EP 407 — Coach Bradley Sowder (University of the Cumberlands): NAIA Powerhouse Mindset, Double-Threshold Lessons, Culture in the NIL Era - Airey Bros.'s Radio

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to Airy Brose Radio, be there or b
Square because it's all killer, no filler.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
This is really sounder from the University of Cumberlands and
listening to Airy Pros Radio.

Speaker 3 (00:24):
Ladies and gentlemen, Howdy and aloha. We are here and
you are there, and you are now rocking with the best.
We thank you for tuning into another episode of Airy Bros. Radio. Tonight,
we're lacing up and heading back to Williamsburg, Kentucky, home
of the raining Naia Powerhouse University of the Cumberlands Track
Across Country program led by our good friend coach Bradley Souter,

(00:44):
back for round three on ABR. But before we get rolling,
y'all to know the drill, make sure you hammer that
like button and are subscribed on YouTube. Leave a comment,
every view, review and share helps us grow and get
back to the sports we love. Follow us on Instagram, YouTube,
Apple Podcast. As always, this episode is fueled by Black
Sheep Endurance Coaching for all your ultra marathon and nutrition needs.

(01:09):
And let's not forget while we're here. Over at Airy Bros. Radio,
we're here to shine a light on the programs, people,
coaches and stories we wish we had access to growing up.
If you were somebody to know it is chasing their
dreams in cross country, wrestling, or track and field, share
this with them. On to tonight's guest. He needs no introduction,
but we'll give him one anyway. Coach Bradley Satter is

(01:29):
joining us right now. The women are ranked third in
the NAIA and most recent poll and cross country, and
the men's team is fourth. In twenty twenty four the NAIA,
they won the men's indoor and outdoor national championships, the
first double national title in program history, and at twenty
twenty five, the women's team won the indoor national championship.

(01:53):
He was a NAIA Program of the Year in twenty
twenty three. Twenty twenty four the lowest combined score ever recorded,
with coach earning both nai Indoor and Outdoor National Coach
of the Year honors. Without further ado, it is an honor,
a pleasure to have you joining us this evening. We
do greatly appreciate your time. Coach Sauder. Welcome back to
the show.

Speaker 1 (02:13):
Guys.

Speaker 2 (02:14):
I appreciate it. I appreciate it as always. I'm excited
and I feel very grateful that I get to be
part of this.

Speaker 3 (02:21):
We're grateful to have you. We're going to give you
flowers here in a second, but before we do that anywhere,
you would like us to send parents, recruits, fans that
want to learn more about the Cumberlands and the program.
What you got going on the floor is yours.

Speaker 2 (02:35):
Yeah, the biggest way, man, if you want to really
get an in set scoop of our program, the day
to day operations, kind of our headset and our and
our hearts. Our Instagram page is seconding them. Obviously, Eddie
has been on the broadcast with you all and he
does a phenomenal job in our sports information program, does
a phenomenal job of just keeping that up to date

(02:56):
and fresh. And that's that's the easiest way to honestly
get a hold of us. You know, you talk to
coaches nowadays, dms are the biggest is no longer phone
calls or even text messages. It's social media platforms that
you can reach out to or they reach out to
us that way, that's the easiest way to get a
hold of us and see what we're all about.

Speaker 3 (03:16):
Awesome, and we'll put all that stuff in the show
notes for coach. So I said, we're going to give
you some flowers here. We want to give you a
very big, big thank you. Back in I believe it
was March, No, it was April of twenty twenty four.
You came on to discuss the National Championship indoor season
that you all had. You're somewhere in Virginia on your

(03:36):
way to our meet, and you took time to chat
with us, and then you came on again there after
to talk about the National Championships outdoors. Before you had
come on the program, we had had one coach for
track and field and cross country that was coach Nick Laara.
He was at Metropolitan State when we were originally doing
the campus. So we do appreciate you taking a chance

(03:58):
on us, and because of you take can get a
chance on us. That has springboarded what we have been
able to do since then. And the amount of cross
country and track and field coaches, not from just the
NAI but the JUCO ranks, Division two, Division three, and
even some Division one coaches have now come on and
joined us. It has been unbelievable, and so we thank

(04:20):
you for that because we've been trying to get coaches
before you and people just either weren't responding or weren't
coming on, and then you took the chance on us
and that kind of opened the floodgates for us. So
we do greatly appreciate you taking the time and taking
a chance on us. And it's been a wonderful ride
since then. And it's just been great to meet coach

(04:40):
Kraftick and and everything that you guys got going on
at the Cumberland.

Speaker 4 (04:45):
So we do.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
Great No flowers necessary. I think our passes crossed at
the perfect time. One. I think any coach or any
person that I mean, if you can be on a
podcast is super cool. And and you all were the
first to ever reach out and be like, hey, what
do you want to do podcast? And and so it's like absolutely,
that's really cool just interaction and you guys.

Speaker 1 (05:08):
Have done a phenomenal job.

Speaker 2 (05:09):
I mean, I get excited seeing the social media updates
of Hey, you know, tune in at this time. This
is who we're discussing and talking with and chatting with.
I'm like, oh man, that's that's someone I would love
to have a conversation with. And I love to pick
their brain and see how they you know, create a
culture or created a dynasty or man, how are they
doing things where they're at because everybody else pluses and

(05:30):
minuses and you guys are just it's it's been really
remarkable over these past two years of just seeing the
transformation and the growth, and it's like, how far can
you guys really spread it out? And man, it's like
when you maybe think okay, that's the edge, it was
like who else is there?

Speaker 1 (05:44):
It's like, man, you just find somebody else.

Speaker 2 (05:45):
That's that's really interesting and intriguing for the listener to
dive into and go on this journey with you guys.

Speaker 1 (05:52):
So I appreciate that, we.

Speaker 3 (05:53):
Appreciate the kind words, and yeah, we like our through
lines over here too as well. And so I gotta
I got a through line for you because is you know,
as we've become friends and followers on social media and stuff,
you know, we see posts and we post things that
you comment on things or some of our episodes that
we've had, and I've seen some people that have commented
on things, and I'm just curious, is the name John

(06:15):
Richardson and Chris Landers ring a bell to you?

Speaker 1 (06:19):
They do?

Speaker 5 (06:20):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (06:20):
No, man, John First, So, my senior year of college,
I transferred between my junior and senior year from the
University of Cumberlands, which was Cumberland College at the time,
to the University of Kentucky. And so my senior year
technically was John Richardson's first year. And man, talk about
just a transformation of an individual. One super gifted, super

(06:42):
talented obviously you know d one sec type talent. He
ran in Kentucky, transfers comes back and man, he has
a remarkable career. But the biggest thing about John that
I remember is like he was kind of a hardcore atheist.
And again, I was a major and religion here at
Cumberland's and uh, pretty vocal about obviously my faith and

(07:05):
and you know, we would run together and when you're running,
you're talking about life and this and that, and we
talked quite a bit about Jesus and the Holy Spirit
and you know, hey, what's what's after this life and
the next? And I just wasn't ever feeling it. And uh,
but obviously we've kept it with each other over the years.
And this guy, he's sharing the gospel and it's got
a remarkable family and remarkable career. Uh has continued to

(07:25):
do triathlons and and master's level running, but just to
see the transformation of his spirit over the years has
been really really cool. And and Chris Landers, man, he
he he came in when I came in. He transferred
in when I transferred in, and it was up from
you know, New Jersey area, and uh, he was one
of my groomsmen. Not one of my groosmen. He was

(07:46):
actually one of our ushers. And he had a mohawk
And ask my wife is it cool if I still
had his mohawk or do I need to get rid
of it for the wedding? And so just yeah, he
has always had a special place in my heart. And
when I got this position, he was one of the
first to reach out and follows the program, and especially
when somebody does something really remarkable, he'll he'll make got

(08:06):
a comment or hey, man, like you got to tell
me how that happened or how did you guys get
that recruit or whatever, And so you know, I think
he's any day now his wife is about to have
a baby, and so his life are really about to
change and turn around. And but yeah, both those guys
are really remarkable individuals and I got nothing of love
for both.

Speaker 3 (08:24):
Yeah, that's awesome, I know I know Chris a little
bit longer than I know John. John and I worked
at Across Country Camp as he was finishing up at Kentucky,
and he was kind of like, yeah, you know, I'm
going to go into the work, and I was, I was,
you know, as an older guy. I was like, dude,
you're right there, Like give it a year or two,
just chase that that dream. And he's like, I don't

(08:46):
really think I got it. I don't think I'm gonna
can go much further with it. And so to see
him come back and do the triathlon and then even
this winner get involved in the indoor track and the
Masters stuff has been really cool to watch. And Chris
grew up our town. Our hometown and his hometown are
like right next to one another, Like you drive through
our town and next thing you know, you're in Chris's town.

(09:08):
And so we both went to mom at the university,
obviously at different times, but you know, we've we've been
able to connect and we've kind of had that Jersey Shore,
you know connection. So when I saw those guys commenting
on stuff, I'm like, I'm gonna have to ask him
the next time we talk.

Speaker 2 (09:23):
Yeah, for sure, No, two great guys, and State is
still connected.

Speaker 1 (09:26):
To both of them.

Speaker 2 (09:27):
And yeah, it's it's life is so cool.

Speaker 1 (09:30):
Meaning it's such a small net world.

Speaker 2 (09:32):
I mean, it seems like such a huge cloth, but
there's a lot of connections for sure.

Speaker 3 (09:36):
Yeah, And I always say it's a small world and
it just keeps getting smaller.

Speaker 1 (09:40):
That's right, That's right.

Speaker 3 (09:41):
Yeah, Well, so welcome back. How's the fall been treating you.

Speaker 1 (09:48):
It's been good.

Speaker 2 (09:48):
I mean, like, like you said, our women are ranked
third and the men are are ranked fourth currently and man,
it's it's any coach will tell you like each season
is it brings on its own pluses and minuses and
stories and even character of like personality, if you will,
and this year in particular, and it's been really fun,

(10:11):
I mean.

Speaker 1 (10:12):
The dynamics of it.

Speaker 2 (10:14):
And right now we're doing some individual meetings, which you
always do, but like these are like we're sitting down
for thirty minutes myself and an individual and we're kind of, hey,
this is where we are. We're about halfway through the
cross country season, starting to talk kind of like you
knowin you're pursuing your goals or at the end of
the season, and we're kind of making that transition indoor,
and we're really big on like, let's not wait till
the end of the year to maybe make some adjustments

(10:36):
or particular for me, Like the last question I ask
is like, hey, how can I serve you better as
an individual? How can I serve this program better as
as the director? And let's not wait, you know, three
or six months and then come to find out like,
you know, hey, coach, had.

