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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
All good things must come to an end.
And it's day four of the Nike Outdoor National Championships
and we are we're celebrating. We got coaches coming by saying
hi and it's day 4. So it's the, you know, it's the
sad day, but every relay has to have an anchor and that's what
today is. So we'll have some more
interviews coming along right now.
All right, let's get started here with our first interview of
(00:23):
the day coach. Why don't you go ahead and
introduce yourself and tell us where you're from?
I am Sammy Dash from Dallas, TX.I work with private high school
athletes in the DFW area as wellas post collegiate athletes who
also have made the DFW area home.
And then I also when collegiate kids or former athletes I work
with are back home in the Dallasarea, I work with them during
(00:43):
their downtime I love. That I'm going to do 2 things.
I'm going to move this here until you speak up a little bit
so I so I can hear you OK OK, OK, so Sammy, you know, we've
known each other for a long timeand one of the things that's
super impressive to me and and you prompt someone put this on
wax. You promised you're going to be
on our long form, our guilt in there.
So we're going to learn your whole journey, but maybe give us
a preview of that. You know what's been impressive
to me about you Many things, butyou have gone from the the high
(01:08):
school and collegiate coaching and and as a guy who did it,
this isn't a negative when I saythe rap race of collegiate
coaching and you have made a real career out of the, I'm
going to call it post collegiate, but I I feel like
that's even like not doing it justice.
How have you kind of made that transition away from college
coaching and still made a a great dent financially as far
(01:32):
as, like, you know, sustaining yourself and affecting young
people positively? I would say the biggest thing
came down to one. I was fortunate to start off
with two really good high schoolathletes.
That helps. Two of the best in the state of
Texas in history, Tania Marshalland Samantha Gonzalez.
So that kind of helped raise thevisibility of who I was as a
(01:54):
coach, the relationships that I established through the 11 years
as a collegiate coach as far as recruiting and stuff like that.
I think at first people may havebeen a little reserved to see
what I was going to be like working in the neighborhood.
But I think once they realize, hey, he's going to keep
themselves and just mind his ownbusiness.
The post collegiate side really came down to the fact that I
(02:17):
just wanted to give the really good high school athletes I work
with. Once they finished up with
college, I wanted to give them an opportunity that they wanted
to continue to train. They could come back home to the
DFW area where they had support.Whereas if you get out of
college, most people don't have the money to move to a Los
Angeles or just another place where you got to pay rent, you
(02:38):
got to pay all these bills, and then you're still trying to
train like an elite athlete by staying home.
Dallas is home, so they had support, correct?
So that was that was kind of theideology behind that.
And so most of the athletes I work with post collegiately have
all been from the DF 30 area. The thing I don't do is I don't
go out and recruit post collegian athletes because just
(03:00):
what it takes to sustain a living and train at a high
level. It's a lot and if you don't have
the right type of support, it's going to be real difficult to do
that. That's cool.
I I never knew that that's I mean literally as you're
explaining that I'm like genius because they already have some
form of support, some more than others, obviously, but they're
from the areas there should be some family or friends or
whatever. And you're right, instead of
(03:20):
going to LA, it's amazing to me when guys or gals supposed to
collegially go to like LA and it's like, Oh my God, you're
you're cost of living just. Especially if you're coming from
a collegiate standpoint where you may have had a 7-8. $100
straight forward. Well, tell us what you're doing
here in Eugene. What have you had athlete wise
and do you have anything less here on the last day?
You know, it's been amazing. This is actually the first time
(03:42):
I've been here with high school athletes, so my stress level is
nowhere near the level it would be if this was in six weeks and
I got to come back for wait a minute, it's less.
It's significantly. I just think working with 1418
year old kids that stress would have been high.
You're saying the opposite. Well, their parents.
Their parents are here. I just need them to.
Get them to the. Track.
(04:05):
Yeah. You know, I'll be back here in
about six weeks for the US Championships trying to see if
we can get on the world championship team.
I've been here for World Championships.
I've been there for Olympic trials and stuff like that.
Even for NCAA championships, that's collegiate coach.
So to be able to come back here with the high school athletes
and where they get overwhelmed and look at me as a coach, I'm
(04:26):
like, well, coach needs to be pretty calm.
So it may be I can be. And so we had athletes competing
in the under 20 meet as well as a Nike meet.
And I believe outside of only one athlete, everybody has at
least made a final. And so it's been really cool.
We had a young lady make the under 20 final.
She's going off the UCL for DanaBoone next year.
(04:46):
We had another young man who he was the private school.
He set the private school state records, all time records in the
one team and 300 hurdles so private school doesn't get to
compete with. Public school in Texas so.
Some people may be saying well is he as good as well He he
proved that by coming here and making both the 110 and 400
(05:07):
hurdle flatteners. Same young man just came back
the day after day rest and PR bytwo seconds running 50.8 into
400. Hurdles.
So he's showing that he's definitely ready for the college
at the next level. We have a young lady, maybe got
14 to 400. She's a two time state champion
in Texas and and we had another young lady who was off the
(05:27):
Lancaster girls national record relay.
She made the 100m final last night for the girls.
Dude. So.
Lovely, you mentioned Lancaster,I just met their AD for the
first time. Christy.
Gaines. She she shows up.
I was at the Texas AD conventionand she walks up and she's like,
oh, GAIL, you know, we love you guys.
We choose all your stuff. And I know Jeremy and the
(05:47):
teacher real well. And I look at her badge and I
was like, are you the Christy Gaines?
And she's like, well, yeah. And I was like, Oh my, I was
like, this is royalty and I was so awesome.
So she is also verbally committed to be on the podcast
as well. So I love that.
All right, last two questions. Sammy, you know you, I knew you
as the Sprint hurdles guy. Like you talk about all these
different events you've done. I'm gonna put you on the spot.
(06:09):
What's your favorite event out of all those like the coach now
your favorite athlete? We're not putting anybody on the
last year. Just like, and it could be, you
know, the one you love to watch the most doesn't necessarily be
the one you like to coach the most.
But what what event do you like the the most?
I would actually have to say it's destroyed her.
Yeah, specifically male or female or both, because the
women's shorthoodles right now is just dumb.
(06:30):
I mean, like it is. Holy crap.
I I would not want to be an up and coming woman hurler right
now. Or maybe I would because it's
like, well, I'm going to be competing against the best.
I can't help but get better. It is tough.
That's. Actually a really hard.
Call yeah, because they're different, right there's those
two different races for sure they.
Really are I'm a splitting down a minute.
That's fair. That's.
(06:50):
You know, here. Here's something really funny,
though. Yeah, the event I dislike
coaching the most for a large majority of.
My don't say the short hurdles, no.
OK, the. 400 hurdles, yeah. And that's the the event that I
have Olympic trials finally. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Good point. It's funny how that works out
sometimes. Yeah.
Yeah. All right.
