Latest / The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast / #21: Adam Pennington-Northwestern State University

Transcript

#21: Adam Pennington-Northwestern State University · The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast

0:00
Hey gang, welcome to the Guilford X connections podcast.
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Our goal here is simply to share with you the stories and
0:06
backgrounds of the great people of track and field.
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I'm your host Mike Cunningham and it is my honor and privilege
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to bring you. These great men and women from
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around the world. Today got a doozy Adam
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Pennington from Northwestern State, Louisiana University, the
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demons they are there super fast, man.
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He's done a fantastic job there. I think you're really going to
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enjoy his story. Just how he he weaves Family
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Life, how important that is as he coaches the track and field
0:35
team there at Northwestern State and even his background even
0:38
found out a little-known secret, he's actually started out as a
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pole vaulter. So, so interesting.
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I know you're going to enjoy this heads up, had a little
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trouble with some connectivity and audio.
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So if you can get through some of those small parts, the payoff
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is fantastic here at the end. So without further Ado, help me
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welcome the wise, the wonderful Adam Pennington.
1:07
Hey Adam, how are you? Oh man, I am awesome this
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beautiful day that I'm supposed to be at a track meet which
1:15
you're probably supposed to be at a track me too.
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So maybe people were just doing as awesome as we're.
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We can be in today's world that we're in.
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Yep, I think I think we're supposed to be at Baylor this
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week. No, it's a great place.
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I like it a little little bias there that, you know, our CEO is
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a bailar Alam and okay. We redid that.
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Track boy, it seems like yesterday, but it's probably
1:39
five or six years ago now, and they just did an outstanding job
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with how they designed the track and the indoor area.
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I love it. I love their facility.
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That's amazing. Awesome, that's so cool.
1:50
Hey, thanks so much for joining us today on the Gila thetax
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connections podcast. Super excited for this atom.
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You have done just a really an amazing job at coaching and
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little known fact. If you don't know, Adam doesn't
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amazing job as a father. By the way, I want to make sure
2:07
appreciate out out what you do as a father to your kids man.
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It's just it's just amazing. So maybe let's start with tell
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us who you are, where you're at and what you do there at
2:18
Northwestern. Go ahead.
2:27
Okay. Okay, I'm sorry.
2:27
I lost you for a second. Yeah.
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Adam Pennington with Northwestern State.
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Now I'm going home. Well we were year five.
2:35
I guess we'll be going over your six next year.
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So yeah, I've been there like I said for right at five years and
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before this I spent a little time at McNeese State University
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down in Lake Charles and before that, I was just one year of
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actually High School teaching. And before that, I was just
2:53
supposed to Do you coach there at Northwestern State?
2:58
It's kind of funny as that I've multiple times.
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I've had people approach me and ask me what I coach because I
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see me from one another tragic other at all times.
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I have I've coached some long Jumpers in my time there, right
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now I'm currently in charge of the Vault hurdles, long, and
3:17
short relays Sprint. So yeah, and in the mid, the 800
3:22
lat. So I've been giving a little bit
3:24
more Duty each year I think so, Yeah.
3:27
And you know, we follow along with the on Facebook and you do
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a great job of posting the results.
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And really honestly probably most of your post track wise are
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less about the actual results which you have a ton of great
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ones but more of actually about the process, you know, you'll
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you'll post about one of your kids did this at the workout
3:48
today or you know, handoffs went.
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Well you really talked a lot about the process with your
3:53
athletes. Maybe explain to us kind of what
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your style is and what kind of successes you've had there with
4:00
your sprinters and hurdlers yeah, I think this mid-level
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which I think the Southland Conference, which is what we're
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in is pretty competitive conference, but I think at this
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level, you know, I think I'm getting kids, you know, that
4:12
aren't quite usually power 5 type of kids, and which lately,
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I've actually had a chance to go after a few kids that were being
4:19
recruited, police recruit it kind of heavily but you know
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getting those kids that are ten Seven, Ten eight guys 21-7 21:8
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and watching them to come 10:1 you know 20-point mid guys you
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know, and the same thing with the girls I had a girl a few
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years ago she was a think of 58 s 400 grow out of high school
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and ran 26 seconds and she lit left Northwestern has a 23 legal
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01 11:30 11:30 7 in the hundred and then she ran 50.
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Holy cow. Yeah, yeah.
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So so getting those kids have been.
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I think that the funnest and when you have kid that has that
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much success. I just, you know, I hate for
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their story to go. And also, I love to share the
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yeah. What was the The secret sauce
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for, like that young lady. I mean, that's that's amazing
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and problem, man. You know?
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Yeah. And she never ran 104 junior
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year and I kind of messed up with that one.
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She's actually kind of cool. She's one of my assistants.
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Oh, wait, girl, she took a year and she won't run professionally
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in Florida and she's back now with us.
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But yes, she's very talented young lady and I didn't quite
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believe in herself and her abilities, a lot.
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When she first got to Northwestern.
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And, you know, by the end of it, I think she believed in herself,
5:32
pretty Well, you know, so yes, she was great job and I think
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the success for her, which I really messed up in her the
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hundred because then she figured out a 400-meter girl anymore
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because her first hundred dude. Yeah, it seems like we're having
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just a little bit of a tough time here in the atom.
