Beyond the Blocks: Track and Field Podcast

We’re back with another episode of Beyond the Blocks, where we bring you conversations with the people who help shape the sport of track and field. Today's guest is someone who has spent decades giving a voice to the sport we all love. He’s been an athlete, a coach, an educator, and one of the most recognizable public address announcers in track and field. From local youth meets to some of the...

In Episode 19 of Beyond the Blocks we’re joined by San Jose State University, Associate Head Coach Lamont Johnson. Coach Johnson took the junior college route from Long Beach City College to Iowa State, where he competed collegiately before going on to compete professionally, while building a coaching career that has taken him across multiple levels of college track and field. Along the way, he’s...

In Episode 18 of Beyond the Blocks we’re joined by Coach LaKeidra Hayes from Lancaster High School in Texas. Coach Hayes leads one of the premier programs in the country. Her program recently captured the Texas 6A State Championship, and her athletes are also the national record holders in the girls 4x100-meter relay. Beyond the championships and records, she’s built a culture and a standard that...

In Episode 17 of Beyond the Blocks we’re joined by Coach Rob Jarvis from the University of Arkansas. Coach Jarvis has coached elite-level athletes in the long jump, triple jump, high jump, and combined events athletes at the highest levels of the sport. He has developed conference champions, All-Americans, and athletes competing on some of the biggest stages in track and field. But in this episode...

In Episode 16 of Beyond the Blocks we are joined by guest Tom Feuer, who has spent decades around the sport of track and field, but from a perspective most people never get to experience. While athletes are in the blocks and coaches are on the sidelines, Tom Feuer has been behind the cameras, in the production rooms, in the broadcast booths, and around some of the biggest moments in the history of...

In episode 15 we are joined by Coach Jeremy Fischer — one of the most respected jumps coaches in the world! From his own journey as an NCAA All-American and elite high jumper, to building a coaching résumé that truly speaks for itself — Coach Fischer has helped develop some of the best to ever do it. He’s coached Olympic gold medalists like Brittney Reese, multi-time Olympic medalists like Will Cl...

Coach Eric Fremd is the Jumps, Combined Events, and Hurdles coach at University of California-Riverside, also known as UC Riverside. Coach Fremd joins us to talk about recruiting at the mid-major level. He also drops some gems on athlete development, specifically with and emphasis on the jumps and hurdles. Coach Fremd is active on Instagram often posting his athlete's accomplishments. You can...

In Episode 13 of Beyond the Blocks we’re excited to be joined by Brandon Thomas, head coach at Servite High School and Rosary Academy, reigning California state champion coach and California State Coach of the Year. Coach Thomas has built one of the premier high school programs in the country, developed elite athletes, coached alongside an outstanding staff, and continues to impact the sport throu...

James Daniels, NSAF Head of Sprints and Hurdles, and owner and founder of Daniels High Performance, joins us again to talk about training your athletes during championship season. Coach Daniels breaks down his Championship Cellular Restoration and Micro-Cylce Programming philosophy and offers a flow chart using 4-week micro-cycles for viewers to use. We hope you enjoy this special episode of Beyon...

Welcome to episode 11 of Beyond the Blocks. On this episode we've got a guest who’s seen the sport of track and field from just about every angle — from athlete, to coach, to stepping away and even spending time as a professional poker player, to now helping shape the sport at the highest level with Gill Athletics and through the Gill Connections Podcast. Mike Cunningham has seen it all and he...

How do you protect a legacy while continuing to raise the standard? 🏆In Episode 10 of Beyond the Blocks, we sit down with legendary Coach Crystal Irving for a powerful conversation on leadership, legacy, and the many hats required to build greatness. As a Head Coach, Athletic Director, Teacher, Mentor, and Mother, Coach Irving opens up about what it takes to lead with excellence while carrying th...

We are joined by Ken Harnden, Assistant Head Coach, Men's Sprints and Hurdles at Auburn University. At the 2026 NCAA D1 Indoor National Track and Field Championships Auburn's Ja'Kobe Tharp broke the indoor 60m hurdles collegiate record with his winning time of 7.32, and his teammate, Kanyinsola Ajayi, tied the 60m dash collegiate record with a time of 6.45 seconds. Auburn has also won...

In Episode 8 of Beyond the Blocks Podcast we have a conversation with Westminster University track and field coach Emma Rudolph. Coach Rudolph details her journey from collegiate pole vaulter and Division III National Champion, to high jump and horizontal jumps coach for her alma mater!

Welcome back to Beyond the Blocks with Coach Lonnie Davis, Coach Will Humphries, and Anthony Lewis! In this Episode 7, we're excited to feature Travis Geopfert, Director of Track and Field/Cross Country at Kansas State University. In this episode Coach Geopfert gives his thoughts on what it takes to build a championship culture. We discuss the differences between working with college athletes, wor...

Most people see the results…but they don’t know the story behind it. In Episode 6 of Beyond the Blocks, we finally take you behind the curtain. This isn’t just another track & field conversation — this is the real foundation of who we are, what we believe, and why we do this. From coaching our own kids to developing athletes at a high level, we’ve lived every side of this sport — the wins, the...

In Episode 5 of the Beyond The Blocks Podcast, we sit down with James Daniels, Head of Sprints & Hurdles – High Performance for the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF) and the NIKE ELITE program. James shares valuable insights into the development of elite sprinters and hurdlers and pulls back the curtain on how high-level athletes are built over time. In this episode we discuss: •...

On episode 4 of Beyond the Blocks we’re breaking down one of the most important pathways in youth track & field: How do athletes get selected for the NSAF Nike Elite Program — and what does it take to become an elite jumper? We cover: ⚡ The full NSAF Nike Elite selection process 📝 What coaches look for in top jumpers 📈 How athletes can stand out nationally 🏆 The mindset and habits of true...

🚨 Texas vs California: Who Has the Faster High School Track Athletes? 🚨In Episode 3 of the Beyond the Blocks Podcast, we dive into one of the biggest debates in high school track & field: Texas vs California. Which state produces the fastest sprinters, strongest relay teams, and deepest distance talent? And which state truly dominates when the best athletes line up head-to-head? This week we...

In Episode 2 of Beyond the Blocks, we preview the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Track & Field Power 4 Conference Championships and break down our predictions for the Big Ten, SEC, Big 12, and ACC.Championship season is here, and the team battles are about to take center stage. In this episode, we discuss: 🔥 Why we believe Illinois women win the Big Ten 🔥 Why Georgia women take the SEC title 🔥 Texa...

Episode 1 | Should Football Players Run Track? The Truth About Speed Development, 7-on-7 & Recruiting Welcome to the very first episode of Beyond the Blocks — the Track & Field Podcast where we break down speed training, athlete development, recruiting, and what really makes athletes faster. In this episode, we dive into one of the biggest debates in high school sports: Should football pla...