(07:11):
Now my last question is, Sammy, you know, I'm a huge coaching
education fan and advocate, and you have done an amazing job.
And what I'm gonna call not private, somebody use private,
but it's not the right word. You have put on your own
coaching, education, events. I love that for you.
Please keep doing that. Is there a place where people
can find those to buy those or is that only at the time when
(07:32):
you do them? Tell me a little bit more about
that side. Well.
You know, that's kind of one of my next moves.
I need to work on that. But like all of those stuff,
things are archived. They're all in in Google Drives
and I have every one of them recorded.
So every now and then I have people reach out to me about it
and to be totally under the schedules just been so nuts.
Like if you've inboxed me about a clinic and I have not
(07:54):
responded, trust me, it was not personal.
But you can inbox me on either on X or on Instagram.
I think both of my handles are at Colonel First Ads.
And if you do so, then you know I get a chance to try to get
that information back to you when things slow down.
My last follow up question is going to be where can they reach
out so you guys know where his Twitter, I don't call it X and
(08:14):
Instagram is at. You know, you're listening to a
guy who is he's going to push back when I say he's done it
all. He's got a lot more to do and
he's going to do a lot more. But he is an excellent teacher,
excellent knowledge. Please reach out to him for some
of his. He's done some amazing ones and
I actually want to work with himwhen someone do some others with
him because he's a great teacherand I think that's extremely
important. So Oh man, thank you so much,
(08:35):
Tammy. I.
Appreciate you very much. Remember, it's on recording that
you are going to be on the podcast.
I can't wait to learn your journey and share with our
listeners. Now, thank you so much.
Appreciate it. Let's keep it going here with
our second interview. Coach, why don't you please
introduce yourself and where youfrom?
Yes, my name is Joe Smith. I'm from Seattle, WA area.
I'm a coach of Sohomish High School.
(08:58):
And you, you know, we had a little talk before this.
You let me on on a couple of secrets.
Hopefully I'm, you know, it's one thing to have a conversation
and then to have it recorded. So you might be mad at me here,
but you told me you are about tobe 70 years old.
And that's one thing. Bravo, by the way, that you are
a competitor. You are still competing in this
great sport of track and field. Yes, I am.
(09:19):
I've been. I competed in high school,
college, and masters, and I've held, let's see, eight national
championships. Once I got third in the world in
the outdoor championship in Finland two years ago, and then
I ran at BYU. Last time I checked that was the
(09:41):
7th best triple jumper in BYU history.
You know, when you say that I'm very impressed, obviously, but
I'm also a little bit like, I mean, how come they haven't had
more triple jumpers in 50 years or whatever?
You. Know what?
So 2 questions I guess. First the world's indoor Masters
was in Florida this year. Did you go?
(10:01):
I didn't go, so another story. I'm a cancer survivor.
I just, I got cancer so I couldn't compete this year, but
I'm on recovery now. And you look like I would never
have guessed, bro. Yeah, Wow.
Yeah. And so I plan on competing next
year. So I'm just trying to get myself
ready, dude, for that. Well.
(10:22):
You look, even I told you how good you look for almost 70.
You look great now. Yeah.
So just you. Know.
In your coaching high school, Yes.
Does. I mean, I couldn't help but be
like more inspired if my coach was nearly 70 and triple jumping
and everything. Do the kids like see that?
Like like are you? Able to like.
Transfer the knowledge, I guess,if you will, that hey guys, this
(10:45):
isn't just a sport you do in high school, you might be able
to do in college. And even if you don't, this is a
sport you can do for the rest ofyour life.
Absolutely. You know, first of all, the kids
are always trying to say, hey, can you jump for us?
And I still can jump. For.
But The thing is, is that I tellthem that this is a lifetime
thing. You can do it in college, you
(11:05):
can have it pay for your schooling if you're good enough.
You can also do it in masters oryouth track.
And it's it's a lifetime thing. So track is in my blood.
It's always been in my blood. And I'm just very passionate
about working with the kids. And so you have to participate
and achieving greatness. So I'm.
(11:26):
I'm going away. That's super amazing.
So talk to me about that coaching.
What have you been doing here this week and what do you got
maybe today? Yeah.
So we had 100 meter dash. Emmett Maxwell, he ran he's he
did very well. He got fourth in Washington
state, state track mate. We had two relay teams.
(11:48):
We had a 4 by 100 girls team in the championship and we had a 4
by 100 boys team and emerging team.
They didn't make it to the final, but you know, just here
like watching compete. And then we had a high jumper
who this year he's a sophomore Jack Rotondo.
He he did 6-8 during the season.He ended up competing today.
(12:11):
He didn't do as well as he wanted to, but you know, just
making it here. They were jumping today.
They were jumping. So yeah, I heard 74 was. 7/4 and
1/4. Crazy.
No 7 He tried 75, but he made 74.
That sounds crazy. Well, coach, you know, I just
love what you're doing with yourkids, One, showing them, like
(12:31):
right there in your hometown. Showing that what this.
I mean, this is an amazing thingto aspire to be what you are,
Sir. Yeah, but didn't be able to give
them greater picture. So Washington, great state for
track. And field obviously.
State need it. Washington's amazing to show
them that there is something even greater.
There are kids in Florida and Texas and Maine and Illinois and
this this could be your stage aswell.
(12:52):
I think you've given them that experience.
It's just it's amazing. I wish I had that.
I was a kid competing. Well, thank you.
Well, you, you have a job too. It's just, you know, pushing
this sport sport forward, right and keeping people interested in
it because it's a great. Sport, our passion is you, the
coach. You know, you're positive.
The impact you make on young people is the greatest thing in
the for society. You know 99% of your kids aren't
(13:13):
going to go into college or pro for track and field, but 100% of
them are going to go in and become moms and dads.
Business. Owners and coaches and teachers
and that leadership that you showed them, well, that's what
they feed off of and go and emulate them.
I'm so glad for people like you that show them the the good way
to do it. So coach, thank you so much.
Thank you for being here today and just thanks for for what you
do. Thank you.
(13:35):
All right, we keep the interviews going.
Coach, introduce yourself and where are you from?
So Justin Redfern, Snow Canyon High School, St.
George, UT. Now, if that voice sounds
familiar, first of all, you're an Uber Gill Connections fan.
I love you for that. But Justin, you got you're
actually a Gill Connections podcast alone was on our show
two years. Ago, yes.
(13:56):
Two years ago, yeah. You were named I Remember
correct and forgive me, it's been 307 episodes of Memories of
Shock. Yes, you were the USTFCAUS.
Yes, on the boys side, yes. I hope I was right on that
because if you weren't like, Oh well, that's.
No, that's good. You should have been right.
No, that's all good. It's all good.
Well, that was a lot of fun. I do remember having a lot of
(14:16):
fun with interview and learning your journey.
I appreciate that. Here we are on day four of the
Nike Outdoor National Championship.