Speaker 1 (10:51):
You done this? Man?

Speaker 2 (10:52):
Would I really appreciate it or whatever? And so we
sit down and we discuss that, and the overall thing,
thus far from majority of the individuals downs like, man,
we just got a really good vibe. We've got a
really good energy across the board, both men and women
combined and then separate. I mean there's times that they're
they're kind of split into and then there are times
that where everybody's can combined and.

Speaker 1 (11:12):
It's got this again.

Speaker 2 (11:14):
I'm going to try to find a word it's not
going to do is justice, but uh, just this unique
feel like, man, this this is going to be a
really special year. And again the last two years that
women have done better than they've ever done in existence
of this program. Finished in sixth last year, in the
last two years, the man finished third at cross country Nationals,
And so we're all looking at each other and there's

(11:35):
several new pieces to that chemistry this year that I
think obviously helps that people are just kind of and
this is something something's in the air here and we're
all really really excited to see it. And two, you know,
for for myself personally, I would be the first time
that I've struggled with keeping focused on the day to day.

Speaker 1 (12:00):
I'm three months down the.

Speaker 2 (12:01):
Road and I'm locked in on that, and and you
can lose sight of enjoying it and having fun and
being present and taking care of the things that you
need to take outre of now for down the road.
And so I've really over the summer, I did a
lot of self reflection, a lot of self growth of
just if we want that to happen, and we do,
and we've got to stay in the day to day
and and make sure that we're enjoying the day to day.

Speaker 1 (12:22):
And I had to make sure I'm.

Speaker 2 (12:23):
Enjoying the day to day, and that's been that's been
really refreshing, and finding some balance in my own personal
growth and my personal life and just making sure that
I'm coaching, I'm not just directing, and that's been I
think for me at least, that's been a really big
change and a breath of fresh air. And I'm really

(12:44):
like every year I've had fun, but I can honestly
say like this past spring was rough on me and
I didn't want to go through that again, and so
I've had to make some clarity in my own life.
And even the returners have said that that's one of
the things that I'm excited to hear from them, because
I've been working on this and there's like, man, You're
You're more present, you're more energetic, you're more patient and

(13:09):
taking time. I felt like I had to rush through
a lot of maybe instructions or day to day operations
because there's like so much I had to do, and
I realized, like, you know what that's that doesn't have
to get done today, and if it doesn't get done today,
you know, and it's not going to be the end
of the world. And that's really it's really really hard
for me to say. I feel like I've come a
long way and just a short amount of time over

(13:30):
this summer. In these last couple of months of late summer,
going in the fall. But it's made a difference in
my life, and it's made a difference within this program,
and the young people have really embraced that, and and
but then to their energy of just yeah, we're a really.

Speaker 1 (13:47):
Good coach, but we're not putting.

Speaker 2 (13:50):
Okay Prome example, I was talking to coach James, our
assistant middle distance distance coach, and any other year I
would have freaked out on myself the day we were
talking about the men's program, like, man, I think we
have a really good shot of winning this year, and
you know, I think we could be top three and

(14:11):
we'll see how it happens. I would never use that
type of approach in years past. It's like we either
win or something's wrong, and that's such an ultimatum that,
you know, there's so much out of our control and
and so many things that we can't put our thumb
on and we can't you know, have a pulse of
on that day of the race, even with those individuals

(14:32):
that we're working with as coaches, that that's not fair
to me, that's not fair to them, that's not fair
to this program. And it kind of looked at me
because it's that's not me you know, it's like, man,
we have we're going to win or something's wrong, and
so I really had to take a step back because
you win, that's great. But if you don't, man, you
put so much pressure in, so much expectations and so

(14:54):
much Yeah, just pain honestly if it doesn't come to existence.
But again, that doesn't mean we don't want to win.
It doesn't mean I don't care anymore or less. That
never changed, but just like like we could, we really could,
and if we finished third, that's still pretty darnk good,

(15:14):
you know. So, uh yeah, a lot of growth and
change coming into this year. And again this is my
twenty second year of coaching, and I still don't know
at all. We still always all of us, even as adults,
have a lot of room to grow immature.

Speaker 3 (15:27):
Absolutely, coach.

Speaker 4 (15:29):
We know you love to win.

Speaker 5 (15:30):
You've said it before on this podcast, and you just
said that, Hey, sometimes you're looking three months six months
down the line, but you got to do a better
job of being present, and you're doing that right now.
What are some of the tools that you're using to
be present day to day?

Speaker 4 (15:46):
Asking for a friend.

Speaker 2 (15:49):
Yeah, listen, man, I'm I'm seeing a therapist at I'll
admit it, and we we you know, the women won
indoor Nationals and the men finished second. The women win

(16:10):
indoor Nationals, and I'm more consumed with the men finished
in second. And yeah, so what happened is, you know,
I want to win, but I realized very very quickly,
I don't want to win. It's that I don't want
to lose.

Speaker 1 (16:26):
And I had a lot of.

Speaker 2 (16:27):
Demons hidden inside me that I knew would be there
if we lost. I felt them at outdoor Nationals the
year before. And you know, again, it's it's hard not
to try to avoid make it personal, but it is
personal to me. This program is personal to me, us
as as a family's personal. Uh, the success of this

(16:48):
program's personal. And I don't have a whole lot to
do with it. I'm not out there competing, but I
do take it personally. And so I felt it coming on,
but it didn't happen the indoor Nationals that it happened,
and it was it was heavy.

Speaker 1 (17:04):
It was a lot for for.

Speaker 2 (17:06):
Me to the face and and I got to a
point where I just hit a bottom, man, a really
deep bottom one. I ended up in the hospital the
day after Nationals. We got back and I, Uh, I
was just I was broken physically and mentally and emotionally,
and uh, it took a toll one. I was sick,
but it just meant it became worse than I thought

(17:28):
it was and ended up in the hospital for for
a day.

Speaker 1 (17:30):
And but then it was it just couldn't shake it,
and I knew that.

Speaker 2 (17:34):
You know again, I think I've shared with you guys
like we want outdoor nationals two years ago and ten
minutes later, I was thinking about cross country, uh, and
one of our assistant athletic directors, my closest friend, I mean,
he jumped on me. He's like, brother, you're not even celebrating.
You're not even enjoying this moment. This is huge, and
you're already moving on. And I shared with him. I
was like, man, the crazy thing is uh, doctor Temple

(17:55):
was had we lost, that would.

Speaker 1 (17:56):
Have consumed my entire summer. And that's exactly what happened.

Speaker 2 (18:00):
Like the women won, and I was extremely proud of
them and pumped, but honestly, like I couldn't even celebrate
it because the men lost and to me, like I
had failed, And that stuck with me all outdoor and
even all through the summer and then finally, you know,
I got to the point that it's like, Okay, I

(18:20):
can do all this and handle it, and I couldn't
handle it, and I kind of broke down because I
remember going to see a therapist and she's like, what
do you think. I was like, I think this is
a bunch of crap, and man, within three minutes she
had me broken down. And there was just so many
layers and so many things that it was much more than.

Speaker 1 (18:37):
Just winning or losing.

Speaker 2 (18:38):
And yeah, so man, it's that was the biggest thing,
and I still continue just it's it's not again the
growth of just hey, man, I think we're in a
really good position and man, on the right day, yeah
we could win, but there's a lot of other good
teams that could win, and you got to respect that.
And you know, if we don't, like, that's not failure.
And that's that's really really hard for me to say

(19:00):
and process.

Speaker 1 (19:00):
But I'm really coming around with that this summer. Just
I stayed home.

Speaker 2 (19:05):
Last summer, I traveled a lot with recruiting, and yeah,
just kind of keeping those priorities, finding balance. I've really
relied heavily on the coaching staff are around me just
having some deep conversations with like, because if you're gonna
think that I'm going to say, hey, go do this,
I'm not. I'm just gonna do it myself. Like you
have to physically come to me and said, I coach,
I'm doing this and take it off my plate. And

(19:31):
you know, Coach White and Coach Overhosts and these guys,
and they've done a phenomenal job of just taking that
ownership and me allowing them that freedom and responsibility.

Speaker 1 (19:40):
It's it's been remarkable.

Speaker 2 (19:42):
I mean, I've been to more of my daughter's volleyball
games this fall than I did the last two years combined.
And so finding that balance and and hey it's again,
I still live two hours away. It's like, hey, guess
you got this. I'm going to go home for a
couple of days and just be a dad. That Again,
those are things, And this is my twenty second year

(20:02):
of coaching, and I'm starting to feel like, man, maam,
I'm starting to finally figure out a few things that
I just wasn't able to manage or handle very well.
Doesn't mean I don't want to win, doesn't mean that
that losing is not going to hurt honestly, come November,
you know it's I tell my therapist, She's like, how
you feel. I was like, I'll let you know come November,

(20:24):
because that's when the championships are coming around. But I
feel different going into this season, going into the postseason,
and I'm excited to kind of see how I respond.

Speaker 1 (20:36):
Even if we win.

Speaker 2 (20:38):
I think I will celebrate differently than I would have
maybe in the past. And I think the kids see that,
the new people see that. I think the other coaches
and a lot of people said, man, that you're just different.
And so yeah, that's a big piece to it. Understanding
and still appreciating every single day, every single moment. That

(21:00):
hasn't changed, but it's it's it feels different, if that
can make sense.

Speaker 5 (21:06):
Well, coach, I want to thank you for being so
transparent and open. I think a lot of people are
going to benefit from the words you shared with us.
I think more people need to be open like that.
I think as men, we tend to hold everything super tight,
and especially in the position you're in.

Speaker 4 (21:21):
We want to win. We want to win.

Speaker 5 (21:23):
We want to win, and when we don't win, we
don't we don't see, you know, when they say shoot
for the moon and you land with the stars. You
don't even care that you land with the stars because
you're not on the moon. So I appreciate that. And
you said you were having one on one meetings with
the athletes here to kind of tighten some things up,
and you were asking, you know, for feedback from the athletes.

(21:43):
Did any athletes give you feedback on yourself that surprised you?

Speaker 2 (21:51):
Honestly, the biggest thing is that they notice.

Speaker 1 (21:54):
I think we.

Speaker 2 (21:58):
As coaches, obviously we know we play an important role
and and but maybe we don't know how much they're
watching this and they're listening to us, and so to me,
like I don't feel like I've made a big adjustment,
even though I don't feel it, but I know I have,
and they they since that they feel that they appreciate it.

(22:20):
And so again just the if they a lot of
them said like, it just feels like you slowed down
and again this past bring And it's hard for me
because I'm a very emotional and personable person. Like I've said, like,
if you think of this program not arrogantly, not cocky,
but like I want you to think of me because
I'm investing so much time, energy, and effort like I want.

