The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast

Back in the fall of 2025, Coach Marques Lowe (Gill podcast alum!) and the Vipers Track Club hosted a Central Illinois Pre-Season Coaches Clinic. To increase the value to other coaches, he has allowed those presentations to be published on the Gill1918 Project Podcast.

In the first part of a two-parter, Zontavious Johnson (Gill podcast alum!) of Olivet Nazarene University gives us a deep dive into coaching both the Short and Long hurdles. He's had great success in these events, so you're sure to get value from his talk. Check out Part 2 tomorrow!

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 [email protected] 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

Evander is the Men's and Women's Associate Head T&F Coach at the University of North Florida primarily coaching sprints, jumps, and hurdles, but also juggling all of the other duties of an NCAA coach. In clear, easy steps, he shares how he uses artificial intelligence (A.I.) to help him be more focused and productive in many tasks, so that he gets to be the best coach he can be for his athletes. Learn more about UNF T&F and follow Coach Wells Instagram and X.

If you have a topic you'd like to share, contact David Mitchell to find out how.

🎉 Episode 350! That number deserves something special — and this conversation absolutely delivers.

For this milestone episode, Mike sits down with Randy Huntington, one of the most influential and unconventional coaches in the history of track & field. From coaching world record holders to spending over a decade reshaping Chinese track & field, Randy’s journey doesn’t fit neatly into any box — and that’s exactly why this conversation matters.

This is Part 1 of a multi-part conversation that goes far beyond X’s and O’s.

In Part 1, we dive into:

🏟️ Turning down $70,000 jobs to coach for $6,500 — and why it was worth it

🌏 Life-changing years coaching Team China and navigating sport in a foreign culture

🧠 Coaching as a 24/7 identity, not a 9–5 job

📚 Mentorship, humility, and learning from legends like biomechanists and rival coaches

💥 What it really takes to coach a world record (and why luck isn’t the story)

🎓 Why coaching education, EQ, and communication matter more than ever

🔥 Honest conversations about burnout, sacrifice, relationships, and the profession itself

This episode feels less like an interview and more like a fireside chat — the kind of conversation coaches usually only have over lunch, late at night, or after years of trust.

And we’re just getting started.

👉 Part 2 continues next week in Episode 351, where we go deeper into:

* Michigan State

* Coaching NFL, Golf, Hockey and more.

* Coaching and Coaching Ed philosophy

* The support of women in coaching

* And the questions coaches don’t usually ask out loud

“You don’t break records by chasing distance. You break records by committing to the process.” — Randy Huntington

If you care about the profession of coaching, not just performance — this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen now, and get ready for Part 2 in Episode 351.

🌟 Explore Our Library:Dive into over 350 episodes featuring insights from coaching legends such as Boo Schexnayder and Dan Pfaff, DiljeetTaylor (BYU) and Beth Alford-Sullivan,as well as superstar coaches Petros Kyprianou(Illinois), Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) andmany more! Find us on Twitch.tv, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more foryour 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 Tuesdays through Sundays. Find YOUR voice on the Gill ConnectionsPodcast Network.

📲 Stay Connected: Wantto get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow on Twitter (@MikeCunningham),email at [email protected],or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

Back in the fall of 2025, Coach Marques Lowe (Gill podcast alum!) and the Vipers Track Club hosted a Central Illinois Pre-Season Coaches Clinic. To increase the value to other coaches, he has allowed those presentations to be published on the Gill1918 Project Podcast.

Up today is Part 2 of Mike Erb (Gill Podcast alum) speaking on How to be a Great Assistant Coach. This is a great discussion on what is expected of GREAT assistant coaches and how it can help improve your career. If you missed Part 1 yesterday, you might want to go back and listen to that first to get the whole picture.

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 [email protected] 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

Back in the fall of 2025, Coach Marques Lowe (Gill podcast alum!) and the Vipers Track Club hosted a Central Illinois Pre-Season Coaches Clinic. To increase the value to other coaches, he has allowed those presentations to be published on the Gill1918 Project Podcast.

