The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast

From Friday-night lights to track-side hurdles, Jhad Jones’ coaching journey is anything but typical.In this episode, he opens up about the long road from a football dream to building Buffalo’s next sprint and hurdle stars 🦬Highlights:🏈 Thought track only existed at the Olympics…until he found it himself💥 A “petty bet” sparked his passion for coaching🏃‍♂️ Hustled with two coaching jobs at once (Moorpark & Cal Lutheran)📚 Returned to finish his degree mid-career while coaching🌎 Took a leap from SoCal to Southern Arkansas before landing in Buffalo💬 Shares the hard truths about recruiting in the MAC and building culture“You’ll probably mess up more athletes than you help early on — but you don’t know that until later. Growth takes trial and error.” — Jhad Jones🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into 300+ 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 YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.🎙️ 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 mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

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.📩 Want to contribute an episode? Submit your 10-30 minute coaching talk to mcunningham@gillathletics.com or read ⁠⁠THIS LINKEDIN ARTICLE⁠⁠ for information on how to get started. All coaches are invited to participate!🎙️ Don’t forget to subscribe and follow Gill Athletics for more expert coaching insights!#TrackAndField #CoachingEducation #Gill1918 #ByCoachesForCoaches #TrackCoach #TedTalksOfTrackFieldPodcast

Gill is partnering with Glazier clinics for a FREE track and field clinic in December. To help you understand what value this clinic will provide you, we will have clinicians give introductions to themselves and their topics for December. Today we have Josiah Norville of Western Michigan giving us an intro into his December topic "Simple Triple Jump Breakdowns to Improve Each Phase of the Jump."Enjoy and look for the sign up for this FREE amazing clinic from Glazier Clinics soon!

Katie Follett is a National Champion in the USATF Road Mile and a World Indoor Finalist at 3000m. She competed as a pro for 13 years. Now she's giving back to the sport in many ways including serving as a Mental Skills Coach and more. Katie provided this free resource for you to use and share: Purpose Driven Mindset. This is part three of a series on mental resilience that Katie will present here.Got something you'd like to share? Contact David Mitchell at clientrelations@coacho.com to learn how to join the fun.

Coach Emeott's East Kentwood HS teams have won 8 State Titles and a National Team Championship. At EK they've built one of the biggest T&F programs in the country. Learn how they recruit within their district and why those methods matter to both the team and to each athlete.If you’d like to contribute an episode, email David Mitchell at clientrelations@coacho.com.

From a street race with his sister in Brooklyn to leading Eastern Washington’s program in the Big Sky, Erin “Tuck” Tucker’s journey is full of grit, lessons, and growth. In this conversation, Tuck pulls back the curtain on coaching under Mouse, learning the hard way at Illinois, building something special at Kentucky, returning to Florida, and finding his home at EWU.🏙️ Brooklyn circle-block race → first taste of sprinting🐊 Florida years: Ralph, Mouse, behavior-mod moments, and a 46-split epiphany🎯 Retiring on his own terms → stepping into coaching at Illinois🧰 First lessons: “more is better,” breaking school records, recruiting hurdlers, and mistakes that became teaching points🏟️ Kentucky: from five walk-ons to SEC-level success, coaching women, and balancing swagger with growth🤝 Mentorship & humility: evolving with Mouse, learning from Weber, and leaning into staff dynamics🦁 Penn State years: becoming the glue, associate head coach experience, and preparing for the top chair🦅 Eastern Washington: culture-building, scholarships, and a vision for Big Sky greatness🔊 Signature “MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE!”—where it came from and why it stuck👨‍👩‍👧 Fatherhood, leadership maturity, and coaching with empathy“Having a son changed me. If I wouldn’t curse around my own kids, why would I curse around someone else’s?” — Erin Tucker🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into 300+ 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 YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.🎙️ 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 mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

Along with being a 3-time Olympian, Angela is a 2-time World Indoor Champion at 60m. After her stellar sprinting career, she became an internationally respected coach from pros all the way down to youth. You can see a chart of the improvement of Angela's athletes HERE.If you’d like to contribute an episode, contact David Mitchell at clientrelations@coacho.com to learn more about how you can get involved.