You just told me you're getting ready to head out, so the meet
must be over. Tell me, give me a a review of
the meat for you here. So it went well this week.
We only branded up with a coupleathletes this year.
We had a few others that were sick and a few others that were
injured. My our main athlete was main
(14:38):
injured this year and wasn't quite able to get here and but
that's OK. But we had a head to athlete to
have her second best performanceever.
So yeah, a lot of good, you know, good performances in the
meet with her a couple PRS and and then, you know, a couple
setbacks like a tough ones go yeah, track and field.
(14:58):
So anyway, but she did a great job and so really proud of her.
And and then 100 meter gentlemanran for his first time running
track this year and got him fromsoccer and he's absolutely loved
it. He's fell in love with it.
And so we expect him to be back next year and doing some really
good things. And so he had another good
(15:19):
performance on Friday. So you.
Mentioned of tathlete and that'sfascinating to me you know on
the college side when someone says they have to have to have
athletes like of course you do it's it's an event we don't have
that in high school very much wedid actually explore combined
event athletes when we did the 50 States and how they go to the
state need things like that. Some states do have a culture of
(15:41):
multi some states actually have a multi for their state need,
which is awesome like that. How do you for this only is
doing the hip Taplon she's not doing the head Taplon during the
high school season right she's. I'm a.
You correct me if I'm wrong, she's probably not even thinking
about the hip Taplon. She's doing hurdles or high jump
or whatever right? She's doing.
How do you coach a kid? How do you guide a kid who's
(16:04):
going to be a multi when you can't really focus on it during
the year because it's not an event?
Yes. So with her we she would do
multiple events during the course of the week, you know at
the local track meets and invitations.
So we would mix it up never necessarily any one thing that
always she's kind of a Fordham meter specialist as far as on
(16:27):
the. Track probably an event or two
that that's her main. Right, which is perfect because
it helps her with, you know, getting some speed work in for
the 800 and obviously helps out a little bit with her 200.
So she'll hurdle and then she'llhigh jump, you know, So those
are those are fairly consistent between those three events.
As the season gets towards the end, we do have her practicing a
(16:49):
few more of her natural events that shot.
Mixed throws. Yeah, she long jumps regularly
as well. So we kind of have her do her
main events regularly and then and then after the state meet,
we start focusing on all the other events, kind of filling
the gaps because we have about amonth.
So it's June 22nd, yes. When's?
(17:10):
The state meet, yeah, about end of May, so May May 20, May 20
and 22nd somewhere in there. So we have a month.
And I have to assume, and this probably isn't even assumption,
this has got to be true knowing what I know about tracking,
coaching, having her work on some of those, you know, here
quotes here, all the events, right?
She's on the shop building stuff.
Maybe she's a jail drawer. Now doing those other events
(17:32):
makes her a better athlete. Makes like you can mention her
400 meter being her kind of mainevent makes her 400 meter
better. I see.
Yes, absolutely, you know. I think all the events help and
you know, and it helps keep her mind off and things too where
she has to focus on that, you know, one event at a time.
So sometimes it takes the pressure.
Of that. Particular race coming up or
event. So it but it also teaches her I,
(17:53):
I, you know, as, as we get to the end of the season, I really
have her focus on mental preparation, you know, really.
OK, so now you're a Herbert, nowyou're a high jumper, now you're
a long jumper, you know what I mean?
And so just to try to help her. To mentally prepare, you
mentioned the mental side of like not stressing about the
quarter again, if that's everything that that alone
(18:13):
either she doesn't do the multi in college or whatnot.
Like just having that helps makeher better high school for me to
run her rest, maybe eventually better quarter in the college as
well. Absolutely.
I think she'll end up being a high.
I think the heptathlon is going to be her event, the next level.
That's cool she's at. She's talented and this is our,
her first year with us. And so I, you know, she's had
quite a few PRS and few adjustments.
(18:35):
So we're thinking that she's going to really start to take
off this next year, which will be our last year.
No pressure. Do you feel pressure now after
after being named the national coach of the year?
Do you have pressure of like, Ohmy gosh, how do I live up to
that? Or is it still get in and do the
job? And yeah, it's.
You know, The thing is like you never focus on those individual
(18:56):
accolades. I, I didn't get into this sport,
those things, I got it and for the kids.
And so, you know, as you focus on the kids and, and make them
your priority, you know, and then of course, my coaching
staff, I, you know, you do thosethings and, and then you enjoy
it no matter what because, you know, we're only as good as the
athletes. That we can get.
You know, we can develop what wecan develop, obviously like
(19:17):
anyone, but you got to have athletes and stuff.
And so just like you're going tohave an ebb and flow of with any
other season in any other sport.So, you know, but those are the
I think this year was kind of a fun challenge for us, you know,
to kind of really dig deep as a coaching staff to get better and
and to develop our kids even better.
So we had a lot of good performances and, you know, some
(19:37):
state records and some other great performances.
So, you know a lot of good things, but you know, that was a
pretty special team a couple years ago that really made me
look a lot better than I am. Well, my experience is that
coaches who do not focus on the awards are the ones who win the
awards. And that's kind of a thing that
you do with your athletes. If you don't focus on the PRS or
the things like that, just do the process.
(19:59):
Yeah, it could be the PRS come. So, Justin, thank you so much,
man. We're just so grateful for you.
You know, I love, I love from the podcast because I just, you
know, I've know your whole journey.
I've been through it and it's anawesome journey.
And just so grateful for what you do for the young kids.
The high school and club level specifically.
Will we see you back here next? Year.
Yes, absolutely. Boom.
Ticket is booked. There we go.
Thank you. Justin, thanks.
(20:20):
All right, I'm excited. I'm excited for all the
interviews, but this one, because we've been having some
laughs together. I'm even more excited about
Coach. Introduce yourself.
Tell us who you're with here. Hello, I'm Keith Evans.
I'm with Track Houston Youth Track club out of Houston, TX.
We have about 8 practice sites in the greater Houston area.
(20:41):
We we roughly have about 700 kidathletes that we train on a on a
yearly basis. Yes.
And this year we we brought really out a four by 1/15/16
team and then a few girls. So we probably have roughly
10/10 athletes. Here, first of all, it tells you
(21:02):
how big Houston is if you can have that many sites and that
many athletes and still just Houston, not the state of you
know, Texas or that's a bit moreright to me now.
I was joking around actually, I wasn't joking about this part.
You know, I've seen many, many coaches coming through the
coaches social the sponsored by Gil athletics here for the last
we're on our 4th day here and you know, I'm amazed at what
coaches dress for the weather. It's just impossible.
(21:25):
But you guys have it's a vote ofone, but you guys have been
easily the most best dressed staff here.
You guys coordinate very well, which I think helps.
I think it's what helped win youthe the actual award.
And you've got a lot of coaches here.
I almost thought you'd have morecoaches than athletes, but
obviously you have a lot of athletes.