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Go there. Yep.
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So yeah, she have sort of a broke up for a second but no
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she's I don't know much of the success.
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Besides the girl was 100% dedicated and she had it.
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I think she had it from the beginning.
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We just had to get some belief in herself and once that
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happened, I think the rest took off.
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Now, the super cool thing. It's one thing for a coach to
6:26
have. I mean, that's a pretty
6:28
phenomenal success story, but to have a kid who comes in at 58,
6:32
maybe leaves it at 53. You have been able to kind of
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replicate that through several athletes.
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I always like to look towards the relays is kind of my
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barometer of what a coach is doing for more than just one
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kit. What kind of like 4 by 1 times,
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have you guys been able to run here in the last couple of
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years? We were in 38 92 in the final,
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he's in the finals that in sees, I think an 18 prior to that
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we've never. Since I've been here, we've
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never ran over 40 seconds. So we both The 39s.
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So it's been it's that's another you know, cool thing.
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I think there's only like maybe 45 non-power five schools under
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ever run sub 39 you know is that right into?
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Yeah I think it's I think so Mick Western Kentucky
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as well, so maybe six or seven, so that's pretty cool.
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Yeah, still finite Right company there.
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Yeah, absolutely. Yeah and he just make sure we're
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making sure we're sharing your story loud and clear that you
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get good Wi-Fi there. We were breaking up a little bit
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so yeah I do actually had someone keep calling in.
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I think that's maybe why it broke.
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Okay no worries. We'll keep trucking along here.
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Yeah 38 92. I mean like how many Period is
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suffer 39. So yeah, you know actually so
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you know are 4 by 11 and National Title back in the 80s.
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Oh Hope Dad, ran 39 one who. So when I, when I arrived on
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campus, that was one record. I looked at it and said, yeah, I
8:15
might not have a chance but say you got a pretty salty 401
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record to begin with. Yeah, yeah.
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So I had definitely, I don't know that one that one stood out
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from. Yeah, you just gotta believe in
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yourself, Adam, come on, it really know what your coach,
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you're not even running. You got to make sure the
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athletes. Right, right, you're right.
8:37
Well, that's so cool. And that's current day.
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And, you know, I think a lot of people maybe understand the
8:43
success that you're having recently.
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So let's maybe take a step back and start how your track and
8:48
field during began to talk to us about high school and I assumed
8:51
you were a track athlete. I assumed you were a sprinter
8:53
because you just have so much success there.
8:56
Tell us about high school. Yeah.
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So high school, I started out in Central Louisiana about an hour
9:04
and a half, Out of here and I started a Kindle.
9:09
Ryland was actually my coach and he his dad and his son I'm sorry
9:14
is actually Daniel Ryland. Was a professional vaulter and
9:16
vaulted over to Arkansas State and still owns a vault facility
9:21
out of Florida and:. Yeah yeah, yeah.
9:24
So he owns that down in Florida and his dad started me off and
9:30
kind of just kept me going. And you know I was just a pole
9:33
vaulter, really? Yeah.
9:35
I was just The pole vaulter. The first of all right, let's
9:38
have some respect for the event. No one who pulled on his just a
9:41
pole vaulter. No, no, you got it actually.
9:45
Actually I was a regional qualifying for me.
9:48
Oh wow. Pole vault being one of those
9:50
for yes. Yes.
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The pole vault, of course, over here, we run a 4x2 and 4x4.
10:01
So wow, relays and I can't bring you were a pole vaulter.
10:05
So I mean that's I don't want to beat up.
10:09
Okay. Not a very, very good one.
10:11
But what's your PR in the vault? In high school actually has 14
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to in high school and only jumped 14 College.
10:22
I understand why you. So it gives you got some girls
10:25
in your team that are pushed in your PR there in the 13, I rage.
10:30
But yeah, it's pretty amazing. Maybe once I got to college and
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I was new in to track and field because I didn't start my junior
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and told you here. I was chained athlete when I
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went there. So you know, I change events
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here and there he right? Yeah, I would say it seems out
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of pegged you as a decathlete that kind of fits the mold you
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look and yeah. Right.
10:58
Yeah After High School, where did you end up?
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Continuing your education app. I did a multi down in Hammond,
11:08
Louisiana and Coach Brady from Texas A&M now, who would at the
11:11
time was at Southeastern? He, he actually was there
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watching a another multi compete.
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Human might bartolina who's that little latte now.
11:23
And both of those guys see me and Mike were pretty good
11:26
friends with Callie head coach. Mark Phillips was a junior
11:29
college. So he recommended me go there
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and he gave the coach called before you knew it.
11:34
I think Weeklong man. Now first of all City Kansas the
11:38
three guys who just mentioned Sean Mike and Mark, what?
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Yeah yeah, people love the sport of track and field, great people
11:46
and great coaches, all and interesting.
11:48
You went to Junior College, went to Cal Lee.
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Yeah, Callie Community College, I used to coach yet Neosho,
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County Community College. So I am very well versed in the
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Kansas Jayhawk community college system and right.
12:05
Right. Right?
12:06
Yeah. You know it?
12:06
Yeah. Treat you like that of team's
12:09
Barton's and Hutchinson's and all those guys.
