The future is now- track star supports the next generation of runners
There are certain athletes who are generational talents, the type that draw unprecedented crowds and followers. It is even more impressive when an athlete can build an expansive group of supporters before their 24th birthday.
It is what he has done with this support that makes Texas native Matthew Boling Athletes for Hope’s October Community Hero of the Month.
Boling was a two-time NCAA and three-time SEC champion sprinter at the University of Georgia. At a school where sports like football reign supreme, Boling ended his collegiate track career with more than 230,000 Instagram followers, a testament to his individual fame as a track athlete.
“Once I was able to actually establish myself as a track athlete that can show up and run fast, I was able to actually gain a community of supporters who are interested in seeing my everyday life,” Boling said. “What I might be doing off the track, how I cook, what I eat, and how I get ready for competition, as well as my actual competition days.”
Throughout high school, Boling created viral clip after viral clip. From breaking records to accomplishing amazing feats, he eventually took home the Gatorade 2019 Boys Track Athlete of the Year Award.
In the ever-changing world of college sports, he then established himself as track and field’s next big name, even helping the USA win the 4×400 mixed relay with a World Record at the 2023 World Championships.
“Those videos that had gone viral, those were great and capturing the audience,” he added.
Giving Back
However, it is not strictly about running for Boling. He has alternate plans that have stemmed from his success on the track, most notably in the world of philanthropy.
“I did a lot of things like going and volunteering myself that didn’t involve money,” Boling said. “But once I was actually able to make money, I was able to do some donation stuff and help the middle schools and high schools local to the University of Georgia.”
Name, Image, and Likeness have taken collegiate athletics by storm, and Boling has embraced the potential of using his platform for good. With sponsors like Dunkin’ Donuts, Nike, and Merrell, Boling was able to earn endorsement money through his following and success.
In turn, Boling decided to give back to a community he cares about- the youth.
“I think when I got to college is really when I have to start exploring how I could use my name and image and likeness in order to help others,” he said.
Using his NIL money, the track phenom bought track equipment for local schools in Georgia, providing them with spikes for shoes and other essential items.
Boling’s first pair of spikes got him attached to the sport, and he hopes by providing other kids with the proper equipment he can help build the future of the track community.
“My dream as a kid was to be able to make an impact on the sport of track and field,” Boling said. “And now it’s like, still surreal. Experiencing these moments to where I’m at places, and people are showing me so much love and support.”
Only the Beginning
Now professional, Boling’s dreams are just taking off, and with the 2024 Paris Olympics on the horizon, he is hoping it is only the beginning.
While he is already experiencing the difficulties of being a professional athlete, the goals are what keep him going. A balance of working hard, nutrition and actually tapping into that inner kid when it is time to relax are what keep Boling in the proper headspace.
“As a kid, you might be struggling with something- school might be hard, personal life might be hard, but you find out those little things that kind of snap back that motivation,” Boling said. “The things that make you want to keep working, so it’s special to think that I may have that impact on someone else.”
Because of his work, Clarke Central High School has new weight room equipment and local middle schools have new uniforms. To be a part of these small moments that contribute to bigger things is what makes it all special for Boling.
Track’s next phenom is making his mark on the youth community through donations of both money and time, but it is only just the beginning. A partnership with Athletes for Hope is only helping his cause.
“I think Athletes for Hope is an amazing resource to be able to help athletes like myself to have these aspirations,” he said. “These dreams of being able to help others to connect to where they want to help and exactly what they want to do.”
Matthew Boling is not only the future of track and field, but he is helping guide those who will come after him. The October Community Hero of the Month is more than a viral clip waiting to happen, he is a game-changer away from the track, making a societal impact day in and day out