Off Track: Meeting of the Unknowing Minds

This week the All-American and Olympics Trails qualifier in the pole vault, Tray Oates pulls a chair up to the table. Take a listen as the Samford alum talks about getting into vaulting, the importance of the coach-athelte relationship, how he chases his dream and the avenue he is taking to give back to the young up and coming crop of vaulters!

This week Kelly Sullivan, Director of XC/TF at Seattle University pulls a chair up to the table. Coach Sullivan talks how he got into coaching, the impact you can have on an athletes life. The core values he has taken with him throughout his coaching journey, as well as the importance of a hat and a t-shirt. This one will definitely impact you.

This week Olympian Bianca Knight pulls a chair up to the table. Bianca talks about her reasoning behind choosing the University of Texas and then leaving after her freshman indoor season. The importance of having a strong support system and most importantly Bianca's desire to give back to her home state of Mississippi and the your in track and field. We dive into.her BK Foundation and the BK Trackstar app she has created. Bianca is definitely blazing a new path.

The Scientist Tom Schwartz, Tinman Elite Season 2 Ep 9 This week we have the pleasure of sitting down with the Scientist himself Tom Schwartz, Head Coach of Tinman Elite. We discuss how Coach Schwartz got into Coaching, the challenges the Tinman Elite group faces, and different avenues the sport of Track and Field could take to help its athletes qualify for National and Olympic events while still maintaining a normal racing schedule. We also walk back down memory lane on some of the best...

This week we bring in one of the World's best Christian Taylor. The 2 time Olympic Gold Medalist and 4 time World Champion Triple Jumper sits down with the panel this week to discuss his background in athletics along with his mindset, approach and preparation for competition. He also discusses the current challenges for professionals in the sport of track and field and how as the president of the Athletics Association he is unifying and advancing the voice of Track and Field athletes world...

This week Amy Deem, Director of XC/Track and Field at the University of Miami pulls a chair up to the table. Coach Deem talks about her desire to be a coach since she was little. The challenges she has faced at the 'U' and Coach Deem thoughts on the current state of NCAA Track and Field!

This week former NCAA 10k Champion, and runner up in the 2012 Olympic Trials (10k) Natosha Rogers pulls a chair up to the table. Natosha discusses the challenegs she faced at Texas A&M, the importance of having a proper support system around you in running and in life and why having unfiltered conversations with your Coach can go along way.

This week Florida cross country coach and Assistant track and field coach Chris Solinsky pulls a chair up to the table. Take a listen as the former American Record holder at 10k speaks about what he learned from his trials and tribulations throughout his collegiate and professional career. As well as the drive it took Chris to stay at such an elite level. Think you can "Bring It"?

This week Walt Drenth, former Director of XC/TF at Michigan State pulls a chair to the table. Coach Drenth talks about the importance of having a work-life balance, the one thing Coaches should always remember the are and what not do if you are a freshman. A lot of hidden gems in this one, so many you may need to listen twice!!

This week Chris Chavez pulls a chair up to the table. The track and field writer for SI, and host of the Citius Mag and Citius Podcast pulls a chair up to the table to discuss the 'Bill Simmons' side of track and field. Chris also discusses his writing and what his first question to Usain Bolt was. This one was a great change of pace with a lot to learn!

This week the incredible Russell Dinkens pulls a chair up to the table. We dive into Russell's athletic career at Princeton, his passion for advocacy and a moment that impacted his life from a young age. The passion Russell has for equality and advocacy is contagious and we hope you get as much out of this week's podcast as we did!

To kick off the New Year, Ben Rosario, Head Coach/GM of the HOKA NAZ Elite team pulls a chair up to the table. We discuss the state of American Track and Field, the excitement of the new Pro Track Series and why it will work and how to become a professional coach....oh and stick around, there may or may not be some hidden outtakes after the show.

This week we sit down with the brilliant Victoria Jackson a sports historian, NCAA Champion and former professional runner. In this episode we dig into where we've been throughout the history of collegiate athletics and how we got to this moment in Track and Field. This was a fun and incredibly engaging conversation which will encourage you to look at our sport through a historical lens in order to understand where we are and where we are headed. Sit back and enjoy!

This week...we get hijacked by the the very esteemed and sneaky Mike Cunningham (Gill Athletics) and Rhonda Riley (Duke University). They flip the script on the panel as we get to know more about the backgrounds of the coaches and members of The Meeting of The Unknowing Minds podcast. This was a riot...tune in, kick back and enjoy!!

This week Coach Kenneth Cox, Associate AD for SA Mentorship and Head XC/TF at Birmingham Southern College, pulls a chair up to the table. We talk Coach Cox's history as an athlete and a coach. We also talk in depth with the issues and challenges Coach Cox has faced throughout his career. This one had us rooted in our chairs, eager to learn more. Pull up a chair and hear the passion and love Coach Cox has for what he does and the city he lives in.

We sit down this week with the new Dartmouth Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Porscha Dobson. After a storied collegiate career, Dobson is considered one of the best hurdlers in UNC History. Soon after UNC, she was climbing the ranks of the coaching world making stops at Seton Hall, Montclair State and Penn. She blazing a path all her own as she becomes the first black female Director in Ivy League History. We discuss her path in coaching, some of her greatest accomplishments and...

We have the pleasure this week of sitting down with former Eastern New Mexico University President Jeff Elwell. Jeff is an educator, playwright and former track and field athlete. He has a deep passion for track and field and has served as a USATF official working SEC, Big 12 and NCAA Championship meets. This is an in depth look at how athletics fits into the context of a University's overall plan and particularly how Track and Field and Cross Country and other equivalency sports play a...

This week Former All-American Running Back and Track and Field athlete at Notre Dame, Reggie Brooks pulls a chair up to the table. Reggie now serves as the Director of Student-Athlete Alumni Relations and Engagement at Notre Dame in addition to his duties as the Sports Administrator for Track and Field/Cross Country. This is a inside look into the world of athletics administration from a guy who knows athletics and knows coaches and athletes. We also dive into Reggie's time in college under...

We have the honor this week of sitting down with USTFCCCA Cross Country President Vicki Mitchell from the University of Buffalo. We talk the recent cuts in Men's Track and Field at Clemson and then we dive into Coach Mitchell's incredible athletic career, her rise in the coaching ranks and the many challenges she overcame along the way. Sit back, relax and enjoy a chat with this truly inspirational coach and leader!

We have the honor and privilege of sitting down this week with legendary track and cross country coach Lance Harter of the University of Arkansas. Fresh off of his NCAA Titles in Cross Country and Track and Field, Coach Harter discusses his ascension to where he is now, how he manages his incredible squad, how he develops and hires young coaches and many other topics. This week we learn from the best! We hope you will too...enjoy!