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.
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Are distance runners and throwers all that different?
Today's guest will help us see the similarities as she joins us on the podcast to walk us through her journey as a high school and college distance runner who becomes one of the top throws coaches in the country. Carrie's journey from running miles to coaching hammers is only one unique aspect of her journey. We learn the three other languages she has spoken fluently, her hammer PR, why she left coaching, and what brought her back.
Happy Championship season! Do you feel that in the air? The air is filled with people trying to be better than they were yesterday or last week. Let's get it! Track is back! The weeks past have been filled with so many ups, do you think we saw our first dip in performances? Listen to what Lucious, Lamar, and Clyde witnessed. With the collegians experiencing either their first round of championships or being at their culminating events, do you think the amount of representation from the collegians will be effected by the time proximity to the US Trials? Lastly, critical errors at a critical time can be costly! I ask #LLC what are some of the most critical mistakes they have witnessed heading into the championship rounds. Sir Lucious graces Rapid Fire with his presence and some simple but gratuitous words are given to those who deserve them by the tiles. Thanks for tuning in, and stick around for the petty!
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We get a unique look at a Power 5 head coach and his son who happens to be his assistant coach. We welcome Coach Webb and Coach 'Zo to the program where we learn Coach Webb's history as a 27 year club coach and how he transitioned to college coaching, as well as taking on the task of a head coach in his fourth year of college coaching. Coach 'Zo discusses transition from athlete to coach and how he reluctantly got into coaching track.
It is with the utmost gratitude and grace that we lift up the Evans family this week. The track and field world has lost a great human being. #speedcity #68olympians Now that all conference championships have been contested, Lucious, Lamar, and Clyde update their "LLC Bowerman" lists. What shifts did you see coming?! Also, there is a highlight as to what is going on in California, as to the high school championships. Hear how a groups are stepping in to facilitate what the CIF isn't sponsoring. Clyde is in the line for "Rapid Fire" and the irony that Clyde has to sit in the hot seat is all the way entertaining. Heartbeat Props round out the evening...see you in a few clicks!
Cameron is the head coach of Washburn University, the Ichabods. We sit down and talk about his roots in track and field, how he became a decathlete, as well as his alumni status as an Emporia State grad assistant coach. We learn of his time at Limestone College as the head coach, travelling through west Texas before landing as the head coach of Washburn.
Uniquely, Cameron became the head coach at Washburn before there was a program. He has literally built the program up from the very first athlete. Along the way he helped drive the creation of a $20 million indoor facility that rivals the best in the country. We talk about the decision to design the facility as well as his thought process in researching and choosing his surface provider and equipment manufacturer.
What you want? Track ain't got it! Whatever you think we are going to talk about regarding DK's performance at Golden Games, it ain't it. Clear your mind, open your ears and be ready to receive the words that come out of Lucious, Lamar, and Clyde's mouths. #gems **But first, Ms. Tianna Bartoletta gets the show started with a little info on a personal project she has to let us know about.** This just gets the ball rolling for TRACK IS BACK! Times, marks, throws...every week jaws drop and minds are blown as to what is going on the in the land of performances by the stellar athletes of track and field. They just keep getting faster, farther, and higher than the performance before! Followed by WHAT WERE/ARE THEY THINKING: the use of social media as a reference to your coaching; coaches posting their workouts for others to purge without context; accuracy and validity of content of these posts. This conversation doesn't quite go down the path that you might think. Don't drift off yet because Lamar is under the lights for RAPID FIRE and some pure appreciation and love is given to those highlighted in HeartBeat Props. We can't wait to share all of this and more! Get to clickin'!!!
Today we talk with an important member of the track and field community who is 'behind the scenes'. Ervin is over the operations and facilities at the University of North Florida home to some of the largest track meets in the country. UNF hosts the A-Sun conference meet, the Florida High School State meet, the NCAA East First Round meet, and many others. Ervin talks to us about what this entails, the challenges, and how he leads his team on the UNF campus. Along with his duties at UNF, Ervin is a member of the DI T&F Committee and newly appointed Diversity and Inclusion Officer for Athletics.
Hey Wilson! You'll get it once you start watching this week's episode ;) DK Metcalf. OOhwee, everyone has their two cents about the FB player taking a spot at Mt SAC this weekend. Is this race a spectacle? A valid honest effort? Is DK making career move? Listen up for the perspective of Sir Lucious, Lamar, and Clyde. In what were they thinking...what is the IOC thinking? If you haven't heard already, the IOC has ruled that there will be no promotion of BLM on the medal stand ceremonies. What is really being said here? TRACK IS BACK! Overlooked marks because there were even BIGGER marks!? Yes y'all, that is where we are at in 2021. Running, jumping, throwing...which group isn't producing yet!? The answer is everyone is producing. Sir Lucious jumps in the line of fire for Rapid Fire and HeartBeat Props are always the way to end a great evening of conversation. So now it is time to get settled in for the next 1.5 hours for some edutainment.
Today we 'Kick Some Asphalt'! Jesse Herbst of Dayton HS in Kentucky let's nothing stand in his way. His alma mater has no track facility, yet he hosted a home track meet this past spring. Today we learn how he pulled off his Street Meet, as well as the benefits of hosting a home track meet without a facility.
We then learn of his passion for his community in Dayton. As a legacy graduate of Dayton HS, he returns as the head football coach and head track coach. You're going to hear Jesse's passion for improving his community one athlete at a time.
Whoop whoop! Happy Athletics LLC day aka Friday y'all! It has been a week, has it not?! Well, as a must, TRACK IS BACK and there is no way we didn't forget at least one highlight from the prior weekend. Did we address what you saw? Phase 42, 8.44, The Cathedral, unmentioned 50.0 in the women's 400m, I mean...MAN! If these results don't have you in your seat wondering HOW SWAY!? You must know something we don't. Speaking of these fast times, are the fast short times the answer to the long sprint? Think about it and listen in on the input of Sir Lucious, Lamar, and Clyde of their perspective of such results. I don't know that all of you would agree with what is said! Lastly, how do we keep our track and field alum connected to TRACK AND FIELD!? What is wrong with our systems in place that allow for our "greats" to just walk away? Clyde is in line for Rapid Fire this week and our Heartbeat Props round out another fun, thought-provoking episode of #athleticsLLC...See ya in a couple clicks!
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