Yeah, we have way more. Athletes than coaches?
I'm curious, you know, on this weekend you have a lot of
(21:45):
choices. There's other meats that you
could go to that might have beencloser.
Why did you guys choose to come out here to Eugene, OR?
It's always good to come to Eugene, one of the best stadiums
in the in the nation, probably in the world, in the world.
And you know, it's a great placeto be.
Do the kids, You know, Houston'sa big.
You know, it could be its own state.
It's huge, right? Texas is its own state and it
(22:06):
could be its own country. It's huge.
Do the kids get a sense when they come out to a meet like
this? You know, Texas is amazing and
very competitive, but there is aworld outside of Texas.
I know a lot of Texas people don't want to admit that, but
there is a world outside of Texas.
When they come here, they're competing against California
into Illinois, Maryland, Maine, etcetera.
Do they get a bigger sense of the world of track and field and
(22:28):
maybe the world in general? Right.
And that's our job as coach, to try to expose them outside of
Texas, outside of Houston, to show them that that's a bigger
world outside of that. Now we looking to eventually get
some of the kids outside of the US.
So we're looking forward to that.
We had one athlete that actuallygot second in in EU 20 in the
(22:52):
100 meters. So, you know, let's see where
that goes. Wow, that's really cool.
Holy cow, what a shocker. Somebody from Texas had speed.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, We all know about that Texas speed.
So tell me more about the club in regards to like, how long
have you been, Has it been around?
I mean, you guys just seem you're very coordinated and that
impresses me. It may be all a facade.
(23:13):
I somehow doubt that, but just tell me more about the club, how
long you've been around and things like.
That Jack Houston started in 1989 and I've been with the club
since 2005. So some some 20 years, you know,
basically. And you know, I mean, we just
love what we do. We're committed to the athletes,
we're committed to the program, and I'm just excited about where
(23:36):
track and field can take us. Texas had a great year.
You guys seem like you had a great year this year for
training field. Is next year going to be better
or worse? Wherever you you, every year we
reload. So no matter what happens this
year, we always reload and be ready for the next year.
Coming back here next year. Absolutely.
(23:56):
Awesome book, that ticket. We'll see here.
Next year, all right. Coach, thank you so much.
I'm grateful for you. I'm sorry that you lost the
rock, paper, scissors and there were so many coaches to choose
from. One of them had the draw, the
short straw joining me here on the podcast.
And I'm just really grateful foryou and the rest of the game and
just grateful for what you guys do for our young people,
specifically the 1418 year old age group.
(24:16):
Absolutely. Thank you for having us.
Absolutely. All right, let's keep it going
here coach, once you introduce yourself and name of your club
or high school, whoever you representing here today.
Absolutely. My name is Aaron.
I'm with the Byron Athletic Club.
We have a pretty big group here.We have 23 athletes competing.
We got anything from 4 by 1, four by two, 4x4.
(24:37):
We got a very legit 4 by 4 teamshere.
They're I think seeded 4th or third.
Four guys with their hammer, couple guys through on discus.
Open 400m runner. Yeah, everything.
Yeah. How do you I want to come back
to that 4 by 4, but how do you help a high school kid in the
(24:58):
state of Michigan? We don't have, you know, no
state, Rhode Island, one state. We have it officially as an we
have nowhere else. How do you help the kid prepare
for June 22nd? You know that weekend for the
hammer when I'm just assuming they're not getting that much
practice throughout the year. Yeah, So we're lucky enough to
have weight throw indoors and sowe train weight indoors.
(25:19):
Similar movements made. Same movement, but it's.
Yeah. So we do a lot with that and we
have a couple of kids who reallygo all in on it, work in the
summer with it. We do a little bit in practice
but overall it becomes we get one meat and they hope to
qualify and then after the seasons done we push it for
about 3 weeks before Nashville. So we had, I believe her name is
(25:41):
Sophie. She's the one of the top women
girl hammer throwers here. She's competing right now
actually. And in the earlier she set the
age group record for hammer. She's part of the Nike Elite
program. Like that's awesome.
We had her mom on the on the podcast here and I asked her, I
was like, so how does that kid get into it?
She's like, well, I was a hammerthrower and dad was like, oh,
she showed me pictures of Sophiewhen she was like 4 years old
(26:04):
with her own handmade hammer anddoing, I mean, and it just shows
me, you know, as we talk about the hammer internationally and
allegiance, like, man, if we hadmore opportunities like you're
giving these kids, we could be abeast in the hammer just like we
are in the shop in the discus and a lot of other events.
Absolutely. There's a lot of untapped
attention out there that people don't realize, and it can be in
(26:25):
your school. You just don't know they're.
There and we're going to get a loud bang.
We're actually going to be a little quiet because the 200
meter we'll be doing here, the emerging elite boys 200m is
about to go off. And you know, the last thing I
want to do is make a kid false start because my loudmouth says
something. So we're going to be that.
Be real quiet here. You'll hear the start of the 200
(26:46):
here. OK, good, no fault start.
So it wasn't my fault, wasn't Aaron's fault.
That's great. Well, I do appreciate what
you're doing with introducing the hammer two kids because
again, you know, the earlier thebetter.
It can't be early enough, you know, because most of these kids
aren't going to go do it until they do to high school.
We'd love for them to get in middle school and elementary and
(27:08):
things like that. So really love that.
Now tell me about the 4 by 4 because it's day four and we're
getting close to into the meet, which means the grateful by
four. Yeah, you said you got a pretty
good one. Yeah, so they actually set the
10th fastest time in the state of Michigan this year at the
state meet, and they're the. Fastest team from West?
Michigan too, so of all time. So they're, it's an awesome
(27:29):
group of kids who have just bought into the system and said
we're going to do this. And they've all gone together
and said, we're going to train, we're going to, we're going to
make this happen. Dude that's awesome.
What time do they run? They run 345 or something like
that. So they're in the last, they're
in the last heat of the championship 4x4, I think.
Yeah, yeah. Well, you gotta get start
(27:49):
getting ready. Yeah, we do.
Aaron, thank you so much, man. We're just so grateful for what
you do as a track coach. You know, if you don't do what
you do, I can't do what we do. Right.
We appreciate you. Thank.
You. Thank you, man.
Appreciate you so much. Absolutely Well, that is it all
good things, even relays have toend.
And here we are at the end of day 4, the Nike outdoor national
championships, USATF U20 championships, just amazing
(28:12):
coaches that we've met all week.Just so grateful and thankful
for all of them and what they dofor our young people and you for
listening right here on the GillConnections podcast.
Hope you enjoyed this. Let me know in the on the
Twitter or e-mail or smoke signals down in the comments
below. Down in the description below
you have my contact information.Let me know if you enjoyed
these, you know, live on the field, on the track interviews.
(28:34):
Maybe we'll do some more in the future.
Thank you so much for being hereand press and play.
Let's do it again next time. See you guys.
