The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast

At first glance, most pole vault pits look remarkably similar.

Underneath the top pad, however, are dozens of engineering decisions that can affect safety, performance, maintenance, durability, and long-term value.

In this Gill1918 Project episode, Mike Cunningham explains what really makes one pole vault pit different from another, including:

🧱 How foam layers balance landing comfort and support

🌧️ Why vinyl construction and weather protection matter

↕️ How reversible, edge-to-edge top pads distribute wear

🔗 How hardware and fastening systems keep pit sections connected

📐 Why the geometry around the vault box is so challenging

🛡️ How standard base-pad designs protect athletes around the standards

Mike also shares the most revealing question a coach can ask a manufacturer:

“Why was your pit designed this way?”

The answer can reveal far more about a landing system than its color, price, or catalog specifications.

How much does a pole vault pit warranty really protect—and what could still leave your program responsible for an expensive repair or replacement?

In this Gill1918 Project episode, Mike Cunningham explains why coaches should never compare landing-system warranties based on the number of years alone.

Mike breaks down:

🛡️ What pole vault pit warranties typically cover

🚫 The damage warranties commonly exclude

📉 How prorated warranties lose value over time

♾️ What “lifetime warranty” may actually mean

🚚 Why freight responsibility matters during a claim

📄 What documentation schools should retain

❓ The questions every coach should ask before purchasing a pit

Mike also reviews Gill Athletics’ currently published limited warranty for pole vault and high jump landing systems and explains why the most important warranty question is not, “How many years is it?”

The better question is: “What happens if something goes wrong?”

Jamie is a two-time US Olympian in the high jump and a former D1 coach. He's also an award winning actor, writer, and filmmaker. This is the 2026 updated version of Jamie's very popular "Hot Tips for HJ" episode. Coaches and athletes are invited to register for Jamie's upcoming Virtual High Jump Camp to be held 9/27/26. 

If you have a topic to share with our youth audience, contact David Mitchell. We'd love to have you join the fun!

Central Washington University Head Coach Jon Hill joins the Gill Athletics Connections Podcast to share a coaching journey shaped by perseverance, mentorship, and the people who refused to give up on him.

Jon takes us from his days as a multi-sport athlete in Portland, Oregon, through NAIA and Division I competition, and eventually into coaching stops at Portland State, Eastern Washington, Army West Point, Rice University, and now Central Washington.

Along the way, he reflects on the mentors who helped shape his career, including Kebba Tolbert (Gill podcast alum!), Chad Perry, Troy Engle, Mike Smith, and Jim Bevan. The conversation explores coaching education, athlete development, recruiting, leadership, culture, and why the best coaches see their athletes as much more than competitors.

This episode is packed with stories, lessons, and thoughtful discussion for coaches at every level.

Topics include:

• Growing up in Portland's strong multi-sport culture
• Learning the value of coaching education
• Training under Kebba Tolbert and Chad Perry at Portland State
• Coaching at Army West Point and Rice University
• Recruiting philosophy in today's landscape
• Building culture through values instead of rules
• Why great coaches never give up on kids
• Finding balance between coaching, family, and life

Dive into nearly 400 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!

🎙️ 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 Instagram (@MikeCunninghamTF), email at [email protected], or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

An exceptional organization, the Business of Small College Athletics (BoSCA), holds an annual convention attended by some of the most passionate hard working adminstrators in the country.

Coming together to share their experiences and knowledge, the BoSCA Convention features some of the top administrators around speaking on important topics that could provide value to our current slate of track/field coaches whether you have an interest in becoming an administrator one day or not.

We hope these next few weeks of topics from ADs from Albany State, U of Indianapolis and more will encourage you, educate you, and challenge you for future growth.

ENJOY!

From time to time (fifth time ever!) we have several of our long form podcasts that tell a complete story over several episodes.

For those so inclined, we'll put them all together for one big episode. This Labor Day weekend we present to you both part 1 and part 2 of our historic interview with legendary track/field coach Randy Huntington.

