The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast

Maddie is an internationally recognized sports dietitian on a mission to get science-backed nutrition information into the hands of coaches, parents, and athletes. She was a D1 runner who went on to be a USATF Indoor finalist at 3k and is the founder of Maddie Riley Nutrition. Maddie shares insights along with practical strategies to prevent and overcome common tummy troubles for athletes of all ages.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 real-estate rehabs to record-setting relays, Cjay Brown has taken an unconventional road to the oval—and now he’s launching the brand-new Gene Tomas High School (TX) program. We dig into how a coach who never ran track became a sprint specialist, won titles in Houston private schools, built a summer club that broke national records, and is now crafting culture from day one.In this episode:🐊 Launching a new Texas high school: staffing, standards, and day-one culture🏃‍♂️ From “gut checks” to science: Cjay’s evolution into a sprint coach🏆 Private-school run: Kinkaid/Houston Christian breakthroughs, records & recruits☀️ Summer club lessons: building the Dave Bethany Elite TC & 13–14 boys national records🤝 Club vs. high school: communication, buy-in, and building bridges for kids🏋️ Strength first: general prep, acceleration, and why consistency beats intensity🎒 Grades before splits: 85+ GPA standard and “character adjustments”📅 Year-one expectations at Gene Tomas HS—and a three-year vision for state relevanceQuote:“When passion and purpose line up, you can be really good at whatever you set your mind to.” — Cjay Brown 🌟 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! 🎧👍

Back in August Randy Anderson of the Illinois Top Times Speed Lab hosted a one day track clinic featuring the great Boo Schexnayder and Vince Anderson. Coaches were treated to six amazing talks (and a free dinner!) and walked away more prepared for the 2026 season! For the month of October and September in 2025, we’ll be publishing each presentation in a two-part format. Every Wednesday and Thursday you’ll hear one of five talks from Boo and Vince: Week 1-Teaching the Long Jump, Week 2-Training the Hurdlers, Week 3-Plyometric training, Week 4-400m training, Week 5-Relays and Week 6-Hamstrings!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

Chanelle was the first USA woman to ever win the World Championships 800m gold medal. She went on to add three World Relays 4x800m Championship titles and set two relay world records. She now serves as a mental health specialist with Onrise. Chanelle shares wisdom about racing the indoor 800m plus a valuable tidbit about the end of every practice session that you won't want to miss! If you'd like to contribute an episode, we'd love to hear from you! Contact David Mitchell at clientrelations@coacho.com to learn more.

From Olive Branch to Mississippi State, from the decathlon to photography, and from volunteering to his first official role at Montevallo—Coach Jaquarius Wilson’s journey has been anything but linear. In this episode, he opens up about how faith, family, and mentors like JJ Downs (Gill podcast alum!) and Steve Thomas shaped his path into coaching and beyond.✨ What you’ll hear in this episode:📸 How photography and personal training unexpectedly opened doors into coaching🏃‍♂️ Lessons from being a 7,000+ point decathlete and how they shaped his coaching philosophy🎓 The impact of mentors and why informal learning can be just as powerful as formal education💡 The role of mindset and culture in changing a team’s trajectory🏆 Why coaching is about more than workouts—it’s about relationships and impact💬 “All I ask is your best effort. If you can honestly say you gave your all, then as your coach, I’m good. Because what more can I ask for?” – Jaquarius Wilson🌟 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! 🎧👍

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 Ashley Botham of Wake Forest University giving us an intro into her December topic "From Silence to Support: A Coach's Guide to Eating Disorders."Sign up here: https://production.glazierdrive.com/online/schedule/1090

Back in August Randy Anderson of the Illinois Top Times Speed Lab hosted a one day track clinic featuring the great Boo Schexnayder and Vince Anderson. Coaches were treated to six amazing talks (and a free dinner!) and walked away more prepared for the 2026 season! For the month of October and September in 2025, we’ll be publishing each presentation in a two-part format. Every Wednesday and Thursday you’ll hear one of five talks from Boo and Vince: Week 1-Teaching the Long Jump, Week 2-Training the Hurdlers, Week 3-Plyometric training, Week 4-400m training, Week 5-Relays and Week 6-Hamstrings!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

Back in August Randy Anderson of the Illinois Top Times Speed Lab hosted a one day track clinic featuring the great Boo Schexnayder and Vince Anderson. Coaches were treated to six amazing talks (and a free dinner!) and walked away more prepared for the 2026 season! For the month of October and September in 2025, we’ll be publishing each presentation in a two-part format. Every Wednesday and Thursday you’ll hear one of five talks from Boo and Vince: Week 1-Teaching the Long Jump, Week 2-Training the Hurdlers, Week 3-Plyometric training, Week 4-400m training, Week 5-Relays and Week 6-Hamstrings!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

Shannon is the Founder & CEO of MyBya.com and the MyBya App, the author of The Lactate Revolution, and a 4-time World Championships Triathlon top-10 finisher. This is the second in Shannon's series on using lactate data to improve training and performance. If you've ever wondered if an athlete's struggle to improve may be mental or may be physical, you'll want to tune in!If you’d like to contribute an episode to the series, email David Mitchell at clientrelations@coacho.com.

Jason Davis, assistant coach at Earlham College, shares his unique journey from undersized football linebacker to college cross country and track coach. His story is filled with unexpected turns, valuable lessons, and the influence of mentors who shaped his coaching career.In this episode:🏈 Why Jason joined cross country to spite his football coach🏃 How a small Ohio conference opened doors to collegiate running📚 The role of mentors like Ron Combs and Jud Logan in shaping his coaching philosophy🎯 Lessons in communication, humility, and adaptation across multiple coaching stops🌍 Building relationships and fostering diversity at Earlham CollegeQuote from Jason Davis:"Coaching is about relationships. At the end of the day, it’s not just about times or marks—it’s about the impact you have on people’s lives." 🌟 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! 🎧👍

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 "Coaching the Dual Event Group Athlete. How to Coach Jumpers/Hurdlers or Sprints/Hurdles."Sign up here: https://production.glazierdrive.com/online/schedule/1090

From cross country-only to a full track & field powerhouse, Coach Mike Rosolino has spent two decades+ growing Embry-Riddle’s program with vision, patience, and a whole lot of heart. In this conversation, we trace the evolution: early proposals, a 100-athlete open tryout, staffing stability, the NAIA ➜ NCAA DII transition, competing in two outdoor conferences, and what it’s like to coach your own children.In this episode you’ll hear:🧭 Starting from scratch: building the blueprint (roster size, budget, equipment, staffing) and leaning on mentors🏃‍♀️ Year 1 without a track: training on grass, borrowing facilities, and still attracting sprinters👥 Staff that sticks: how continuity (20+ years!) multiplied culture and results🏗️ Admin realities: adding 50–100 athletes affects everything—training room, tutors, housing, classes🎓 NAIA ➜ NCAA DII: learning a new rulebook, two postseason “gap years,” and keeping athletes engaged🏟️ Two conferences, one team: the rare setup of outdoor “track-only” and full “track & field” championships👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Dad & Coach: coaching his son (distance) and daughter (pole vault)—boundaries, fairness, and family🔧 Evolving as a coach: from running with the team to mastering multis and technical event coaching🚀 What’s next: breaking through nationally in DII while keeping ERAU’s student-person-player ethosQuote:“There’s something about this place that just brings people back.” — Mike Rosolino🌟 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! 🎧👍

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."Sign up here: https://production.glazierdrive.com/online/schedule/1090

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.