The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast

This past February, the great people of the Wisconsin Track Coaches Association held their annual Track/Field clinic with amazing speakers. WISTCA has graciously allowed us to share these speaker's topics on the Gill1918 Project. ENJOY!

Nick Schneigert’s journey isn’t a straight line—and that’s exactly why this conversation matters.From growing up in a Polish immigrant family in Chicago…to discovering track and field after getting cut from baseball…to serving in the U.S. Navy and being deployed after 9/11…to chasing a career in media…to finally finding purpose in coaching…Nick’s story is about identity.And what happens when the title “coach” is no longer part of your daily life.This episode hits differently.Because for many coaches listening, there’s an underlying question we don’t always talk about: 👉 Who am I if I’m not coaching?🔑 In this episode, we dive into:🏃‍♂️ Finding track and field after adversity—and why multi-event backgrounds matter👉Lessons from the Navy, deployment, and discipline that shaped his leadership🎙️ Chasing a career in TV and media—and why it didn’t fulfill him📉 The reality of life transitions, career pivots, and “low points” professionally💡 Why coaching became meaningful—and what made it stick🧠 The identity challenge: separating who you are from what you doThis is a must-listen for any coach who has ever wondered about life beyond the sport—or is navigating it right now.Dive into over 350 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 Twitch.tv, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more!🎙️ 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! 🎧👍

This past February, the great people of the Wisconsin Track Coaches Association held their annual Track/Field clinic with amazing speakers. WISTCA has graciously allowed us to share these speaker's topics on the Gill1918 Project. ENJOY!

This episode of the Gill Connections Podcast is a little different—and a lot of fun.Instead of sitting down with a coach, we’re turning the mic inward and highlighting one of our own. Payton Taylor joins the show to share his journey from a multi-sport athlete in Illinois to a Division I thrower at Illinois State University… and now to serving coaches across the country as part of the Gill Athletics team.We dive into the moments that shaped him—from a faceplant in a hurdle race that ended his hurdling career 😅, to navigating COVID during his senior year, to discovering a passion for growth, process, and helping others succeed in the sport.This is a behind-the-scenes look at what it means to serve track & field at a high level—and why the people behind the equipment matter just as much as the equipment itself.🔑 In this episode, we cover:🏃‍♂️ How Payton found track (and why hurdles didn’t last long 😆)⚾ Balancing football, baseball, and track before choosing his path🎓 His transition to throwing at Illinois State and falling in love with the process🛠️ What it’s really like working at Gill Athletics🏆 Behind the scenes of NCAA Division II Championships🤝 Serving coaches, dealers, and athletes across the country“I was always trying to find more… just the little things that add up to get 1% better.” — Payton Taylor👉Dive into nearly 400 episodes featuring insights from coachinglegends such as BooSchexnayder and Dan Pfaff, DiljeetTaylor (BYU) and Beth Alford-Sullivan, as well as superstar coaches Petros Kyprianou (Illinois), Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find uson Twitch.tv, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more! 🎙️ Create Your Own Podcast Episode:Reach out to Mike Cunningham for instruction on how to create your very own Gill1918 Projectepisode, which airsTuesdays through Sundays. Find YOUR voice on the Gill Connections PodcastNetwork. 📲 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! 🎧👍

Last week on the show, we heard the journey of TJ Lawson at IMG Academy — so this week we had to get the other Lawson.In this episode, Bill Lawson, Head Track & Field Coach at IMG Academy, joins us for a wide-ranging conversation that starts in rural Illinois and stretches all the way to TrackTown USA, the NCAA, and now the inaugural Under Armour High School Championships.Along the way, Coach Lawson shares how the 1968 Olympics lit the spark, why multi-sport matters more than ever, how he and Coach “Bucky” helped build Northern Iowa into a national force, what it takes to keep the edge when you move from a “mid-major grind” to a brand-name program, and how he approached the tricky (and rewarding) line between being Dad and being Coach while TJ was being recruited.And yes… we talk about the barefoot Hayward Field kids races too.🎙️ In this episode, we cover:🔥 Growing up in Carthage, Illinois + falling in love with track through the 1968 Olympics🏁 The recruiting hustle before cell phones, social media, and instant results🧠 Developing athletes (and coaches) — plus the mistakes you only learn by doing👟 Multi-sport development and why “open mind” wins long-term🦆 Oregon, Kent State, and what “never settling” really looks like👨‍👦 Parenting a high-level athlete: letting TJ choose his path (and why that matters)🏟️ IMG Academy today + the Under Armour High School Championships coming May 29–31If you enjoyed TJ’s episode last week, this one is the perfect companion — the full father/son coaching story, from both sides.👉Dive into nearly 400 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 uson Twitch.tv, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more! 🎙️ Create Your Own Podcast Episode:Reach out to Mike Cunningham for instruction on how to create your very own Gill1918 Project episode, which airsTuesdays 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) and Instagram (@MikeCunninghamTF), email at mcunningham@gillathletics.com,or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

🌟Explore Our Library: Dive into over 350 episodes featuring insights from coaching legends such asBoo 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 Twitch.tv, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more!🎙️ Create Your Own Podcast Episode: Reach out to Mike Cunningham for instruction on how to create your very ownGill1918 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 onTwitter (@MikeCunningham), email at mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

🌟Explore Our Library: Dive into over 350 episodes featuring insights from coaching legends such asBoo 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 Twitch.tv, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more!🎙️ Create Your Own Podcast Episode: Reach out to Mike Cunningham for instruction on how to create your very ownGill1918 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 onTwitter (@MikeCunningham), email at mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

This week on The Gill Connections Podcast, Mike Cunningham is joined by TJ Lawson, Assistant Director of Track & Field at IMG Academy.TJ shares his journey from growing up around Hayward Field, competing as a near–8,000 point decathlete, and ultimately finding his calling in coaching and program leadership after injuries reshaped his athletic path.The episode pulls back the curtain on IMG Academy—what it is, what it isn’t, and how culture, academics, and athlete-first thinking drive everything they do.⚙️ Episode highlights:🌲 TrackTown USA roots and barefoot all-comers meets🏀 Why basketball came first—and why track recruiting changed everything🧠 Coaching fundamentals from middle schoolers to national-level athletes🧪 Creating pressure and buy-in before championship season🎓 Why IMG is not a diploma mill (and sends athletes to the Ivy League)🎯 Smart recruiting and scholarship strategy🏟️ Building the Under Armour National High School Championships from the ground up⭐ If you enjoy the episode, leave a review—it helps amplify coaches’ stories.👉Dive into nearly 400 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 Twitch.tv, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more! 🎙️ Create Your Own Podcast Episode:Reach out to Mike Cunningham for instruction on how to create your very own Gill1918 Project episode, which airsTuesdays 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! 🎧👍