12:13
Yeah, you know, when we went in the two years, I was there the
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first year was the first year, I think anyone had beat Morgan
12:19
County at a conference Championship or region and 12 or
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13 years. So we actually won the years.
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I was there, I had Tony. Yeah, it's Ryan Turner was there
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and so was probably Robert Wood, who's the head coach at
12:33
Coulterville know, you know? So, you know, so we had a very
12:35
good staff, some very good recruiters and a very good head
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coach. I thought was Coach Phillips and
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you know, those guys kind of paved, the way we're At the
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national typed championships that year.
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So it's fun. But I would say, junior college.
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Yeah, I'm afraid you're too many people would say that actually.
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Yeah, that laughs right there, said it all.
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I can't agree. That would be like, Yeah, coach
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would. Could definitely remember that.
13:08
He was our door manager for the guys and he, he was actually two
13:12
floors. Directly under me, and his
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daughter was just born and we played basketball a lot.
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The junior college thing I guess, and I would take the ball
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and dribble it all the time. And he would say, I'd wake the
13:23
kid up, which I probably did he. He took my ball from me a few
13:27
times. And now we actually spoke two
13:32
days ago, you know we speak all the time so he's better.
13:34
Big mentor and you know a great great job is the best of all an
13:37
autographed, send it to him. All right, I should because his
13:44
wife's very it's so I stayed there for two years and
14:03
then I went to Northwestern State.
14:05
So I transfer my the sky became a professional.
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At this, at this time though, did was coaching your thought
14:13
process as you're getting a major?
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Or did you think of other things to be for your career?
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I've always liked the coaching world and I think I've always
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known I wanted to coach at some level.
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As a kid, I didn't know it would be track and field, you know, I
14:30
even maybe as a young teen or Midtown, I still didn't know
14:32
that, but I knew I wanted to coach or do something in the
14:35
sport. So what were you majoring in?
14:40
At the time. So I got my associate degree
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from Cali and second, a liberal arts.
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And then once I got to Northwestern State.
14:51
Okay. Yeah, it's a, it was clearly, I
14:52
would think common degree for track and field coach Wright and
14:57
I the Masters then I started was I helped.
15:00
And so I completely glossed over this, you went from Cali to
15:04
Northwestern State Oh wow. That's cool.
15:08
Yes I did, yep. Yeah.
15:11
I went to Northwestern State and at the time, my boss now was a
15:14
system of staff and he he was throws coach and we had a pretty
15:19
great coaches ones actually conduct the Hall of Fame is Leon
15:23
Johnson. Yeah, and so in his son, Dean
15:26
Johnson who is actually back with us now and assisting me.
15:30
But yep. So Dean and Leanne were head
15:32
coaches at the time. And my boss was assistant, which
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is now the head and Yeah, it's amazing.
15:36
You know, you here I went to High School in Louisiana and you
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took a little dip over to Kansas, but came back and
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Northwestern State. You don't sound Louisiana No.
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No, I'm actually, I'm pretty pretty Cajun.
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Parish, you know. So there is some very thick
15:57
accents, down here. Fortunate, I guess I can say for
16:00
me. Okay, I will say, well, I talked
16:01
to someone like Boo, there's no doubt where he lives and oh,
16:07
yeah, I know, he's absolutely. Yeah.
16:10
He he, he, I've taken a few classes with blue and there's a
16:14
lot of people that struggle to hear.
16:16
I'm Hannah, it's He clearly to me because I hear it all the
16:19
time. You've got the Cajun filter in
16:21
your ears, which helps? Oh, absolutely, yes.
16:25
And I remember going in barber shops as a kid.
16:27
No, all they spoke was French, you know?
16:30
Yeah. You know.
16:31
So it down here is a lot of Cajun French, you know?
16:34
So a lot of, I guess, friends of my age and their grandparents
16:38
and grandparents for that, they still speak it all the time.
16:40
I think most people's take on Cajun and Cajun French Cajun is.
16:48
What was the the football movie? Billy.
16:50
Not Billy Madison. Waterboy, Waterboy?
16:52
Oh, yeah. Yeah, I tell you though, that, I
16:56
hate to say it, but there is that, right?
17:03
Definitely fit the title. It's good.
17:05
Good casting, Yeah, so you go to Northwestern State and I believe
17:13
if I remember correctly, you actually ended up getting your
17:15
degree. Your kinesiology degree from
17:17
another school. I did yes, though.
17:21
I actually left, I stayed at Northwestern State until the
17:24
time that I found out that I was actually a father then.
17:28
So it's kind of, you know, I was either stay in school which I
17:31
just came off an injury, stay in school and get, and use another
17:34
year of Eligibility or go ahead and try to start working a
17:36
little bit more and be able to take care of my kid at the time
17:39
and be able to also graduate continue towards what I wanted
17:41
to do. So that's the route I took and I
17:43
ended up over Louisiana State University of Alexandria and
17:47
finished my degree up there and And from there, I guess, it took
17:51
the first time. How old were you at this time?
17:53
When you're finishing up at Lafayette?
17:56
I'm sorry. Alexandra Alexandra.
18:00
How old were you at that time? I was probably when I finished
18:07
up probably looking for tough aides to make a decision pretty
18:12
real selfless decision of hey man.
18:14
Okay, I've got this responsibility now of a child.
18:18
It's not about me all the time anymore.
