Chris Sullivan never planned to become a track coach.
Growing up in Cocoa Beach, Florida, he was a football player first, a basketball player second, and a high jumper who mostly showed up for meets. He didn't even realize track and field was a college sport until he arrived at Florida International University.
Fast forward a few years and Chris went from football walk-on to Division I decathlete, NCAA East Regional qualifier, NCAA Championships qualifier in the high jump, and eventually FIU assistant coach.
In this episode, Mike and Chris discuss:
✅ Growing up in Cocoa Beach and surfing before school
✅ Why football was his first love
✅ The unlikely path that led him into track & field
✅ Transitioning from football to the decathlon
✅ Qualifying for the NCAA Championships in the high jump
✅ Coaching at his alma mater
✅ Recruiting in today's college athletics landscape
✅ NIL, roster changes, and the new five-year eligibility model
✅ The mentors who shaped his coaching philosophy
✅ Why helping athletes succeed means more than his own accomplishments
Chris shares an honest look at his journey from athlete to coach and why developing young people remains at the center of everything he does at Florida International University.
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!
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