All good things must come to an end.
And it's day four of the Nike Outdoor National Championships
and we are we're celebrating. We got coaches coming by saying
hi and it's day 4. So it's the, you know, it's the
sad day, but every relay has to have an anchor and that's what
today is. So we'll have some more
interviews coming along right now.
All right, let's get started here with our first interview of
(00:23):
the day coach. Why don't you go ahead and
introduce yourself and tell us where you're from?
I am Sammy Dash from Dallas, TX.I work with private high school
athletes in the DFW area as wellas post collegiate athletes who
also have made the DFW area home.
And then I also when collegiate kids or former athletes I work
with are back home in the Dallasarea, I work with them during
(00:43):
their downtime I love. That I'm going to do 2 things.
I'm going to move this here until you speak up a little bit
so I so I can hear you OK OK, OK, so Sammy, you know, we've
known each other for a long timeand one of the things that's
super impressive to me and and you prompt someone put this on
wax. You promised you're going to be
on our long form, our guilt in there.
So we're going to learn your whole journey, but maybe give us
a preview of that. You know what's been impressive
to me about you Many things, butyou have gone from the the high
(01:08):
school and collegiate coaching and and as a guy who did it,
this isn't a negative when I saythe rap race of collegiate
coaching and you have made a real career out of the, I'm
going to call it post collegiate, but I I feel like
that's even like not doing it justice.
How have you kind of made that transition away from college
coaching and still made a a great dent financially as far
(01:32):
as, like, you know, sustaining yourself and affecting young
people positively? I would say the biggest thing
came down to one. I was fortunate to start off
with two really good high schoolathletes.
That helps. Two of the best in the state of
Texas in history, Tania Marshalland Samantha Gonzalez.
So that kind of helped raise thevisibility of who I was as a
(01:54):
coach, the relationships that I established through the 11 years
as a collegiate coach as far as recruiting and stuff like that.
I think at first people may havebeen a little reserved to see
what I was going to be like working in the neighborhood.
But I think once they realize, hey, he's going to keep
themselves and just mind his ownbusiness.
The post collegiate side really came down to the fact that I
(02:17):
just wanted to give the really good high school athletes I work
with. Once they finished up with
college, I wanted to give them an opportunity that they wanted
to continue to train. They could come back home to the
DFW area where they had support.Whereas if you get out of
college, most people don't have the money to move to a Los
Angeles or just another place where you got to pay rent, you
(02:38):
got to pay all these bills, and then you're still trying to
train like an elite athlete by staying home.
Dallas is home, so they had support, correct?
So that was that was kind of theideology behind that.
And so most of the athletes I work with post collegiately have
all been from the DF 30 area. The thing I don't do is I don't
go out and recruit post collegian athletes because just
(03:00):
what it takes to sustain a living and train at a high
level. It's a lot and if you don't have
the right type of support, it's going to be real difficult to do
that. That's cool.
I I never knew that that's I mean literally as you're
explaining that I'm like genius because they already have some
form of support, some more than others, obviously, but they're
from the areas there should be some family or friends or
whatever. And you're right, instead of
(03:20):
going to LA, it's amazing to me when guys or gals supposed to
collegially go to like LA and it's like, Oh my God, you're
you're cost of living just. Especially if you're coming from
a collegiate standpoint where you may have had a 7-8. $100
straight forward. Well, tell us what you're doing
here in Eugene. What have you had athlete wise
and do you have anything less here on the last day?
You know, it's been amazing. This is actually the first time
(03:42):
I've been here with high school athletes, so my stress level is
nowhere near the level it would be if this was in six weeks and
I got to come back for wait a minute, it's less.
It's significantly. I just think working with 1418
year old kids that stress would have been high.
You're saying the opposite. Well, their parents.
Their parents are here. I just need them to.
Get them to the. Track.
(04:05):
Yeah. You know, I'll be back here in
about six weeks for the US Championships trying to see if
we can get on the world championship team.
I've been here for World Championships.
I've been there for Olympic trials and stuff like that.
Even for NCAA championships, that's collegiate coach.
So to be able to come back here with the high school athletes
and where they get overwhelmed and look at me as a coach, I'm
(04:26):
like, well, coach needs to be pretty calm.
So it may be I can be. And so we had athletes competing
in the under 20 meet as well as a Nike meet.
And I believe outside of only one athlete, everybody has at
least made a final. And so it's been really cool.
We had a young lady make the under 20 final.
She's going off the UCL for DanaBoone next year.
(04:46):
We had another young man who he was the private school.
He set the private school state records, all time records in the
one team and 300 hurdles so private school doesn't get to
compete with. Public school in Texas so.
Some people may be saying well is he as good as well He he
proved that by coming here and making both the 110 and 400
(05:07):
hurdle flatteners. Same young man just came back
the day after day rest and PR bytwo seconds running 50.8 into
400. Hurdles.
So he's showing that he's definitely ready for the college
at the next level. We have a young lady, maybe got
14 to 400. She's a two time state champion
in Texas and and we had another young lady who was off the
(05:27):
Lancaster girls national record relay.
She made the 100m final last night for the girls.
Dude. So.
Lovely, you mentioned Lancaster,I just met their AD for the
first time. Christy.
Gaines. She she shows up.
I was at the Texas AD conventionand she walks up and she's like,
oh, GAIL, you know, we love you guys.
We choose all your stuff. And I know Jeremy and the
(05:47):
teacher real well. And I look at her badge and I
was like, are you the Christy Gaines?
And she's like, well, yeah. And I was like, Oh my, I was
like, this is royalty and I was so awesome.
So she is also verbally committed to be on the podcast
as well. So I love that.
All right, last two questions. Sammy, you know you, I knew you
as the Sprint hurdles guy. Like you talk about all these
different events you've done. I'm gonna put you on the spot.
(06:09):
What's your favorite event out of all those like the coach now
your favorite athlete? We're not putting anybody on the
last year. Just like, and it could be, you
know, the one you love to watch the most doesn't necessarily be
the one you like to coach the most.
But what what event do you like the the most?
I would actually have to say it's destroyed her.
Yeah, specifically male or female or both, because the
women's shorthoodles right now is just dumb.
(06:30):
I mean, like it is. Holy crap.
I I would not want to be an up and coming woman hurler right
now. Or maybe I would because it's
like, well, I'm going to be competing against the best.
I can't help but get better. It is tough.
That's. Actually a really hard.
Call yeah, because they're different, right there's those
two different races for sure they.
Really are I'm a splitting down a minute.
That's fair. That's.
(06:50):
You know, here. Here's something really funny,
though. Yeah, the event I dislike
coaching the most for a large majority of.
My don't say the short hurdles, no.
OK, the. 400 hurdles, yeah. And that's the the event that I
have Olympic trials finally. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Good point. It's funny how that works out
sometimes. Yeah.
Yeah. All right.
