Track and field coaches are the most selfless people in the world, sacrificing a lot of personal gains for the greater good of their athletes and our sport. Join former college coach and Gill's National Sales Manager Mike Cunningham each week as he interviews coaches from every level uplifting and honoring their journey in the coaching profession. If you want to connect with and learn more about the story behind the coach this podcast is for you.
Listeners of Gill Athletics: Track and Field Connections that love the show mention: track and field, gill, coaches, mike, sport, lessons, amazing podcast, stories, learn, hearing, guests, highly recommend, job, great, thanks, content, awesome, listen, love.
The Gill Athletics: Track and Field Connections podcast, hosted by Mike Cunningham, is an outstanding resource for track and field coaches and fans alike. It consistently delivers exceptional content with a focus on sharing the stories and experiences of coaches in the sport.
One of the best aspects of this podcast is Mike's ability to secure incredible guests who provide valuable insights into their coaching journeys. The stories shared on this show go beyond just the technicalities of coaching and delve into the heart and passion that drives these individuals. It's refreshing to hear about how coaches got their starts in the sport and the challenges they faced along the way. This podcast truly celebrates the dedication and hard work that goes into becoming a successful coach.
Another great aspect is Mike's evident love for track and field, which shines through in each episode. His efforts to be an asset to the sport are commendable, as he uses his relationships built over decades to bring coaches together for the betterment of the sport. The interviews conducted on this podcast are a testament to his commitment to track and field, as they provide a platform for coaches to share their knowledge and contribute to the growth of the profession.
Furthermore, Mike does an exceptional job with each guest, asking insightful questions that allow them to tell their full story. He creates a comfortable environment where interviewees feel comfortable being vulnerable and sharing valuable information. This podcast goes beyond just coaching advice on a clipboard; it provides lessons learned from experienced professionals who have dedicated their lives to track and field.
As for drawbacks, there are very few if any negative aspects to this podcast. Some listeners may find certain episodes more relatable or applicable than others depending on their specific interests within track and field. However, even if you're not familiar with a particular guest or their background, this podcast still offers valuable insights into coaching as well as inspiring stories that anyone can appreciate.
In conclusion, The Gill Athletics: Track and Field Connections podcast is a must-listen for track and field coaches and fans. Mike Cunningham's dedication to the sport and his ability to bring together exceptional guests make this podcast a valuable resource for anyone seeking to learn from experienced professionals in the field. Whether you're a seasoned athlete, an up-and-coming athlete, or simply a fan of the sport, this podcast offers an amazing insight into the world of track and field that is both informative and inspiring.
This past February, the great people of the Wisconsin Track Coaches Association held their annual Track/Field clinic with amazing speakers. WISTCA has graciously allowed us to share these speaker's topics on the Gill1918 Project. ENJOY!
This past February, the great people of the Wisconsin Track Coaches Association held their annual Track/Field clinic with amazing speakers. WISTCA has graciously allowed us to share these speaker's topics on the Gill1918 Project. ENJOY!
Steve is an EU American Football Hall of Famer, the Inventor and CEO of Two8 Bands, and the author of If We Knew Better, We'd Move Better. He shares one chapter of the audio version of his book to introduce the concept of movement literacy and to help us understand why it matters to coaches, athletes, and everyone else, too.If you have a topic that would benefit others, contact David Mitchell to find out how you can contribute an episode.
There are episodes where you learn… and then there are episodes where you feel something.This is one of those.Sean Foulkes didn't start track and field because of a dream—he started because his friends wouldn't let him skip practice. But what began as simple peer pressure turned into a deep pursuit of mastery, fueled by curiosity, VHS film breakdowns, and hours of self-coaching.Then life shifted.College brought unexpected challenges, new environments, and moments that forced Sean to step back and reevaluate who he was and where he was headed.And sometimes, that's exactly what's needed.A single moment helping a friend unlocked something bigger: a realization that coaching wasn't just something he could do—it was something he needed to do.This episode is about growth, identity, and the power of rediscovering direction through sport.
This past February, the great people of the Wisconsin Track Coaches Association held their annual Track/Field clinic with amazing speakers. To kick off the weekend they hosted a women4women program featuring inspirational speakers.WISTCA has graciously allowed us to share these speaker's topics on the Gill1918 Project. ENJOY!
This past February, the great people of the Wisconsin Track Coaches Association held their annual Track/Field clinic with amazing speakers. To kick off the weekend they hosted a women4women program featuring inspirational speakers.WISTCA has graciously allowed us to share these speaker's topics on the Gill1918 Project. ENJOY!
