A Passion to Serve: Volunteer Coaches Q&A

Purpose requires a commitment to passion, regardless of financial gain, time constraints and recognition. The four Oklahoma track and field volunteer assistants have found their purpose as they dedicate themselves not only to the sport but to their passion to serve through coaching. While the limelight may be limited, their motivation and diligence have been demonstrated by the a willingness to train, prepare and travel with the track and field teams throughout the season. Each of the "coaches-in-training" shared their unique experiences at OU and tell how being a part of the Sooner family has set a foundation for their coaching journey.

Patrick Gomez

University of Oklahoma
Cross country, steeplechase
Film and Media Studies

On moment he realized he wanted to coach:
"I'm not sure it was a moment, but rather like a gradual build up. My passions have always been running, music and film. I was a musician and a runner and got into film intensely in college. Throughout my collegiate experience, the more I ran, the more I fell in love with the sport and knew it was something I wanted to be involved in the rest of my life. Somewhere between my sophomore or junior year in college, I really knew that track and field was the profession I wanted to pursue, whether it was as a coach or as an athlete."

On benefit of volunteer coaching at OU:
"It's benefited me tremendously. You're getting to learn under some of the best coaches in the country while working at Oklahoma. That's a priceless experience. Working under Coach VanHootegem and Coach Dunn has taught me a lot from a training standpoint and a recruiting and philosophy standpoint."

On his coaching style:
"I'm a little bit more old school than most people my age. I've had the privilege of training under two coaches in college - both extremely successful and both very different in terms of their style and their philosophy. I think I embody a little bit of both of them. I believe in hard work and smart work as well. The two cornerstones I took from John Wooden in what I think it takes to be a successful athlete, and in my philosophy, are that you have to be enthusiastic about your craft and willing to work extremely hard. A combination of those two things is what I look for in athletes and it is required to succeed with the style of coaching I prefer."

On being a former student-athlete:
"It's helped tremendously. It helps your ability to understand and connect with athletes more effectively. Particularly, with the distance athletes, I know what they're going through, what their bodies are experiencing and how to handle those things. I was unfortunately injured a lot as a student-athlete and had to overcome those injuries. Learning how to deal with injuries and manage them has prepared me a lot in terms of helping athletes deal with those things now."

On Coach VanHootegem and the OU staff:
"They're diligent, process-oriented and they pay attention to detail. I think the biggest thing, though, is being process-oriented. That, in the simplest of terms, would be doing what you have to do that day to get to the next step. I think a lot of times it's easy for athletes and coaches to become infatuated with a result, a time or a goal, and they lose sight of how to get to it. The process-oriented approach has been my biggest takeaway from Coach V and his staff."

On OU:
"I'm about to complete my seventh year with the track and field team - five as an athlete, two as a volunteer assistant. I like the same things now as when I was recruited here. The team itself feels like a family. When you're a part of an OU athletics team, you're a part of a larger athletics family. It's really positive. We lift each other up and support each other. I think that's an important thing when it comes to the success of our overall athletics program.

On a rewarding moment with a student-athlete:
"There's been a lot, but seeing the recent success of Brandon Doughty and Dylan Blankenbaker and their conference finishes have been huge and emotional. Being there when Brandon won his second conference steeplechase title, when Dylan dove across the line to just narrowly miss a conference title and then watching him (Dylan) qualify for nationals in pretty incredible fashion at regionals were moving moments for me. I'll remember those forever. Also watching Sarah Scott in her first conference meet fall over a barrier in the steeplechase and immediately pick herself back up to finish in sixth place was pretty spectacular."

Quote:
"A quote I like from the Cormac McCarthy novel All the Pretty Horses says, 'Between the wish and the thing, the world lies waiting.' It's just a reminder to continue working hard. The wish being a goal and the thing being achievement of said goal. In between those two things lies a multitude of adversity and hard work. The world may stand between you and what you want but if you are willing to pursue it with your whole heart, I think you can achieve great things."

Neil Baroody

University of New Hampshire
Walk-on, indoor sprints
Exercise Science

On what inspired him to become a coach:
"Throughout high school, I always enjoyed the process of training and how you molded together all these variables to produce a workout. It was something that was always in the back of my head, but I didn't commit myself to it initially. However, I always did the things I need to do from a coursework standpoint to get myself ready to move in that direction when the time was right. When I decided that coaching was what I wanted to do, I was able to move forward with it. My senior year in college, when I had to do an internship, it hit me that I need to work with a really good coach and figure out the profession is really all about."

On benefit of volunteering at OU:
"It's beneficial in a wide array of things. It's exposed me to what the NCAA is all about so that I can understand what I can work within. It's made me understand the importance of having a mission in a program and guidance for all of the parties involved. Communication is important throughout all the parties to make sure you're benefiting the student-athletes and giving them the best situation. It's taught me how to be organized and prepared and to develop clear communication skills."

