Austin McGinn: Effects of a New Hurdle Coach
Specializing in the 110m and 300m hurdles in addition to the 4x400m relay, Austin McGinn closes his regular season with seasonal bests of 15.63 (110mH) and 41.23 (300mH). Around the beginning of the track and field season, the Arcadia team received the addition of a new coach for hurdles. In the brief time he has been here, Coach Snow has been pushing the hurdlers and track athletes to new levels.
When did you first join hurdles, and what was your motivation to join?
McGinn, initially a sprinter and pole vaulter, recalls joining hurdles his freshman year, stating that “[the track team] didn’t have any hurdlers so [he] decided to try it out”. At that time, the event was scarcely filled with merely 4 seniors and 3 freshmen, with Austin being one of them.
What were your freshman and sophomore years like doing hurdles without an official hurdles coach?
“Instagram and YouTube were my coaches so I didn’t have the best guidance early on.”
How did you initially respond to the news that a coach would be implemented for hurdles?
“I was so excited and I was hopeful that things would finally start to get better.”
What components of track and field did you feel were fulfilled with the addition of your new coach?
“My confidence was restored and I was finally able to understand why we do the workouts we do.”
In what ways did your new coach elevate you as an athlete?
“He gave us a consistent routine that we do in order to warm-up before practice and races which translates to greater performances. He also gives us workouts outside of practice to do which we’ve never had before.”
How did your coach challenge you during the regular season?
“We’d have workouts called “chest days” because afterward you’d be on your chest struggling to breathe. Those days suck the most but they’re necessary and help us build our speed endurance.”
What values do you feel are important for a coach to possess?
“A good coach should be able to encourage their athletes while catering to their needs in order to build them up to their greatest potential. A good coach is able to earn their athlete's trust and respect which Coach Snow has done.”
Despite the regular season recently ending, Austin still has more to give as he qualified for the CIF Southern Section Preliminaries in the 110m hurdles and the 4x400m relay. The Mending Playbook team expresses its best wishes to Austin in his future races, as well as his training and preparation under Coach Snow!