Stay ConnectedUnlock the world of track & field coaching with The Gill Connections Podcast! Host Mike Cunningham brings you inspiring stories, real conversations, and coaching insights from leaders at every level. Discover a new coach’s interview every Monday. Plus, don’t miss the Ted Talks of track/field podcasts with our NEW Gill1918 Project episodes Tuesday-Sunday — short, powerful lessons from top coaches to help you grow on and off the track.
Powered by Gill Athletics — Supporting Coaches Since 1918.
Welcome to Gill1918, the track & field coaching podcast powered by Gill Athletics. Since 1918, Gill has been dedicated to empowering coaches with innovative equipment—now, we're bringing elite coaching education straight to your ears.
Our goal is to create the Ted Talks of track/field podcasts bringing the annual track clinic to your ears DAILY! Topics will include but are not limited to covering key strategies, techniques, and training principles to help you improve athlete performance, structure better workouts, enhance team culture, and more!
Whether you're a high school, collegiate, or club coach, Gill1918 is your go-to resource for quick, high-impact coaching education from the best minds in the sport.
📩 Want to contribute an episode? Submit your 10-30 minute coaching talk to mcunningham@gillathletics.com or read THIS LINKEDIN ARTICLE for information on how to get started. All coaches are invited to participate!
🎙️ Don’t forget to subscribe and follow Gill Athletics for more expert coaching insights!
#TrackAndField #CoachingEducation #Gill1918 #CoachesHelpingCoaches #TrackCoach #AthleticsTraining
The APPROACH and the TAKE OFF in the Long Jump (LJ) accounts for 90-95% of how success will be measured in this event!!
Hence, developing a consistent, correct and simplified runway approach and take off are critical components of any LJ training program. A full and complete understanding and development of the following " 7 Points of LJ Excellence ", will set both the athlete and coach on a path toward high level success in this event.
SECONDARY INTRODUCTION
The following 3 statements / facts must be fully understood and used in the full and complete development of a technical package in training for the LJ event.
1. Speed of release is critical to distance attained.
2. Immediate DECELERATION and ROTATION occurs the instant the jumper leaves the ground/board at Take Off. ( T/O ).
3. Excellent and correct SPRINT MECHANICS on the runway approach will not only help create greater speed of release at the Moment of T/O, but will also help create a more consistent stride pattern to insure a correct foot placement on the T/O board. ( In effect, a fair and not foul jump )
7 TEACHING / COACHING POINTS OF EXCELLENCE IN THE LONG JUMP
1. POSTURE AT THE VERY BACK OF THE RUNWAY DURING THE START OF THE APPROACH
A. Stand tall; Head up looking down the runway; Chest up...NO BENDING / BREAKING at the waist.
2. FIRST MOVEMENT / STEP OUT OF THE BACK OF THE RUNWAY APPROACH
A. Head up, Chest up, Eyes focused straight down the runway
B. PUNT STEP is the very first movement...as the athlete begins his / her first step, the knee of the front leg ( the push leg ) must NOT pass a perpendicular line extending straight upward from the toe of that same leg.
C. Speed of Movement is NOT a critical factor in the first 2 steps out of the back of the approach. Instead, POSTURE, POSITION and CORRECT SPRINT MECHANICS are where all emphasis needs to be placed.
***
Welcome to Gill1918, the track & field coaching podcast powered by Gill Athletics. Since 1918, Gill has been dedicated to empowering coaches with innovative equipment—now, we're bringing elite coaching education straight to your ears.
Our goal is to create the Ted Talks of track/field podcasts bringing the annual track clinic to your ears DAILY! Topics will include but are not limited to covering key strategies, techniques, and training principles to help you improve athlete performance, structure better workouts, enhance team culture, and more!
Whether you're a high school, collegiate, or club coach, Gill1918 is your go-to resource for quick, high-impact coaching education from the best minds in the sport.
📩 Want to contribute an episode? Submit your 10-30 minute coaching talk to mcunningham@gillathletics.com or read THIS LINKEDIN ARTICLE for information on how to get started. All coaches are invited to participate!
🎙️ Don’t forget to subscribe and follow Gill Athletics for more expert coaching insights!
#TrackAndField #CoachingEducation #Gill1918 #CoachesHelpingCoaches #TrackCoach #AthleticsTraining
Welcome to Gill1918, the track & field coaching podcast powered by Gill Athletics. Since 1918, Gill has been dedicated to empowering coaches with innovative equipment—now, we're bringing elite coaching education straight to your ears.