18:20
I've got to do the right thing. Yeah, I had to I had to cut back
18:23
on hours. I was taken.
18:25
I think I was taking around six to nine hours, only a semester
18:28
because I was working full-time job as well.
18:31
So yeah, actually I was working in Own Airlines.
18:35
So I got to travel a little, it's interesting things.
18:37
But yes, I worked with them while I was still continuing
18:41
school but always been a goal of mine to graduate.
18:43
So kudos to you. Hey, making that decision
18:48
starting to work full-time to help pay for the expenses that
18:51
are a child. That's for sure, but then still
18:54
really sticking to it to get that degree.
18:57
You could have. I mean people could have you
18:59
could have not gone on to get that degree and no one would
19:01
have faulted you you. According to you to get that
19:04
degree. No.
19:04
No. Yeah, you know, I think that
19:11
probably not getting the degree probably with a, you know, I
19:14
think probably would have gave a little bit more people
19:16
realization, what it was because I was either way, whether, you
19:20
know, I wanted to finish school or not, I always had that goal
19:23
set that I was going to be successful, in finish school and
19:26
and choose my career. Not let my career choose me,
19:28
however, Choosing My Career, not let my career choose me.
19:31
That's there's a lot of wisdom in those words.
19:34
Yeah. Except kudos to you for A making
19:37
the real adult, selfless decision, and then still
19:41
sticking with that degree. That's awesome.
19:43
So, you were doing, you said American Airlines and different
19:47
jobs? Think maybe, did you tell me it
19:49
one point you were doing some carpentry work?
19:51
Even during this time? Yeah, so I actually, I took a
19:57
volunteer position acne State University, which is down, like
20:00
like Charles coach burning, Gilroy head coach there actually
20:05
gave me the position. I had a another offer from
20:08
shorter. You oh yeah.
20:09
What's at the time? Yeah, shorter and actually at
20:13
the now you're all this maybe we're really catching the accent
20:17
now. You're saying Shorter University
20:19
over in Georgia? Correct.
20:22
I just you're right. Yeah yeah.
20:25
I'm sure I'm sure. I still have kids too.
20:30
How you are saying shorter your personally?
20:34
Yeah I'm sure I would have No. So yeah, I actually ended up at
20:42
Lake Charles and Coach gear will give me a volunteer position and
20:45
gave me a job. Also, I was actually working
20:48
with doing some upholstery every morning, I would say probably
20:53
six a.m. to around noon to 1 and then I'd get off and head over
20:57
to the track and get Aloft his work in before practice and
21:00
practice to around, probably 5:30 6:30 and head home and do
21:04
it again the next day. So for no pay you know, the pay
21:08
I was doing the work in the morning but that's it, you know,
21:11
I'm amazed when I hear stories like that and Yeah, yeah, so I
21:18
think it was a fight. Definitely, we heard our
21:22
assistant coach. We hired into a pretty good
21:23
salary. I believe her first first year
21:25
coach, and I said, man, you looked up cuz I sure went
21:28
through a lot more, like a lot of, yeah, no joke.
21:31
Yeah, no. But that story.
21:33
It was that you're talking about, you know, volunteering
21:36
and, you know, working I'ma call it odd, jobs on the side, you
21:39
know, anything to make rent and take care of necessities and
21:43
stuff. You know, I hear that actually
21:44
quite often in the track and field world.
21:46
I have I have to assume it's also in football and baseball
21:50
but a definitely here in traffic, it's amazing.
21:53
The pull that track and field has in track and field coaching
21:57
has that makes people will, you know, do you know, volunteer so
22:03
much and make start jobs at 12,000 a year and things like
22:06
that. If to do this profession of
22:08
coaching track and field, Absolutely.
22:12
And you know, that that year I was given a responsibility of
22:15
the multi-vendor pole vault and, you know, so it was it was, it
22:20
was definitely tough, you know, had a little money saved up but
22:22
it was definitely tough and you know, thankfully that I had some
22:26
people behind me to help a little bit and motivate me and
22:29
keep me going. But it was again, something that
22:31
I definitely wanted to do and I knew if I didn't do the grunt
22:36
work that I'd never get to where I wanted to get them.
22:38
So I had to do the bottom it, do you Perhaps coach that way as
22:42
well because you mentioned you got to do the grunt work to
22:44
reach the gold, you kind of use that style when you're talking
22:47
about, whether it's a freshman or your tongue about fall
22:49
training, sometimes which can be absolute.
22:51
Hey, this is the stuff. This is the grunt work.
22:53
You've got to do if you want the payoff of running 38 92 one day
22:57
or yeah, I bringing kids as actually one of the kids.
23:00
It's that random my 38, second relay, he contacted me from a
23:04
division, three school. And he, he said, hey coach, you
23:07
know, I seen you guys running to meet.
23:09
I'd like to see if I could walk. All and I said yeah you know, of
23:13
course, you know so he walks on and he's eleven one guy, 22
23:16
second guy and you know now he's running 1031.
23:19
Oh gosh! Yeah.
23:21
And you know, he ran the first outdoor meet he ever ran in for
23:24
me. He he ranked 21 ones who went to
23:26
Second under PR, but I haven't had a chance.
23:28
He's kind of been injured, so I haven't had a chance to really
23:32
open them up in the to, but he's also first-year 1673 in the 60.