From the basketball courts of Oakland to the sprint lanes of Eugene, Curtis Taylor’s coaching journey is as inspiring as it is impactful. In this episode, Curtis shares how being cut from varsity basketball led him to track and eventually to a career shaping some of the nation’s fastest athletes at the University of Oregon.We dive deep into:🏀 Growing up in Oakland’s basketball culture before discovering track🎓 Lessons from UC Davis, kinesiology, and the science of coaching🏆 Building East Oakland track programs with community support👟 Mentorship from the legendary Tony Wells🎯 Goal-setting and athlete accountability at Oregon🌍 Busting myths about recruiting and development in Power Four programs💬 “You’ve got to figure out the WHY of everything you’re doing. If you can’t explain the why, you probably shouldn’t be doing it.” – Curtis Taylor🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into 300+ 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 YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.🎙️ 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 mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

We're excited to partner with Glazier Clinics for a FREE Track and Field Clinic in December of 2025. This online coaching education opportunity will bring some of the greatest coaches around the country and include all track/field disciplines. To whet your appetite, here is a former Glazier Clinic Presentation by David Neville. Look out for the sign up for December's clinic in the near future.***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.📩 Want to contribute an episode? Submit your 10-30 minute coaching talk to mcunningham@gillathletics.com or read ⁠⁠⁠THIS LINKEDIN ARTICLE⁠⁠⁠ for information on how to get started. All coaches are invited to participate!🎙️ Don’t forget to subscribe and follow Gill Athletics for more expert coaching insights!#TrackAndField #CoachingEducation #Gill1918 #ByCoachesForCoaches #TrackCoach #TedTalksOfTrackFieldPodcast

We're excited to partner with Glazier Clinics for a FREE Track and Field Clinic in December of 2025. This online coaching education opportunity will bring some of the greatest coaches around the country and include all track/field disciplines. To whet your appetite, here is a former Glazier Clinic Presentation by David Neville. Look out for the sign up for December's clinic in the near future.***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.📩 Want to contribute an episode? Submit your 10-30 minute coaching talk to mcunningham@gillathletics.com or read ⁠⁠THIS LINKEDIN ARTICLE⁠⁠ for information on how to get started. All coaches are invited to participate!🎙️ Don’t forget to subscribe and follow Gill Athletics for more expert coaching insights!#TrackAndField #CoachingEducation #Gill1918 #ByCoachesForCoaches #TrackCoach #TedTalksOfTrackFieldPodcast

DeeDee is not only a 3-time Olympian, she's also an Executive Pastry Chef, a global motivational speaker, and she's the author of the inspirational new book I Can. I Must. I Will!. DeeDee is truly an expert on goal-setting and goal-getting! If you’d like to contribute an episode, contact David Mitchell at clientrelations@coacho.com to learn more.

From dirt tracks in Georgia to leading one of the nation’s powerhouse high school programs, Jason Cage’s journey is a story of resilience, faith, and servant leadership. As head coach at Westlake High School, he’s built more than a track program—he’s built a culture that attracts 200+ athletes every season, state championships, and even Gatorade Athletes of the Year.In this episode, Coach Cage opens up about:🏃 His late start in track & field and the coach who changed his life🌍 Lessons learned from running with international teammates in junior college📚 The power of coaching education and why he hosts clinics for fellow coaches & parents🏆 How Westlake built a culture of pride, discipline, and community💡 Balancing family, teaching, and leading one of the largest HS programs in the country“Track saved my life. The discipline, the relationships, the lessons—it all shaped who I am today.” – Jason Cage🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into 300+ 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 YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.🎙️ 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 mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

What happens when a football-obsessed strength coach turns into one of the most respected high school sprint coaches in America? Chris Korfist’s journey from law school aspirations to redefining sprint development at Homewood-Flossmoor High School is one of reinvention, humility, and relentless curiosity.In this episode, you’ll hear:🧠 How one bad year on the track sparked a decades-long quest for better coaching📼 Learning before the internet: VHS tapes, letters, and snowstorms🏈 Transitioning from a football identity to a track & field innovator🌀 Building a training palette instead of following cookie-cutter programs💥 The neurological approach behind RPR (Reflexive Performance Reset)🧘 Why every HF sprinter begins practice with 5 minutes of belly breathing🧪 Training sprinters with science, soul, and skepticism of "the noise"🛠️ How a high school social studies teacher became a trusted NFL consultant"We lose the art of coaching when we just become exercise instructors." — Chris Korfist💡 Worth every second of your time and attention, this episode shows the power of self-reflection, mentorship, and doing things your own way.🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into 300+ 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 YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.🎙️ 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 mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

Tiara is the founder of Real Talk With Tee found all across social media. Her interviews have been praised by T&F athletes and fans alike for the way she allows the human side of the stars to shine through. Be sure to follow Tee for The Content House coming to you from the Tokyo World Championships! If you’d like to contribute an episode, contact David Mitchell at clientrelations@coacho.com to learn more.

