The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast

"Don't try and reinvent the wheel," Norbert Elliott head coach Purdue University

Today we highlight the amazing journey in the coaching profession of Norbert Elliott. Norbert takes us from the playgrounds of the Bahamas to his undergraduate career at the University of Texas-El Paso. Its there at UTEP during his Graduate Assistantship that he discovered his calling; teaching young people how to improve in track & field. After a full-time position at UTEP, he moved for the next 10 years to become an assistant coach at the University of Georgia.  We learn of his career as he continues on to Murray State, University of Tennessee, Campbell University, and now at Purdue University.  

Norbert gives us his unique experience on the humbleness of doing 'whatever it takes' to take care of his family, head coaching experience (that he wasn't ready for), and his great friendship with current University of Kentucky head coach Rolando Greene.

Extra tidbits we learn how to play cricket and what CARIFTA stands for! ENJOY!

When you want things to get better, when you want progress you have to get your material together to achieve the great result.  This week in "track is back" we see this happening with the various results put up by the amazing athletes all around the world.  Especially the new WR in the men's 60mH be set to 7.29!  Congrats to athlete and coach!  Is Van Niekerk putting it together correctly by making this Olympic year?  Has the ATL group put it all together to now transition to outdoors?  And then the last question, who is the next person to get it together to break a new WR?  Any event, any person.    Clyde sits thru another round of Rapid Fire and we finish the night by giving our heart beat props...see y'all in a little bit!

Today we talk with highly accomplished long jumper Andreas Trajkovski from Denmark. We learn of his journey to Iowa Western CC and the University of Arkansas along with the coaches who mentored him along the way. His longest coach was his father and Andreas tells us about the special bond between him and dad.

Then we discover Andreas passion for the jumps, and athletics overall, as he is the creator of the Jumpers World social media accounts. Specializing in showcasing videos of jumpers of all levels, Jumpers World has caught fire and become extremely popular on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and more. We learn why he started Jumpers World, some of the challenges and a lot of the triumphs. 

Give Jumpers world a follow:

What's all the hype about right now!?  Are there results/performances that are being over-hyped or not hyped enough???    TRACK IS BACK!!!  We've got to continue to celebrate each week's noteable performances and, we say it each week, IT JUST KEEPS ON GETTING BETTER.  How Sway?  Then after the highlights of the week previous, let's reflect on something that is too common to be "celebrated" anymore...THE FOUR MINUTE MILE!  What do Lucious, Lamar, and Clyde have to say about this overdone acknowledgement?  Do YOU agree?  After all of these top-notch performances, let's give out the LLC-Bowerman Watchlist.  IF you aren't familiar with what this is...guess you're going to have to tune in and hear the conversation.  Don't miss out on Lamar "Big Chains" making his own rules again, for his Bowerman watch list.  Speaking of big performances, let's step it up a notch and highlight the BEST pro performance to date.  Do you agree with the tiles on the screen?    Lastly, let's get LLC's WAY TOO EARLY comments on the NBA championships...I mean, we know how the Super Bowl went so...we have to put the NBA Championship out there too!  Lamar rounds us out for Rapid Fire and ending the night with our Heart Beat Props is all a way to leave with our hearts full.  Start off with the foolery and leave with a heart full of love, that's how we like to do it!  See you in a few :)

"I'm into listening more than talking," said one of our guests today on a talking podcast! 

Thank you to Justin St. Clair and Stevie Keller of North Dakota State for joining us to discuss their coaching journey and their program's unique culture. We learn how each coach came to NDSU, the transition from NCAA D2 to an NCAA D1 program, and how the entire NDSU ecosystem (administration, staff, athletes and alumni) create a championship winning program.

