UMKC Track Coach

So Kevin you're saying with experienced coaches around like Redwine and Clark that McField coached Jeremy Mims? I really, really find that hard to believe. If I'm wrong, then my bad, but I find it difficult to believe with the Redwine and Clark would hand the guidance of one of their top middle distance runners over to a novice.

didn't happen. there were some really good coaches in the KC area who made inquiries about the UMKC job and didn't get the time of day.

bad move by an AD who doesn't give a shite about the sport

Does anyone else realize that this was an Equal Opportunity hire? There is no other coach of Minority status on the programs coaching list. This is the only logical reason for taking the program on a shit spin.

As far as the AD's Plan to 'remove' track and field, well thats not true. from what i heard they are making the main track smaller and putting in a soccer field, but adding both and outdoor and indoor facility out at swope park. For some reason, it seems to me, that the AD wants to focus on adding facilities, NOT quality coaching. Why the got rid of Hamilton in the middle of the season??? No one knows. The true harm is done only to the athletes, kids brought here to try and turn this program around and left with nothing. The distance and throws dept have been hit the worst....and with this hire, well shoot, why doesn't anyone just apply. I mean John little could coach the team, and we all know how crazy he is. (No offence john)he seems to have some of the only passion and relationship to the program. but whatever, They are now looking, so the rumor has it, into hiring a more in-experienced distance coach, who is younger than she is! I just feel so sorry for all the senior but esp more so to the kids who have to stay in this crazy mess of a program. THIS IS NOT A D1 WORTHY PROGRAM!!!! across the board! They have never been competitive and the sad thing is, THEY COULD BE!!!

The track will be smaller, in that the inside four lanes will be gone. That means the new lane "1" will be 432 meters, Lane "2" will be 440 and so on. Try to run the 4x100 on that. Also gone will be the steeple pit, long, pole valut run ways and perhaps the high jump area. There will be no infield to throw the jav on either. Futher I have heard the swope park rumors for a long time, I will believe it when it I see it. I have also heard an indoor/outdoor facility coupled with the Wizards at Bannister road. Again, I will believe it when I see it. The facts are this spring the "track" will be a four lane irregular shaped thing. Fact 2 the new coach is not qualified. I have heard that the new distance coach will be a former runner who is 24 and a nice guy. Who knows just about nothing about distance running, which will be perfect for the new track coach, they can wallow in their ignorance together. I feel sorry for about three distance runners, the rest of the team is a bunch of clowns who got what they deserved.

First of all, Mr. Little, start finishing races, don't just quit because you don't have a good time going, that's a slap in the face to us older runners and the sport. Maybe you would have broke 2:30 in qualifier if you had. Stop worrying about some washed up program and kids and start competing. god i wish i was younger again and had your talent...

But thats not what this is about, I've lived in Kc for about 4 year and from what i can tell, this program used to be good. How it came to be this bad, i don't know. I did hear that the last A.D just didn't care about anything. When i heard that UMKC was a Division I program, i laughed. I had never even heard of it, and from a little research, things like 1) this hire and 2)poor recruiting are to blame. Most of these kids are within a 100 mile radius of Kc, not that it's a bad thing, but to compete on a national level, you need national recruits. How it got so bad at that school, i don't know, the sad thing is, They're Adding Sports! do you believe that! What is the A.D. THINKING! He's got nothing in the programs now and wants to add more? Maybe he is getting rid of track and cross. The thing is...yes it's painful to watch...but i don't CARE! IT's UMKC for crying out loud! It's not like they're on ESPN every night or something. I'm just glad i'm not funding that shit, i don't live in Missouri. The only fact is that tomorrow, i'll be up running on the trail, and as far as running goes, thats all im worried about...UMKC will never serve a need to me, so who cares who their coach is people...In fact i feel more stupid for wasting my time reading these post and writing on this wall...Let Run!

I have dropped out of two races in my career, one last month, in which I rabbited a mile at Northern Arizona University, where I was suppossed to drop out and a half marathon in Philly the day after my grandmother died. If you knew me, you would know my stance on dropping out.

Wow MI Runner, did John steel your girlfriend or something? His post may have been abrasive, but every word of it is truth. It just shows the passion he has for our sport. All of us here in KC hate to see this program turn into a Quota filler. I know of several qualified coaches that inquired about this position, and none of them were even contacted. I was under the impression that all state positions had to at least be posted before they were filled. This one never was. The whole process just seems shady, and sad.

No, That message was written in a heat of passion. I'm sorry it came off very strong to Mr. Little. Your right, i don't know you. I know of you. we could have sworn we saw you drop out in Kansas City. That is apparently wrong. I am sorry. You have accomplished alot, don't get me wrong. I'm more just jealous of the talent i never had at a younger age. I just wouldn't and don't dwell on why a program would be so bad, and it's not something i would worry about, but i do understand your passion. Like i said, i've only been hear a couple years and my job will probably take me and my family away from here in the near to distant future. I love going to high school track meets though, it just seems so pure, and I've just had it with all of these "Running Politics." I truly wish, as everyone else on here does, that these things wouldn't happen. but i also wish people would just stop talking and run. So I'm going to stop talking.

