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.
This week on the 🎙️ Gill Athletics Connections Podcast🎙️ , we dive into the behind-the-scenes world of one of the most historic track meets in the world—the 🏟️Penn Relays🏟️!
Join host **Mike Cunningham** as he sits down with **Claire Hewitt**, the **Director of Operations for Penn Relays and the University of Pennsylvania Track & Field**. Claire pulls back the curtain on what it takes to execute this massive event and shares her fascinating journey through the sport.
In this episode, we discuss:
🏃♀️ Claire’s unique running background—from soccer player to collegiate distance runner at Penn
💡 The transition from coaching to operations and how she found her true passion
📅 The meticulous planning that goes into organizing **THE** Penn Relays
🚨 The behind-the-scenes chaos that fans and athletes never see
💪 How the meet continues to evolve while preserving its rich history
Plus, Claire shares some hilarious race-day stories (including a steeplechase moment you won't believe!) and what keeps her motivated year after year.
🎧 **Listen now** to get a fresh perspective on what makes the Penn Relays a can’t-miss event for athletes, coaches, and fans alike!
#PennRelays #TrackAndField #GillConnections #Coaching #Athletics #BehindTheScenes
🌟 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.
📲 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
Resources from today's episode:
7’s Course ($20)
Full Get Fast Speed Coaching Certification ($250)
Speed Coaching Manual (for people who prefer to read ($30)
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
Proud to introduce our newest podcast The Gill1918 Project. Created by coaches, for coaches, we aim to bring the once a year track clinic to your ears on a daily basis. Enjoy today's introduction by Gill's very own Biz Dev Manager Mike Cunningham.
📩 Want to contribute your own episode? Contact the Track and Field Podfather Mike Cunningham at 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 Starting Blocks to the Boardroom: Shawn Jakubowski’s Journey from Coach to College Administrator 🦅📈
What happens when a passionate track coach trades in the stopwatch for spreadsheets? 🏃♂️➡️📊 Meet Shawn Jakubowski, former head track & field and cross country coach and now Associate Athletic Director for External Relations at Fort Lewis College. In this powerful conversation, Shawn walks us through his deeply personal and professional journey—from winning state titles in high school, launching a collegiate program from scratch, to leading a program through tragedy, and eventually stepping into athletic administration.
👟 Coaching roots
💼 Administrative calling
🧠 Mentorship and leadership
📉 Personal loss and professional pivots
🌄 Building culture at Fort Lewis College
Whether you're a coach curious about making a bigger impact off the track or just love inspiring stories about grit and growth, this episode delivers.
“I felt like I could make a difference—not just for 50 student-athletes, but for 400. And that changed everything.” – Shawn Jakubowski
🔗 Tap in and hear how Shawn is still coaching—just on a much larger scale.
🌟 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.
📲 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! 🎧👍
**🎙️ "Purpose Over Podiums: Coaching at West Point with Brian Woodbury🦾"**
In this powerful and purpose-driven episode, we sit down with Brian Woodbury, the throws coach at Army West Point, to explore what it *really* means to coach at a service academy — and why it’s unlike anything else in collegiate athletics. 💥🎯
From his roots as a football-first athlete in Maine to building a nationally dominant private throws club, and now mentoring some of the most disciplined and driven cadet-athletes in the country, Brian’s journey is packed with hard-earned wisdom. 💪🏽🔥
We dive deep into:
- The intense expectations of coaching at a military academy
- How he balances passion and purpose with personal boundaries 🧘♂️🗓️
- The culture-shaping power of track & field at West Point
- Recruiting athletes who are willing to serve something greater than themselves ✊
- The difference between training an athlete… and building a human 💯
And perhaps most importantly, Brian shares the core belief that guides him every single day:
> “If I feel like I'm helping people, I feel like I'm fulfilling my purpose.” 🙌
Whether you're a coach, athlete, or just someone who believes in leadership through service, this conversation is a must-listen. Buckle up — you're about to hear what coaching is all about at the highest level of heart and discipline. 🏅
🌟 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.
📲 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! 🎧👍
🔥 **“Building Throw Town: Caleb Seal’s Field of Dreams”** 🎯
This week on the Gill Connections podcast, host Mike Cunningham sits down with the visionary behind one of the most exciting throwing venues in the world — **Caleb Seal**, founder of **Seal Throwing Club** and the force behind **Throw Town Ramona**.
From humble beginnings in the Texas panhandle to building a world-class facility in the small town of Ramona, Oklahoma, Caleb shares his inspiring journey of passion, perseverance, and purpose. 🌾➡️🌎
He reflects on:
💥 His early throwing days and how a local mentor shaped his love for the sport
🏗️ The challenges (and triumphs) of transforming cow pastures into a world-record-worthy venue
🌪️ How Throw Town became a proving ground for national champions and Olympians
🌍 Hosting global talent and a WORLD RECORD discus throw in only the *third* year of the facility’s existence
🧠 And the core belief that guides his coaching: *“What you do after practice is what makes you good.”*
Whether you're a coach, athlete, or dreamer looking to leave your mark on the sport, this episode is packed with insight and inspiration. Don't miss this behind-the-scenes look at how one man's dream is changing the landscape of throwing in America.
🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform!
🌟 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.
📲 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! 🎧👍
#GillConnections #TrackAndField #ThrowTownRamona #CalebSeal #FieldOfDreams #Discus #HammerThrow #ShotPut #CoachingExcellence #TrackAndFieldLife #WorldRecordReady 💪🌀🥇
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