From the rooftops of Udine, Italy, to the R&D department at Gill Athletics, Matteo Madrassi’s journey is anything but ordinary. Raised with a love for climbing, parkour, and BMX, Matteo discovered pole vault at 14 and quickly soared to world junior competition. His path led him through NAIA and NCAA championships, engineering degrees, and an MBA — all while chasing Olympic dreams.💡 In this episode:🏙 Growing up in Italy and avoiding soccer to forge his own path🪂 How a PE teacher spotted his talent for pole vaulting🎓 Transitioning from Italian high school to U.S. college athletics🏆 PRs, injuries, and the mindset to keep going🛠 Inside his summer internship with Gill Athletics R&D“I might not leave my mark in the sport as an athlete, but maybe I will as an engineer.” – Matteo Madrassi🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into 300+ 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 YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.🎙️ Create Your Own Podcast Episode: Reach out to Mike Cunningham for instruction on how to create your very own Gill1918 Project episode, which airs every Tuesday through Sunday. 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 mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

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.📩 Want to contribute an episode? Submit your 10-30 minute coaching talk to mcunningham@gillathletics.com or read ⁠⁠THIS LINKEDIN ARTICLE⁠⁠ for information on how to get started. All coaches are invited to participate!🎙️ Don’t forget to subscribe and follow Gill Athletics for more expert coaching insights!#TrackAndField #CoachingEducation #Gill1918 #ByCoachesForCoaches #TrackCoach #TedTalksOfTrackFieldPodcast

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.📩 Want to contribute an episode? Submit your 10-30 minute coaching talk to mcunningham@gillathletics.com or read ⁠⁠THIS LINKEDIN ARTICLE⁠⁠ for information on how to get started. All coaches are invited to participate!🎙️ Don’t forget to subscribe and follow Gill Athletics for more expert coaching insights!#TrackAndField #CoachingEducation #Gill1918 #ByCoachesForCoaches #TrackCoach #TedTalksOfTrackFieldPodcast

Jamie is a two-time US Olympian in the high jump and a former D1 coach. He's also an accomplished actor and filmmaker. You're invited to register for Jamie's upcoming HJ Virtual Clinic that takes place on 9/21/25. If you’d like to contribute an episode, we’d love to hear from you! Email David Mitchell at clientrelations@coacho.com to learn about how to join the team.

From competing at Bucknell to leading both men’s and women’s programs at Missouri Southern State University, Brian Shiding’s career has been defined by growth, opportunity, and memorable performances on the national stage. This episode follows his journey from athlete to head coach, highlighting the pivotal stops and the athletes who made the moments unforgettable.In This Episode:🎓 Competing at Bucknell and developing a passion for coaching🏃‍♂️ Graduate assistant lessons at La Salle University🚀 Making the leap to Missouri-Rolla and building a competitive program🏆 Earning the head coach title for the MSSU men’s team👩‍🏫 Taking over both programs after the women’s head coach retired🌟 Nationals memories that shaped his approach to coaching💡 How standout athlete performances fueled program growthQuote from Coach Shiding:“Each program, each athlete, and each championship moment has prepared me for the next challenge.”🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into 300+ 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 YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.🎙️ Create Your Own Podcast Episode: Reach out to Mike Cunningham for instruction on how to create your very own Gill1918 Project episode, which airs every Tuesday through Sunday. 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 mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

Katie Follett is a National Champion in the USATF Road Mile and a World Championships finalist at 3000m. She competed as a pro for 13 years. Now she's giving back to the sport in many ways including serving as a Mental Skills Coach to teams and individuals, speaking at clinics, and hosting camps. Katie provided this free, fun resource for you to use and share entitled How to Silence Self-Talk. This is part two of a series on mental resilience that Katie will present here over the coming months.If you’d like to contribute an episode, we’d love to hear from you! Please contact David Mitchell at clientrelations@coacho.com to learn more.