Tyson is a 7-time Team USA member including the 2016 Paralympic Games. He's a 2-time Para World Championships Silver Medalist, and a Para Pan American Gold Medalist. Tyson and his wife, Kenzie, met at Idaho State and now serve as high school T&F coaches in Idaho. He is also the E-Commerce Manager for Black Label Supplements--Science-Backed Sports Nutrition. In this episode, Tyson shares insights on Para T&F and offers future support to those who may wish to get involved. If you've got a topic to share, contact David Mitchell to learn how. We'd love to have you join the fun!
Alan Wardsworth's story doesn't start on a pristine track facility—it starts in chaos.A childhood that spanned continents. A high school that literally burned to the ground. A kid who wasn't focused in the classroom… until sport gave him a reason to be.And then, almost by accident, he finds track and field.What follows is a journey shaped by curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to figure things out—from breaking school records in his first week, to learning events through instinct, to eventually becoming the kind of coach who impacts lives far beyond marks and medals.This one is a reminder of what makes this sport so powerful:➡️ It meets you where you are➡️ It gives you a reason to grow➡️ And if you let it… it can change everything
This past February, the great people of the Wisconsin Track Coaches Association held their annual Track/Field clinic with amazing speakers. To kick off the weekend they hosted a women4women program featuring inspirational speakers.WISTCA has graciously allowed us to share these speaker's topics on the Gill1918 Project. ENJOY!
This past February, the great people of the Wisconsin Track Coaches Association held their annual Track/Field clinic with amazing speakers. To kick off the weekend they hosted a women4women program featuring inspirational speakers.WISTCA has graciously allowed us to share these speaker's topics on the Gill1918 Project. ENJOY!
Coach Emeott's East Kentwood HS (MI) team will be competing for their 9th D1 state title this weekend to go with a national championship as well. To maximize the leadership potential of all team members, East Kentwood does not have team captains, but instead utilizes layered leadership. In his book, Beyond the Finish Line Emeott covers how a focus on transforming lives instead of outcomes has led to incredible results for his teams. NOTE: This episode was originally released in August, 2025.If you've got a topic to share, contact David Mitchell to find out how.
Last week on the show, we heard the journey of TJ Lawson at IMG Academy — so this week we had to get the other Lawson.In this episode, Bill Lawson, Head Track & Field Coach at IMG Academy, joins us for a wide-ranging conversation that starts in rural Illinois and stretches all the way to TrackTown USA, the NCAA, and now the inaugural Under Armour High School Championships.Along the way, Coach Lawson shares how the 1968 Olympics lit the spark, why multi-sport matters more than ever, how he and Coach “Bucky” helped build Northern Iowa into a national force, what it takes to keep the edge when you move from a “mid-major grind” to a brand-name program, and how he approached the tricky (and rewarding) line between being Dad and being Coach while TJ was being recruited.And yes… we talk about the barefoot Hayward Field kids races too.
Grateful to Rekortan for hosting a Coaches Speaker Session at the 2026 Penn Relays. Recorded on Friday during the Coaches Hospitality, Rekortan invited coaches and Rekortan teammates to share their running and coaching experiences to give value to the audience. Gill Athletics is grateful for Rekortan's trust to record these sessions to bring them to you in our Gill1918 Project podcast format. There are six speakers in all, you can find them on the Gill Connections podcast published on these dates:5/3 Greg Scholars -AP RANCH5/9 Bella Whitaker- ON5/10 MaryBeth Price -Rekortan5/16 Bill Lawson - IMG Academy5/17 Kevin Quadrozzi - ON5/23 Guy Thomas - Rekortan
Nationally known T&F announcer David Mitchell recalls some painful moments from his 20+ years as a high school coach that led to the creation of a systematic way to “Honor the Baton” and develop a team culture that prevents most relay issues before they ever get the chance to cause headaches for coaches! This episode replay from July, 2025 has a special addition to it discussing ways we might avoid controversies like the recent one regarding a disqualification in high school track that had a very significant impact on an entire team. If you've got a topic to share that will benefit youth T&F, contact David Mitchell here.
