Monte Stratton enters his eighth year at the helm of Texas Christian (TCU sports photography) |
1. You have produced numerous conference champions and All-Americans in your seven years at TCU and are nationally recognized as one of college track's top sprints and hurdles coaches. How has the experience been for you so far during your tenure at TCU?
I've had a great experience at TCU. It has been gratifying, satisfying and challenging. I enjoy living in Fort Worth and all the Metroplex has to offer.
2. TCU is well known for producing a great number of sprinters and hurdlers over the years. Besides their credentials on the track, what else do you look for in a potential student-athlete?
Obviously, the first thing that catches my eye is their performance on the track. We are looking for the high-caliber athlete who can not only compete at the conference level, but possibly at the national level. After that, we look at their academic qualifications. Ideally, we recruit not only the great athlete, but someone who can handle the academic side of it at TCU. And thirdly, we try to assertain who would be a good fit in a "team" environment.
3. What has been the most rewarding factor for you that you have passed on to your student-athletes?
The thing that we, as coaches, try to create and cultivate, is not only the individual accomplishments, but a "team" attitude. We try to instill in our student-athletes that the team is bigger than any individual.
4. How do you feel about the new NCAA outdoor regional format?
I prefer the previous method of qualifying for the nationals. However, the regional qualification is a certainty, as least for this year, and we will prepare accordingly. I think that it adds an unnecessary expense to the track programs around the country.
5. You've been a Texas man all of your coaching career while previously being the head coach at the University of Texas at Arlington, assistant coach at SMU and coaching in the state in high school. Although you have a firm grasp on the state and where to recruit, how difficult is it to stay on top of everything in that area?
It's difficult to have a good, solid feel for the high schools in the state of Texas. There are a ton of new high schools opening each year, with many areas growing very fast. Texas, California and Florida have traditionally been the top recruiting areas for high school track athletes. The competition for the top kids is fierce. We are just trying to get our share of those athletes to come to TCU.
6. A native of Breckenridge, Texas, you also achieved All-Americas status as a sprinter at Abilene Christian University. What were some of your most memorable moments as a student-athlete there?
I think winning the state championship in high school and holding the record in the 100 for 13 years would be the highlight from my prep career. In college, being part of a Division I track power, which is what Abilene Christian was at that time, was very rewarding. The most memorable part would have to be being part of an All-American 4x1 relay team.
7. What is the one thing you try to stress the most on to your student-athletes on and off the track?
We stress to our student-athletes that they should strive to reach their potential in whatever they are doing. Never sell yourself short.
8. Should the NCAA Outdoor Championships have a permanent home, just like the indoor meet does with its home at Arkansas?
I really don't have a strong opinion either way. It's nice to give the kids a chance to travel and to see different parts of the country, but if they decided to have it at the same site every year, that would be fine, too. It's not a big factor for me either way.
9. Who are some of the up-and-coming rising stars at TCU that not many of the fans may not know about?
On the women's side, our freshman sprinter Donita Harmon won't be an unknown for very long. She is special. On the men's side, we have three transfers in Jerry Harris, Brandon Simpson and Jackson Langat who could make a splash this year on the national scene.
10. How important is it for you and your program to be surrounded by a great staff who can take it to the next level?
Obviously it's extremely important to have a good staff. No one coach is better than his surrounding staff and athletes. Recruiting is the lifeblood of any program and the assistant coaches are the ones doing a bulk of the legwork on recruiting.
11. For all of the young people out there who wish to get into coaching at the collegiate level, what kind of advice would you offer them to start out at?
I thought the best way was to work my way up from the high school level to college coaching. Now I believe the best way is to start at the collegiate level as a volunteer or graduate assistant and meet as many people in the business as possible. Networking is the key. It is also paramount that you have a passion for coaching. With the number of hours and committment it takes, there are other occupations more profitable than coaching. However, if you have the passion for it, coaching can be a great profession.