Beyond the Blocks: Track and Field Podcast

We’re excited to welcome Coach Marissa Chew to Beyond the Blocks!Coach Chew is an accomplished collegiate track and field coach currently serving as an assistant coach at TCU, where she specializes in combined events, vertical jumps, and recruiting. Her coaching journey includes stops at IUPUI, Wabash College, and San Francisco State University, with athletes achieving school records, All-American honors, and success at the conference and national levels.With advanced USATF coaching certifications, extensive experience across multiple event groups, and a passion for coaching education, Coach Chew brings a wealth of knowledge to the sport. She has also made a significant impact on the coaching community through her work with Coaches Collab, helping coaches connect, share ideas, and learn from one another. Can parent involvement hurt your college recruiting chances? Learn how to avoid red flags that cost athletes scholarships.In episode 32 of Beyond the Blocks, we sit down with Marissa Chew to discuss the fine line between supporting your child and becoming an obstacle in the eyes of coaches. We break down why college recruiting programs prioritize independent athletes and how parents inadvertently signal that they, not the student, are the ones managing the process. When a parent is more active than the athlete, it creates a red flag that can derail a scholarship offer. Coaches are looking for maturity and self-advocacy, as the athlete is the one who will actually stay with the program long-term. This conversation is essential for families navigating the recruiting process who want to ensure they are helping, not hindering, their child's athletic future. Whether you're a coach looking to sharpen your craft, an athlete striving to improve, or simply passionate about the sport, this is an episode you won't want to miss!🔥 Beyond the Blocks — Real Coaches. Real Experience. Real Conversations.Subscribe for weekly college track breakdowns, and let us know in the comments what stage of the recruiting process you are currently in.#BeyondTheBlocks #MarissaChew #TrackAndField #TrackCoaching #CoachesCollab #TCUTrackAndField #TrackAndFieldCoaching

In episode 31 of Beyond the Blocks we are joined by Bobby Carter, Head Track and Field/Cross Country Coach at Tarleton State University. Coach Carter talks to us about how he shaped team and culture into his vision of what could be successful at Tarleton State. We discuss how he turned them into a powerhouse as a mid-major that continually gets athletes to national championship meet and how he and his coaching staff evaluates and develops talent.

In episode 30 of Beyond the Blocks we are joined by Michael Ford, Director of Men's and Women's Track & Field at Baylor University. An alumnus and former standout student-athlete for the school, Ford has spent over two decades coaching within the legendary Baylor Track & Field program. Throughout his tenure, Ford has mentored top-tier athletic talent, including Olympic gold medalists Jeremy Wariner and Darold Williamson, two-time NCAA champion Trayvon Bromell, and 17-time All-American Tiffany Townsend. Ford has built a prominent reputation on the global stage. Most notably, he was appointed by USA Track & Field as the Men's Sprints and Hurdles Coach for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

In this installment, we sit down with one of the most successful figures in collegiate track and field to discuss his approach to training and athlete development. Karl Goodman shares his insights on what it takes to lead a top-tier program to back-to-back success, offering a rare look behind the scenes at the strategies that keep USC track and field at the top of the podium.Whether you are an aspiring athlete, a fellow coach, or simply a fan of the sport, this conversation provides a practical look at high-performance sprinting. We break down the philosophy that has defined his tenure and the specific standards required to compete at the highest level.Subscribe for bi-weekly track and field podcast episodes featuring the biggest names in the sport, and let us know in the comments which athlete or coach you want to hear from next.Coach Goodman on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/klgrun/USC on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usc_track_field/USC Track & Field:https://usctrojans.com/sports/track-and-field

In episode 28 of Beyond the Blocks Podcsast, we are joined by Dr. Amber Murphy, President and Chief Executive Officer of CompuSport, a sports biomechanics company founded by her father, Dr. Ralph Mann, an Olympic silver medalist and pioneer in sports performance research. With more than 20 years of experience in sports biomechanics and exercise science, Dr. Murphy is a respected expert who has worked extensively with collegiate athletes, elite sprinters, and professional sports organizations to improve movement mechanics, optimize performance, and reduce injury risk. Her expertise and research have contributed to the application of biomechanical principles across track and field and other sports.Dr. Murphy’s academic and professional journey reflects exceptional persistence and dedication to lifelong learning. She earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics and science after becoming a mother of three, followed by a master’s degree in education and a Ph.D. in Exercise Science from Concordia University Chicago. She has also pursued professional certifications and affiliations within the fields of strength and conditioning, exercise science, and biomechanics. Her research has examined sprint performance, kinematic measures, sprint mechanics, and injury prevention, including published work on elite American 100-meter sprinters.Beyond her executive leadership and research, Dr. Murphy is committed to making sports science accessible and practical for coaches and athletes. She is the author of The Science of Speed, a resource focused on sprint mechanics, injury prevention, and talent identification, designed to translate complex biomechanics research into actionable knowledge. She also contributes to the athletic community through her work with USATF, collegiate programs, and coaches and athletes at multiple levels. Dr. Murphy attributes her success to persistence, self-belief, and the determination to pursue her goals regardless of obstacles or timing, principles that continue to guide her leadership and impact in sports biomechanics.CompuSport LLC:https://compusport.orgDr. Amber Murphy on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ambermurphy847/