Connections #364: Bill Lawson-IMG Academy | UNI-Oregon-Kent-IMG-UA HS Championships

Last week we had TJ Lawson on the show… so this week we brought on Dad. Bill Lawson is the Head Track & Field Coach at IMG Academy, and his story is pure track & field — rural Illinois, the 1968 Olympics, Northern Iowa’s rise, Oregon/TrackTown USA, Kent State, and now leading one of the premier programs in the world while preparing for the inaugural Under Armour High School Championships. If you love coaching, development, recruiting stories, and the real behind-the-scenes of building culture over decades — this one is for you. 🎧 Topics we hit: 🌾 Farm-kid work ethic + the moment track became the obsession 📬 Recruiting “back in the day” (before social media + instant results) 🧠 Coaching education, learning by doing, and getting better over time 👟 Why multi-sport matters and why kids need an “open mind” 🦆 The move to Oregon and keeping the edge at a brand-name program 👨‍👦 Dad vs Coach: how Bill handled TJ’s recruiting and development 🏟️ IMG Academy + what to expect at Under Armour Nationals (May 29–31) 👉 Watch/listen to TJ’s episode from last week for the full “other side” of the story. 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with coaches, builders, and leaders across track & field. 👉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! 🎙️ Create Your Own Podcast Episode: Reach out to Mike Cunningham for instruction on how to create your very own Gill1918 Project episode, which airs Tuesdays through Sundays. 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 [email protected], or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍 #TrackAndField #Coaching #IMGAcademy #UnderArmour #GillConnections #Decathlon #TrackTownUSA