(22:43):
I want to be extremely proud of this program. I
want our athletic directors and our president and lums and
those that are current like I want them like this
is very very important to me. I am professionally obsessed
with the success and the reputation and the status of
this program. And so when you're when you're given everything

(23:04):
you got, yeah, it's it's it's going to be personal.
And I was trying to personally outrun demons with the
success of this program because I knew that had we
lost quote unquote again runners up is not losing. And
again I would not have been able to say that
three months ago.

Speaker 1 (23:26):
That it's we're.

Speaker 2 (23:27):
Still going to be okay, and and and that type
of mindset, that type of attitude, I think it is
carrying it over and the athletes see that because I
put so much pressure on myself and expectation, which I'm fine.

Speaker 1 (23:41):
With, but I didn't do it the right way.

Speaker 2 (23:43):
And and again where I am so emotional, I do
where my emotions I'm as sleeve. And the kids since
that and that, yeah, that's not what they want. They
definitely don't want that. And it wasn't like I was like,
you've got to do this, and we've got to do this.
It was more I've got to do this, and like
it just reflected it's like if we don't win, this
isn't gonna be good for me. And and I'm close

(24:05):
enough to this program, this program is close enough for me.
People could sense that, you know, and that's that's that
shouldn't be that way. And so this year there's, man,
you're a little a little bit more chilled, a little
bit more relaxed, definitely more approachable. It's it's not like
a pressure cooker. It's it's more like and discussed kind
of my big brother here a little bit, and uh again,

(24:25):
I'm enjoying it and and it's it's been a lot
of fun.

Speaker 3 (24:29):
Have you cut back on the cappuccinos at all?

Speaker 1 (24:31):
No, absolutely not. I've actually increased.

Speaker 2 (24:34):
Uh I mean, if we you know, again, it's it's
it's three cappuccinos, that's none shots. Yeah, there's there's going
to be a lot more days where it's like and
it's not even for the expresso.

Speaker 1 (24:45):
It's just more for the takes. Just like I you know, I.

Speaker 2 (24:48):
Can again, I can have one and go right to bed.

Speaker 1 (24:50):
No problems.

Speaker 2 (24:52):
I do have a few more people that I think
are becoming a little bit more concerned and I coach like,
you are getting older and we don't know how what's
more of your heart can take. So you might need
to cut back to two and we see that you're
having a fourth one or hearing that you're having a
fourth one. But yeah, not cutting back on that at all,
because we're still going hard and we still have a

(25:14):
lot of things that we want to accomplish and a
lot of moments that we want to turn into memories.

Speaker 4 (25:18):
For sure.

Speaker 3 (25:21):
Well you know, talk about the memories and all that stuff.
Women were six last year, highest finishing program history. They're
currently ranked third. What's been fueling the rise?

Speaker 2 (25:35):
If I'm honest, I don't think we're the third best
team right now. And that's not an attack against our women.
I think they're doing a phenomenal job. I think that
we've got a great group of women. I think we
might be a little bit deeper than we've been in
years past on the women's side. It's just a good
flow of energy is probably the biggest thing right now.

(25:56):
I think what sometimes programmed or athletes have a tendency
to do when you have that superstar, you know.

Speaker 1 (26:04):
We'll talk about the women.

Speaker 2 (26:05):
We had three all Americans in the fall, and two
of them graduated in one transferred, and so we had
five women out of the seven that competed at the
national meet no longer here.

Speaker 1 (26:17):
Most of them graduated.

Speaker 2 (26:18):
And so I think sometimes you sit back and you're like, Okay,
we're gonna be pretty good because they're here, well they're
not here, and that can be that kind of that
good pressure, like Okay, this is my time to kind
of step up. And we've had quite a few women
step up. We have some really strong transfers come in.
We've had some really strong freshmen come in that almost
don't know anything different other than hey, we're going to

(26:39):
run hard and that's what they're doing.

Speaker 1 (26:42):
And they've got a pretty good vibe of just man.

Speaker 2 (26:46):
Again, we have a balance of just we know we're
really good and if we win, great, and if we
just go out there and we compete to our best,
that's even better than the outcome of are we on
the podium or not. And again that that real leaves
a little bit of pressure, It keeps things a little
bit more maybe relaxed. That doesn't mean we're not working hard.

(27:06):
That doesn't mean they don't focus or don't care. It's
just we've we've found a really good balance of let's
let's make sure that we're really enjoying this and we're
we're working on these day to days. And Chris crafted
our athletic I mean, we won the Litterfield Cup last
two years. He's like, man, we need to focus on today,
Wednesday or Thursday or Friday or whatever. And if we're

(27:27):
doing that, November whatever is going to be a pretty
good day for us as well. And yeah, I think
we're really intentional in doing that. If it's a recovery day, man,
it's still we're having fun with that recovery day and
we're focused on it. And if it's a workaday guess what,
We're still having fun and we're focused on it. And
the ladies have done a really good job of that

(27:48):
this far.

Speaker 3 (27:50):
And you mentioned that you're losing a lady to transfer
and you lost two gentlemen one came back. How do
you how do you manage that as a coach? You know,
you try not to take things personally. You know, we've
read the four Agreements enough to know that we shouldn't
take things personally. That's easier said than done. How do

(28:11):
you manage that for your own wellbeing? But then also
how are you managing that for the team culture.

Speaker 2 (28:18):
Man, that's how much family we have, so so no
great question so personally.

Speaker 1 (28:28):
Because we do have.

Speaker 2 (28:30):
It was at the end of the day, I'm trying
to honestly, I'm trying to recruit D one level talent
at the NI level. It would be preposterous of me
to think that they're all going to stay. And and
so one thing that I've really embraced this year is
each year, if you're here for a year, okay, you're
here for a year, but man, give everything you got

(28:51):
to this program. And at the end of the year,
if you're deciding to leave, you're deciding to leave. And
I'm not gonna say I don't take it personal.

Speaker 1 (28:59):
I do.

Speaker 2 (29:00):
I mean, I'm I'm I'm investing into these men and
women in their lives. I love them. This is my
way of serving. It's not just that business. It's I mean,
I don't even like to tell people on my track
coach like I just like helping people accomplish their goals.
That's what I do. And and so it is hard
not to take it personal. There's a little bit of
difference too, when if they come to me, I tell

(29:22):
them like, listen, Cumberland's isn't for everybody. Waynsburg isn't for everybody.
And and then you know you're gonna run really really
fast and you might have some opportunities to have a
better situation than what you have here. So number one,
if you're not happy, let me know. And number two
if if you're looking, let me know again. Uh, Luca Madeo,
Yusuf Ashlews, Lucas and torm goes up like all these

(29:44):
I helped film find the places that they wanted to go.
You know, I remember, you know, Lucas and Tourum, three
time national champion kids from Rome, Italy, Waynsburg, Kentucky.

Speaker 1 (29:54):
That's probably not gonna work.

Speaker 2 (29:56):
And so he came to me, He's like, coach, I
want to I want to find somewhere else. And he's
d one talent. I said, all right, look at like,
let's let's create a list, let's look at pros and cons,
let's look at like what are you wanting to find?
And and you know, when he gets his contract agreement,
his scholarship paper. He's like, coach, will you help, you know,
look over this with me and make sure that this
is what they're saying, they're they're doing.

Speaker 1 (30:17):
I mean, we had complete communication. Again.

Speaker 2 (30:20):
Luca madeo like, you know, he runs really fast. We're
at a wall while house on every so he runs
really fast at Raley relays. We sit down, it's just
him and I was really late. We're at Wahff house
and the only thing open, and I kind of take
a deep breath. I'm like, all right, Luke, I love
you to death. We're bros. But what are you thinking?

Speaker 4 (30:35):
Man?

Speaker 2 (30:36):
And it's like, yeah, coach, I want to I want
altitude and I want this and I want that and
this is what I'm going to do. And and I
was like all right, man, like if youll allow me,
I want to help you and talk to coaches and
you know, negotiations and what I thought and what he
thought was.

Speaker 1 (30:52):
And we worked on and no hard feelings.

Speaker 2 (30:54):
Like again, Yusuf and Luca and Gustaf and all these
other guys. Man, I'm huge fans. Still fought talk to
I talked to them more now than I probably talked
to him when I was coaching and uh, just to
support them and love them and check them on them,
you know, and make sure that these guys are okay.
And yeah, people are going to come and go and
and especially now in collegiate athletics, it's not a Cumberland thing,

(31:15):
it's not an NAI thing. It's it is an athletics thing.
Can you find something better? Is the grass greener? And that?
And I think people are more adventurous and less uh
timid to to test waters and and to venture out
and and listening with n I l and uh better
housing at different places or facilities or settings or whatever.

Speaker 1 (31:38):
Why not you know? And and again am I for it?

Speaker 5 (31:41):
Now?

Speaker 1 (31:41):
I want somebody here four years.

Speaker 2 (31:42):
My adjective is to bring them in, love them, provide
for and help them as much as I can as
a coach as a human being, and watch them graduate.
Obviously that's what our institution wants as well. But we've
got to be realistic and not everybody's going to be
here as a four year student. That that four year
student platform is, especially athletics, it's not existing. I mean

(32:03):
when you see athletes, uh, and they're transferring to the
beginning of Christmas break going somewhere and by the end
of Christmas break, they're going somewhere else because they're getting
more nil money.

Speaker 1 (32:12):
That's that's common. That's that it is. There's a business
portion to this for coaches, for programs and and also
for the athletes.

Speaker 2 (32:22):
And then the second part of your your your question, well,
let me I guess full circle with it to take
a personal guess.

Speaker 1 (32:30):
I I actually got to the point.

Speaker 2 (32:32):
I mean, you know, last time you and I talked
to I mean, use of is he's he's family to me.
I mean, this guy spent Christmas in my house. I
went to Morocco to watch him race. And so when
he says, hey, coach, you know, I want to venture
out and and I want to try to go d
one minute hurt I'll be honest, you know, and you
said and we sat down a lot in my office

(32:52):
and and and and I told him, like, man, this
really hurts.

Speaker 1 (32:56):
And he's like me, it hurts me to to leave.

Speaker 2 (32:58):
And but at the end of the day, uh, man,
I could not be more proud that he's you know,
he's an Agate Texas A and M and and doing
great things. And we message each other once a week
and just check in and see how the families are like,
you know, he knows my kids, and I know his
brother and his sisters and his parents, and you know,
it's it's at the end of the day, it's beyond
just going fast and having the right athletes and the right.

Speaker 1 (33:21):
Success.