On being a former student-athlete:
"In the event that you used to participate in the sport, it gives you advantage as to what the athlete is going through and what they're feeling. It has a benefit because you can understand the process. Each athlete can relate to different parts of your own experience and that helps when you need to have courses of action or need to be honest with them."

On Coach V and his staff:
"I've learned immensely. Everything I was told this opportunity was going to be, it has been. I can be nothing but grateful for the opportunities they've given to me to add value to the teams. It's enabled me to grow as a person and a coach. I'm excited to utilize those skills going forward. The coaches are the team that makes all things go. Everyone brings unique talents to the team."

On OU:
"It's a great environment. There's a lot of excitement and a lot that goes into being involved in athletics. It's a great experience and you get exposed to a lot of things. You meet a lot of great people and work with a lot of great people. You get the opportunity to see the best of the best and be involved with the best of the best. You wouldn't come here if you didn't want to be really good and be your best for others. A place like this can do that for you."

On his coaching style:
"I believe in creating the right environment for everybody, whether that be all the factors involved outside of training, so that when it comes to the details of training, I can put student-athletes in the best situations they can to succeed. I believe in working hard on the little things so that big things can be executed with full force."

Quote:
"I don't know if there's a particular quote I use; I prefer to connect everything to the big picture whether that's in training or in life. For example, if we're doing a tempo workout and the team is looking tired, you can explain to them that 'When things get tough you can't let yourself get down. You have to be able to face adversity and handle tough situations.' So, I'm more about the process than maybe just using a quote."

Dan Barry

University of Massachusetts - Amherst/University of Oklahoma (Grad)
Distance, 1500, and cross country
Finance and Operations Management/Intercollegiate Athletic Administration

On moment he knew he wanted to be a coach:
"I would say it was a collection of moments with my coach from UMass and being on the team. My years of being an athlete culminated in my decision to want to be a coach. The influence my coach had on us as people and as student-athletes was positive."

On the benefits of volunteer coaching at OU:
"It's given me an intimate look into how coaches work with their athletes, run a program, set up home meets and some of the administrative work. It has helped me become more comfortable and get more familiar with becoming a coach."

On his coaching style:
"It's very positive. I believe in positive reinforcement over a more intimidating approach. It's about finding the good in things even if an athlete is not doing so well, to keep them excited and moving forward. I like highlighting the positive even when you have to bring up areas of improvement. Understanding the rigors that a student-athlete deals with. It's helped me develop an effective coaching style."

On Coach V and his staff:
"He's a good leader and very goal-oriented. I feel like he communicates very well to his staff what he wants to accomplish and what he'd like the team to accomplish."

On a rewarding moment with a student-athlete:
"The women's team finish at conference was a proud moment for everyone. The women's team as a whole was great, but seeing the distance group contribute was special. Just a couple of years ago they only had a single score in the conference and seeing a handful contribute to the team points was my proudest moment."

Quote:
"Believing in yourself is the first step to success. The mind is probably the most important ingredient to an athlete, or anyone, achieving success. It's bigger than any external force."

Dave Brown

University of Houston
Long jump and triple jump
Sociology

On when he realized he wanted to coach:
"A football player at the University of Houston asked me to help him with running technique and to help him get faster. Once I helped him, a lot of other athletes asked me to help them as well. I didn't want to but they kept telling me 'man, you ought to be a coach; you're really good.' After I continued to help other people, I realized 'I may be a coach.'"

On learning from Coach V and the track and field staff:
"There's a lot of responsibility and accountability. I've learned to work as a team and do everything to benefit the people around you. It helps seeing what goes on behind the scenes practice-wise, paperwork that needs to be done, the planning and organization. The coaching staff is phenomenal. Everyone can contribute to something, especially in the direction Coach V wants the program to go. He has the right people to do so to continue to keep getting better. We all talk and have fun like a coaching staff is supposed to. We aren't overwhelmed with work but at the same time we get the job done."

On what he likes about OU:
"I like the tornados. I'm just playing. I like the culture and that everyone is so into college sports here.

On his coaching style:
"My coaching style is developmental with a straight-to-the-point approach. I can't stand mediocrity. If an athlete is performing mediocre, I have a mind to change that. I like to be aggressive in helping someone get where they need to be because I always see potential in every athlete."

Quote:
"'Show me a guy that is afraid to look bad and I'll show you a guy you can beat every time' by Lou Brock. That means don't be afraid to go out there and give it your all. You don't know what will happen if you're going your hardest. It can surprise you. Many athletes may not be a "big-time" athlete coming into college, but if they work hard and give it their all, they can be better than some of the star athletes they face. A lot of athletes, especially in track and field, lose mentally and I think this quote helps them understand that.