(07:11):
Now my last question is, Sammy, you know, I'm a huge coaching
education fan and advocate, and you have done an amazing job.
And what I'm gonna call not private, somebody use private,
but it's not the right word. You have put on your own
coaching, education, events. I love that for you.
Please keep doing that. Is there a place where people
can find those to buy those or is that only at the time when
(07:32):
you do them? Tell me a little bit more about
that side. Well.
You know, that's kind of one of my next moves.
I need to work on that. But like all of those stuff,
things are archived. They're all in in Google Drives
and I have every one of them recorded.
So every now and then I have people reach out to me about it
and to be totally under the schedules just been so nuts.
Like if you've inboxed me about a clinic and I have not
(07:54):
responded, trust me, it was not personal.
But you can inbox me on either on X or on Instagram.
I think both of my handles are at Colonel First Ads.
And if you do so, then you know I get a chance to try to get
that information back to you when things slow down.
My last follow up question is going to be where can they reach
out so you guys know where his Twitter, I don't call it X and
(08:14):
Instagram is at. You know, you're listening to a
guy who is he's going to push back when I say he's done it
all. He's got a lot more to do and
he's going to do a lot more. But he is an excellent teacher,
excellent knowledge. Please reach out to him for some
of his. He's done some amazing ones and
I actually want to work with himwhen someone do some others with
him because he's a great teacherand I think that's extremely
important. So Oh man, thank you so much,
(08:35):
Tammy. I.
Appreciate you very much. Remember, it's on recording that
you are going to be on the podcast.
I can't wait to learn your journey and share with our
listeners. Now, thank you so much.
Appreciate it. Let's keep it going here with
our second interview. Coach, why don't you please
introduce yourself and where youfrom?
Yes, my name is Joe Smith. I'm from Seattle, WA area.
I'm a coach of Sohomish High School.
(08:58):
And you, you know, we had a little talk before this.
You let me on on a couple of secrets.
Hopefully I'm, you know, it's one thing to have a conversation
and then to have it recorded. So you might be mad at me here,
but you told me you are about tobe 70 years old.
And that's one thing. Bravo, by the way, that you are
a competitor. You are still competing in this
great sport of track and field. Yes, I am.
(09:19):
I've been. I competed in high school,
college, and masters, and I've held, let's see, eight national
championships. Once I got third in the world in
the outdoor championship in Finland two years ago, and then
I ran at BYU. Last time I checked that was the
(09:41):
7th best triple jumper in BYU history.
You know, when you say that I'm very impressed, obviously, but
I'm also a little bit like, I mean, how come they haven't had
more triple jumpers in 50 years or whatever?
You. Know what?
So 2 questions I guess. First the world's indoor Masters
was in Florida this year. Did you go?
(10:01):
I didn't go, so another story. I'm a cancer survivor.
I just, I got cancer so I couldn't compete this year, but
I'm on recovery now. And you look like I would never
have guessed, bro. Yeah, Wow.
Yeah. And so I plan on competing next
year. So I'm just trying to get myself
ready, dude, for that. Well.
(10:22):
You look, even I told you how good you look for almost 70.
You look great now. Yeah.
So just you. Know.
In your coaching high school, Yes.
Does. I mean, I couldn't help but be
like more inspired if my coach was nearly 70 and triple jumping
and everything. Do the kids like see that?
Like like are you? Able to like.
Transfer the knowledge, I guess,if you will, that hey guys, this
(10:45):
isn't just a sport you do in high school, you might be able
to do in college. And even if you don't, this is a
sport you can do for the rest ofyour life.
Absolutely. You know, first of all, the kids
are always trying to say, hey, can you jump for us?
And I still can jump. For.
But The thing is, is that I tellthem that this is a lifetime
thing. You can do it in college, you
(11:05):
can have it pay for your schooling if you're good enough.
You can also do it in masters oryouth track.
And it's it's a lifetime thing. So track is in my blood.
It's always been in my blood. And I'm just very passionate
about working with the kids. And so you have to participate
and achieving greatness. So I'm.
(11:26):
I'm going away. That's super amazing.
So talk to me about that coaching.
What have you been doing here this week and what do you got
maybe today? Yeah.
So we had 100 meter dash. Emmett Maxwell, he ran he's he
did very well. He got fourth in Washington
state, state track mate. We had two relay teams.
(11:48):
We had a 4 by 100 girls team in the championship and we had a 4
by 100 boys team and emerging team.
They didn't make it to the final, but you know, just here
like watching compete. And then we had a high jumper
who this year he's a sophomore Jack Rotondo.
He he did 6-8 during the season.He ended up competing today.
(12:11):
He didn't do as well as he wanted to, but you know, just
making it here. They were jumping today.
They were jumping. So yeah, I heard 74 was. 7/4 and
1/4. Crazy.
No 7 He tried 75, but he made 74.
That sounds crazy. Well, coach, you know, I just
love what you're doing with yourkids, One, showing them, like
(12:31):
right there in your hometown. Showing that what this.
I mean, this is an amazing thingto aspire to be what you are,
Sir. Yeah, but didn't be able to give
them greater picture. So Washington, great state for
track. And field obviously.
State need it. Washington's amazing to show
them that there is something even greater.
There are kids in Florida and Texas and Maine and Illinois and
this this could be your stage aswell.
(12:52):
I think you've given them that experience.
It's just it's amazing. I wish I had that.
I was a kid competing. Well, thank you.
Well, you, you have a job too. It's just, you know, pushing
this sport sport forward, right and keeping people interested in
it because it's a great. Sport, our passion is you, the
coach. You know, you're positive.
The impact you make on young people is the greatest thing in
the for society. You know 99% of your kids aren't
(13:13):
going to go into college or pro for track and field, but 100% of
them are going to go in and become moms and dads.
Business. Owners and coaches and teachers
and that leadership that you showed them, well, that's what
they feed off of and go and emulate them.
I'm so glad for people like you that show them the the good way
to do it. So coach, thank you so much.
Thank you for being here today and just thanks for for what you
do. Thank you.
(13:35):
All right, we keep the interviews going.
Coach, introduce yourself and where are you from?
So Justin Redfern, Snow Canyon High School, St.
George, UT. Now, if that voice sounds
familiar, first of all, you're an Uber Gill Connections fan.
I love you for that. But Justin, you got you're
actually a Gill Connections podcast alone was on our show
two years. Ago, yes.
(13:56):
Two years ago, yeah. You were named I Remember
correct and forgive me, it's been 307 episodes of Memories of
Shock. Yes, you were the USTFCAUS.
Yes, on the boys side, yes. I hope I was right on that
because if you weren't like, Oh well, that's.
No, that's good. You should have been right.
No, that's all good. It's all good.
Well, that was a lot of fun. I do remember having a lot of
(14:16):
fun with interview and learning your journey.
I appreciate that. Here we are on day four of the
Nike Outdoor National Championship.