Speaker 2 (33:22):
It's we're dealing with people here, man, And it would
be hypocritical for me to say, like, I want what's
best for you, even if it's not here at Cumberlands,
and then to hold that against them, that this doesn't
seem right.

Speaker 1 (33:34):
Does it hurt? Yes, But I mean I I.

Speaker 2 (33:38):
It is what it is, and I love those guys
and I'm really excited for what they have going on
where they're at now. As a culture, it can be
somewhat difficult because you're you're starting to build something and
maybe these key ingredients, if you will, these key figures
when they leave, and so when you're trying to develop

(33:59):
a culture again, it has to be maybe wrapped around
like this person might only be here for a year
and we're really and I got that from our baseball coach.
This guy's a veteran and he's done a phenomenal job.
And you know, Niel money in baseball is crazy compared
to like track and field or whatever, and people wanted
to go to that next level. And he's like, man,
we just kind of embraced like you're here, you're here

(34:20):
for this year. Let's be all in for this year,
and then we get to the end of year, like
it's like a one year contract each and every year.
And he's like, man, that's how we don't get hurt
as much, like emotionally. And the culture is you're here
for a year, Let's be locked in every single day
for that year, and let's build something. Let's make it
better than it was the day before. And then if

(34:42):
you're here next year or somebody comes in next year,
we're just carrying that culture on. What does that culture
look like at the end of it, I'm not quite sure,
because again, I think all cultures of all programs are
making this huge transition from that traditional hey, I'm there
for four years to don't hold your breath, because I
don't think most college athletes, if they're able to go

(35:06):
somewhere else or are going to stick with you, Like
loyalty is no longer a buzzword. It's more almost like
you know, no one knows what that means anymore. And
so I think culturally it makes a challenge and you know,
the teams that can keep people there for four years,

(35:27):
they probably have the right setup. You know, you don't
see or hear a lot of people leave in BYU.
There's a lot of logistics that probably go into that.
You know, you look at somebody maybe at the University
of Oregon, and they transfer us like why are they
leaving an organ like they have everything? But maybe they
didn't have everything and they're finding something somewhere else. And

(35:47):
there's a lot of like I'm going to take care
of me mentality and that's probably what you're fighting more
with the culture as not them leaving is more I
can go anywhere I want to go if this doesn't work,
And that's really really hard to kind of have that
buy it now. Thankfully, a lot of people that come
here to the university come into the project product. Again,
we're trying to produce a product. That product is this
experience where you're like, you know what, there's nothing better

(36:10):
than this for me out there, and people can really
embrace that and appreciate it. We talk about gratitude and
appreciation with this program, like it is a privilege to
be in the position that these men and women of
this program are. It's a privilege for me to be
in this position that I'm in as a director. We
cannot lose sight of that, Like we get to do this.

(36:31):
You're being paid to participate in a sport that you
absolutely love. You're being paid and your education is being
handled and what a blessing, Like you know, if you
were talking about culture, like we need to bring into
the forefront. And so every Wednesday we meet as a program,
one hundred and twenty five men and women, and that's
the first thing we do is like, man, what are
we grateful for?

Speaker 1 (36:51):
You know?

Speaker 2 (36:51):
And this is the same stuff like I'm grateful for
food and air conditioner heat depending on the whether my
health or my family. And it's like, okay, let's stop
for a seconding, let's really get down to the and
you're you got a roof over your head, you got food.
You get to do this, like you get to find
the outer lements of your guy, gainability. You've got a
great infrastructure of friends and family around you that love

(37:13):
you and support you. Yes, you're healthier. It's it's bringing
to the surface here, you know. And some of you men,
you're going to graduate and you're gonna be the first
to graduate from your family, from your household, and let's
not lose sight of that. You know, we got one
you man, And I love telling a story that before here,
he was in jail. You know, it's like, hey, last stop,

(37:34):
where were you? He's like, I was in jail and
h came to me and and you know, I brought
him into my office. It's got a rough U bring
in and I was like, man, how many people graduated
from high school or college. He's like, man, I'm the
first to graduate high school and I will be the
first that graduates college if if I can figure this out.

(37:55):
And I said, well, we're going to do more than
figure it out, Like this is a must. Like you like,
there's no plan b here, bro, like where you're fourth
school and you just got out of jail.

Speaker 1 (38:06):
And his word's not miney.

Speaker 2 (38:07):
He's like, coach, I need you to stay on my
ass every day. And it's like that's what I'll do
because I absolutely love this guy. I want to see
he'll be successful. And that's our culture, you know, it's
just let's not give up on them, even if they're
only going to be here a year let's love them
and support them and take care of them as much
as we possibly can, and maybe they come back, maybe
they don't. But again, we're going to create that experience,

(38:30):
those moments that are going to be memories that even
if they go off to an organ or an Alabama
or wherever, man, they're still going to have these really
cool moments that are memories of the University of Companies.

Speaker 5 (38:43):
Coach, do you find a silver line in in the
kids leaving where Hey, I just had six kids get
money to go to other institutions.

Speaker 4 (38:52):
I must be doing something right.

Speaker 5 (38:54):
Obviously it's a hit, right, but there's got to be
Do you have a silver line into it at all?

Speaker 2 (39:00):
No, there is, you know, I I was talking to somebody, well,
I was talking to my closest friend, doctor Temple. As
I meant, it almost feels like we're being penalized for
doing too good of a job, you know, And again,
let's let's be full of this closure here. Like ninety
percent of what happens success wise is the athlete. Again,

(39:20):
it doesn't hurt me the right training, But I tell
people all the times that other ten percent that is me,
that's that's our coaching staff. I mean, we take that
extremely serious and we're extremely passionate, I like to say,
professionally obsessed with doing that correctly.

Speaker 1 (39:34):
Again, we're pouring.

Speaker 2 (39:35):
In like this is us Washington hands and Washington feet
of these individuals, and so you do put a lot
of time, energy and effort and then boom, they're they're
moving on in a year or two or whatever. And you, yeah,
you kind of wrestle with like, man, am I being
penalized for doing too good of a job. But at
the end of the day, if you know they're going

(39:56):
to be taken care of, if it's a better situation
for them, like they have that sense of peace of
you know, when I asked the athletes like hey, like
what are you looking for?

Speaker 1 (40:04):
Then, like what are we not able to offer here?

Speaker 2 (40:06):
Because we have a really good situation here obviously at
the University of Coverence.

Speaker 1 (40:11):
But you know, if they have a few objectives, Okay, are.

Speaker 2 (40:15):
Those objectives being met where they're going or are they
just leaving because they're leaving them they're not happy, like
you know, and if if we're able to have those
boxes checked and it's like okay, this isn't better situation
for what they're looking for Uh, you know, we got
to just turn around and Okay, let's let's find the
next person and we'll invest into them as a human
being and and try to take care of them the

(40:35):
best we can.

Speaker 6 (40:36):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (40:36):
And again that's.

Speaker 2 (40:39):
This is a new me because when you know, there's
a few that I take it extremely personal, you know.
And again I'll use USEIF as an example of this
guy to death. But like when he told me, I
was just like this this sucks.

Speaker 1 (40:52):
Like, I mean, this.

Speaker 2 (40:53):
Guy's in my house. My kids, you know, they know
USIF and and and then he walks in and he's like, hey,
I want to transfers, Like what what else have what
else have we had to do to keep this guy?
And you know, in his list it made sense those
were things that we we couldn't offer here. And and
it's like he's gonna go there and he's going to

(41:14):
be successful, and I'm going to cheer him on and
support him.

Speaker 1 (41:17):
But like, yeah, that that hurts. That hurts, and and uh, but.

Speaker 2 (41:22):
Eventually you you move on and you move forward, and
we're humans and and we got to keep that at
the forefront.

Speaker 1 (41:27):
And I'm really really proud of it.

Speaker 5 (41:29):
You talk about serving your athletes, and you had a
relationship with Usef where he was someone who was like
family to then you have someone like Luca who goes
to out of state. You think he's gone, and then hey, coach,
I want to come back.

Speaker 4 (41:45):
So get into that a little bit. And and and at.

Speaker 5 (41:49):
A certain point where you're like, yes, I did something
right there coming back.

Speaker 2 (41:54):
Yeah, So as much as you know, uh, door love
you said, Luca's right there and and fullest coach, I mean,
like Luke Midealo's that type of athlete. Like I was like,
this guy's gonna be the cornerstone of this program, Like
he is the epitome of what I want this program
to represent. He comes off very brass and arrogant, but
in reality he's very confident. He's very trustworthy. I mean,

(42:17):
this guy lives and breeze training and you're the coach.
Coach at like you tell me and let's let's get
to it. And it's very goal driven and but enjoys
it and and uh you know again, we're sitting in
a in a waffle house and the guy runs, you know,
twenty one or twenty nine oh one and it's fourth
fast time in the history of the ANAI and it's

(42:38):
like you just you know, when someone does something that remarkable. Uh, Okay,
we're not Texas A and M, and we're not Adam
State and we're not Oregon or.

Speaker 1 (42:49):
Tennessee or whoever.

Speaker 2 (42:51):
These guys are going to start getting phone calls and
messages from those coaches or whatever and uh and they're
gonna venture oulic what am I worth? And so I
asked him, you know, just straight up like love it again.
I love you to death your family to me, Man,
are you thinking and considering?

Speaker 1 (43:06):
He's like yeah, And I.

Speaker 2 (43:07):
Said okay, Like why he said, man, you know, won
an individual national title and and we've won team titles
and he wants to go pro, which he will go pro.
And he said, we've we've done everything that I wanted
to do, and I really think I need altitude and
just is there something else out there? Is what it

(43:29):
kind of came down to. But altitude was a big,
big piece to it. And again we sat down, It's like, okay,
let's let's look at this work. Where can you go
and receive the type of scholarship that you're going to
need that has altitude?

Speaker 1 (43:41):
And man, we had everybody and their brother reaching out
to us.

Speaker 2 (43:43):
I mean I talked to a lot of coaches that's like, man,
I'd love to be talking to you for other reasons
other than this. And you know, he felt very strong
about Adam State. I felt very strong about Adam State,
and I was proud again advocated for him, continued to
work with him during the summer for your U twenty
three and you know, even told him in the training

(44:03):
like at the end of zero U twenty three payment,
go off and and do great things at Adam State,
and uh, just dating contact of just you know, he
reached out, Hey, coach, thinking of you. Man, I can't
thank you enough. And hey, Luke, I love you, man.
You're gonna crush it. You know, I see that the
Stride Report or flow Track or somebody they've got you,
you know, being an All American for Division two and
you know they got your ranked at fortieth. They don't

(44:24):
know what they're talking about, your top twenty at least,
like you know, just hyping the guy up because I
absolutely love him and support him, and you know, but
then yeah, I got got kind of a clearance from
from Adam State, and he reached out and said, Church,
you got to talk to you.

