despite his success, Collins said the other athletes just saw him as another person on their team, as a regular guy.

“He made some very good, very intimate friends here," said Collins. “One of his best friends is getting married like a week after the Olympics so he’s coming back because he’s in that wedding.”

For his teammates he became a friend. For the Collins family, however, he became a son and brother. 

“That’s just a relationship that’s grown and developed,” said Collins. “He lived with us for a number of years, my daughters consider him their brother. He’s just one of my kids, I think of him like a son.”

For Atkin, the feeling is mutual.

“I fell in love with coach Collins and his wife and two daughters, and I like the atmosphere along the team — it kind of had that family vibe,” said Atkin. “It made it feel more at home rather than being away in a different country. And I think that's what kind of made it that much more special.”

Atkin came to find the Collins family, including Collins’ wife Tracy who is LC State’s head athletic trainer, was willing to invest in students beyond what’s outlined in their LC State job descriptions, a theme that holds true to faculty and staff across campus.

“This isn't just their job as a coach and an athletic trainer. They take way more than just that on board,” Atkin said. “They accepted me in their family.”

Atkin continued living with the family after graduating but decided to take a year off from competing before pursuing running professionally. He knew the transition was going to take the support of his collegiate coach, trainer, and newfound family.

“Coach Collins and his family are the reason why I'm probably still going because they were the people that supported me,” said Atkin. “I got my head down in training to try and become a professional athlete.”

From that point, Atkin decided to keep the Collins as his personal coach and trainer.

"I know that was one of his stipulations when he was entertaining the shoe companies, or the contracts with organizations after he had turned professional, was that he wanted to be able to control who his coach was,” Collins said. “They have their core of athletes typically train together under one coach and he wanted to be able to have me continue to coach him.”

The coach/trainer duo helps him develop workout plans, build up his strength, and keep him competition ready. Collins said that developing a bond between an athlete and coach takes time and trust. For both the trainer/coach duo and Atkin, time and trust were already there.

Collins helps Atkin develop training schedules, workouts, and will join him in workouts when the athlete is in town.

Outside of training, Atkin said, “If I ever had trouble with anything, just life in general or injuries, it was Tracy that was there to always talk to about it.”

In the time between running for LC State and signing a contract with Puma, Atkin made it a point to wear his LC State jersey at competitions.

“I wanted people to know that I run at LC, and in terms of the track and field world, put LC a little bit more on the map,” said Atkin. “I'm hoping that helps track and cross country maybe get more people to go to LC and see that there's nothing wrong with going to a small school and that you can have success in college and after college.”

On Aug. 7, 2024, Atkin was proud to don a new uniform to represent Great Britain at the Olympic Games in Paris. Along with being a part of team Great Britain, he was joined in Paris by “team Collins” composed of his coach, trainer, and “sisters,” as well as his family from Lincolnshire.

“It's nice to actually have the two families that mean the most to me and to spend time together,” said Atkin. “It's good for them to enjoy the atmosphere of the races. They don't really get very many chances to see me race.”

Despite battling food poisoning and the COVID virus earlier in the month, Atkin competed in the 5000-meter race, finishing 18th in his heat. It was his second Olympic appearance, making him the first ever LC State alumnus to compete in multiple Olympics.

“Proud of this young man,” Collins said in a social media post after the race. “If I know him, this will only add fuel to the fire burning in him. Go Warriors!”

According to Atkin his goal is to also compete at the 2028 Olympics in the United States. He said this would be a great way to have a full-circle moment in his career, competing in the nation that gave him his professional start.

What advice does Atkin have for others? “Just never give up and dedicate yourself to what you want to do in life, whether it is a sport or whether it is something in education or whatever it may be.

“It's easy to fail and then give up when, really, the failing is where you learn and get better and makes you strongest,” said Atkin. “You just gotta keep going at it and whatever level you're at, just keep moving up those levels and, and eventually things will happen to you, but you gotta just stick with it.”