David is a Coach O Ambassador, longtime HS coach, and T&F announcer. He serves as the Director of Client Relations for CoachO.com and is the coordinator of this Youth and Beginner Series Powered by Coach O. If you’d like to contribute an episode, he’d LOVE to hear from you! Please email David at clientrelations@coacho.com to learn more about how you can get involved and/or to give feedback about this exciting new series within the Gill1918 Project.

🎙️ From Wrestling Mats to Track Dominance: The Journey of Coach Antonio Wells

This week on the Gill Connections podcast, we're heading to North Carolina to meet a man who brings grit, grace, and grounded leadership to the world of track and field: Antonio Wells, head coach at Winston-Salem State University. From his early days wrestling in rural Georgia to leading a rising DII program, Antonio's journey is filled with determination, humility, and passion for the student-athlete experience.

In this powerful episode, you'll hear:

🤼 How wrestling shaped his toughness and mental approach

🧬 Why a biology degree and dreams of pediatrics led him to coaching

💼 Lessons learned from Bass Pro Shops to NCAA Division I sidelines

🎓 The impact of HBCUs on his personal and professional growth

🤝 The power of mentors like Tyree Price and Coach O'Kelly

💪 What it takes to lead a program through adversity and rebuild with vision

🧠 Why being a student of the sport matters more than ever

🗣️ How he's building a culture of belief and stability at WSSU

📢 🎧 Commercial Break – The Gill1918 Project

Don't miss our educational podcast series: The Gill1918 Project. It’s the TED Talks of track & field coaching — short, insightful episodes by coaches, for coaches. Perfect for your ride home or pre-meet inspiration!

💬 "Being a head coach isn’t just about the workouts — it’s about creating stability and showing athletes they matter." – Antonio Wells

Whether you're an aspiring coach, a fan of track and field, or simply someone who loves a great comeback story, this episode is for you.

👟 Tune in now to be inspired by Coach Wells’ resilience, honesty, and vision for the future of WSSU Track & Field.

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into 300+ 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 YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.

🎙️ Create Your Own Podcast Episode: Reach out to Mike Cunningham for instruction on how to create your very own Gill1918 Project episode, which airs every Tuesday through Sunday. 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! 🎧👍

Welcome to Gill1918, the track & field coaching podcast powered by Gill Athletics. Since 1918, Gill has been dedicated to empowering coaches with innovative equipment—now, we're bringing elite coaching education straight to your ears.

Our goal is to create the Ted Talks of track/field podcasts bringing the annual track clinic to your ears DAILY! Topics will include but are not limited to covering key strategies, techniques, and training principles to help you improve athlete performance, structure better workouts, enhance team culture, and more!

Whether you're a high school, collegiate, or club coach, Gill1918 is your go-to resource for quick, high-impact coaching education from the best minds in the sport.

📩 Want to contribute an episode? Submit your 10-30 minute coaching talk to mcunningham@gillathletics.com or read ⁠⁠THIS LINKEDIN ARTICLE⁠⁠ for information on how to get started. All coaches are invited to participate!

🎙️ Don’t forget to subscribe and follow Gill Athletics for more expert coaching insights!

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