Speaker 1 (44:41):
I was like, well, let's make sure we've got all
of our things.

Speaker 2 (44:44):
In order that you can talk to me, because this
doesn't sound like we're just checking in with each other.
And and he just wanted to make a transition to
come back. And sometimes things work out, sometimes things don't.
I don't think there was anything wrong with Adam State.
Adams say is legendary and then and they're doing remarkable things,
but it just it doesn't always work for each person.

(45:04):
And you know, again, maybe University of Cumberlands doesn't work
for every single person, but obviously it's worked for Luca
Madeo and he felt very strong about what we've done
and what we can do. And uh, it's like, coach,
if it's if it's possible, if you were willing, I
would love to come back.

Speaker 1 (45:20):
And here's the crazy thing.

Speaker 2 (45:22):
This is the type of person that Luca Madeo is
he wasn't okay, two time national champion and two times
team national champion, record holder for several records that in
euros U twenty three and he's not expecting a full ride,
all right. He was on full ride, but not expecting it.
It wasn't like, yeah, I'm getting that full ride back, right,
it was all right coaching, Like can we talk about money?

(45:45):
I was like, what do you mean talking about money? Like,
look at nothing changed between you and me. Like you're
coming back, We're going to take care of things. Consider
it done. Let's let's get to work. And it happened
pretty quick and boom, he's back.

Speaker 1 (46:00):
He's trained, he's excited. Man.

Speaker 2 (46:01):
Just just the energy in his voice, the energy in
his face has been really really remarkable. And yeah, you
kind of think like it was very flattery. I don't
know if I said like, yes, we're doing something right.
I was just like, thank you Jesus, like this is
this is Christmas pretty early and and uh, I really
really I'm thankful that he had that type of energy
and trust in us, in our program and what we're doing. Uh,

(46:23):
to choose us again, because again, there's I'm sure other
schools that would have loved to have him, and that
transition from Adams State to somewhere else.

Speaker 5 (46:31):
Well, well we see him waist up the spikes again.

Speaker 2 (46:35):
Yeah. Now I'm not gonna leave. I'm gonna tell you now.
You know, there's a lot of speculation and stuff, like
you know, is he run across he can't run across
country because he transitioned or transferred, you know, halfway through
this semester. One of the things too, that he kind
of asked for, requested if it was possible, he wants
to do a fifth year in the United States, and

(46:56):
so we were gonna, you know, I agree to that, like, hey,
let's do that.

Speaker 1 (46:59):
So we're gonna has a red shirt something. So it
just made sense.

Speaker 2 (47:01):
One we can't race, they're in the fall, and that
gives us across the country season at least, and we're
going to look at a few other things that we
can maybe figure out for a fifth year.

Speaker 1 (47:10):
But in door, yeah, he's right.

Speaker 2 (47:12):
Now we're looking at you know, and I feel safe
that I can share his information right now. Man, our
expectation is the German record for the half marathon, and
so we're setting up some things for that this fall
where he's available to chase that and get after it.
Right now, he's in phenomenal shape, Like he came back

(47:33):
to campus and is you know, enrolled, and man, he
just picked up where he left off, honestly, and I
was looking in a little bit more of a drawn
out transition, and he was like, now, let's let's get
to it, and again we collaborate really well. And that's
one thing I think he missed is he does have
a lot of input into his training, and it suggests

(47:54):
that ultimately, at the end of the day, he trusts that, Hey,
you're the coach. You tell me what we need to do,
and I'm going to do it. But this guy, man,
he's he's he's like a metrodome and and he knows
his body really well.

Speaker 5 (48:05):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (48:06):
We we kind of joke because I'm like, all right,
you know, we're doing a lack of.

Speaker 2 (48:09):
Testing and with the double teeth, threasholds and all these
other things like Luke at like what's what's the light
of the levels?

Speaker 1 (48:15):
And he's never missed one, you know.

Speaker 2 (48:17):
He's like, oh, it's two point eight, easily two point eight,
and I'll test it. And guys, I'm telling you it's
two point eight. Like he's never he's never been wrong.
Is whatever he said. He feels it is the tester
and I'll even do it like okay, that was luck.
I'll do it the game real quick and it reads
it right back. And he's always spot on. This guy's
just he's that well in tune with his body and
his performance and his fitness, and so we're we're really

(48:40):
ramping it up, and I think he can get it, honestly,
and and then we're turning around, it's like, all right,
we get some some business to take care of it
at at Nationals. And again, you know, his words not
mean I'm not going to hold him too it. He's
you know, somebody said, well, are you worried that he's
just going to come here for a year and leave?
And he told me he's like, coach, when I come back,
I'm not leaving, no matter how much money or what

(49:03):
the circumstances is that that's being presented to me. And
I told him, I said, lua, listen, I'm not going
to hold you to that. I appreciate that. I love
that you're saying that. But we the way we're talking,
I think he's here.

Speaker 1 (49:16):
I really do.

Speaker 2 (49:18):
He has some pretty high expectations and aspirations, but honestly,
like they're not so far out there that I'm just like, look,
we're gonna have to chill on that a little bit.
He wants to be a pro athlete, and he feels
that we together can get him there, and.

Speaker 1 (49:35):
That that cues me up at night.

Speaker 2 (49:37):
You know, it's like this kid, this young man's putting
a lot of trust to me and putting a lot
of trust in this institution, in this program.

Speaker 1 (49:42):
Let's make sure we're doing things right, and then he
will be there. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (49:47):
What is a German at marathon record?

Speaker 2 (49:50):
It's sixty two something if I remember correctly. And so
we've got a target date. We've got a target location.
I will not give that away. That's for him. But
I'm really really excited about his fitness. I'm really really
excited where he is, just mentally and emotionally. And uh yeah,
so it's we've got a time, we got a date
in the location. Excuse me, And so now I'm uh.

(50:12):
We actually talked about it this morning. I was like, man,
do you want me there?

Speaker 1 (50:16):
Uh?

Speaker 2 (50:17):
And do you mind if I'm there to to watch
and celebrate and cheer because I do think he will
get it. And uh, yes, it's been fun to have
him back. Man, It's it's been really fun. And the
team received him very well. You know, you could have
some resentment or animosity, and now it was everybody was
really excited that returned and and those that were new

(50:38):
obviously they had seen and heard all about him through
the recruiting process and social media and and so now
I was like, we get heard about this guy. Now
we get to train with this guy and be around
this guy. And it's been, uh, it's been a really
cool experience so far.

Speaker 3 (50:53):
Blink twice if it's Houston.

Speaker 5 (50:56):
No.

Speaker 2 (50:57):
So yeah, No, was one we were actually looking at
and uh they said no, to which we were a
little surprised with. But we found another one that's that's
gonna be just as just as solid, and uh, you know,
we're excited about that.

Speaker 1 (51:12):
So no, no, no, used to know.

Speaker 4 (51:15):
I tried.

Speaker 3 (51:15):
I tried. Folks. Well, you know, you talk about his training.
He's been posting some some pretty monster days and some
some monster double tea days. So I'm curious, as a
as a team and as a coach, how has the
double tea evolved over the last three years for you guys.

Speaker 2 (51:31):
Yeah, so, so a lot of it is I think
and and and again just reflecting and talking to some
of the men, and one of them in particular, Uh
shaff sir. He is is really but everybody calls him
a little bit older and and definitely approached me. Uh,

(51:51):
I get the hey, you're kind of scary or intimidating
or uh. And he finally just came out, you know,
he's like obviously not scared of me. He's a great
friend of mine. And he was like, hey, man, like,
let's talk about double te and threshold. And it's like,
I think we just get too ambitious and we get
too competitive and it's no longer threshold and we really
need to kind of dial that back a little bit.
And so we've done a really good job of that.

(52:12):
It's just like, I guess here's where we want to be. Uh,
let's stay within those those guidelines and those lines. And
I think too, we've got a really good group with
like we don't have that low stick, you know, where
we maybe had that in the past, and we've got
this really just core group of honestly about a group
of twelve guys.

Speaker 1 (52:29):
We're pretty deep right now.

Speaker 2 (52:31):
And and so keeping them all together but keeping them
in check is has been I think beneficial and also
too on the women's side.

Speaker 1 (52:41):
But just.

Speaker 2 (52:46):
Can we can we press we can we can add
a little bit more volume, even more than maybe what
we've done in the past, if we if we hold
back the the velocity of it and then too, Like
I get bored. I don't want to see the same
workouts over and over and over and over, and they
don't want to do the same workouts over and over
and over. And so we've become a little bit even

(53:07):
more creative of Okay, we've done that one year, we've
done that, two years, Okay, third year, we're not doing
that work.

Speaker 1 (53:12):
We're mixing this.

Speaker 2 (53:13):
SEP chaining because the athlete is evolving as well. But
then you've got a backpedal to kind of find that bunce.
And you've got some new students that have never done
double TEA and some of them still can't, and we've
had others that they've done it for two or three years.
The cool thing now is this year in particular, is
we came to our first threshold session and I've got

(53:36):
four lactic testers, and then all of a sudden, like
five or six guys are pulling out their own lactic testers.
A lot of our European international men in particular, they
have their own because a lot of them have been
doing double T thresholder thresholds is something that they're very
science based with and they're like, hey, I brought mindself.
Then we've got eight lacktic testers. It's like, as long

(53:58):
as we've got all the other instruments that we need.
I mean, we're testing a lot of people and getting
a lot of data, and yeah, it's cool. Again, it's
just a piece of information. I'm more like, Okay, it
says three point zero zero, but like what is your
body telling you? You know, and really using that information.
But then also to having some guys that have maybe
done double T threshold longer than we've done as a program,

(54:21):
and so being able to you know, sit down and
have a cup of coffee and like im in, like
what do you know? What do you think? Because what
we're finding is the rules coming between three to four,
and we were seeing that like, man, you could be
a two point eight in the morning and it'd be
equivalent to the same as a three point eight in

(54:41):
the afternoon because of the weather, because of the time
of day, because of how your body feels.

Speaker 1 (54:48):
And so we're definitely gaining and honing in. I think, Okay,
this is.

Speaker 2 (54:53):
Year two, year three of double T or lactic threshold
testing or whatever, and it give us another year two.
We're going to to be so out and we'll probably
write a book so nice.

Speaker 3 (55:04):
I'm curious you mentioned like changing it up year to
year and maybe not getting doing the same work out
or getting tired of the same workout. Do you have
Is there a Patriots benchmark that you do periodically make
maybe like once a month or once a quarter to
kind of get your baseline and see where everyone's at
from year to year.

