Cassie Craig was one of the best pole vaulters to ever come out of Wichita State and now is living in Los Angeles where she is a stunt woman, actress, singer and Covid-19 mask maker. She became nationally known for being on American Ninja Warrior for 4 years. We catch up with her about what she’s doing now and what it’s like to do stunts for a living. This was a fascinating conversation – fun stuff! (0:00) Intro. (0:45) Cassie tells us what she’s doing now and what it’s like to live in Los Angeles during the Coronavirus shutdown. (6:30) We talk about high school track, her all-around athletic ability and her experience at Wichita State. (12:30) Cassie becomes an American Ninja Warrior. (17:45) Cassie moves to L.A. and creates a new career as a stunt woman on a TV show. (25:13) What does the multi-talented Cassie want to do with her life?
I got to know Kevin Hadsell when I was coaching at Kent State and he was at Toledo. He was very successful during his time as a Rocket. After his coaching career ended, he took up acting and is now involved in a variety of different things from owning his own talent agency to being partners in a construction company. He’s always been a very interesting and entertaining guy to talk to and we go all over the map during this conversation. Enjoy! (0:00) Intro. (0:40) Update on what Kevin is currently up to during the Coronavirus situation. (5:15) Thoughts on the Michael Jordan documentary “The Last Dance” and sports in the 90’s. (9:45) How young people are busy creating their own brands these days in both athletics and acting. We get into the NCAA’s new Name, Image and Likeness ideas and the effects it might have on college athletics. (20:00) We discuss Akron getting their cross country team cut and the impending financial crisis that universities and athletic departments may have and if MAC football makes sense. (39:10) Finally, I ask Kevin what he misses about being a coach and if he would want to return someday.
During his career, Marc Burns has coached at Loyola, Wichita State, Bradley and now Missouri and has been successful everywhere he’s been. We really enjoyed his 4 years at WSU and have stayed good friends ever since. Always great catching up with Burnsie!(0:00) Intro. (0:54) We talk about how things are currently going in Columbia, Missouri, for Marc’s family and team. (6:43) I ask Marc who is going to making the decisions about starting our season back up? The NCAA, the conferences or the schools? (10:43) We run through Marc’s running and professional career. (24:07) Finally, we end with what it like coaching Karissa Schweizer.
Brooke Rasnick will sound very familiar to Shocker fans as she was one of our great pole vaulters around a decade ago. After stops in Oregon and Kent State, she has found a home in Louisville, Kentucky as the multi’s and pole vault coach. It was great catching up with her! (0:00) Intro. (1:00) Rasnick explains what it’s like being at Louisville during the current Coronavirus situation in regards to what their current athletes are doing and what the future looks like. (11:48) We run through Brooke’s career from El Dorado High School to Wichita State to Oregon to Kent State and eventually Louisville. (19:45) Finally we talk about what it’s like having a new family while coaching college track and field.
A little something different this week. Scott Ufford is a Wichita State Track & Field alumni who currently works as a lawyer in Wichita. For the month of April he took suggestions to do 30 different activities – one a day – for an entire month. Some were very difficult, some were easy, all were unique. Fun conversation and a great distraction during these trying times!
Wendel McRaven is the head cross country and distance coach for Texas A&M. I worked with Wendel at Kent State where he was an assistant coach and eventually the head coach for the Golden Flashes. Originally from the Chicago area, he also made stops at Alabama, Nebraska and Illinois. With all of his experience at different types of schools, he has a great perspective on what is going on in the world of college athletics now. Great podcast! (0:00) Intro. (1:20) Life at Texas A&M and the SEC right now. (6:00) Thoughts on how some schools are honoring scholarships and some will not in 2021. (9:25) How potentially not having football at Power 5 schools may affect everyone. (14:30) We run through Wendel’s coaching history from college until now at A&M.
Drew Mahin is in his 7th year at Cloud County, and has been part of some big success recently with their men’s team winning national titles in 2020 in both Outdoor Track and Field and Cross Country. He gives us NCAA coaches a unique perspective as to what they are dealing with from the junior college level in this podcast. (0:00) Intro. (1:13) Drew lays out the timeline for how the Coronavirus affected their team at the end of the indoor season. (5:00) Next he talks about how difficult it is for recruiting now, both for him as a coach and for athletes on the team. (9:03) Cloud has a big contingent of international athletes and they are trying to figure out the best path forward. (12:05) Drew reflects back on winning national titles and what it has meant to the program and community. (16:12) Both Drew and John talk about how being at a small school can force you to be creative and, ultimately, better as an athlete.
Kevin Lucas and myself went to the same small high school in Southern Ohio and both of us ended up becoming college track coaches. He has been super successful at the D3 level winning 3 NCAA team championships and 32 Ohio Athletic Conference championships in the past 10 years. We talk about a little of everything in this podcast. (0:00) Intro. (1:37) Kevin talks about how Mt Union is doing with the Coronavirus situation, how he is trying to keep his team motivated and looking towards 2021. (7:38) Then we give our expert opinion on how the country should handle this. Kevin suggests a fake news zombie apocalypse. (10:40) We talk about our high school area and who we (don’t) keep in touch with. (12:45) Kevin shares his secret for finding $17 airline tickets. (15:30) We end with talking about anvil launching and national anthems.
WWAWG #13 – Brian McGee, Gardner Edgerton High School
Brian McGee is in his 15th
year as the head coach (20th
overall) of the boy’s track and field team at Gardner
Edgerton High School. His teams are always one of the best in the state
and I’ve been lucky to get to know him well for the past decade. It
was very interesting to get a different perspective on how the
Coronavirus is affecting high school track and field
athletes.
(0:00)
Intro. (1:15) Coach McGee gives us the high school athlete perspective
on our current situation. (7:50) What not having the state track meet at
Wichita State will mean to high schoolers. (11:10) Will our current
tough times eventually help us appreciate what we have? (15:20) Brian
talks about how being the coach at Gardner Edgerton
is his dream job.
Most
Shocker fans will instantly recognize the name of Nikki Larch-Miller
for her outstanding career at Wichita State where she was a multiple
time All-American and conference champion. Now she has finished her
first year as the jumps/multi coach at Eastern Illinois.
(0:00)
Intro. (0:58) Nikki talks about the topic of the day, which is how
EIU heard about and is dealing with the Coronavirus. (6:55) Larch-Miller
then describes her first year as a college coach and (9:50) why she
decided to retire from track and field and pursue coaching full time.
(15:50) She talks about how Wichita State has
influenced her current coaching style and (18:35) finally what her best
memories were as a Shocker.