Our goal is to create the Ted Talks of track/field podcasts bringing the annual track clinic to your ears DAILY! Topics will include but are not limited to covering key strategies, techniques, and training principles to help you improve athlete performance, structure better workouts, enhance team culture, and more!
Whether you're a high school, collegiate, or club coach, Gill1918 is your go-to resource for quick, high-impact coaching education from the best minds in the sport.
📩 Want to contribute an episode? Submit your 10-30 minute coaching talk to mcunningham@gillathletics.com or read THIS LINKEDIN ARTICLE for information on how to get started. All coaches are invited to participate!
🎙️ Don’t forget to subscribe and follow Gill Athletics for more expert coaching insights!
#TrackAndField #CoachingEducation #Gill1918 #CoachesHelpingCoaches #TrackCoach #AthleticsTraining
🎧 From Track Dork to Coaching Icon: The Jennifer Potter Story
“I’m still a track dork.” – Jennifer Potter
🏃♀️ After 30+ years in the sport, Ithaca College’s legendary head coach Jennifer Potter still leads with passion, humility, and a relentless drive to evolve. In this inspiring episode of the Gill Connections Podcast, we go deep on her journey from competitive childhood runs around the farmhouse to becoming a national champion coach and powerful mentor.
🔥 In this episode, you'll discover:
🐾 How a childhood love for running turned into a lifelong calling
🧠 What makes Division III coaching so special—and why she's stayed
💪 The surprising story behind turning down Ithaca (her alma mater!) twice before finally saying yes
🧢 The origin story of the "Bombers" nickname (and why there’s no mascot)
📈 How her competitive edge and curiosity keep her innovating after three decades
🤝 Why she believes mentorship and vulnerability are coaching superpowers
🎯 “I want to challenge them to do something they never thought they could do.”
👟 Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or fan of the sport, this episode is a masterclass in passion, longevity, and purpose
🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into 300+ episodes featuring insights from coaching legends such as Boo Schexnayder and Dan Pfaff, Diljeet Taylor (BYU) and Beth Alford-Sullivan, as well as superstar coaches Petros Kyprianou (Illinois), Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.
🎙️ Create Your Own Podcast Episode: Reach out to Mike Cunningham for instruction on how to create your very own Gill1918 Project episode, which airs every Tuesday through Sunday. Find YOUR voice on the Gill Connections Podcast Network.
📲 Stay Connected: Want to get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), email at mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍
Welcome to Gill1918, the track & field coaching podcast powered by Gill Athletics. Since 1918, Gill has been dedicated to empowering coaches with innovative equipment—now, we're bringing elite coaching education straight to your ears.
Our goal is to create the Ted Talks of track/field podcasts bringing the annual track clinic to your ears DAILY! Topics will include but are not limited to covering key strategies, techniques, and training principles to help you improve athlete performance, structure better workouts, enhance team culture, and more!
Whether you're a high school, collegiate, or club coach, Gill1918 is your go-to resource for quick, high-impact coaching education from the best minds in the sport.
📩 Want to contribute an episode? Submit your 10-30 minute coaching talk to mcunningham@gillathletics.com or read THIS LINKEDIN ARTICLE for information on how to get started. All coaches are invited to participate!
🎙️ Don’t forget to subscribe and follow Gill Athletics for more expert coaching insights!
#TrackAndField #CoachingEducation #Gill1918 #CoachesHelpingCoaches #TrackCoach #AthleticsTraining
Welcome to Gill1918, the track & field coaching podcast powered by Gill Athletics. Since 1918, Gill has been dedicated to empowering coaches with innovative equipment—now, we're bringing elite coaching education straight to your ears.
Our goal is to create the Ted Talks of track/field podcasts bringing the annual track clinic to your ears DAILY! Topics will include but are not limited to covering key strategies, techniques, and training principles to help you improve athlete performance, structure better workouts, enhance team culture, and more!
Whether you're a high school, collegiate, or club coach, Gill1918 is your go-to resource for quick, high-impact coaching education from the best minds in the sport.
📩 Want to contribute an episode? Submit your 10-30 minute coaching talk to mcunningham@gillathletics.com or read THIS LINKEDIN ARTICLE for information on how to get started. All coaches are invited to participate!
🎙️ Don’t forget to subscribe and follow Gill Athletics for more expert coaching insights!
#TrackAndField #CoachingEducation #Gill1918 #CoachesHelpingCoaches #TrackCoach #AthleticsTraining
Welcome to Gill1918, the track & field coaching podcast powered by Gill Athletics. Since 1918, Gill has been dedicated to empowering coaches with innovative equipment—now, we're bringing elite coaching education straight to your ears.
