The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast

SHOW LESSHappy Thanksgiving to you all!  We hope you enjoyed the food, health and joy of the holiday even if you weren't able to spend it with those who are outside of your circle right now.  Just remember, if you need to make room for your dessert just do your prescribed warm up and you'll be all good ;)  Well, to start the show off right, Lucious, Lamar and Clyde reveal what their favorite Thanksgiving dishes are...Can they be invited to y'alls tables???  After we figure out who we are having dinner with, let's chat about what is the criteria for achieving G.O.A.T status.  As we take a break to make room for that pie, the guys share some of their ideas for managing the longer break some of the programs are experiencing as student-athletes are NOT returning after Thanksgiving.  Lastly, as we top of our pie with soem whipped cream or ice cream, let's talk about the return of the dual/tri/quad meet schedule.  If it comes back into play, would the perception of collegiate track and field change?  Let's talk about it as we get into our comfy pants!    After Lucious licks his plate ;) he jumps into the hot seat for Rapid Fire!  Are we about to learn too much about Coach?!  Guess you'll have to find out! As always, thanks for joining us and from all of us at Athletics LLC, we hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving!

Today's guest is best described as enthusiastic, positive attitude, empathetic, social media savvy, and an all around great person! Kenny Anderson is in his first season as the head coach of Central Methodist University after spending two years at Johnson C Smith University. We learn about his athletic background while at Florida A&M as well as his beginning coaching career as a college basketball coach. You'll enjoy getting to know Kenny more as we discuss social media, recruiting, mentors, dancing, majoring in electrical engineering, and more!

Creating things, special things, require ingredients. When the key ingredients are missing, not so great!  This week Lucious, Lamar and Clyde chat about the consequences COVID has had in regards to on the field play for collegiate football.  Next week talk about the make up of a great coach; do you agree with their ingredients?  Next we might have left the pie in the oven too long...what might be the fallout for the HS/NCAA population if we have ANOTHER missed season due to COVID.  Lastly, the perfect dessert has been made and we call it the best collegiate track team ever!  There's even a "his" and "hers"...is your best the same as L-L-C?  Clyde gets into the hot seat for Rapid Fire this week, do you think Big League can keep up the streak of at least one show-stopping question???  As always, we all have someone(s) that we want to lift up and praise for their presence in our lives, Heart Beat Props closes out the show with no tears this week!  Enjoy the conversation, take a look at our facial reactions and let us know...have we gone crazy yet?!

Today we talk with Michael Roberts of Northwood University. Michael brings a unique perspective to coaching having been coached by giants in our industry. Mike Holman coached Michael at Lawrence Central HS in Indianapolis and John McNichols of Indiana State was his collegiate coach. We get to learn of Michael's passion for continual  learning and his curiosity to learn multiple disciplines outside of track and field.  Our host even gets Michael to play a bit of guitar for us in his favored style of neo-soul. 

Ohweeeee!  Was this a week!?  Lucious, Lamar and Clyde sit down this week for the first time since the announcement of the dropping of the Clemson Men's XC & TF teams.  What "missing pieces" do the gents identify in the abrupt actions of the leadership at Clemson.  After we get past that beast, we address another lingering topic...coaches' education.  What is missing and how can we evolve it to be more than it is (or isn't) currently?  Lastly, we get back to the Tokyo medal predictions and highlight the Women's 100mH!  Can you identify what would be missing in this final race?    Stay for Lamar on the hot seat in rapid fire and learn more about the personal side of each of us as we reveal our heart beat props.  Thanks for your patience this week (and many others) as I, Big League, mismanaged my time and didn't get the episode out on time.  I promise you won't stay mad at me for too long! ;)

Welcome to our first international coach, Kurt Downs coaches the Border City Athletics Club in Windsor, Canada. Kurt sits down with us and discusses why he started his track club, the advantages and disadvantages of coaching a club of athletes as young as third grade up to post collegiate elite level athletes. We get to discuss Canadian 800m national record holder Brandon McBride and the challenges in training preferences between athlete and coach.  Kurt also talks to us about his athletic background and how it led him eventually to a successful track coaching career.

This episode we rebroadcast episode 18 of the Meeting of the Unknowing Minds podcast hosted by Matt Esche of UAB. Matt hosts a panel of track coaches including Tom Sage (VCU), Mike Erb (Indiana U), Scott Williamson (Nevada-Reno) and Darren Flowers (UT-RGV) to discuss pertinent topics in the world of track and field on a weekly basis. This episode their guest is Mike Cunningham, host of the Gill Athletics Connections podcast.

Mike and the panel discuss his background as a track coach and how he came to Gill Athletics, as well as hot topics for track and field including dropping programs, coaches' life outside of track, and the leadership of a coach.  

Please keep in mind, this episode of Athletics LLC was recorded BEFORE the news of Clemson's Men's XC & TF teams being cut.    

Looking deep into what these certain situations actually present themselves as...Lucious, Lamar and Clyde start the conversation with the hot topic of NFL "speed".  Should those players be at US Trials and allowed to compete?  Who do you think you agree with?  Staying on the topic of speed, Christian Coleman, what does his absence in the Men's 100m race in 2021 do?  Is the race just as attractive to watch without him in it?  Deviating from the limelight a bit, let's talk about the path to the NCAA championships outdoor.  Does our regional system benefit the "little guys" or the traditional "powerhouse teams" more?  And lastly, we round out the conversation with the elephant in the room...Whereabouts testing.  Find out how Lucious, Lamar and Clyde feel about it and where they stand on its implementation.    Sit back, put your listening ears on and find out what side of the fence you sit on and who is next to you!  #athletics LLC....Happy Friday!

Proud to have an extremely successful coach on this week's episode in Ron Grigg, head coach of Jacksonville University. Ron talks with us today about starting out as a DIII athlete and how he moved through the coaching ranks from high school, Coppin St, Wheaton and now Jacksonville University. You'll enjoy Ron's unique aspect with track and field and how he qualified to run at the Penn Relays after an average at best collegiate career. This is actually Ron's second stop at Jacksonville University, as he spent nearly two years at Kansas State. We get to discuss why he went to the Big 12 to coach and came back to the 'smaller school' of JU. Lots of great topics in today's podcast as we discuss coaching education, coaching mentors, Speed Dynamics, and a whole lot more.

Off the track, before and after a coach has the stopwatch, whistle and notebook in their possession, how should you be managing yourself?  What are things that one needs to be cognizant of?  First Lucious, Lamar and Clyde speak on how to manage the successes and failures in the athlete and coach relationship.  In mention of those aspects, the guys go into their mulligans of their coaching careers and what they would do differently now, in hindsight.  This provides us with a great transition into, what is the greatest obstacle for a collegiate athlete when it comes to having a GREAT career?  Do you think you know what is hindering the athletes that you might work with?  Lastly, do you think that Lucious, Lamar and Clyde agree on the use of wickets (mini-hurdles, cones) as a practice tool?    After we get Clyde in the hot seat (and does it get hot for Clyde!) we end by lifting up those special someone's who have helped us along the way.  Our heart beat props won't tear you up this week ;)  Thank you for tuning in and happy clicking!