23:36
So, very good kid, but needless to say, he wasn't on my relay
23:39
and neither was my Other guy. Wow, we had to 10 one guys in
23:43
that relay and they both quit. The well, I say quit one.
23:46
Got injured and one ended up quitting, but about 30 minutes
23:49
before we ran at the finals at our conference Championship.
23:52
I looked at him and said, hey, you're up.
23:54
He looks at me since I'm up at the conference and he says,
23:58
coach, are you sure? I'm ready?
23:59
And I said, oh, there's only one way to find out.
24:02
He said, okay, what leg on running last?
24:04
He looks at me, like I said, Sons, Now's the Time to be a
24:08
damn man. Let me If you're going to do it,
24:11
let's do it. So he looked at me, he grabbed
24:14
the stick and it was by far. One of the most exciting, relays
24:17
every us, Sam Houston, and SFA were stride for stride.
24:20
All three teams went under 3960, you know.
24:25
So it was definitely a race and he ended up winning it.
24:27
Oh and from that point on to meet later he runs a 38 second
24:32
relay and he was just a freshman to I was only had one all threat
24:36
of high school you know so did I that's pretty funny.
24:38
Goosebumps over that story. I mean here.
24:40
Of the, you know, you got to step in at the, you know, at
24:44
that point the most important conference.
24:45
That's a, that's a really important meeting for all of us
24:48
in your no amazing conference in the South Lance.
24:50
It's no walk in the park to say the least.
24:55
Yeah, you know, he hit the next week, you know, he's in
24:58
regionals and he's down in Tampa, and he's again a freshman
25:00
and he takes off way too early and we're in Lane one.
25:04
And, you know, I'm already worried about the lane that we
25:07
had and I looked at my kids and say, coach why you stressing, I
25:09
said we're in Lane one. He said, are you worried about
25:11
it? I just looked at him as a coach,
25:13
there's not 12 teams here, better than us.
25:15
Say. Well, let's go, you know, so
25:17
that they're in Lane 1 and he takes off fast and way too early
25:21
as to come to a complete stop. Oh, I think we still N39 two or
25:26
three. Oh wow.
25:27
Yeah and we get through and I asked him, was it tray with it?
25:32
What the hell are you thinking? Taking a look at me?
25:35
He looks at me, says coach. It was kind of raining a little
25:38
bit. He says, the tape came up.
25:39
I said, okay, that's a valid excuse.
25:40
Will they go through the video and that tape never moved.
25:43
So they're all the back laughing like this.
25:45
Take never came up here. Like I was nervous.
25:48
Okay, that's all. There was always nervous.
25:52
He had time to think about that when the week.
25:55
For, I didn't give him any chance to think, he just had to
25:57
go, you know, it's amazing. These kids, these days, you 18
26:00
to 22 year olds that you're working with, you know, they've
26:02
grown up in the social media cellphone world where everything
26:06
is videotaped, what in the world was he thinking that he was
26:09
going to get away with that? Yeah. 100%, you know, my kids
26:15
say meet coach Horton from George's in the stands and he's
26:20
over and his guy and my guy right beside each other was
26:24
seizure. And Micah, they shoot a gun and
26:29
in Kansas guy gets out and they're going and they shoot it
26:33
again about 50 meters down the track and my guy never left the
26:36
blocks. Oh Lord.
26:39
You know, at the time he had ran 1002 that year he was sitting
26:42
like number three and then CA and I'm like oh man he didn't
26:45
get out and I don't know what's going to happen for the
26:48
officials are talking and they walk back and they give him a
26:51
red card and he says her green card.
26:54
He says He didn't hear it in the official behind him says he
26:57
didn't hear it either. So, they called him back and can
27:00
threw a fit. And I was like, I can't can't,
27:02
can't come up to me, like, Adam. I promise I wasn't throwing a
27:05
good about your guy, but your guy was fresh and they're about
27:08
to make all of us, run it, right?
27:10
And I said, look, you don't have to explain to me.
27:13
I just didn't want my daddy to. We can run it in two hours
27:16
before running in two hours, you know.
27:19
So needless to say, he got through the round but for a
27:22
second it scared me. I thought he was gone.
27:25
You know. So yeah, you're right young man.
27:27
It was all overflow. Track.
27:29
Oh, they made fun of it for forever.
27:32
You know. So it was awesome though you
27:33
know it's fun, keeping up with those guys.
27:35
That's awesome man. I think you know it's so funny
27:38
to see the competition and you mentioned about, you know, you
27:41
you all read it in two hours. I'm okay with that, you know,
27:44
the good coaches and the good athletes want to compete at the
27:48
top of everybody's game. They don't want someone to be
27:50
injured, they don't want someone to be false start, they just
27:53
want to line up. Yeah, I hate, I hate watching
27:56
these. Kids go down and there's a
27:58
matter. What means issue?
27:59
You know, I tell our kids all the time if I win, I hope we win
28:02
against competing against the best.
28:04
Yeah, absolutely. I don't ever want to take a team
28:06
down when they're hurt, you know I'd rather I wish we could all
28:09
stay healthy. Remain healthy.
28:11
You obviously have such a passion not only for track but
28:14
specifically of Northwestern State Track.