5 hours of some of the move value driven interview we've ever done. You have a long Labor Day weekend to consume.

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

How do you listen to a 5 hour podcast? One hour by hour.

ENJOY!

Dive into nearly 400 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!

🎙️ 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 Instagram (@MikeCunninghamTF), email at [email protected], or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

A pole vault pit is a major investment, but its lifespan isn’t determined by age alone. Regular inspections, prompt repairs, weather protection, proper storage, and consistent maintenance can all help a landing system remain serviceable longer.

In this Gill1918 Project episode, Mike Cunningham explains the practical steps coaches can take to protect their pole vault pits. Topics include weather-cover use, pit garages, rotating landing sections, using both sides of reversible top pads, preventing rodent damage, avoiding improper storage, limiting unnecessary traffic, and identifying water intrusion.

The schools that get the longest life from their pits usually aren’t lucky—they’re intentional. Small actions performed consistently can protect the school’s investment and prevent minor problems from becoming expensive ones.

Most coaches purchase a pole vault pit only once or twice during their careers, making it one of the most important equipment decisions they will face.

In this Gill1918 Project episode, Mike Cunningham explains what coaches should evaluate before selecting a landing system. Topics include safety and compliance, construction and durability, warranty details, maintenance requirements, replacement parts, manufacturer support, facility needs, and long-term ownership costs.

You’ll also learn which questions to ask manufacturers, what warning signs to watch for during the buying process, and why speaking with coaches who have owned their pits for several years can be more valuable than reading a product brochure.

The goal isn’t simply to find the cheapest pole vault pit. It’s to find the landing system that provides the best long-term value for your athletes, facility, and program.

Pro Track Runner Katie Follett, now a licensed counselor, talks with Pro Ultra Runner Hillary Allen about Hillary's comeback from a nearly fatal 150-foot fall during a SkyRace. Hillary openly shares the challenge of overcoming the massive injuries and the lessons learned on her path to developing extraordinary resilience, with mental skills coach Katie leading the conversation. They reveal actions and attitudes that can help coaches foster resilience in their athletes  . This interview is part of Katie's new Elevate Your Mindset course. Use code: GILLPODCAST for a $50 discount. Katie would love to hear your questions and comments via EMAIL or on Instagram.

If you've got a topic to share with our youth T&F coach audience, contact David Mitchell to learn more. 

What happens when a former 400-meter hurdler combines a love for track & field, a business mindset, and a passion for helping young athletes?

In this episode of the Gill Connections Podcast, Mike Cunningham sits down with Devin Noel, founder and CEO of Hurdlenomics, to discuss his journey from Memphis, Tennessee, to Arkansas State University and eventually to building one of the most recognizable hurdles-focused training groups in Texas.

Devin shares the story behind the Hurdlenomics name, how a simple request to help one athlete turned into a thriving coaching business, and why he believes the best coaches can explain complex concepts in simple terms. Along the way, Mike and Devin dive into youth development, elite hurdle training, athlete mindset, learning how to lose, coaching education, and the importance of surrounding athletes with the right support system.

The conversation also explores Devin's coaching philosophy, including his "Go to the Fence, Push Them In, Sprint" approach to teaching beginning hurdlers and his belief that every hurdler should develop as both a short hurdler and long hurdler before specializing.

Whether you're a coach, athlete, parent, or track & field fan, you'll find practical insights and plenty of laughs in this wide-ranging conversation.

Topics Covered:• The origin story of Hurdlenomics• Growing up in Memphis track culture• Running at Arkansas State• Learning to embrace failure and adversity• Building a hurdles-only training group• Coaching philosophy and athlete development• Why every hurdler starts as a dual hurdler• The importance of coaching education and mentorship• Simplifying hurdling for new athletes

Connect with Devin:Instagram: @Hurdlenomics

Dive into nearly 400 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!

🎙️ 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 Instagram (@MikeCunninghamTF), email at [email protected], or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