This week on The Gill Connections Podcast, Mike Cunningham is joined by TJ Lawson, Assistant Director of Track & Field at IMG Academy.TJ shares his journey from growing up around Hayward Field, competing as a near–8,000 point decathlete, and ultimately finding his calling in coaching and program leadership after injuries reshaped his athletic path.The episode pulls back the curtain on IMG Academy—what it is, what it isn't, and how culture, academics, and athlete-first thinking drive everything they do.⚙️ Episode highlights:
Grateful to Rekortan for hosting a Coaches Speaker Session at the 2026 Penn Relays. Recorded on Friday during the Coaches Hospitality, Rekortan invited coaches and Rekortan teammates to share their running and coaching experiences to give value to the audience. Gill Athletics is grateful for Rekortan's trust to record these sessions to bring them to you in our Gill1918 Project podcast format. There are six speakers in all, you can find them on the Gill Connections podcast published on these dates:5/3 Greg Scholars -AP RANCH5/9 Bella Whitaker- ON5/10 MaryBeth Price -Rekortan5/16 Bill Lawson - IMG Academy5/17 Kevin Quadrozzi - ON5/23 Guy Thomas - Rekortan
Grateful to Rekortan for hosting a Coaches Speaker Session at the 2026 Penn Relays. Recorded on Friday during the Coaches Hospitality, Rekortan invited coaches and Rekortan teammates to share their running and coaching experiences to give value to the audience. Gill Athletics is grateful for Rekortan's trust to record these sessions to bring them to you in our Gill1918 Project podcast format. There are six speakers in all, you can find them on the Gill Connections podcast published on these dates:5/3 Greg Scholars -AP RANCH5/9 Bella Whitaker- ON5/10 MaryBeth Price -Rekortan5/16 Bill Lawson - IMG Academy5/17 Kevin Quadrozzi - ON5/23 Guy Thomas - Rekortan
Lauren grew up participating in many sports along with her MLB veteran brother, Jason Bay, and went on to represent Canada in softball in 3 Olympic Games, but knew very little about track. Her perspectives changed dramatically when she became a Track & Field mom for the first-time and she's now a strong advocate encouraging families to get involved in the sport with a very affirming message for all.Lauren also leads Strong Mom--Online Health And Fitness Coaching For Moms With Careers. You can follow her and learn more on Instagram.
Kailey Johnson didn't grow up dreaming of being a coach.She grew up in it.From playing in the sand pits as a kid while her dad coached… to competing as a hurdler at Central Methodist… to now standing on the other side of the track as a coach — her journey is a full-circle story that hits different.What makes this episode even more special?Back in January of 2021, her head coach — Kenny Anderson — joined the Gill Connections podcast as Guest #85.At that time, Kailey was a freshman athlete on his team.Now… she's on the coaching staff.That evolution is what this podcast is all about.
Grateful to Rekortan for hosting a Coaches Speaker Session at the 2026 Penn Relays. Recorded on Friday during the Coaches Hospitality, Rekortan invited coaches and Rekortan teammates to share their running and coaching experiences to give value to the audience. Gill Athletics is grateful for Rekortan's trust to record these sessions to bring them to you in our Gill1918 Project podcast format. There are six speakers in all, you can find them on the Gill Connections podcast published on these dates:5/3 Greg Scholars -AP RANCH5/9 Bella Whitaker- ON5/10 MaryBeth Price -Rekortan5/16 Bill Lawson - IMG Academy5/17 Kevin Quadrozzi - ON5/23 Guy Thomas - Rekortan
Grateful to Rekortan for hosting a Coaches Speaker Session at the 2026 Penn Relays. Recorded on Friday during the Coaches Hospitality, Rekortan invited coaches and Rekortan teammates to share their running and coaching experiences to give value to the audience. Gill Athletics is grateful for Rekortan's trust to record these sessions to bring them to you in our Gill1918 Project podcast format. There are six speakers in all, you can find them on the Gill Connections podcast published on these dates:5/3 Greg Scholars -AP RANCH5/9 Bella Whitaker- ON5/10 MaryBeth Price -Rekortan5/16 Bill Lawson - IMG Academy5/17 Kevin Quadrozzi - ON5/23 Guy Thomas - Rekortan
Katie is a mental skills coach and licensed therapist for Elevated Performance following a 13-year career as a professional runner including winning a US Road Mile Championship and being a World Indoor Championships 3000m finalist. As a competitor at all levels, Katie had to learn to overcome pre-race nerves and anxiety. She shares proven techniques and strategies to help athletes begin to do the same in the episode and in this awesome FREE resource!
There's something powerful about a coach who knew early.Steven Sanchez didn't just stumble into coaching—he was already studying it, researching it, and chasing it while still in high school in the Bronx. From a massive New York City high school campus to a small college in the South, his journey is anything but typical—and that's exactly what makes it valuable.This episode is about perspective. About hearing hard truths. About choosing a path before the path fully reveals itself.Steven shares how a pivotal conversation with a mentor reshaped his trajectory, why he was studying coaching bios as a teenager, and how his willingness to bet on himself took him far from home in pursuit of growth.