Speaker 2 (55:23):
There is, there's there's two particular workouts. One is the
Patriot coach Oe Rosser name that, and we do it
at the same time every year and it's been a
remarkable benchmark of just uh, if we're able to want
to get through this successfully.

Speaker 1 (55:41):
It's a pretty challenging.

Speaker 2 (55:43):
So we do it three to four month tempo in
the three four tops k and then we'll finish up
with three or four times, you know, six hundreds or
four hundred. So we're kind of working on several different
energy systems and a whole lot of break in between,
because again, when you're racing.

Speaker 1 (55:55):
You're not just using one energy system.

Speaker 2 (55:57):
And this is probably one of our staples of like
we're ever just doing a tempo or never just doing
a threshold. We're always throwing something else don there in
the mix. We're never ever doing like just a time trial.
You know, for more of our middle distance oriented athletes
during the fall, they might be doing five hundreds or
six hundred time trials right hundre meters. They're never just
going in completely fresh. They're doing something before and probably

(56:19):
even doing something after another. One's kind of you're trying
to just I think it's kind of your nineties early
two thousand bread and butter, like, you know, you're kind
of your your ladders. You're cutting down to your mile,
you're twelve or eight or four, and you're doing two
sets of those. We tend to do that particular workout
twice a year during the fall, a little bit earlier
in the year, and then we come back and it's like, guys, honestly,

(56:42):
if we can do this same workout and hit the
same times but with less energy, that shows fitness. If
we can do this workout and we're going fast faster
to show fitness. If we can do the same workout
and we're cutting down the rest that we had originally.

Speaker 1 (56:55):
We're showing fitness.

Speaker 2 (56:56):
And so there might be a little bit of variation
in that, but we usually do that particular work out
that for the men on that side sixteen, twelve eight four,
two sets of those twice a year, and then on
the women's side, some women will do that. Some of
them are a little bit higher volume, maybe a little
bit older, they can do that volume, or they'll go
like twelve K, six and four and do two sets

(57:20):
of those and then that the Patriots tried and true
this Friday we're doing in Michigan. I think almost every
cross country program in the nation will have their variation
or similarity of a Michigan and we usually typically do
that once or twice within the indoor and outdoor, but
also with the cross country season as well. For those
higher five K ten K men and women during the

(57:42):
track season, but also during the cross country season, that
tends to get thrown in, I would say, and coach James.

Speaker 1 (57:50):
And I were talking about this earlier today.

Speaker 2 (57:52):
The last five weeks of the season hasn't changed in
the last three years. We think we've found you know, obviously,
I think the results for themselves these last two years,
but it's it's pretty fine tune and it feels like
it is doing its purpose within the workouts.

Speaker 1 (58:15):
A lot of it is more.

Speaker 2 (58:19):
You know, talking about like something you got on the
on the podcast before Ron Man. One thing he told me,
Coach Man told me is like he's seen a lot
of teams mess it up in November because they're just
trying to do too.

Speaker 1 (58:30):
Much and and change too many things.

Speaker 2 (58:31):
And he said, man, you need to be fit going
into November.

Speaker 1 (58:35):
November is going to take care of itself.

Speaker 2 (58:36):
And h that that really resonated and stuck with me,
and so from just the University of Camerals, but also
from from previous schools. The last five weeks at the
cross country season, it's looked pretty much the same for
where I've been. Maybe a few modifications for individualization, but
the overall template rubric if you will, has remained the

(58:58):
same and it's done pretty solid.

Speaker 5 (59:01):
Rich.

Speaker 4 (59:02):
We sure like those letters. The only yeah we do.

Speaker 5 (59:06):
Cause you said you said you're deep on both the
men's and women's sides. I know you've had some athletes
on both sides get Conference Athlete of the Week so
far this year.

Speaker 4 (59:16):
I believe you had a male. I believe his name
is Noah.

Speaker 5 (59:19):
I'm not even going to try his last name because
I don't want to begge it.

Speaker 1 (59:23):
It's exactly houtlooks lose.

Speaker 4 (59:25):
All right.

Speaker 5 (59:26):
I know he's running a top twenty time on the
cross country side of things, Who do we need to
be keeping eye out on going into conference and in nationals.

Speaker 2 (59:35):
All of them, honestly, each of them bring a tremendous
amount of willingness and desire and passion to be the
best version of themselves. And so you know, if there's
a difference between the number one runner and the number
ten runner, between both the men and women's portions of

(59:59):
this program, it's just your talent and maybe how they
balance life right now. But desire, passion, work, ethic, commitment
to the logo, to themselves, to their teammates, nothing different,
And so that's it's a it's a cool time to
kind of be the head coach or or assistant coach

(01:00:20):
or any coach of this program within the season because
there's not a try true like these are the top
seven for sure, this is the top one for sure.
There's a lot of mixing and and that keeps everybody
on their toes and good healthy competition within practices and
obviously with competition, but I would be doing a disservice

(01:00:43):
if I was to name one or two or three, like, hey,
you need to keep your eyes on on this one.
One I would miss somebody that might be, you know, obvious,
but at this point, I think they're all obvious.

Speaker 1 (01:00:54):
And you need to.

Speaker 2 (01:00:57):
If you consider yourself our competition, you need to keep
your eyes on all of them, because all of them
are doing really well. All of them are motivated. They
know that we're only going to take ten to Nationals
and only seven race. And one of the biggest things
I have heard this year is I want to race
at the national meet. I want to race. I want
my point total by my name to be a part

(01:01:19):
of the accumulation of a point total at the national meet.
That's only five people, you know, and we're pretty deep,
and we're going to take ten and we're going to
raise seven. And so that's that's a good benchmark. Is
I'm hearing what you're saying. You want your placement sixtieth
or six, whatever it is, to be part of that

(01:01:41):
point total. And so does threats these guys, you know,
how are we going to get there? And uh that
that keeps everybody pretty focus and in tune. And again
they have a good balance of having fun whether they're
doing all this, but at the end of the day, yeah, everybody.
Everybody's wanting to contribute, and so I can't. I can't
pinpoint one person at this moment because all of them,

(01:02:04):
I'm proud that they're wearing our logo.

Speaker 5 (01:02:05):
I can say that, well, we will be good to
our computer screens. I know, Rich said we we got
a lot of friends now in the n ai A,
but we will be well, we can't for the Patriots.

Speaker 2 (01:02:18):
Well and and and I think a prime example is
we've we have raced, we have raced three races, and
we've had five different athletes be Conference Athlete of the Week.
And usually your conference athlete of the week is the
fastest runner in the conference. And we've had two we'll

(01:02:39):
see three, two different women and three different guys as
the conference runner of the week. And so again that
that that shows one our depth, but that also shows
like who is your number one right now?

Speaker 1 (01:02:52):
Who should you watch up?

Speaker 2 (01:02:53):
Man? You should watch out for all of them because
they're running really really well.

Speaker 3 (01:02:58):
So will you guys go to the well at all
before conference?

Speaker 1 (01:03:03):
Yes?

Speaker 3 (01:03:03):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (01:03:04):
Uh?

Speaker 2 (01:03:05):
This this this Friday is going to be a pretty
deep one. Next next week, next Friday will be and
then we'll head off to applation. Uh, Challenge, and then
between appalation and conference will will hit one really hard.
And even the week at conference, we'll we'll we'll probably

(01:03:25):
run pretty strong that the earlier on in that week
because we're pretty comfortable. We'll take care of business at
conference and have our mindset on being ready to.

Speaker 1 (01:03:36):
Go for nationals.

Speaker 3 (01:03:37):
You guys lockhorns with the Milligan at the Appalachian Challenge.

Speaker 2 (01:03:42):
Yeah, so so really great meat. That's that's expanding there
in Knoxville. Milligan we went, we went for the first
time last year and Milligan's there and uh Savannah George
is there and montreats there. There are all really strong programs. Tennessee,
Wesland's there and beautiful course. I mean sitting right on
the side of the lake. I was standing there waiting

(01:04:03):
for the even the minute when again got coffee in
my hand and waiting for him to come to some market.
There's two eagles like hovered down over the water, like
what was national geographic?

Speaker 1 (01:04:12):
I thought was that across country.

Speaker 2 (01:04:14):
It's really cool and again this is the time of
year where temperatures are finding your your friend, and the
weather's right and people should be in really really good,
solid shape and so they do a really good job
at this meet. But yeah, Milligan, I mean, you can't
say enough great things of what you know, Coach Lane
and his personnel have have done there and just the

(01:04:35):
remarkable growth and transformation that the programs had over the
last couple of years. They are, you know, in my mind,
the benchmark when it comes to cross country, both men
and women.

Speaker 1 (01:04:42):
And so when you can.

Speaker 2 (01:04:44):
Line up against those those guys and those ladies before
the national meeting, I think it's an honor and a
privilege for us and in any whe else.

Speaker 1 (01:04:51):
So you used to do that.

Speaker 3 (01:04:53):
Yeah, And typically cross country nationals, whichever division or association,
it is ten to be in a cooler environment that
you you guys are in Jacksonville, do you anticipate the
weather of the temperature being a factor.

Speaker 2 (01:05:10):
So so, Actually in Tallahassee and we were there my
first year three years ago. We were in Tallahassee, and
I remember running around wearing long sleeves and long pants,
no gloves. It'll probably and I tell people, like, heat
and humidity in Florida is different than heat and humidity
in Kentucky.

Speaker 1 (01:05:30):
It's it's a little bit drier in my opinion.

Speaker 2 (01:05:33):
But even which sounds weird because like dry humidity, like
that doesn't make sense, but if you to me, it
makes sense because it's like you don't feel it. But
then it's it's it's their kind of thing. And I
don't remember that too three years ago. Honestly, it's kind
of a pleasant morning. But then you know, right now
we're having a hotter fallah than we than we typically have,

(01:05:55):
and so we're we're making some adjustments with our training
and and uh, you know one thing that we're doing
is we're studying by u uh the Vision one Nationals
was there a couple of years ago before that, and uh,
you know they're coming from a cooler climate and they
did really well, and it's like what did they do?

(01:06:17):
Also studying Notre Dame with like their men's at a
really good day showing that day, and like, okay, you know,
can we is there somebody there we can reach out
to and ask them, like how did you guys prepare
more for the course than than for the weather? I
probably should probably reach out to coach Lane three years
ago there. I don't think he's gonna give me, but

(01:06:39):
really it's it's I think the weather's going to be nice.
It's it's more preparing for the course itself is what
we're kind of anticipating. And again, those are some of
the adjustments. We're doing things differently this year with training
prepared for the course at Tallahassee than we did for
Missouri uh this.