28:16
And Field was this, did you grow up in Northwestern State fan?
28:20
Or is it just been through going to school there and now coaching
28:23
there, I think going through School there and then coaching
28:26
it was and is closed, you know, um, it was, it was close to
28:29
home. So I knew a lot about it but I
28:31
think I developed a lot of love. Also, great town, great people
28:36
in the town. I think I've had a big reason.
28:38
I've been there and stayed there and not take another job is, my
28:41
boss has been tremendous and he's just such an amazing out of
28:44
work for, you know. So he's never, you know, he's
28:48
kind of gave me the keys to the, to the team from day one, you
28:51
know. So he's kind of really believed
28:53
in me and he's trusted me throughout the process.
28:54
Yes. And he's definitely made it easy
28:56
to stay. So yeah, I think that's where
28:58
that comes from. And he's the, his specialty is
29:00
throws throws. Yeah, I've been, I wish you'd
29:03
try to give me like one of the throws, maybe the javelin.
29:06
You know, my, my goal is to coach a, an All-American in each
29:09
event, you know, not the distance.
29:11
I'm not, I was about to say eat, not how I'm going to stop that
29:15
throws in the junction, but no, he's amazing.
29:20
He's throws guy. He's actually, he coached I
29:23
think the 2000 and maybe, 12, discus NCAA Champion.
29:28
Tracy Roots, right? Oh, yeah, yeah.
29:32
So he, he coached her to a national title.
29:35
He's been there since as an athlete 98 or 96, because he
29:41
threw in the trials that year. Yes.
29:43
So yep. He's been there for since 96.
29:45
He's a Kansas Juco boy. Know, is that right?
29:49
He went to hutches. Yeah, he has, he has never left
29:53
Louisiana since he's a was Pat Becker.
29:55
His coach do you know? Yes Pat Becker.
29:57
Yep. So when we had stopped through
29:59
doing recruiting we always had. Yeah.
30:01
Because he wanted to feed back again.
30:03
Becker was there forever. Just recently retired.
30:06
Yeah, yeah. Some of those coaches could even
30:08
coach Mark Phillips. Coach.
30:10
His coach had hit when he was a college was actually the clouds
30:13
head coach Harry Kitchner. Yep.
30:16
That was his head. So, you know, I hope more people
30:19
know, Harry here. He is just one of the gyms of
30:21
this profession for me, I absolutely when I got Circuit.
30:25
When I first came over to good old Chanute Kansas is the Neosho
30:28
County head coach Harry was one of the people that really kind
30:32
of, you know, saw me as a young coach, as my first real full
30:36
time job and was just super nice to me kind of showed me the
30:40
ropes. Actually had the whole Juco
30:42
system is as bitter Rivals as they are.
30:45
And you know, how good they not only were you fighting for a
30:48
conference and Regional titled, all those guys and gals were
30:50
fighting for the national title. Lance Brahman was the coach at
30:53
Barto. He was I still were glances such
30:56
a good guy, you know. I tell the story you know a lot
30:59
of people don't know Lance anymore because he coaches
31:02
professionally. So you know a lot of people
31:03
don't get a chance to mingle with him but I tell the story my
31:07
first is our indoor conference meet was at Kansas State of
31:11
course and we are there late as the first day was the multis and
31:15
so were they are you know, 9:00 10:00 at night or whatever.
31:18
And here comes Lance and you know Lance's at Barton he's won
31:22
so many national timing. He was the Godfather in the
31:25
sense of like, you want to win, you got to beat this guy.
31:28
And so he comes over and I'm just like, oh man, what's he
31:31
come and talk to me for and he's like, hey man, I can't, I won't
31:34
even try to do as the accent. He's just you know, he's a good
31:36
old. He went to Auburn.
31:37
He's a southern boy, right? Florida boy, but he comes home
31:40
and goes, hey man, my wife brought me the sandwich.
31:42
I'm only going to eat half of you want the other half and I'm
31:45
like, oh my God, laughs Brahman is offered me a sandwich.
31:51
That's a good story. It's a great story.
31:54
It's like such a good guy though.
31:55
The junior go that that junior college has been a very tight
32:01
and I think those guys have always kind of stuck together
32:03
and and it's kind of cool, you know, the guys that have
32:06
actually now in the bigger, you know, power five schools, they
32:09
respect that power 5 still, so mad that you're going.
32:12
Huh? So yeah, I think that's great to
32:14
have some of the best to come from that that same color.
32:17
Absolutely, you mentioned tight-knit.
32:20
You know, one of the things I'm so enamored with you, Adam as
32:25
Thank God for Facebook as we connect through Facebook and
32:29
probably before today. 90% of you and eyes conversations.
32:32
We've had at convention and such has actually not been track.
32:36
It's been your fatherhood. Yeah, you are so attentive when
32:43
it comes to your kids. What, what is family life and
32:47
kids mean to you as it relates to your how it supports your
32:50
profession here, everything, you know, I think that's that.
32:54
One of my biggest attributes and coaching itself is just the
32:59
family atmosphere, I give to coaching and then when I come
33:02
home, you know, my family means, you know, more than anything to
33:05
me, you know, it's growing up. I kind of had a More tough.
33:09
I guess, teenager than did, you know, younger years when I was
33:12
younger, my parents were still married.
