Gardner-Webb University Head Track & Field and Cross Country Coach Greg Thiel joins Airey Bros Radio for Episode 479!Coach Thiel has spent decades building programs, developing athletes, and creating opportunities across college track & field. His journey has taken him from helping build the track & field program at South Florida, to starting the program at Southern Wesleyan, to now leading Gardner-Webb Track & Field and Cross Country at the NCAA Division I level.During his career, Thiel has coached All-Americans, conference champions and Olympians, led South Florida to a Conference USA championship, and helped Southern Wesleyan transition from the NCCAA to NCAA Division II. Now entering his fourth season at Gardner-Webb, he's focused on building the Runnin' Bulldogs through athlete development, relationships and culture.In Episode 479, we get into Coach Thiel's unconventional journey into coaching, why he believes in developing overlooked athletes, NCAA Division I recruiting, roster sizes, multi-sport athletes, individualized training, building team culture and why the relationships created through college athletics matter long after the final race.If you're a high school cross country or track & field athlete, parent, coach, or recruit looking at NCAA Division I programs, this conversation provides an inside look at what Coach Thiel and Gardner-Webb are building in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.IN THIS EPISODE• Greg Thiel's unlikely introduction to track & field• Going from business owner to college coach• Helping build South Florida Track & Field• Coaching All-Americans, conference champions and Olympians• Building Southern Wesleyan from the ground up• Taking over Gardner-Webb Track & Field & Cross Country• Creating a strong team culture at the NCAA Division I level• Why every athlete deserves to be developed• Recruiting athletes who fit the program• What Gardner-Webb looks for in prospective student-athletes• NCAA roster changes and opportunities for developing athletes• Training sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers and middle-distance athletes• Why Coach Thiel values multi-sport athletes• Individualizing training and communicating with athletes• Why consistency matters more than chasing PRs• Gardner-Webb academics, campus life and Boiling Springs• Relationships, coaching and enjoying the journeyCHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Airey Bros Radio mission & why we cover college Olympic sports01:20 – Welcome to Airey Bros Radio #47902:06 – Introducing Gardner-Webb Head Coach Greg Thiel03:13 – How recruits can connect with Gardner-Webb03:48 – Greg Thiel's track & field origin story05:51 – Junior college, Grand Valley State & the unconventional path06:28 – His unexpected start in coaching07:16 – Getting the opportunity at South Florida08:11 – Selling his business to become a full-time coach09:02 – Going back to college to become a Division I head coach10:22 – Building South Florida Track & Field12:41 – How an unconventional career helps him relate to athletes14:23 – Developing athletes beyond expectations14:34 – Coach Thiel's coaching specialties15:18 – Taking over Gardner-Webb17:47 – Building the Runnin' Bulldogs program18:47 – Changing the culture at Gardner-Webb19:39 – Treating every athlete like they matter20:49 – NCAA Division I roster changes & developmental athletes24:22 – Recruiting at Gardner-Webb25:38 – Finding athletes who fit the program's culture26:12 – Faith, coaching & Gardner-Webb27:19 – Can non-religious athletes fit at Gardner-Webb?29:09 – Boiling Springs, North Carolina & Gardner-Webb University30:42 – The advantages of a smaller NCAA Division I school32:45 – Academics & strong programs at Gardner-Webb33:17 – Managing practice around academics35:27 – How college athletes have changed38:09 – Teaching athletes the "why" behind training40:08 – Individualizing training for different athletes41:52 – What Coach Thiel looks for when recruiting43:24 – How Coach Thiel's coaching philosophy changed45:12 – Why relationships matter more than results47:27 – Enjoying the journey instead of obsessing over results50:10 – Consistency vs. chasing personal records50:52 – Recruiting multi-sport athletes54:03 – Is multi-sport participation making a comeback?57:43 – Coach Thiel's daily coaching philosophy59:38 – Music, motorcycles & life outside track1:00:54 – FINAL FOUR: Coach Thiel's guilty pleasure1:02:03 – College football talk1:04:23 – Final message for prospective Gardner-Webb athletes1:05:16 – Closing out Episode 479
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