During his tenure, student-athletes working with Mueller have reached numerous accomplishments, both in the Duke history books and on the national stage. In women's sprinting competitions, he was directly involved in coaching Blue Devils like India Lowe, who holds the school record in the indoor 60-meter, 300m and 400m, as well as Maddy Price, who holds the outdoor 200m and 400m records, as well as earning multiple All-America honors in both indoor and outdoor relays. Mueller also coached Price to the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, where she competed for Canada in the Mixed Relay, the 400m, and made the final in the 4x400m Relay.
On the men's side, Mueller aided in the development of Steven Solomon, who broke the ACC and ACC Championship Record indoors in the 400m and captured Gold in the 400m at the 2018 ACC Outdoor Championships while garnering All-America status at both the indoor and outdoor NCAA meets. Solomon also made the Commonwealth Games Finals in the 400m that same year. During the 2019-20 indoor season, he coached current senior Miles Mingo, who set the school record in the 300m and competed in the ACC finals in the 400m.
During his time with the Blue Devils, Mueller has assisted Shawn Wilbourn, who now oversees all aspects of the team after being promoted to Interim Head Coach in July. As the program looks ahead to a new era, Duke communications caught up with Mueller to discuss the team's training tests, his coaching philosophies, and which student-athletes he is looking forward to seeing compete this season.
How excited are you to be a part of the next chapter of Duke Track & Field?
"I'm extremely excited. It feels like a fresh start in some ways. I think there is new life being breathed into the program with so many new members on the staff and among the athletes. Both [Shawn] Wilbourn and myself have done a lot of continuing education and reflection during COVID, and I feel like now we're really just excited to apply what we have learned and go full steam ahead."
What has been the most difficult part of the past seven months?
"Honestly, the hardest thing was just not being able to coach and be around the student-athletes. I absolutely love my job and I get a lot of enjoyment and fulfillment from coaching. I genuinely like the student-athletes we have as people, so it's just been tough to be away from them and not being able to have that time and continue to build them up."
How has it been since student-athletes have returned to campus for training?
"It's been really great. They've exceeded our expectations so far in the first seven weeks. We didn't really know what to expect because the spring was such a unique, unprecedented type of thing, but we can already tell that they were training pretty consistently. I think that perhaps they were so bored that that was their outlet during the long break. I think they also got some much needed rest in some ways. We just finished our second round of testing yesterday and it went really well. We also have a lot of new student-athletes on the team, a lot of transfers in our group from the Ivy League and other schools, who are using that last year of eligibility and taking advantage of some Master's programs at Duke. We have a big freshman class as well who have stepped in and brought a surge of energy and enthusiasm. It feels like it's a much bigger, more lively and experienced team and I am chomping at the bit to see what they can do."
How would you describe your coaching style?
"There is a lot I could say, but two things are what I really try to do. First, I try to individualize the coaching and training as much as possible. I know that every athlete responds differently to different types of training, but also the different cues and coaching styles based on their personalities and past experiences. One athlete might need me to get on them, be intense, and get them fired up, whereas other athletes may need a quiet word in their ear, or even meet outside of practice to talk through things. Everybody is a little different, so I really try to get to know them and then individualize as much as I can. Second, I'm really big on technique and fundamentals. I think a lot of coaches have a 'system' and they try to force everybody into the system, but to me, each athlete is a different puzzle. I am constantly adjusting and trying to teach them correct posture, figure out how they can apply force correctly, and how they can become more efficient technically, because then that's the foundation that we build everything else off of."
What makes Duke track & field unique to you?
"I would say that Duke as a whole is unique because of who comes here. It truly is a population of excellent individuals and they share a collective expectation of excellence. One of the things my college coach always used to say is 'A rising tide lifts all ships,' and I think that's really true. You look around and you see how many people are truly elite at everything they do and it makes everyone better. There is no denying that your environment shapes who you are and I believe at Duke the environment is exemplary and it fosters a really unique culture across the whole university. In terms of athletics and Duke Track & Field specifically, I think what makes us unique is our coaching staff. I think we really do have an exceptional coaching staff that really understands Duke and the type of athletes we get and has chosen to be here and stay here because we believe in what Duke offers for the student-athlete experience. Coach Wilbourn is unique as a coach and leader, and I am supremely confident in the method and the direction he is driving this ship. We are going to do some fantastic things and I am thrilled to be a part of it."
Who do you think stands out among the returning sprinters?
"I'd say on the men's side, Miles Mingo stands out – he made the [ACC Indoor Championships] finals in the 400m last year – and Ezra Mellinger. Ezra broke the school record in the 200m and unfortunately was injured doing his first jump at the conference meet. Both of them were going to have really breakout outdoor seasons – unfortunately, they were cut short. On the guys' side, I'm looking to them to really lead the charge with the sprinters. We do have a lot of other talent coming in, whether that's some freshmen and some transfers, but those two guys in particular, I think, are really going to lead the sprints group. On the female side, Brittany Aveni and Lauren Hoffman are the most experienced and accomplished and already leaders on the team. Brittany was looking phenomenal indoors and I think was going to be a contender at the conference and national level. Lauren Hoffman qualified for NCAA's in the 400m hurdles as a sophomore and was looking to build off of that as a junior, so I'm looking to those two to kind of lead the charge. Kelcie [Simmons] was coming into form and placed the highest amongst the sprinters at the conference meet and I think she was going to have a truly breakout outdoor season, because I think she still was scratching the surface of what she's capable of. I think those three girls are really the ones leading the charge, but on the women's side, we have some phenomenal transfers, some sophomores who are hungry and showing tremendous growth and some talented freshmen. I think this is the deepest and most well-rounded our sprints group has ever been by far, on both genders."
Do you think the sprinters transferring into the program will push those that are returning from last year's team?
"Yes, already, there's a tremendous difference just in the energy at practice. The results of testing yesterday are a good sign of what's to come. It was probably the most competitive environment it has ever been for our testing since I've been here. There were some really good times too, but just the competitive atmosphere, how they push each other and the energy was really great. Again, it goes back to 'A rising tide lifts all ships' – all of the transfer coming in is making everyone feel like 'Ok…we've got to step up our game. It's going to be harder to make those relays, it's going to be harder to get on the travel roster, I've got to be on my A-game, I've got to be on top of everything.' It makes everyone better."
Is there an incoming student-athlete who you think will have a big impact this season?
"On the women's side, Elena Brown-Soler, who is a transfer from Penn. She was really successful in the Ivy League, and she's looking really great so far and is going to be an immediate contributor to our relays and to sprints and long jump. On the guy's side, Alex Schwedt is a transfer from Michigan. He was part of a great 4x400m at Michigan last year that made NCAA's and has that experience. He's looking really good and pushing some of those younger guys really well. Then, we have freshmen that are locked in and on the sprints side right now and we are expecting them to step in and have an immediate impact and be able to contribute as freshmen."
#GoDuke
"up" - Google News
October 17, 2020 at 04:21AM
https://ift.tt/3nXFikp
Mueller Gears Up for Next Era of Duke Track & Field - Duke University - GoDuke.com
"up" - Google News
https://ift.tt/350tWlq
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Mueller Gears Up for Next Era of Duke Track & Field - Duke University - GoDuke.com"
Post a Comment