33:14
So it wasn't, you know, extremely crazy.
33:16
We moved to Houston at one time. And, you know, I started out
33:19
High School actually and Katie. Oh yeah.
33:23
Before I before I came back. So, you know, so it was good.
33:26
And then they both went their separate ways.
33:28
And from there, it kind of went downhill.
33:30
I became bouncing from home to home and, you know, I grew up
33:33
seeing probably a lot of things, someone at that age should never
33:36
see. And, you know, so I had a lot of
33:38
Varsity throughout my life and dealt with, with both parents
33:41
for a long time, you know? So once I that that happened, I
33:45
just made a promise that that's never the life that my kids
33:47
would ever have expected to live.
33:49
And I've lived by that motto since day one.
33:52
And I've never wanted to change so I just try to do everything I
33:55
can for my kids and my kids and my team as well.
33:59
I treat those guys all like my own kids so you know, that's
34:02
kind of the model I used every day going into work and life and
34:06
as long as they're happy, I'm pretty happy.
34:08
So So do you mind give us the brag about your two little ones
34:13
here, man, they are so awesome. Yeah, yeah, I know, my little
34:17
boy, we actually we've been fishing all day.
34:19
Oh, good for you. And I, so, we gotta go out and
34:22
do a little fishing and he's a, he's having a good time right
34:25
now. He's wearing himself out, which
34:27
is better because it gets us like a larger.
34:29
But yeah. No, he's three years old, very
34:33
smart kid. So he's been a phone with my
34:35
daughter. She's a, she's 11.
34:38
She's The one I think that probably changed my life.
34:42
You know she first from day one you know she gave me definitely
34:45
a different look and different motivation and drive you know
34:48
and she's kind of I'd say she probably has me wrapped around
34:51
her finger, you know? So it's funny.
34:55
You said he probably changed your life.
34:58
I know she's your daughter the other day, she put me to shame.
35:04
She doesn't even know this. Make sure you tell her she know,
35:07
but there's a whole group. Group.
35:08
I know it's not just me, there was a video you showed of her
35:11
doing the push-up Challenge, and she raped out like, like
35:15
20-something push-ups, like it was no one's business.
35:18
Oh yeah. She's very, I asked her to do 10
35:20
at the time. They're doing a 10-10 challenge.
35:24
You know. I forget, maybe, maybe GB over
35:27
at Texas. Arlington.
35:28
I think challenged me to attend push-up challenge.
35:30
So I asked Riley to do what she said.
35:33
How about 20, okay? If you Just competitive.
35:39
It's kind of hard to do things with her because she hates
35:42
losing so much, which I'm the same way I've got.
35:45
Say, where did she get that from?
35:46
Yeah, so most probably come off. Sometimes in the wrong way, it
35:50
tracked me because I just, I get so pumped up and so far it up
35:53
for these kids and, you know, and I just, I love it, you know,
35:57
and then I hate losing so much, but I respect them and they
36:00
respect what they do and it's fun, you know, it's all fun and
36:03
games but with her is kind of the same thing.
36:04
She she ran in the tracking and I think when she was 7 or 8
36:07
years old, At LSU, the it was jam-packed, doors were closed,
36:11
they wouldn't even let anyone else in.
36:12
And she want to 60, you know, there's like 60 kids.
36:15
I thought that's pretty fun. And that was long jump.
36:18
She was I think secretary and that's the last time we've done
36:21
track because she tried to tell me what to do with that meat
36:24
while I was here. So I realized real quick.
36:28
Well I'll have somebody else co-chair.
36:30
So did you tell her that? Wait a minute, you know who I
36:32
am. She told me if you want me to
36:37
jump. Okay, that's how you feel.
36:42
But, so that was about it. She got her two metals that day
36:47
and she was excited and it was fun, and she's asked that you
36:50
other times, but she's such a busy kid.
36:52
She has danced and softball. And she's taking piano lessons.
36:55
And Jim, that competitive gymnastics, it was just very,
36:59
very busy, busy busy kid. Well, she certainly sounds like
37:03
the type of kid, that type of athlete, that a coach is going
37:06
to love to have on their team, anytime You say, hey, do 10
37:10
push-ups and their response is what about 20?
37:12
Because that's, that's a coach's kid right there.
37:15
Yeah, she's competitive, she's been able to travel team buses
37:19
with us since I'd say, three or four years old.
37:22
You know, she's she's got to experience all of it.
37:25
She's seeing some pretty cool places, you know?
37:27
I she's definitely taking her five official visits, you know?
37:29
Yeah, it's awesome. I'm going to wrap up this
37:36
episode here of the guilt makes connections.
37:38
Cast with a story about you that you don't know about you
37:44
reminded me of this when you said about your I think you said
37:48
your fiery attitude your competitiveness and you
37:50
mentioned that it sometimes may you may rub people the wrong way
37:54
or may come off the perception. Wise might be wrong.
37:59
Receive the wrong way at a track, right?
38:01
So this is a couple of years ago.
38:04
So within two years I'm at a facility I'm going to keep This
38:08
as Bland as possible. So I don't tell anybody, and I'm
38:13
talking to a coach who's a dear friend of mine, like, a brother
38:16
to me. So, this is something that's
38:17
really, really close to me and I bring up you Adam.
