🎙️ From Wrestling Mats to Track Dominance: The Journey of Coach Antonio Wells

This week on the Gill Connections podcast, we're heading to North Carolina to meet a man who brings grit, grace, and grounded leadership to the world of track and field: Antonio Wells, head coach at Winston-Salem State University. From his early days wrestling in rural Georgia to leading a rising DII program, Antonio's journey is filled with determination, humility, and passion for the student-athlete experience.

In this powerful episode, you'll hear:

🤼 How wrestling shaped his toughness and mental approach

🧬 Why a biology degree and dreams of pediatrics led him to coaching

💼 Lessons learned from Bass Pro Shops to NCAA Division I sidelines

🎓 The impact of HBCUs on his personal and professional growth

🤝 The power of mentors like Tyree Price and Coach O'Kelly

💪 What it takes to lead a program through adversity and rebuild with vision

🧠 Why being a student of the sport matters more than ever

🗣️ How he's building a culture of belief and stability at WSSU

📢 🎧 Commercial Break – The Gill1918 Project

Don't miss our educational podcast series: The Gill1918 Project. It’s the TED Talks of track & field coaching — short, insightful episodes by coaches, for coaches. Perfect for your ride home or pre-meet inspiration!

💬 "Being a head coach isn’t just about the workouts — it’s about creating stability and showing athletes they matter." – Antonio Wells

Whether you're an aspiring coach, a fan of track and field, or simply someone who loves a great comeback story, this episode is for you.

👟 Tune in now to be inspired by Coach Wells’ resilience, honesty, and vision for the future of WSSU Track & Field.

🌟 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

We like to introduce our listeners to other track/field podcasts that might interest them and bring you value. Today we feature the Science on Track podcast from Evan Nelson. Show notes are below.

Go find Science on Track podcast on your favorite podcast app and give them a follow/subscribe and leave them a review. ENJOY!

🎙️ Podcast: Science on Track – Week-to-Week Changes in Running Volume

Host: Evan O. Nelson - Associate Professor, Physical Therapist and Director of the Velocity Project

Guests:

• Dr. Mikel Joachim – Research Program Manager, University of Wisconsin

• Coach Jane Wheeler – Head Girls Cross Country Coach, Pleasant Valley High School, Bettendorf, Iowa

https://velocityproject.fammed.wisc.edu

🧪 Study Overview

The episode centers on a research study titled:“Week-to-week changes in training were not prospectively associated with injuries among Wisconsin High School cross-country runners” (published in Injury Prevention, 2024).

https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/early/2024/07/31/ip-2024-045233

🔍 Study Purpose

To investigate whether week-to-week changes in training volume (distance, duration, intensity) are associated with injury risk in high school cross-country runners.

📊 Key Findings

• No significant association was found between week-to-week changes in training volume and injury risk.

• Most runners in the study averaged 20–30 miles per week, with few exceeding 50 miles.

• Preseason training had a strong protective effect:

• • Every additional 5K (~3 miles) run per week in the preseason reduced injury risk by 17%.

• Coaches’ day-to-day training modifications likely play a major role in injury prevention, even if not captured in weekly data.

🧠 Insights from the Guests

🧑‍🔬 Dr. Mikel Joachim:

• Null results suggest that current coaching practices in Wisconsin high school programs are effective in managing injury risk.

• The study relied on daily text surveys during COVID, with athletes self-reporting training and injuries.

• Emphasized the importance of holistic athlete monitoring, including stress, sleep, and other sports participation.

🏃‍♀️ Coach Jane Wheeler:

• Reinforced the importance of individualized coaching and preseason preparation.

• Noted that injury risk is multifactorial, often influenced by training history, biomechanics, and external stressors.

• Advocated for flexibility in coaching and communication with athletes to adapt training in real time.

🧩 Practical Takeaways for Coaches

• Preseason training matters: Encourage consistent summer/winter running to reduce injury risk.

• Small weekly increases (up to 30%) in training volume appear safe.

• The 10% rule is not strongly supported by evidence—coaches can be more flexible.

• Monitor athletes holistically: Consider stress, sleep, and other commitments.

• Build strong coach-athlete relationships to better detect and respond to early signs of injury.

#velocityproject #highschoolcrosscountry #highschooltrack #highschooltrackandfield #trackcoaches #crosscountrycoaches #injuryprevention #runninginjury

Hungria Hip Hop - Meu Carona (Wilde Beats Remix) By Dj Wilde Beats is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Tanya is Founder & CEO of Sportspreneurs-A Division of Activate International and a Coach O Ambassador. She is our presenter for this, the first episode in the Youth and Beginner Series Powered by Coach O.

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 about how you can get involved and/or to give feedback about this exciting new series within the Gill1918 Project.

🎙️ From Hurdles to Healing: The Resilient Journey of Lewis Edmonson

In this inspiring episode of the Gill Connections Podcast, we sit down with Lewis Edmonson, head track coach at Hearne High School (TX). From growing up racing his dad in the street to winning conference titles at Prairie View A&M, Lewis shares his deeply personal and powerful journey—one filled with competitive fire, coaching passion, and life-altering experiences.

🔥 In this episode, we explore:

🧠 How a coach’s role extends far beyond the track

🏃‍♂️ Summer track beginnings and a competitive bond with his father

💔 The horrific van crash that left him with a broken neck—and how football unknowingly saved him

🥇 Going undefeated in hurdles and redefining what it means to be a champion

🧱 The importance of fundamentals in coaching, regardless of talent level

🤝 The challenges and rewards of coaching multi-sport athletes in small-town Texas

💬 Why Lewis believes relationships matter more than championships

👟 Getting kids to try track through connection, not punishment

💬 “You can correct the role, but you have to praise the individual.”

— Lewis Edmonson

If you’re a coach, athlete, or just someone who believes in the power of people-first leadership, this episode will move you.

🌟 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! 🎧👍

Adam joins us to talk about the Psychology of Coaching by Thomas Tutko and Jack Richards. Hear how this book has helped him grow as a coach and a person.

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 love to spread the love here at the Gill Connections podcast, therefore today we present to you the URAVGCOACH podcast featuring Anthony Woods. Coach Woods is on a mission to become the best high school sprint coach in Illinois. In an effort to accomplish this lofty goal he's started an interview podcast featuring other coaches that he (and you!) can learn from. His first episode featured his rival Tony Holler and his second episode presented here featured our National Business Development Manager Mike Cunningham. Mike is the host of the Gill Connections podcast and features prominently on Twitter at x.com/MikeCunningham.

Go follow/subscribe to the URAVGCOACH podcast and leave them a review!

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