Speaker 1 (01:06:56):
This past fall.

Speaker 2 (01:06:58):
And yeah, again we talked about the word are the
demands and almost expectations if you will that the event
itself presents. You know, ten thousand meters is not going
to change, It's always going to be ten thousand meters.
Cross country is a little different in the stance because
it's eight thousand meters. That's not changing, but the course
is completely different than maybe other courses or previous nationals.

(01:07:23):
How are you physiologically preparing student athletes for that and
kind of ensuring we're meeting the demands of the event.

Speaker 3 (01:07:34):
So r is there any thoughts to get down there
for a race, to get the kids on the course
at all?

Speaker 2 (01:07:41):
So Florida State offers a couple of opportunities. Earlier in
the season, it didn't really make sense with the schedule
we had. We also feel really good about we know
the course, we can really study.

Speaker 1 (01:07:54):
There's a lot of.

Speaker 2 (01:07:54):
Footage you know on YouTube and social media and whatever
else that you can really know the course without having
to be there and be present. And so it just
didn't make a whole lot of sense for us to
go all the way down there as early as it was.
It's going to be miserably hot. When we feel pretty strong,
we have a good grip on what the course presents

(01:08:16):
and how it presents itself, and we feel pretty strong
that we know how to prepare for that. Hopefully don't
eat those words later on, but that we we could
save that trip and go somewhere else and work on
a few other objectives if we will.

Speaker 1 (01:08:33):
Is it fast? Is absolutely fast?

Speaker 2 (01:08:35):
You know the young lady from Taylor, she went down
there and broke the NI record, made it look like
just silly, you know, and it wasn't ideal conditions, and so, uh,
you know, she she's definitely gonna have just to understanding
and appreciation for that course because.

Speaker 1 (01:08:48):
She's handled it and owned it.

Speaker 2 (01:08:51):
But we're going to kind of rely on some previous experience,
like we've been there before.

Speaker 1 (01:08:56):
We did that my first year we went down and
previewed the course.

Speaker 2 (01:08:58):
I remember it's like seven o'clock racetime in the morning
is pitch black, and we're pumped to this almost deserts park.
It's like, are we lost? And then all of a sudden,
the some pops up and we're racing. It was miserable,
just drooping sweat and everything else. But from that and
then obviously we had an individual and a women's team
make of that year. We have a pretty good understanding

(01:09:20):
of the course and how it runs.

Speaker 1 (01:09:21):
And yeah, so.

Speaker 6 (01:09:23):
I appreciate the insights final floor rich, Yeah, let's do
it all right, Coach Shatter, you told us you're already
about floor deep on the cappuccinos.

Speaker 5 (01:09:34):
So that goes my first question. But question I have
for you. You mentioned you asked the athletes what they're
grateful for? What are three things that you were grateful
for in your life today?

Speaker 2 (01:09:46):
Number one of my family, my wife and my kids
just there they mean so much. And my friendships that
I have with just a core group of people that
I'm surrounded by, and uh, you know it's yeah, when
you get in a dark place, man like who are
you going to turn to?

Speaker 1 (01:10:06):
And who can you rely on?

Speaker 2 (01:10:07):
And and uh not everybody who says they're going to
be there will be there, and and and I'm very
thankful for those people. Just the little things waking up
and realizing, like, man, I still get to do this
is such an appreciation and and and I try very
very hard not to take that for granted.

Speaker 1 (01:10:27):
Again, I get to do this, and I love it.

Speaker 5 (01:10:30):
You know.

Speaker 2 (01:10:30):
I get to work with young people and help them
become the best version of themselves while I'm trying to
still become the best version of myself. And so I
really really appreciate that. I appreciate I've started walking, which
is crazy, maybe slowing down a little bit, but just
the clarity of man having some time to just turn

(01:10:52):
things off and that's really really hard for me to do.
But that that's been remarkable. And then I would be
remart to say, like, coach James are our assistant middle
distance and distance coach.

Speaker 1 (01:11:04):
Uh, this guy is doing a remarkable job.

Speaker 2 (01:11:08):
Had an opportunity to go somewhere else and decided to
come back and stay here. And man, I'm so thankful
for just his commitment and his willingness to you know,
he's like, hey, how can I help you? And making
your life easier and he's done a remarkable job. And
I'm very very appreciative of his top energy and effort

(01:11:28):
because he's got a young one man he's just now
starting to walk, so I old you kid who started
walking on I know he's early, but he still is one
hundred percent committed and focused on on helping me and
helping this program.

Speaker 1 (01:11:40):
And I cannot thank him enough.

Speaker 5 (01:11:43):
Shout out to Coach James, Shout out to Coach James
and coach Coach James, coach sh Ouder, I will say,
I know you're super grateful for him, and he's super
loyal to you. But if he gets another opportunity, I
know a mid distance distance coach that I you can
give a call to.

Speaker 2 (01:12:00):
Man, it's it's uh, you know, he he had a
few opportunities come his way, which is flattering, you know,
for him. I think it's flattering for a program that
that people are recognizing what we're doing and those people
that are in part of this program and what they're doing.

Speaker 1 (01:12:14):
And uh, you know, his number one question was do
you I think he's ready? And he he is.

Speaker 2 (01:12:21):
I mean, he could be a head coach and he's
getting more and more responsibilities from me as a as
a head coach. And the other day was really cool,
we're racing at Louisville and we get done, and again,
I live just outside of Louisville and it's my son's birthday.

Speaker 1 (01:12:36):
Party, and uh, I'm going to go home.

Speaker 5 (01:12:39):
You know.

Speaker 2 (01:12:39):
Again, I'm trying to find this balance. And I said,
I said, man, you have you ever seen the Greatest
Showman with Hugh Jackman. He's like yeah, it's like, you know,
they're at the end. He kind of like takes the
hat off and gives it to the Zach wherever his
name is, and he starts it.

Speaker 1 (01:12:50):
He's like yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:12:51):
I was like, well, I'm giving you the hat. He's like, no, Man,
I was like, now that's it's yours. You got the
credit card, you got the charter bus, you're you're the
head coach. And I'm just going to go be a
day at And man, what a blessing that I'm able
to do that again. I've found more balanced this year
in my own life and between being a husband and
being a father and being a coach. And a lot
of that has to do with with him taking on

(01:13:11):
the responsibility that he rightfully deserves and is ready for
and and once and yeah, but you know, if something
else comes along and it feels right for him and
his family. I'm going to support him. As you know,
he almost took a position at of times like we're
not enemies, believe it or not. I love this. This
means a great deal to me that you have this

(01:13:32):
presented to you and and there's something that you want
to do. And I told him, like, Coach Champs, we
will probably talk more if you did this, because you're
not a head coach, you know, going to be a
head coach. I would be upset if you didn't call
me and just talk about life in general. But if
you had questions or concerns, man, I'm in your corner
and that will be that way. Uh if he ever

(01:13:54):
did decide to go somewhere else, But I do know
he's very very happy being here at the university of
a couple of months.

Speaker 3 (01:14:00):
Is it Wilson trying to steal away from you, Coach.

Speaker 1 (01:14:05):
Lucy Wilson. They're doing good too many.

Speaker 2 (01:14:07):
They actually just hired a former assistant from this program
to be their their distance coach and and.

Speaker 1 (01:14:15):
And coach Jamie.

Speaker 2 (01:14:16):
He's a great guy and we'll do a great job
over there as well.

Speaker 3 (01:14:20):
Right, Coach, you mentioned the walk and add into your
daily routine and that we've gone through your kind of
daily routine to show up as the strongest version of
Bradley Sadder. But I'm curious, as the strongest version of
Bradley Sadder, what are you doing to stay so jacked?

Speaker 4 (01:14:37):
Uh so is the hypertrophy guy?

Speaker 3 (01:14:40):
Would would you?

Speaker 5 (01:14:42):
No?

Speaker 2 (01:14:42):
No, it's good genetics, honestly, you know, No, so a
couple of things like you you know you talked about
I'm I eating the muffins. I'm no longer eating muffins.

Speaker 1 (01:14:53):
I'm a guy, and.

Speaker 2 (01:14:57):
So it's it's what tends to happen, unfortunately or fortunately
maybe however do you want to see it. I'll get
to running and get in really good running shape, and
my weight gets down, and not that I'm ever a
runner figure like physique wise, but I do slim down
quite a bit and then I get hurt, usually as

(01:15:19):
my calfs and I've got to be doing something. I'm
not really big on cross training, like elliptical is not
my friend or honestly physquise. I'm made for the bike,
but who's got three hours to go out and ride
for the equivalent of, you know, a fifty minute run.
I don't nor do I have the mental capacity to
stay focused that long. So it's it's like I'm going

(01:15:41):
to lift, and I love that you can do different
parts of the body different you know, chess one day, back,
then next legs, whatever, and you can go on there
for forty five minutes or an hour and a half,
and my body for whatever, receives it really really well.
And so yeah, so usually I get injured and then

(01:16:03):
I just start lifting like crazy so I don't lose
my mind. And then I get healthy enough to start
running and I start running, and then it kind of
seys back down to a more of a runner physique
for myself and musually, we're talking about ten pounds. All
the transition of ten pounds from lifting NonStop to running
and lifting to then it's like I have aspirations like,

(01:16:24):
oh man, maybe I should run a road race or something.
And it starts to becoming a little bit more focused
on running, and then I hurt myself and then I
go back to start listing again. It's just like this
cycle that happens back and forth. But yeah, it's it's
a little bit of it's old man strength. I was
never like this early on. I actually bench pressed my

(01:16:46):
max I turned forty four this year on my birthday
and I bench pressed three oh five twice, which was like, yeah,
it was.

Speaker 1 (01:16:53):
It was pretty cool.

Speaker 2 (01:16:55):
But I don't know a lot of it's genetics, so
so just I'm constantly moving, so that probably helps with
the way and stuff. And I got people that will
call me and check. They're like, man, you need a
you need to tone up a little bit, and then
that'll step me off and then I'll get going.

Speaker 3 (01:17:12):
So well, it's a good thing the bike boores you,
because there will definitely be some more lance Armstrong sightings
down there in Williamsburg. If you get you on a
bike and a kit.

Speaker 2 (01:17:22):
Man, it's it's And I'm a Lance Arms trung guy.
You know, grew up watching him and and and uh
again doctor Temple my best friend who was my college coach.
He's big in the cycling and he's a couple of
years older than me, and he's he's turned into a
monster and doing some really cool stuff with with the bike,
and and and last fall I was on the bike

(01:17:42):
quite a bit. I try to avoid though, it's just
like if I could get the same like buzz like
runners high that I do, was running on a bike.
I probably never run again, and obviously it was probably
stay healthier, but I don't. And and honestly, right now,
this has been the longest span that I've been able
to run healthy.