Up today is Part 1 of Mike Erb (Gill Podcast alum) speaking on How to be a Great Assistant Coach. This is a great discussion on what is expected of GREAT assistant coaches and how it can help improve your career. Today is Part 1, join us tomorrow for Part 2.

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 [email protected] 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

Dave is the head boys' coach at East Kentwood HS in MI where he has had great success in building a huge program and winning multiple championships. In this episode he shares how to achieve even more important successes in the lives of your athletes as they mature. For more of these awesome coaching insights, you can purchase his book: Beyond the Finish Line: The Art of Transformational Coaching.

If you've got a topic to share with youth coaches, please contact David Mitchell to learn how.

From hustling neighborhood races at age eight to standing on the Olympic Trials runway — and now leading one of the most historic programs in the country — Francesca Green’s journey is one built on belief, resilience, and heart.

In this powerful Season 7 conversation, Francesca shares how track and field shaped her life long before coaching ever crossed her mind. We talk about growing up in the state of Washington, competing for Washington State University, navigating injuries, chasing Olympic dreams, and learning leadership from mentors like Lissa Olson, Rick Sloan, and Fred Harvey.

But this episode goes far beyond the track.

Francesca opens up about:

*Becoming a coach earlier than most — and setting hard boundaries at age 22

*Walking away from competition… then fighting her way back after an Achilles rupture

*Qualifying for the Olympic Trials on her very last jump

*Spending over 20 years at University of Arizona, learning every side of the profession

*Adopting four children while building a Division I coaching career

*What it really takes to build culture, trust, and belief as a first-time head coach

*Now entering a new chapter as the head coach at University of Texas at El Paso, Francesca shares what excites her most about the Miners, why culture comes before championships, and how she plans to lead with honesty, clarity, and purpose.

This one is about coaching — but it’s also about life, leadership, and doing hard things with courage.

🔑 Episode Highlights

🏃‍♀️ Growing up fast — literally — and discovering track as a way forward

🧠 Why great recruiting starts with permission to be yourself

🩹 Recovering from an Achilles rupture and refusing to quit

👩‍👧‍👦 Motherhood, adoption, and building a family while coaching at the highest level

🛠️ Culture over control: what Francesca believes actually sustains programs

🏟️ Why UTEP’s history matters — and where she wants to take it next

“Track is what you do — it’s not who you are. The sooner I know who you are, the better you’ll be on the track.” — Francesca Green

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into nearly 350 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 Twitch.tv, 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 Tuesdays through Sundays. 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 [email protected], or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

Back in the fall of 2025, Coach Marques Lowe (Gill podcast alum!) and the Vipers Track Club hosted a Central Illinois Pre-Season Coaches Clinic. To increase the value to other coaches, he has allowed those presentations to be published on the Gill1918 Project Podcast.

TCU's Marissa Chew (Gill podcast alum!) presents her second part of Jumps Off-Season Training. If you didn't catch yesterday's Part 1, you may want to go back and listen to that one first.

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 [email protected] 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

Back in the fall of 2025, Coach Marques Lowe (Gill podcast alum!) and the Vipers Track Club hosted a Central Illinois Pre-Season Coaches Clinic. To increase the value to other coaches, he has allowed those presentations to be published on the Gill1918 Project Podcast.

First up in a two-parter is TCU's Marissa Chew (Gill podcast alum!) She joins us with an in-depth look at how to activate your jumpers during the off-season to help ensure a positive in-season. Today is Part 1, join us tomorrow for Part 2.

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 [email protected] 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

Sydnee started at a small high school in GA competing in the shot put and discus. She shares the steps on her path to becoming a 2-time Junior Olympic national hammer throw champion and then a top-10 all-time performer in the hammer and weight throw for the University of Oregon. She also offers her suggestions to current youth athletes, parents, and coaches about how to forge their own path. Sydnee is now the founder and CEO of The Collaborative LLC and she also works as a Social Media & Marketing Professional.

If you've got something awesome like this that you'd like to share, please contact David Mitchell to learn how!