I completely understand why people are pissed over this. Some of us Kansas Citians see the potential in UMKC & hate to see it go to waste. Then for the position to get handed out with absolotuely no hiring process (I didn't even think you could do this??) makes it even worse. UMKC should be able to pull in so much Metro talent with 0 scholarships it's not even funny. It's cheaper for someone from KC to go to school there on 0 scholarship than it is for them to go out of town on a partial. I hope she proves us wrong & if she doesn't I hope they do the right thing next time.

I think like WYCO LOCO wrote many people do care about the program in the KC area. The sad part is that if the coach doesn't do well she will probably get at least 3 year minimum to attempt to improve it. This program can't afford another 3 years without some glimmer of hope. It is an afterthought now.

I agree they should try to recruit local kids with many partial scholarships and encourage them to live at home and save money.

This whole athletic program would be much better served to drop down to D-2 and join like the MIAA or a similar strong d-2 conference.

Who do you think the asst, coaches will be because obviously one will be the de facto head xc coach.

Distance Coach = Grad Assistant = UMKC

rib nerd wrote:

I think like WYCO LOCO wrote many people do care about the program in the KC area. The sad part is that if the coach doesn't do well she will probably get at least 3 year minimum to attempt to improve it. This program can't afford another 3 years without some glimmer of hope. It is an afterthought now.

I agree they should try to recruit local kids with many partial scholarships and encourage them to live at home and save money.

This whole athletic program would be much better served to drop down to D-2 and join like the MIAA or a similar strong d-2 conference.

Who do you think the asst, coaches will be because obviously one will be the de facto head xc coach.

NCAA Division I Certification Study

Introduction

In Aug. 2007, UMKC began a year-and-a-half long, campus-wide study of its athletics program as part of the National Collegiate Athletics Association's (NCAA) Division I certification process. Specific areas of study during certification include academic and fiscal integrity, governance, rules compliance, commitment to equity, student-athlete welfare and sportsmanship. The purpose of the certification program is to ensure integrity in UMKC's athletics operations.

While academic accreditation is common in athletics and universities, the NCAA program focuses solely on certification of athletics programs. Since 1997, the NCAA requires all Division I schools to complete a full athletics certification process every 10 years, which takes approximately two years to complete.

UMKC initially was certified in Feb., 2000.

UMKC's self-study will be completed by May, 2008. Once the university concludes its study, a three-person external team of reviewers assigned by the NCAA will conduct a two-day minimum evaluation visit on campus in the summer/fall of 2008. The reviewers will be peers from other colleges, universities or conference offices. That team will report to the independent NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification, which subsequently will determine the institution's certification status and publicly announce the decision in February, 2009.

NCAA Certification Steering Committee

Chair

Mel Tyler, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management

Sub-Chairs

Jim Wanser, Associate Director, Counseling, Health and Testing Center (Gender & Minority Equity Issues)

Judy McCormick, Associate Teaching Professor, College of Arts and Sciences (Academic Integrity)

Chris Brown, Professor, Counseling & Psychology (Student-Athlete Well-Being)

Dan Weddle, Professor, School of Law (Governance)

Additional Committee Members

Rick Anderson, Interim Vice Chancellor, Administrative Services

Ken Ferguson, JD, Faculty Athletics Representative

Gail Hackett, Provost

Tim Hall, Director of Athletics

Janet Justus, Associate Athletics Director for Administration

Lora Lacey-Haun, Dean, School of Nursing

Mary Larson-Diaz, Deputy Chancellor for External Affairs

Pellom McDaniels, Assistant Professor, History

Sean McClain, SGA President

Jordan Miller, UMKC Men's Golf Student-Athlete

Bonnie Painter, Staff Council President

Ed Underwood, Director of Institute for Urban Education

Chuck Vogt, Community Member

Carla Wilson, Senior Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator

David Yost, Athletics Foundation Board Member

Couldn't attend the Community Open Forum?

Please find below the open forum handout and presentation.

- NCAA Open Forum Presentation

- NCAA Open Forum Handout

An additional resource is below: the NCAA's Measurable Standards for its Operating Principles

- NCAA Measurable Standards Document

Each of the sub-committees are pleased to provide a current draft report of their findings:

- Gender & Minority Equity Issues Draft

- Academic Integrity Draft

- Student-Athlete Well-Being Draft

- Governance Draft

nantly wrote:

Distance Coach = Grad Assistant = UMKC

not true. the current distance coach/grad assistant will not be taking the distance coaching job