Rodeo Newsletter - Fall 2021

Letter from the Head Coach

The Cal Poly Rodeo team is back in action and off to a great start. At our first four rodeos of the season, Cal Poly has already set the tone with countless dominating performances by our massive team. 

To say last year was a struggle is an understatement. The pressure to create sport and competition in a shutdown seems trivial now but it was my focus last year. Today, I realized it wasn’t the season or the chance to practice at Cal Poly that was the reward. It simply boiled down to one of my favorite quotes of all time by Teddy Roosevelt, “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”

Less than 5% of these Cal Poly Rodeo Mustangs will go on to pursue a professional rodeo career. However, each one of them will be able to reflect on the life skills they learn if they applied themselves in this arena.

Getting up early, struggling to improve, fulfilling your commitment to a team, learning to juggle life’s challenge are all components to this program that are making great men and women better. As Teddy put it, we work hard, and this is work worth doing.

Starting this year, I wanted to develop a way to remind us of the product we are striving to be. I wanted to develop something to keep us on track and a drop pin for what I hold important as a coach working to teach life objectives to a team of future greats. With lots of outside input and friendly support we have developed “The Trail”. We say “The Trail” before every practice. It’s a great focus point to start a session and has developed a sense of pride in our team.

The Trail

We show up early, ready, and focused.

We compete with purpose and drive.

We respect and care for each other and our animals.

We are positive and grateful.

We pursue excellence in all we do.

We are a team, and we ride for the brand.

We are Cal Poly Mustangs.

We are changing the world.

We live this vision, and we stay on the trail.

The positive effects of striving to stay on the trail will be seen both in and out of the arena. So, keep an eye out for big things from these amazing young men and women. Whether it be in the results from the next rodeo or making a difference in this world these young Mustangs are on “The Trail” to greatness.

With all this being said, there are not many better opportunities in life than getting to do what we love every day. We will continue to do big things and change the world around every turn. These young men and women work hard in and out of the arena and I am proud to be a channel for their energies and help fuel their success.

BEN LONDO, HEAD COACH

CAL POLY RODEO PROGRAM