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    The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast

    The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast

    About

    Unlock the world of track & field coaching with The Gill Connections Podcast! Host Mike Cunningham brings you inspiring stories, real conversations, and coaching insights from leaders at every level. Discover a new coach's interview every Monday. Plus, don’t miss the Ted Talks of track/field podcasts with our NEW Gill1918 Project episodes Tuesday-Sunday — short, powerful lessons from top coaches to help you grow on and off the track. Powered by Gill Athletics — Supporting Coaches Since 1918.

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    Gill Athletics

    #340: Richard Anderson – Vestavia Hills HS | From Fired Football Coach to National Track/Field Coach of the Year

    #340: Richard Anderson – Vestavia Hills HS | From Fired Football Coach to National Track/Field Coach of the Year

    December 8, 2025
    1h 48m

    🏆 From small-town Alabama to the USTFCCCA Boys National Coach of the Year, Richard Anderson’s journey is anything but ordinary.

    In this episode, Coach Anderson shares:

    🏃 His unlikely path into track & field after years as a football and baseball coach

    🏗️ Starting a program from scratch with no facilities—just painted lines, dug holes, and pure determination

    🤝 Building culture at a 265-athlete program where distance runners, throwers, jumpers, and sprinters learn to support each other

    🥈 The sting of four straight runner-up finishes—and the joy of finally breaking through to a state championship in 2025

    📚 How coaching education and mentorship shaped his evolution from “football coach who did track” to “track coach, period”


    💬 “If you don’t have joy in what you’re doing, don’t do it. That’s what I tell my staff, that’s what I tell my kids, and that’s what I remind myself every single season.” – Richard Anderson


    🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into 300+ episodes featuring insights from coaching legends such as Boo Schexnayder and Dan Pfaff, Diljeet Taylor (BYU) and Beth Alford-Sullivan, as well as superstar coaches Petros Kyprianou (Illinois), Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.


    🎙️ Create Your Own Podcast Episode: Reach out to Mike Cunningham for instruction on how to create your very own Gill1918 Project episode, which airs Tuesdays through Sundays. Find YOUR voice on the Gill Connections Podcast Network.


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



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