Our goal is to create the Ted Talks of track/field podcasts bringing the annual track clinic to your ears DAILY! Topics will include but are not limited to covering key strategies, techniques, and training principles to help you improve athlete performance, structure better workouts, enhance team culture, and more!
Whether you're a high school, collegiate, or club coach, Gill1918 is your go-to resource for quick, high-impact coaching education from the best minds in the sport.
📩 Want to contribute an episode? Submit your 10-30 minute coaching talk to mcunningham@gillathletics.com or read THIS LINKEDIN ARTICLE for information on how to get started. All coaches are invited to participate!
🎙️ Don’t forget to subscribe and follow Gill Athletics for more expert coaching insights!
#TrackAndField #CoachingEducation #Gill1918 #CoachesHelpingCoaches #TrackCoach #AthleticsTraining
Welcome to Gill1918, the track & field coaching podcast powered by Gill Athletics. Since 1918, Gill has been dedicated to empowering coaches with innovative equipment—now, we're bringing elite coaching education straight to your ears.
Our goal is to create the Ted Talks of track/field podcasts bringing the annual track clinic to your ears DAILY! Topics will include but are not limited to covering key strategies, techniques, and training principles to help you improve athlete performance, structure better workouts, enhance team culture, and more!
Whether you're a high school, collegiate, or club coach, Gill1918 is your go-to resource for quick, high-impact coaching education from the best minds in the sport.
📩 Want to contribute an episode? Submit your 10-30 minute coaching talk to mcunningham@gillathletics.com or read THIS LINKEDIN ARTICLE for information on how to get started. All coaches are invited to participate!
🎙️ Don’t forget to subscribe and follow Gill Athletics for more expert coaching insights!
#TrackAndField #CoachingEducation #Gill1918 #ByCoachesForCoaches #TrackCoach #TedTalksOfTrackFieldPodcast
Welcome to Gill1918, the track & field coaching podcast powered by Gill Athletics. Since 1918, Gill has been dedicated to empowering coaches with innovative equipment—now, we're bringing elite coaching education straight to your ears.
Our goal is to create the Ted Talks of track/field podcasts bringing the annual track clinic to your ears DAILY! Topics will include but are not limited to covering key strategies, techniques, and training principles to help you improve athlete performance, structure better workouts, enhance team culture, and more!
Whether you're a high school, collegiate, or club coach, Gill1918 is your go-to resource for quick, high-impact coaching education from the best minds in the sport.
📩 Want to contribute an episode? Submit your 10-30 minute coaching talk to mcunningham@gillathletics.com or read THIS LINKEDIN ARTICLE for information on how to get started. All coaches are invited to participate!
🎙️ Don’t forget to subscribe and follow Gill Athletics for more expert coaching insights!
#TrackAndField #CoachingEducation #Gill1918 #CoachesHelpingCoaches #TrackCoach #AthleticsTraining
🎙️ Iowa Western’s Marc Bierbaum from Hurdler to Marathoner & Why JUCO is the Ultimate Cheat Code
This week on the Gill Connections Podcast, we sit down with one of the most insightful voices in track & field — Marc Bierbaum, Head Coach at Iowa Western Community College. With over two decades of experience navigating the ever-changing world of college athletics, Marc brings the 🔥 on everything from NIL madness to international recruiting to why JUCO might just be the smartest path for today’s athletes.
In this episode:
💰 The wild world of NIL — blessings or chaos?
🌍 Why international athletes thrive (and what we can learn from them)
🔁 Transfer Portal overload — how it’s reshaping recruiting
🏫 Junior College as the ultimate cheat code to success
👴 Age debates in track & field — why host Mike Cunningham says rules are rules
🧠 The real lessons he’s learned coaching athletes from every walk of life
❤️ A powerful reminder that coaching is leadership — and JUCO coaches might have the hardest (and most important) job of all
"I don’t care if it’s NIL, Transfer Portal, international kids, 27-year-olds — as long as it’s within the rules, figure it out. That’s what coaches do." — Mike Cunningham
🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into 300+ episodes featuring insights from coaching legends such as Boo Schexnayder and Dan Pfaff, Diljeet Taylor (BYU) and Beth Alford-Sullivan, as well as superstar coaches Petros Kyprianou (Illinois), Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.
🎙️ Create Your Own Podcast Episode: Reach out to Mike Cunningham for instruction on how to create your very own Gill1918 Project episode, which airs every Tuesday through Sunday. Find YOUR voice on the Gill Connections Podcast Network.
📲 Stay Connected: Want to get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), email at mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍
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