You just told me you're getting ready to head out, so the meet
must be over. Tell me, give me a a review of
the meat for you here. So it went well this week.
We only branded up with a coupleathletes this year.
We had a few others that were sick and a few others that were
injured. My our main athlete was main
(14:38):
injured this year and wasn't quite able to get here and but
that's OK. But we had a head to athlete to
have her second best performanceever.
So yeah, a lot of good, you know, good performances in the
meet with her a couple PRS and and then, you know, a couple
setbacks like a tough ones go yeah, track and field.
(14:58):
So anyway, but she did a great job and so really proud of her.
And and then 100 meter gentlemanran for his first time running
track this year and got him fromsoccer and he's absolutely loved
it. He's fell in love with it.
And so we expect him to be back next year and doing some really
good things. And so he had another good
(15:19):
performance on Friday. So you.
Mentioned of tathlete and that'sfascinating to me you know on
the college side when someone says they have to have to have
athletes like of course you do it's it's an event we don't have
that in high school very much wedid actually explore combined
event athletes when we did the 50 States and how they go to the
state need things like that. Some states do have a culture of
(15:41):
multi some states actually have a multi for their state need,
which is awesome like that. How do you for this only is
doing the hip Taplon she's not doing the head Taplon during the
high school season right she's. I'm a.
You correct me if I'm wrong, she's probably not even thinking
about the hip Taplon. She's doing hurdles or high jump
or whatever right? She's doing.
How do you coach a kid? How do you guide a kid who's
(16:04):
going to be a multi when you can't really focus on it during
the year because it's not an event?
Yes. So with her we she would do
multiple events during the course of the week, you know at
the local track meets and invitations.
So we would mix it up never necessarily any one thing that
always she's kind of a Fordham meter specialist as far as on
(16:27):
the. Track probably an event or two
that that's her main. Right, which is perfect because
it helps her with, you know, getting some speed work in for
the 800 and obviously helps out a little bit with her 200.
So she'll hurdle and then she'llhigh jump, you know, So those
are those are fairly consistent between those three events.
As the season gets towards the end, we do have her practicing a
(16:49):
few more of her natural events that shot.
Mixed throws. Yeah, she long jumps regularly
as well. So we kind of have her do her
main events regularly and then and then after the state meet,
we start focusing on all the other events, kind of filling
the gaps because we have about amonth.
So it's June 22nd, yes. When's?
(17:10):
The state meet, yeah, about end of May, so May May 20, May 20
and 22nd somewhere in there. So we have a month.
And I have to assume, and this probably isn't even assumption,
this has got to be true knowing what I know about tracking,
coaching, having her work on some of those, you know, here
quotes here, all the events, right?
She's on the shop building stuff.
Maybe she's a jail drawer. Now doing those other events
(17:32):
makes her a better athlete. Makes like you can mention her
400 meter being her kind of mainevent makes her 400 meter
better. I see.
Yes, absolutely, you know. I think all the events help and
you know, and it helps keep her mind off and things too where
she has to focus on that, you know, one event at a time.
So sometimes it takes the pressure.
Of that. Particular race coming up or
event. So it but it also teaches her I,
(17:53):
I, you know, as, as we get to the end of the season, I really
have her focus on mental preparation, you know, really.
OK, so now you're a Herbert, nowyou're a high jumper, now you're
a long jumper, you know what I mean?
And so just to try to help her. To mentally prepare, you
mentioned the mental side of like not stressing about the
quarter again, if that's everything that that alone
(18:13):
either she doesn't do the multi in college or whatnot.
Like just having that helps makeher better high school for me to
run her rest, maybe eventually better quarter in the college as
well. Absolutely.
I think she'll end up being a high.
I think the heptathlon is going to be her event, the next level.
That's cool she's at. She's talented and this is our,
her first year with us. And so I, you know, she's had
quite a few PRS and few adjustments.
(18:35):
So we're thinking that she's going to really start to take
off this next year, which will be our last year.
No pressure. Do you feel pressure now after
after being named the national coach of the year?
Do you have pressure of like, Ohmy gosh, how do I live up to
that? Or is it still get in and do the
job? And yeah, it's.
You know, The thing is like you never focus on those individual
(18:56):
accolades. I, I didn't get into this sport,
those things, I got it and for the kids.
And so, you know, as you focus on the kids and, and make them
your priority, you know, and then of course, my coaching
staff, I, you know, you do thosethings and, and then you enjoy
it no matter what because, you know, we're only as good as the
athletes. That we can get.
You know, we can develop what wecan develop, obviously like
(19:17):
anyone, but you got to have athletes and stuff.
And so just like you're going tohave an ebb and flow of with any
other season in any other sport.So, you know, but those are the
I think this year was kind of a fun challenge for us, you know,
to kind of really dig deep as a coaching staff to get better and
and to develop our kids even better.
So we had a lot of good performances and, you know, some
(19:37):
state records and some other great performances.
So, you know a lot of good things, but you know, that was a
pretty special team a couple years ago that really made me
look a lot better than I am. Well, my experience is that
coaches who do not focus on the awards are the ones who win the
awards. And that's kind of a thing that
you do with your athletes. If you don't focus on the PRS or
the things like that, just do the process.
(19:59):
Yeah, it could be the PRS come. So, Justin, thank you so much,
man. We're just so grateful for you.
You know, I love, I love from the podcast because I just, you
know, I've know your whole journey.
I've been through it and it's anawesome journey.
And just so grateful for what you do for the young kids.
The high school and club level specifically.
Will we see you back here next? Year.
Yes, absolutely. Boom.
Ticket is booked. There we go.
Thank you. Justin, thanks.
(20:20):
All right, I'm excited. I'm excited for all the
interviews, but this one, because we've been having some
laughs together. I'm even more excited about
Coach. Introduce yourself.
Tell us who you're with here. Hello, I'm Keith Evans.
I'm with Track Houston Youth Track club out of Houston, TX.
We have about 8 practice sites in the greater Houston area.
(20:41):
We we roughly have about 700 kidathletes that we train on a on a
yearly basis. Yes.
And this year we we brought really out a four by 1/15/16
team and then a few girls. So we probably have roughly
10/10 athletes. Here, first of all, it tells you
(21:02):
how big Houston is if you can have that many sites and that
many athletes and still just Houston, not the state of you
know, Texas or that's a bit moreright to me now.
I was joking around actually, I wasn't joking about this part.
You know, I've seen many, many coaches coming through the
coaches social the sponsored by Gil athletics here for the last
we're on our 4th day here and you know, I'm amazed at what
coaches dress for the weather. It's just impossible.
(21:25):
But you guys have it's a vote ofone, but you guys have been
easily the most best dressed staff here.
You guys coordinate very well, which I think helps.
I think it's what helped win youthe the actual award.
And you've got a lot of coaches here.
I almost thought you'd have morecoaches than athletes, but
obviously you have a lot of athletes.