Speaker 1 (01:18:04):
Let's see where am on four months and a lot
of that's like, give a shout out to boost treadmills.

Speaker 2 (01:18:10):
We got to boost treadmills earlier this year and and
I've been able to incorporate that into my run and
try to get on there twice a week and has
made a tremendous difference.

Speaker 1 (01:18:21):
And so yeah, just a cool apparatus. And what these
machines can do.

Speaker 2 (01:18:27):
With the body and changing the you know, the gravitational
pressure of the body and the weight distribution has been remarkable.
And I advocate highly that I've been this healthy for
this long knock on wood because of the treadmills and
just being smarter. A lot of it's nutrition and we
realizing that I'm not twenty four anymore.

Speaker 5 (01:18:47):
So here you well, Rich, and I know you said
there'd be some lands arms trunk sightings, but I now
with that three zero five bench press and the way
coach is built, I don't think they want to see
and CrossFit because I think you and you definitely get
that runner shy.

Speaker 4 (01:19:05):
I feel too from some of those workouts.

Speaker 2 (01:19:07):
I've had a few people approach me about that, the
hyppoxes or whatever you call it, and you would, you
would crush it.

Speaker 5 (01:19:13):
You need to do it.

Speaker 2 (01:19:15):
I actually had a former student athlete, she's into it,
and she reached out to me about some running training
and philosophies with that, and uh, I'm considering it. Just
I'm a competitive person. I want to win no matter
what it is. And uh, to go out and and
realistic run a half marathons probably not gonna stay in

(01:19:35):
shape long enough to get in shape where I can
be like, all right, I'm going to do this wholeheartedly.
I'm really just enjoying like me and I'm able to
Like I ran eight miles this morning. It's like I
just enjoyed that time that I was able to do
that and being grateful just being healthy, Like I mean
that that's been a big piece to to my fulfillment
and enjoy life, is being able to to keep moving.

(01:19:58):
But yeah, that that competitive, it's drawing in a little
bit and it's like I might be looking into it.

Speaker 5 (01:20:07):
So Couch, I know you mentioned the Greatest Showman the movie.
And I know you probably don't have time for televisions
or movies, but have you watched any movies lately, watching
any programs or anything like that.

Speaker 2 (01:20:20):
No, So the cool thing's been recently. Of course, I'm
I'm a huge Boston Red Sox fan, and well, just
before the All Star break, my wife purchased the MLB
app and uh, we literally that's that's what I would do.

Speaker 1 (01:20:34):
I would walk and talk to her, but we would.

Speaker 2 (01:20:36):
Watch the Boston Red Sox because again we're two hours
away from each other, and so it was refreshing that
kind of just had that that moment where we're following
this team die hardly, if that's such a word, and
just sticking with them. And then you know, obviously they
had a really remarkable run to make the playoffs because
they should have been much better. And then they you know,

(01:20:57):
it's baseball's streaks, your you're on winning's trig or losing
street one way or the other.

Speaker 1 (01:21:01):
And so we had that to kind of celebrate and use.

Speaker 2 (01:21:05):
So that's the only thing I was watching was Boston baseball,
and some nights I could watch it the whole game,
and other nights was like this is.

Speaker 1 (01:21:12):
I can't even watch this in bear movies or TV
nothing of that.

Speaker 2 (01:21:18):
We are. We are huge Star Wars fans. My youngest
just turned thirteen. It's a huge Star Wars. I don't
not gonna say fan advocate for it. And so when
I'm with him, we're usually watching something with Star Wars.
But other than that, no, I don't even like my
house here on campus.

Speaker 1 (01:21:35):
I don't even have a TV.

Speaker 2 (01:21:37):
If I got time to watch television, we got time
to recruit. And you know, if I am, if I
am taking a time out, it's I'm taking a walk
and I'm watching Boston and I got an airbuddy in
and Miss and I are either.

Speaker 1 (01:21:48):
Talking to each other or texting each other, like you know,
Roman Anthony.

Speaker 2 (01:21:53):
We're both big fans of him or Jared Durant or
big fans of hims like, man, did.

Speaker 1 (01:21:56):
You see that?

Speaker 2 (01:21:57):
Or I can't believe that happened, or gosh, this is
stucks to be a bread Sex fan right now or whatever.
And so that's that's the only type of television we're doing.

Speaker 3 (01:22:07):
Coach the last time, maybe not the last. First time,
did you say you're a Death Tones fan?

Speaker 1 (01:22:12):
Yes?

Speaker 3 (01:22:12):
Did you get check out the new.

Speaker 2 (01:22:13):
Album absolutely absolutely, and the you know, talked about my son.
I got to talk about daughter because she you know,
she's sixteen and uh younger. She's a Taylor Swift fan.
And I don't think every girl's gonna have a Taylor
Swift phase. But as she's matured and kind of moved
to the front seat if you will, in the car
or the truck, she's taken ownership with the Spotify and

(01:22:35):
and you kind of just sit back and like, next thing,
you know, it's like she's listening to Tournirvana and she's
listening to maybe a few like seventies or eighties, and
then all since death Tones, I was like, what do
you know about death times?

Speaker 1 (01:22:46):
Just like what you mean, what do I know about
death times? Like what what do you want to know
about death times? And I'm like, you got a kidding?

Speaker 2 (01:22:51):
Like this is I'm doing something right as a dad
at least, you know, And uh, that's honestly like the
highlight of my life right now, especially in the summer
because again I'm away from them quite a bit.

Speaker 1 (01:23:04):
Is dead Can you take me to volleyball practice?

Speaker 2 (01:23:07):
Yes, yes I can, And we'll jump in the truck
and we're just listening to music and death Tones were listening.

Speaker 1 (01:23:15):
So usually from from like the.

Speaker 2 (01:23:16):
House to the high school, it's about a twelve to
thirteen minute drive. We're at least listening to two death
Tone songs. We don't talk a whole lot. We don't
have to my daughter and I like, if she wants
to talk, we will. But there's like this understanding. We're
heading to the gym and we're getting hype into death
Tones and it's like it's such a cool moment for
me as a day, Like it's like, yes, this is

(01:23:38):
it's not crappy music.

Speaker 3 (01:23:41):
That's awesome.

Speaker 5 (01:23:42):
Well, coach, I'm going to nerd out a little bit.
Rich turned me on to the death Tones when I
was in third grade, and I'm a top three band
for me. And I don't know if I asked you
just the first time you were on, but what is
your favorite death Tones album?

Speaker 2 (01:23:58):
It would have to be like the new Decent, you
know it. It's hard to go that many years without
an album, and then the genre itself, you know, rock
music has changed almost every two years. I think the
new one is solid because you can listen to it
and and if you're a death Towns fan, you can say, like, Okay,

(01:24:22):
I know who this is, but it still has pieces
that are modernized. I go like my own summer, Like
that's that's my jam. Like that is if I'm in
the gym, that is being played at least once guaranteed
and and so that's that's gonna be the one I
go to because again I'm I'm from the nineties and
early two thousands like that that rock alternative kind of

(01:24:44):
uh influence with a little bit of metal, a little
bit of European rock mixed into it.

Speaker 1 (01:24:50):
Yeah, that's that's where I'm living at. And uh, so
that that's gonna be my pick.

Speaker 2 (01:24:55):
And so, you know, I think it's it's fun now
like kids are like, man, I like to I like
the song change, Like man, that really hits me.

Speaker 1 (01:25:04):
It's like, you have no freaking clue what that song means.

Speaker 4 (01:25:07):
We know what I mean.

Speaker 1 (01:25:09):
You know, we listened to it way more than they did.

Speaker 2 (01:25:11):
And uh, but it's cool to see those those bands
of like the nineties in two thousands. You know, it's
it's like we'll get Creed and Limp Biscuit and Depth
Tones and all these guys are kind of making comebacks.
And uh, it's yeah, it's pretty cool to see all
that stuff happened.

Speaker 3 (01:25:28):
I got a little throwback for you.

Speaker 1 (01:25:30):
It was in the.

Speaker 3 (01:25:33):
Fall of ninety seven I saw a Limp Biscuit open
for Deathtnes really yeah, that was before their first album
really came out and they closed with got to Have Faith.

Speaker 4 (01:25:49):
Yeah, and I was like, who are these guys?

Speaker 1 (01:25:51):
Yeah yeah, so yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:25:53):
Defthtones is probably the band I've seen the most in concert.

Speaker 2 (01:25:57):
And unfortunately I have not seen them. Don't have a
lot of time for concerts, but we definitely listen to
quite a bit of Death Talents in our house.

Speaker 1 (01:26:06):
Definitely the truck. Definitely in the weight room for sure.

Speaker 5 (01:26:09):
Awesome Well, Coach Shouder, thank you so much for your
time this evening. It's always a pleasure to chat with you.
Make sure you tell Coach Kraftick and Coach rough that
the area bros. We're asking for him. Can't wait to
see what the team's got going on for the rest
of the season at Nationals.

Speaker 4 (01:26:27):
We'll be rooting for you. Thanks again, sir, guys, I
appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (01:26:31):
Thank you so much. Thank you for the airtime and
the questions and just to accept me for who I am.
Thank you guys, well, we love it.

Speaker 3 (01:26:39):
We love you for who you are and we're big
fans and we'll rooting for you in Tallahassee and best
of luck of conference and next weekend as well.

Speaker 1 (01:26:48):
A man, thanks you guys. We'll see again all.

Speaker 3 (01:26:50):
Right, ladies and gentlemen. That's coach Badley Sadder from the
University of Cumberland's if you are ready to make sure
you go give them a little bit of love on
social Media's tell them that the Area Bros sent you.
That is it for us this week. We do hope
you have a great rest of your weekend and enjoy
your weekend. We will be back next week and it's
going to be all New Jersey all week. Starting off
on Monday, we're gonna be talking to coach Bob Hamer

(01:27:11):
from Writer University with the Broncos, and then on Thursday,
Chris Lear is joining us to talk about his new
book with Sean Brosnan, Beyond Fast, So we'll be weighing
in a little bit more on the Great pork Roll
Taylor Ham Debate next week and enjoy weekend. We'll see
you next week.

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EP 407 — Coach Bradley Sowder (University of the Cumberlands): NAIA Powerhouse Mindset, Double-Threshold Lessons, Culture in the NIL Era

Episode Transcript

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}EP 407 — Coach Bradley Sowder (University of the Cumberlands): NAIA Powerhouse Mindset, Double-Threshold Lessons, Culture in the NIL Era