Every year at the USTFCCCA Convention we sit down with coaches in attendance at a LIVE event on YouTube (video here). This year we asked each guest their opinions and thoughts on all the NCAA changes going on (NIL, Transfer Portal, Roster Caps, and more). Guest include Blake Boldon, Marques Lowe, David Espinoza, Charles Ryan, Jim Sprecher, Scott Hall, Ritchie Beene and more!

Today we present the audio version of this LIVE YouTube event. Enjoy!

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into nearly 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) and 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 him on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), shoot him an email at [email protected], or send a text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

🎙️ Season 6 Premiere with Tonja Buford-Bailey! 🏃‍♀️🏅

Welcome back to Season 6 of the podcast! 🎉 We're kicking things off with an absolute legend in track and field—Tonja Buford-Bailey! 🌟 Tonja is the owner, founder, and head coach of the TBB Track Club, coaching elite athletes like Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas 🥇 and appearing in both seasons of the Netflix series SPRINT. 📺✨

In this episode, Tonja shares:

Her journey from 3-time Olympian to coaching the world’s best athletes. 🌍👟

Behind-the-scenes insights from her time on SPRINT. 🎬

The importance of work ethic beyond the résumé with her memorable quote: “Your work ethic, your dedication—you can’t put that on a résumé.” 💼🔥

Discover what it takes to succeed in track and field, both on and off the track. Tune in for an inspiring and motivational conversation with one of the sport's greats. 🦅

Listen now to start Season 6 with a bang! 🎧💥

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into nearly 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) and 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 him on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), shoot him an email at [email protected], or send a text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

In this special episode, we connect with the distance coach from Brown University 🐻 John Kenworthy as he shares his incredible journey through collegiate coaching. Starting with his ambitious project to establish the track program at Siena College from the ground up, he opens up about the challenges and triumphs of building a competitive team where there was none before, all while emphasizing a culture of development and growth 📈.

Now coaching at Brown University, Coach dives into the fascinating and rigorous admissions process for Ivy League schools 🎓, revealing what it takes for student-athletes to make the cut academically, athletically, and personally. He explains the unique academic standards and intensive pre-read requirements that shape the recruiting process at Brown, highlighting what sets Ivy League recruitment apart from other NCAA programs.

We also explore how he builds a competitive distance program in the Ivy League, the balance of academics and athletics 🏅, and his vision for elevating Brown’s team to new levels.

🔥 This episode is packed with insights for coaches, athletes, and sports enthusiasts alike—shedding light on the determination, grit, and community needed to thrive in track and field at one of the country’s most prestigious universities.

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into nearly 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) and 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 him on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), shoot him an email at [email protected], or send a text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from our listeners! 🎧👍

🎙️ Welcome back to the Gill Athletics Connections Podcast! Today, we’re thrilled to bring you an inspiring conversation with Tristan Smith 🏆, Head Coach of St. Mary’s High School in Lynn, Massachusetts 🌟. Tristan joins us to talk about his journey into coaching – from his own high school days discovering the hurdles 🏃‍♂️ to leading his team across all seasons of cross country, indoor, and outdoor track!

Nominated by an admirer he’s never met, Tristan represents the incredible impact coaches can have on the lives of young athletes 🌱. Hear how he combines his love of the sport with his professional ambitions in law ⚖️ and what keeps him coming back to coach each season. From inspiring his student-athletes to building a positive team culture, Tristan’s story is full of dedication and heart.

Tune in for another episode celebrating the people who bring track and field to life, and who knows? You might even be inspired to start coaching yourself!

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into nearly 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) and 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 him on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), shoot him an email at [email protected], or send a text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from our listeners! 🎧👍

Tonight at the USTFCCCA Convention in Orlando, Fla the Class of 2024 Hall of Fame class is inducted. An important member of this class is former Ashland University head coach Jud Logan, the Light Giver himself. Mr. Olympian4x touched so many lives around the world with his love, warmth, and belief. We were honored to have him on the Gill Connections podcast before he passed away. As a way to honor his memory and celebrate his Hall of Fame induction, we re-publish his interview with Mike Cunningham. ENJOY!

"Dear AU Team: it is meet week. Please act accordingly. And by accordingly, I mean reckless, passionate and with abundant vigor." -Coach Logan

🎙️ The Power of Integration: Andreas Behm on Coaching, Mentorship, and Building ALTIS 🎙️

In this insightful episode, we sit down with Andreas Behm, Vice President of Performance at ALTIS, a world-renowned track and field training center. Andreas shares his fascinating journey from Germany to the U.S., discussing how he discovered a love for coaching through an unexpected start in sport management. We dive into his experiences working with elite athletes like Aries Merritt, and his involvement in building ALTIS into a global hub for track and field athletes and coaches.

Andreas also reflects on the mentorship and wisdom he's gained from coaching legends such as Dan Pfaff, Boo Schexnayder, Dana Boone, Brooks Johnson, and John Godina—all of whom have been featured guests on the *Gill Connections* podcast (each name is hyperlinked to go to their specific episode--CHECK THEM OUT!). Throughout the conversation, Andreas emphasizes the importance of mentorship, patience, and continually evolving as a coach.

Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at Andreas' unique coaching philosophy and the incredible work he's doing to help both athletes and coaches achieve excellence. 🚀

💡 Don’t miss this deep dive into one of track and field’s most respected coaching minds!

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into nearly 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) and 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 him on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), shoot him an email at [email protected], or send a text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from our listeners! 🎧👍

We're bringing you the individual interviews from the LIVE taping of the Gill Connections podcast from the 2023 USTFCCCA Convention.

Check us out again this year on December 16th at 6pm est on ⁠YOUTUBE ⁠or at the Gill Athletics booth in Orlando.

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into nearly 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) and ⁠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 him on ⁠Twitter⁠ (@MikeCunningham), shoot him an email at ⁠[email protected]⁠, or send a text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

We're bringing you the individual interviews from the LIVE taping of the Gill Connections podcast from the 2023 USTFCCCA Convention.

Check us out again this year on December 16th at 6pm est on ⁠YOUTUBE ⁠or at the Gill Athletics booth in Orlando.

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into nearly 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) and ⁠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 him on ⁠Twitter⁠ (@MikeCunningham), shoot him an email at ⁠[email protected]⁠, or send a text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

We're bringing you the individual interviews from the LIVE taping of the Gill Connections podcast from the 2023 USTFCCCA Convention.

Check us out again this year on December 16th at 6pm est on ⁠YOUTUBE ⁠or at the Gill Athletics booth in Orlando.

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into nearly 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) and ⁠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 him on ⁠Twitter⁠ (@MikeCunningham), shoot him an email at ⁠[email protected]⁠, or send a text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

We're bringing you the individual interviews from the LIVE taping of the Gill Connections podcast from the 2023 USTFCCCA Convention.

Check us out again this year on December 16th at 6pm est on ⁠YOUTUBE ⁠or at the Gill Athletics booth in Orlando.

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into nearly 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) and ⁠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 him on ⁠Twitter⁠ (@MikeCunningham), shoot him an email at ⁠[email protected]⁠, or send a text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