Finding Your Why: The Journey from College to High School Coaching 🏃‍♂️🏫

In this episode of the Gill Athletics Connections Podcast, we dive deep into the career transitions of former collegiate track and field coaches who have made the move to the high school level. 🏃‍♂️🏫 Our panel features Corey Mistretta and Sean Brady of Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, and Bryan Fetzer, former athletic director of Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, each with an impressive college coaching background (Mississippi State, Southeastern Louisiana, Texas A&M, and more). Together, they bust the myth that college coaching is the pinnacle of the profession and shed light on the many rewards of working in high school athletics. 💡

Throughout the conversation, we explore the reasons behind their transitions, the challenges and opportunities of high school coaching, and most importantly, the need to understand your "why" as a coach. As Corey Mistretta puts it, **"The first thing you have to do is know your why."** 🧠❤️ This episode is a must-listen for college coaches considering a move to high school, or anyone curious about the different paths in coaching track and field. 🎧

Join us as we discuss the realities of finding balance ⚖️, adjusting expectations, and continuing to shape athletes' lives, no matter the level. 🌱 Whether you're on the college or high school track, this episode will provide valuable insights and perspective. Tune in for a raw, thoughtful conversation that may just change the way you think about coaching. 🔥

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into over 250 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) and Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.

📲 Stay Connected: Want to get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow him on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), shoot him an email at mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or send a text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from our listeners! 🎧👍

🎙️ The Road to Success: Breaking Barriers in College Athletics with FSU's Matt Kane 🏃‍♂️🏆

In this episode, we sit down with Matt Kane, head coach of Florida State University, to talk about the ins and outs of recruiting, developing, and shaping athletes at the collegiate level. We dive into the challenges of competing for in-state talent, his experiences at Barton College, and the significance of mentorship and leadership in coaching.

Matt shares compelling stories from his career, including his work with world-class athletes, the excitement of coaching in the World Championships, and the valuable lessons learned from his time across different institutions. We also cover the growing culture of college transfers and why, in Matt's words, “It's ok to break up with your girlfriend”—a powerful analogy for athletes deciding to transfer schools for better opportunities.

💡 Whether you're an athlete, coach, or track enthusiast, this episode offers deep insights into the world of track and field, college athletics, and the human side of coaching.

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into over 250 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) and Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.

📲 Stay Connected: Want to get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow him on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), shoot him an email at mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or send a text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from our listeners! 🎧👍

BONUS material from the Hey dude! What's up man? Podcast. Coaches Julia Abell and Wendell McCraven share a lesson learned from McCraven's college coach the Hall of Famer Al Carius. The Emotional Water Bottle will help you in your career and that's why we wanted to share it with you. ENJOY!

Here's their original episode description, go over and subscribe to their podcast, you won't regret it: Every wonder why you feel like things are going well in training and then "all the sudden" you are tired and drained? That is the classic 3 week catch up combined with The Emotional Water Bottle Theory. Listen to this week's episode to find out what these two things are! 🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into nearly 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) and Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.

📲 Stay Connected: Want to get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow him on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), shoot him an email at mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or send a text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from our listeners! 🎧👍

In this episode of the Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections podcast, we sit down with the dynamic Chauntiel Smith-Jones, an assistant track and field coach at Indiana Tech and the owner/founder of Capture Sports Agency. 🦅🏃‍♀️

Chauntiel shares her unique journey from being a basketball-first athlete to discovering a passion for track in high school and how that led to her dual career in sports agency and coaching. We dive into the challenges she faced starting her own agency, the role of faith and mentorship in her success, and how she balances both coaching and being a sports agent. 💼🏀

Tune in as Chauntiel offers invaluable insights into the world of NIL, building an athlete’s brand, and what it really takes to succeed in the competitive world of sports management. Whether you’re a track coach, an aspiring sports agent, or simply interested in a fresh perspective on the business of sports, this episode is a must-listen! 🎧✨

Key topics:

Navigating a male-dominated industry as a female sports agent 🙌

Building Capture Sports Agency from the ground up 🌱

How coaching and agency work intersect 🤝

Mental health and athlete support 🧠💪

Stay tuned and get ready for a masterclass in sports management and coaching from one of the rising stars in the industry! 🎙️🔥

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into over 250 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) and Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.

📲 Stay Connected: Want to get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow him on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), shoot him an email at mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or send a text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from our listeners! 🎧👍

When Hawgs Fly is the podcast for Sports Hawgs sports journals (www.SportsHawgs.com). We met at the Texas High School Coaches Association where National Business Development Manager Mike Cunningham was serving as the Track and Field host emcee. They invited Mike on to discuss sports in general, but you know he couldn't help himself to talk up track and field coaches.

Enjoy this episode of the When Hawgs Fly podcast and hear Mike talk about concussions, multi-sport athletes, and of course Track and Field Coaches.

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into over 250 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) and Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.

📲 Stay Connected: Want to get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow him on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), shoot him an email at mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or send a text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from our listeners! 🎧👍

From High Jump to High Performance: A Conversation with Brendan Wilkins 🏆

Join us as we sit down with Brendan Wilkins, Assistant Track & Field Coach at Quinnipiac University, to explore his unique journey from athlete to coach. Brendan shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career, including how his mentor, Ethan Brown, introduced him to the life-changing book The Upside of Stress by Dr. Kelly McGonigal—a book Brendan says "changed the direction of my career." Hear about Brendan's passion for helping athletes not only improve their physical performance but also their mindset toward stress, transforming challenges into opportunities. 🌟

Tune in for insights on athlete development, the power of mentorship, and the emotional highs and lows of coaching. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or sports enthusiast, this episode is packed with valuable lessons on resilience and growth. 🚀

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into over 250 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) and Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.

📲 Stay Connected: Want to get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow him on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), shoot him an email at mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or send a text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from our listeners! 🎧👍

Originally published March 18th, 2020, we're bringing back our OG guests to uplift and honor the trust and courage they had to be our very first guests!

We're publishing the first 10 Gill Connections Podcast guests EVER each Thursday from Aug 29th until Oct 31st. ENJOY!

We welcome Joe Lee, head coach of Bullis School, back to the Gill podcast to discuss his experience at the Paris24 Olympic Games. Joe is the coach of 400m runner Quincy Wilson. This is his third time on the podcast, be sure to go back and listen to his first episode where we learn his journey in this great profession and his second episode where we discuss the Olympic Trials and his qualifying for the Olympic Games.

This week Joe sits down to talk about the process of physically going to the Games (travel, schedule, practice and more) and walks us through the decision making and controversy of the Mixed 4x400m relay and the men's 4x400m relay. Joe doesn't hold back as he shares his insights into how they learned Quincy wouldn't be running the Mixed 4x400m relay, the consequences of that decision, and the mental state of athlete and coach as they prepared for a potential leg on the men's 4x400m relay event.

You've heard the stories and the rumors on social media now hear it directly from the coach of the high school national record holder in the 400m dash and the youngest member of the men's Olympic track team ever as he gives us an inside peak into his experience at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into nearly 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) and Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.

📲 Stay Connected: Want to get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow him on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), shoot him an email at mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or send a text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from our listeners! 🎧👍