Well well well...welcome to episode 45!  We got the HBIC with us, Ms Aretha Thurmond!  Four time Olympian, mom, wife, the lead of international teams...she does it all. We asked her for her insight as to what will it take to see MORE females at the higher ranks of track and field.  We then follow it up with what is her advice to those females who desire to be up there with her.  Then we let her give her personal opinion as to who is the best field athlete, do you agree???  After we let Ms Aretha get on with her life, TRACK IS BACK!  Did we miss any of the noteable performances over the last week?  Listen to which performances stuck out to Lucious, Lamar, and Clyde...did they see what you saw!?  Next up, ATL...what is it going to take to keep the momentum as time passes?  What ideas do the guys think will make it better?  Talking about bigger performances, the Olympics....what are going to be the bigger obstacles as we get closer to the games?  Is what Lamar says true?    Lastly, SUPER BOWL!  We let Clyde have his time of glory...TB12 is the GOAT!  Lucious wraps us up with Rapid Fire and everyone gives their Heart Beat Props...Happy birthday wishes to Clyde this week!

The Dynamic Duo of UNLV - Yvonne Wade & Larry Wade

In a special episode of the Connections Podcast, host Mike Cunningham is joined by the dynamic duo of UNLV track and field: Head Coach Yvonne Wade and Assistant Coach Larry Wade. Together, they delve into their unique journey in the world of track and field, sharing personal anecdotes and insights that have shaped their careers.

"I wanted to major in Engineering, but I realized I was better working with people,"-Yvonne Wade

"I'm addicted to being successful,"-Larry Wade

This episode provides listeners with a unique perspective on the world of collegiate track and field, as seen through the eyes of a couple who not only share a passion for the sport but also navigate the complexities of working together. Their dedication, combined with their genuine love for coaching and athlete development, makes this episode a must-listen for track and field enthusiasts and aspiring coaches alike.

Here's the surprise y'all been waiting for! This week we have the MAN HIMSELF...Paul Doyle. See what he has to say and reveal to us in conversation. If your jaw doesn't drop AT LEAST once, you might want to check to see that your heart is still ticking!   After we get Super Bowl predictions out of the way, including Paul's, we touch on the lack of representation of white sprinters and what the factors of that might be. Then we go to a topic of why there isn't more talent production in the more populated areas like SF, NY, SEA. (Everyone needs to hear this part)  Lastly, fantasy 4x4 picks! Who you siding with this week? Again, we will get everyone's relay and post them on social media to get a poll of the winning relays. We'll see y'all after you get to clicking!  See ya on the other side 😉

This week's episode we feature another excellent coach from Division III. Dustin Dimit is a former DIII athlete as well as several stops at DIII institutions such as Buffalo State and currently as the men's head coach of Rowan University. We get a great look at what it's like to have two job offers at the same time and his roles as the USTFCCCA DIII President. Near the end we get into a valuable discussion about how to pick and choose what level of competition to coach at and not being enamored into a 'DI or bust' mentality. 

They sure did do it again!!!  Results from the ATL indoor meet, new collegiate marks, international marks...track and field is DOING IT!  Ain't it beautiful?!  Lucious, Lamar, Clyde make note of what stood out to them from the past weekend and give you a fair warning on what is on the horizon.    We got word this week that the size of the field that will be present at outdoor preliminaries is going to be smaller than past years, 48 to now 32.  Are the reactions and responses that the gentlemen have what you think they would be?  How do you think Clyde feels about the round that he covets for the "underdogs"???  We also saw this week that Tennessee filled their top spots in their Athletic dept, the athletic director position as well as the HC of football.  What say the 3 tiles about the decisions made and how UT is going to bode moving forward in the SEC.  Lastly,  put your seatbelts on y'all!  We go and mess around with a FANTASY 4x1 draft!  Both male and female all time, from everywhere in the world.  We will post the relay teams on social media and you can vote for who's relay is going to finish first.  After all that excitement, Clyde takes his turn in Rapid Fire and as always we give our appreciation and show our gratitude to those who impact us.  Thanks for your continued support and don't yell too loudly at your screen when you're watching/listening!