The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast

There are coaching journeys—and then there are life journeys that shape how you coach.In this episode, we sit down with James Randall of Warsaw Community High School in Indiana, a coach whose path didn’t follow the traditional route. From trade school to the sidelines, James built his coaching career through curiosity, mentorship, and a deep commitment to doing things the right way.But this conversation goes deeper than Xs and Os.James opens up about the influence of strong mentors, the lessons that shaped his leadership style, and how his perspective on coaching changed when he became a father. His son is now one of the top high jumpers in the country—recently signing to compete at University of Georgia—and that journey adds a powerful layer to what it means to coach with purpose.This is a conversation about balance, legacy, and understanding that coaching isn’t just about developing athletes—it’s about developing people.🔑 In this episode, we cover:🏃‍♂️ Growing up in Indiana and finding track & field through football🧠 The mentors who shaped his leadership and coaching philosophy🔧 A non-traditional path into coaching through the trades👨‍👦 Coaching your own child at an elite level🎯 What it really means to “give back to the sport”🏆 Navigating the journey of raising a Division I athlete💬 Quote from James Randall:"When a coach gives something to you, the way you pay that back isn’t to them—it’s by giving it back to the sport."👉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 Twitter (@MikeCunningham), email at [email protected], or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

I'm throwing a birthday party for myself and YOU'RE INVITED! My friends at Glazier Clinics are hosting a FREE Virtual Track and Field Clinic with some of the best coaches around (BYU, TCU, Under Armour, and more!) on July 24 and 25 and I want you to be there.

Register here: ⁠https://hubs.ly/Q04mV2Pd0Share it with a friend!

To help you see the quality of these presentations, and to celebrate the upcoming July clinic, here is the first part of one of the presentations from December. If you want to watch the full presentation go to Glazier Drive: ⁠https://production.glazierdrive.com/library

I'm throwing a birthday party for myself and YOU'RE INVITED! My friends at Glazier Clinics are hosting a FREE Virtual Track and Field Clinic with some of the best coaches around (BYU, TCU, Under Armour, and more!) on July 24 and 25 and I want you to be there.

Register here: https://hubs.ly/Q04mV2Pd0Share it with a friend!

To help you see the quality of these presentations, and to celebrate the upcoming July clinic, here is the first part of one of the presentations from December. If you want to watch the full presentation go to Glazier Drive: ⁠https://production.glazierdrive.com/library

I'm throwing a birthday party for myself and YOU'RE INVITED! My friends at Glazier Clinics are hosting a FREE Virtual Track and Field Clinic with some of the best coaches around (BYU, TCU, Under Armour, and more!) on July 24 and 25 and I want you to be there.

Register here: ⁠https://hubs.ly/Q04mV2Pd0⁠

Share it with a friend!

To help you see the quality of these presentations, and to celebrate the upcoming July clinic, here is the first part of one of the presentations from December. If you want to watch the full presentation go to Glazier Drive: ⁠https://production.glazierdrive.com/library

I'm throwing a birthday party for myself and YOU'RE INVITED! My friends at Glazier Clinics are hosting a FREE Virtual Track and Field Clinic with some of the best coaches around (BYU, TCU, Under Armour, and more!) on July 24 and 25 and I want you to be there.

Register here: ⁠https://hubs.ly/Q04mV2Pd0⁠

Share it with a friend!

To help you see the quality of these presentations, and to celebrate the upcoming July clinic, here is the first part of one of the presentations from December. If you want to watch the full presentation go to Glazier Drive: ⁠https://production.glazierdrive.com/library

I'm throwing a birthday party for myself and YOU'RE INVITED! My friends at Glazier Clinics are hosting a FREE Virtual Track and Field Clinic with some of the best coaches around (BYU, TCU, Under Armour, and more!) on July 24 and 25 and I want you to be there.

Register here: https://hubs.ly/Q04mV2Pd0⁠

Share it with a friend!

To help you see the quality of these presentations, and to celebrate the upcoming July clinic, here is the first part of one of the presentations from December. If you want to watch the full presentation go to Glazier Drive: ⁠https://production.glazierdrive.com/library

DeeDee is not only a 3-time Olympian, she's also an Executive Pastry Chef at Taste of Gold Bakery, a global keynote motivational speaker, and the author of the inspirational book I Can. I Must. I Will!. DeeDee is truly an expert on goal-setting and goal-getting! Great for coaches and athletes, this episode was originally released in July, 2025.

If you feel inspired to share on a topic near to your heart, contact David Mitchell to learn more.

Joanna Hayes is one of the most accomplished names in track & field—but this conversation goes somewhere different.

Instead of reliving Olympic gold memories, we rewind to where it all began… and fast-forward to how she became the head coach at UCLA Bruins.

From discovering track at just nine years old, to not even touching hurdles until her junior year of high school, to navigating the identity shift from elite athlete to coach—this episode is about growth, perspective, and purpose.

Along the way, Joanna shares the real transition moments most people never hear about.

🔥 In this episode, we cover:🧒 How track and field first entered her life—and why it stuck🏃‍♀️ The late switch to hurdles that changed everything🎯 Being a coach’s dream athlete—and how that shaped her coaching style🔄 The mental shift from “it’s about me” to “it’s about them”💥 Early coaching mistakes—and what finally made things click🧠 Learning under Caryl Smith Gilbert (Gill podcast guest #272) and developing her own philosophy🎓 Taking over as head coach at UCLA and what that responsibility really feels like

💬 “I didn’t question anything as an athlete—I just did the work. Coaching taught me how to think differently… because now it’s not about me anymore.” -Joanna Hayes

This is a rare look at one of the sport’s elite minds—not as an Olympian, but as a coach, mentor, and leader shaping the next generation.

👉Dive into nearly 400 episodes featuring insights from coachinglegends such as BooSchexnayder and Dan Pfaff, DiljeetTaylor (BYU) and Beth Alford-Sullivan, as well as superstar coaches Petros Kyprianou (Illinois), Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find uson 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 Projectepisode, which airsTuesdays through Sundays. Find YOUR voice on the Gill Connections PodcastNetwork.

📲 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! 🎧👍

I'm throwing a birthday party for myself and YOU'RE INVITED! My friends at Glazier Clinics are hosting a FREE Virtual Track and Field Clinic with some of the best coaches around (BYU, TCU, Under Armour, and more!) on July 24 and 25 and I want you to be there.

Register here: https://hubs.ly/Q04mV2Pd0Share it with a friend!

To help you see the quality of these presentations, and to celebrate the upcoming July clinic, here is the first part of one of the presentations from December. If you want to watch the full presentation go to Glazier Drive: ⁠https://production.glazierdrive.com/library

I'm throwing a birthday party for myself and YOU'RE INVITED! My friends at Glazier Clinics are hosting a FREE Virtual Track and Field Clinic with some of the best coaches around (BYU, TCU, Under Armour, and more!) on July 24 and 25 and I want you to be there.

Register here: ⁠ https://hubs.ly/Q04mV2Pd0Share it with a friend!

To help you see the quality of these presentations, and to celebrate the upcoming July clinic, here is the first part of one of the presentations from December. If you want to watch the full presentation go to Glazier Drive: ⁠https://production.glazierdrive.com/library