Grateful to Rekortan for hosting a Coaches Speaker Session at the 2026 Penn Relays. Recorded on Friday during the Coaches Hospitality, Rekortan invited coaches and Rekortan teammates to share their running and coaching experiences to give value to the audience. Gill Athletics is grateful for Rekortan's trust to record these sessions to bring them to you in our Gill1918 Project podcast format. There are six speakers in all, you can find them on the Gill Connections podcast published on these dates:5/3 Greg Scholars -AP RANCH5/9 Bella Whitaker- ON5/10 MaryBeth Price -Rekortan5/16 Bill Lawson - IMG Academy5/17 Kevin Quadrozzi - ON5/23 Guy Thomas - Rekortan
We love to being you other podcasts doing providing amazing value to the track and field coaching community. Today we feature the gang from Beyond the Blocks podcast. Go check them out on YouTube, Spotify and Apple. Also, don't forget the 'Gram. Check them out next Monday May 4th as they feature the host of THIS podcast; Mike Cunningham.In Episode 5 of the Beyond The Blocks Podcast, we sit down with James Daniels, Head of Sprints & Hurdles – High Performance for the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF) and the NIKE ELITE program.James shares valuable insights into the development of elite sprinters and hurdlers and pulls back the curtain on how high-level athletes are built over time.In this episode we discuss:• How elite athletes structure training cycles throughout the year.• Common mistakes coaches, parents, and athletes make in the development process.• Why some youth prep phenoms struggle to keep improving in college.• What separates athletes who continue progressing from those who plateau.• The selection process and philosophy behind the Nike Elite program.Whether you're a coach, athlete, or parent, this conversation provides practical insight into long-term athlete development and what it truly takes to succeed at the highest levels of track & field.
Recovery is an often overlooked and sometimes misunderstood aspect of high performance. Coach Gail Williams (Danbury HS in CT) and her son, Shaun (former NCAA D1 athlete) bring this important topic to light in a very practical way. Gail has deeply researched effective recovery. What she learned, and what Shaun helped her apply, led to the development of PerformaFlex MR, a scientifically formulated muscle rub that promotes recovery and performance.
In this episode of the Gill Connections Podcast, Mike Cunningham sits down with Rob Jarvis, Men's Assistant Coach at the University of Arkansas, for a deeply honest conversation about the real coaching journey.Rob's path was anything but conventional—walking away from college football after injuries, rebuilding his athletic and professional identity, surviving a life‑altering car accident, and spending years as a volunteer behind the scenes before arriving at one of the most successful programs in NCAA track & field history.Together, Mike and Rob discuss:
Jamar is the head coach of Elite Speed Track Club and an IG Creator in Columbia, SC. He successfully coaches youth athletes through collegians and is the meet director of the Carolina Challenge where the Elite Speed parents do a great job making it a positive experience for the athletes. Jamar shares his strategies for working with club parents for everyone's benefit. If you've got a topic to share, contact David Mitchell.NOTE: This episode was originally released in July, 2025.
Tamario Lattin didn't grow up dreaming of being a track athlete… let alone a coach.In fact, he almost quit the sport before it even started.But one decision in high school changed everything—taking him from a late-start high jumper… to a back-to-back Louisiana state champion… to now shaping athletes at Grambling State.This one is real. It's about growth, maturity, and figuring it out the hard way.
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.
In 2003 the Etheredges founded Golden Elite T&F Club in FL with US Army veteran Mike as Head Coach and his wife Cheryl serving as Board President and Co-Leader. Since then, they have directly impacted the lives of over 2,500 youth by using T&F as the platform to promote academics, character development, and a drug-free lifestyle. Mike and Cheryl team up here to share from their experience to inspire coaches and parents learn how to mentor and lead youth beyond athletics into lifetime success. We'd love to hear from you, too! Contact David Mitchell if you've got something you'd like to present or a topic you'd like to hear.
Some coaching journeys start with a plan.Mason Rebarchek's started with a middle school PE teacher… and a simple instruction:“Run faster than you can.”From that moment, a hurdler—and eventually a coach—was formed.In this episode, Mason shares how early influences, unexpected decisions (including nearly joining the military), and a deep love for training shaped his path to becoming the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country at Winona State.What stands out most?He wasn't a “student of the sport” early on.He just showed up, trusted his coaches, and fell in love with the process.That foundation still drives how he leads today.
The crew at the University of South Florida put on an excellent clinic in Tampa, Fla this past fall of 2025. Speakers included Sammy Dabbs, Erik Jenkins, Vince Anderson, Chris Korfist, and Dwight Phillips.Today we share part 2 of Vince Anderson's talk on acceleration training. Enjoy!Don't forget to join us over on YouTube for the video version of Monday's Gill Connections Podcast as well as Twitch.TV for 24/7 track/field Gill Connections Podcast interviews.
The crew at the University of South Florida put on an excellent clinic in Tampa, Fla this past fall of 2025. Speakers included Sammy Dabbs, Erik Jenkins, Vince Anderson, Chris Korfist, and Dwight Phillips.Today we share part 1 of Vince Anderson's talk on acceleration training. Enjoy!Don't forget to join us over on YouTube for the video version of Monday's Gill Connections Podcast as well as Twitch.TV for 24/7 track/field Gill Connections Podcast interviews.
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