{"podcast":{"title":"The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast","slug":"the-gill-athletics-track-and-field-connections-podcast-479100","podcast_index_feed_id":479100,"rss_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/10ea86d8/podcast/rss","website_url":"https://www.gillathletics.com","image_url":"https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/production/podcast_uploaded_nologo/2738054/2738054-1664382921446-a9eed5642b2d6.jpg","author":"Gill Athletics","episode_count":930,"summary":"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.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-26T04:19:13.512049+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-gill-athletics-track-and-field-connections-podcast-479100"},"episode":{"title":"#363: TJ Lawson-IMG Academy | Building Culture, Multis, and a National Meet","slug":"363-tj-lawson-img-academy-building-culture-multis-and-a-national-meet","published_at":"2026-05-18T05:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-gill-athletics-track-and-field-connections-podcast-479100/363-tj-lawson-img-academy-building-culture-multis-and-a-national-meet","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-gill-athletics-track-and-field-connections-podcast-479100","url":"https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gillathletics/episodes/363-TJ-Lawson-IMG-Academy--Building-Culture--Multis--and-a-National-Meet-e3isopd","audio_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/10ea86d8/podcast/play/119480557/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-4-4%2F6f00d6da-1f31-5ef8-a6e5-20bc37d93749.mp3","summary":"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…","meta_description":"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…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":6507,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-gill-athletics-track-and-field-connections-podcast-479100/episodes/363-tj-lawson-img-academy-building-culture-multis-and-a-national-meet/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-gill-athletics-track-and-field-connections-podcast-479100/363-tj-lawson-img-academy-building-culture-multis-and-a-national-meet.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}