Yeah, we have way more. Athletes than coaches?
I'm curious, you know, on this weekend you have a lot of
(21:45):
choices. There's other meats that you
could go to that might have beencloser.
Why did you guys choose to come out here to Eugene, OR?
It's always good to come to Eugene, one of the best stadiums
in the in the nation, probably in the world, in the world.
And you know, it's a great placeto be.
Do the kids, You know, Houston'sa big.
You know, it could be its own state.
It's huge, right? Texas is its own state and it
(22:06):
could be its own country. It's huge.
Do the kids get a sense when they come out to a meet like
this? You know, Texas is amazing and
very competitive, but there is aworld outside of Texas.
I know a lot of Texas people don't want to admit that, but
there is a world outside of Texas.
When they come here, they're competing against California
into Illinois, Maryland, Maine, etcetera.
Do they get a bigger sense of the world of track and field and
(22:28):
maybe the world in general? Right.
And that's our job as coach, to try to expose them outside of
Texas, outside of Houston, to show them that that's a bigger
world outside of that. Now we looking to eventually get
some of the kids outside of the US.
So we're looking forward to that.
We had one athlete that actuallygot second in in EU 20 in the
(22:52):
100 meters. So, you know, let's see where
that goes. Wow, that's really cool.
Holy cow, what a shocker. Somebody from Texas had speed.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, We all know about that Texas speed.
So tell me more about the club in regards to like, how long
have you been, Has it been around?
I mean, you guys just seem you're very coordinated and that
impresses me. It may be all a facade.
(23:13):
I somehow doubt that, but just tell me more about the club, how
long you've been around and things like.
That Jack Houston started in 1989 and I've been with the club
since 2005. So some some 20 years, you know,
basically. And you know, I mean, we just
love what we do. We're committed to the athletes,
we're committed to the program, and I'm just excited about where
(23:36):
track and field can take us. Texas had a great year.
You guys seem like you had a great year this year for
training field. Is next year going to be better
or worse? Wherever you you, every year we
reload. So no matter what happens this
year, we always reload and be ready for the next year.
Coming back here next year. Absolutely.
(23:56):
Awesome book, that ticket. We'll see here.
Next year, all right. Coach, thank you so much.
I'm grateful for you. I'm sorry that you lost the
rock, paper, scissors and there were so many coaches to choose
from. One of them had the draw, the
short straw joining me here on the podcast.
And I'm just really grateful foryou and the rest of the game and
just grateful for what you guys do for our young people,
specifically the 1418 year old age group.
(24:16):
Absolutely. Thank you for having us.
Absolutely. All right, let's keep it going
here coach, once you introduce yourself and name of your club
or high school, whoever you representing here today.
Absolutely. My name is Aaron.
I'm with the Byron Athletic Club.
We have a pretty big group here.We have 23 athletes competing.
We got anything from 4 by 1, four by two, 4x4.
(24:37):
We got a very legit 4 by 4 teamshere.
They're I think seeded 4th or third.
Four guys with their hammer, couple guys through on discus.
Open 400m runner. Yeah, everything.
Yeah. How do you I want to come back
to that 4 by 4, but how do you help a high school kid in the
(24:58):
state of Michigan? We don't have, you know, no
state, Rhode Island, one state. We have it officially as an we
have nowhere else. How do you help the kid prepare
for June 22nd? You know that weekend for the
hammer when I'm just assuming they're not getting that much
practice throughout the year. Yeah, So we're lucky enough to
have weight throw indoors and sowe train weight indoors.
(25:19):
Similar movements made. Same movement, but it's.
Yeah. So we do a lot with that and we
have a couple of kids who reallygo all in on it, work in the
summer with it. We do a little bit in practice
but overall it becomes we get one meat and they hope to
qualify and then after the seasons done we push it for
about 3 weeks before Nashville. So we had, I believe her name is
(25:41):
Sophie. She's the one of the top women
girl hammer throwers here. She's competing right now
actually. And in the earlier she set the
age group record for hammer. She's part of the Nike Elite
program. Like that's awesome.
We had her mom on the on the podcast here and I asked her, I
was like, so how does that kid get into it?
She's like, well, I was a hammerthrower and dad was like, oh,
she showed me pictures of Sophiewhen she was like 4 years old
(26:04):
with her own handmade hammer anddoing, I mean, and it just shows
me, you know, as we talk about the hammer internationally and
allegiance, like, man, if we hadmore opportunities like you're
giving these kids, we could be abeast in the hammer just like we
are in the shop in the discus and a lot of other events.
Absolutely. There's a lot of untapped
attention out there that people don't realize, and it can be in
(26:25):
your school. You just don't know they're.
There and we're going to get a loud bang.
We're actually going to be a little quiet because the 200
meter we'll be doing here, the emerging elite boys 200m is
about to go off. And you know, the last thing I
want to do is make a kid false start because my loudmouth says
something. So we're going to be that.
Be real quiet here. You'll hear the start of the 200
(26:46):
here. OK, good, no fault start.
So it wasn't my fault, wasn't Aaron's fault.
That's great. Well, I do appreciate what
you're doing with introducing the hammer two kids because
again, you know, the earlier thebetter.
It can't be early enough, you know, because most of these kids
aren't going to go do it until they do to high school.
We'd love for them to get in middle school and elementary and
(27:08):
things like that. So really love that.
Now tell me about the 4 by 4 because it's day four and we're
getting close to into the meet, which means the grateful by
four. Yeah, you said you got a pretty
good one. Yeah, so they actually set the
10th fastest time in the state of Michigan this year at the
state meet, and they're the. Fastest team from West?
Michigan too, so of all time. So they're, it's an awesome
(27:29):
group of kids who have just bought into the system and said
we're going to do this. And they've all gone together
and said, we're going to train, we're going to, we're going to
make this happen. Dude that's awesome.
What time do they run? They run 345 or something like
that. So they're in the last, they're
in the last heat of the championship 4x4, I think.
Yeah, yeah. Well, you gotta get start
(27:49):
getting ready. Yeah, we do.
Aaron, thank you so much, man. We're just so grateful for what
you do as a track coach. You know, if you don't do what
you do, I can't do what we do. Right.
We appreciate you. Thank.
You. Thank you, man.
Appreciate you so much. Absolutely Well, that is it all
good things, even relays have toend.
And here we are at the end of day 4, the Nike outdoor national
championships, USATF U20 championships, just amazing
(28:12):
coaches that we've met all week.Just so grateful and thankful
for all of them and what they dofor our young people and you for
listening right here on the GillConnections podcast.
Hope you enjoyed this. Let me know in the on the
Twitter or e-mail or smoke signals down in the comments
below. Down in the description below
you have my contact information.Let me know if you enjoyed
these, you know, live on the field, on the track interviews.
(28:34):
Maybe we'll do some more in the future.
Thank you so much for being hereand press and play.
Let's do it again next time. See you guys.
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