38:22
I think I was actually we're talking about this coach is kids
38:25
and so I think I was bragging about you and I was like, yeah,
38:28
you know, Adam of at Northwestern State.
38:30
He's, you know, this guy is a, he's the definition of father,
38:32
he does an amazing job and he goes, oh yeah, that guy and it's
38:37
like, oh what What do you mean that guy?
38:40
You know he was at our meats and honestly I know he was just
38:44
fired up but his kid did something.
38:47
I don't remember what it was with her was a sprinter jumper
38:50
and you were upset about it and you like turned around and
38:53
either through your stopwatch or something, maybe was a cop and
38:57
he was like, you know that guy just needs to calm down.
38:59
I can't just be throwing things. He was like, I know he didn't
39:03
mean anything but I was like, dude, just you can't do that.
39:06
Yes, yes, I like Your self-awareness that?
39:09
No, no he-he's. I've only done that once.
39:12
So I know who you're talking about.
39:14
Oh no, I'm not gonna late. I'm not going to lay it out.
39:17
Don't get me in trouble. It's actually a funny story.
39:20
We, that day, we ran 351. I remember, we rank on 51.
39:26
I got onto him. They, I was little, I was
39:29
Furious. I went to the bus, so we ran 351
39:33
and I got onto him. Pretty good.
39:34
Let's just say, the next week we were in 341 and whoa.
39:38
With the same work, the same for girls who told me that they
39:42
tried it the meat before where they ran 351.
39:45
Oh yeah. So so the very following we
39:47
broke our school record with 341.
39:49
Well it must work for you don't know.
39:53
I I get I get a little over. I'm not gonna say overheat it
39:57
because I never really get on to my kids.
39:58
You know, I don't, I don't I get onto them, you know, if they
40:01
know they made a mistake, but I'm not the coach to get get
40:04
onto him where they feel down on themselves or anything like
40:07
that, you know, we've just Got to be on the same page and they
40:10
know I hate losing. They hate losing and they would
40:12
go to war for me and I'd go for what war for to work for them.
40:15
And, you know, it's just overall, it's just fun, you
40:17
know. So you know, I definitely don't
40:19
mean anything by those things. It's just a lot of passion into
40:22
what I did. Yeah.
40:23
Well I think to ignore the emotionality and passion like
40:27
you said, they're of Athletics competition coaching would be a
40:32
disservice to what we do. So I know you might you
40:36
obviously model it in a good way because like I said, His coach
40:39
was, it wasn't mad. It was like, I know what he was
40:42
going through, because I'm pretty sure that could probably
40:44
was thinking in his own mind, how he's done that as well.
40:47
But yeah, it was just a great story of just expression of your
40:50
passion for your support and for your team, man.
40:54
It's just so awesome. And again, I just want to leave
40:56
you with just some encouraging words here.
40:59
Adam, again, like I admire you so much not because of the
41:04
success you're having on the track to be real honest with you
41:06
and that's Bar. None your Doing such a fantastic
41:09
job or your athletes and a program there at Northwestern
41:13
State, Mike is definitely lucky to have you there and I know he,
41:17
I know, he feels that same way but honestly, you know, you're
41:21
just a great example of in the face of obstacles.
41:25
So, you know, coaching track and track season and stuff is
41:28
extremely time-consuming. You have 20 to 40 to 50 other
41:31
kids that you have to oversee. You do a really good job of
41:37
staying connected. And Being a dad to your kids and
41:41
I kind of what maybe use this time to challenge anybody else
41:43
out there. That's listening right now we're
41:46
in the spring of 2020. Don't know when you're actually
41:48
listening to this podcast but right now if you're a track
41:52
coach you don't have any track to coach.
41:54
Unfortunately. So I'm going to challenge you to
41:58
use this time to make up. For whatever faults is that.
42:03
You think you've made in the past with your kids, your spouse
42:06
has your family, don't Don't go into next season with regrets.
42:11
I want you to find a way to connect with your families, use
42:15
this extra time. You have to really invest in
42:19
what the most important thing is and that's your family.
42:22
Absolutely. Adam.
42:23
You do a great job of model, thank you.
42:25
And I really appreciate your time today.
42:27
Make sure it's a little bit late now but make sure you go fishing
42:30
again. I'm sure why I appreciate you.
42:32
Having me on Mike and thank you guys.
42:35
Awesome, Adam. Thanks like I told you the
42:38
Payoff would be there if you could make it to the end, such a
42:42
great story of family and fatherhood and how to coach a
42:47
track and field team of a bunch of really fast men and women
42:51
there at Northwestern State. Hey, if you've made it this far,
42:54
thank you so much for joining us, really.
42:56
Hope you enjoy connecting with Adam as much as I did.
42:59
Had a lot of fun today. Make sure to subscribe to The
43:02
Gila physics connections podcast so that you're notified future
43:06
episodes as we drop them. To your earbuds if you or
43:10
someone you know would like to be a guest on the show.
43:13
Contact me at Hur dle at Gila fedex.com.
43:19
That's right hurdle at Gillis. Latex.com, in the meantime,
43:24
certainly hope that this was enough value for you that you
43:26
feel led to share this episode on your social media network of
43:30
choice and look forward to you joining us next time.
43:33
When we, once again, to connect you with another great track and
43:36
field coach,