2022 MTCCCA Newsletter 2022 Clinic Info and Registration MTCCCA HOF
The 2022 edition of the Missouri Track and Cross Country Coaches Association (MTCCCA) Clinic and Awards Banquet is, like most of the previous ones going back decades, the second weekend of December in Columbia. The annual event brings in some of the best coaches and experts in the country to share their knowledge with Missouri coaches and any others that want to register and make the trip. The association also honors coaches and contributors with awards during a banquet.
The clinic kicks off Thursday, December 8th at 7:00 p.m. with two evening sessions. Friday brings 4 sessions, the business meeting, and the awards dinner. Those that stick around get to enjoy two Saturday morning sessions that feature round-table panel discussions. Saturday also features two sessions for officials, which can include discussions on rules interpretations and many other facets of the responsibilities those that enforce the rules of the sports have.
Hickman's Head Track and Field Coach and assistant cross country coach Stewart Johnson is wrapping up his year as MTCCCA President this year, his 4th year as an officer. Stewart has put together a fantastic lineup of clinicians to present. The St. Louis native competed at Ritenour High School for MTCCCA Hall of Famer Bill Wirtz before teaching and coaching at Hickman, where he's been for the last 26 years.
Johnson is an exceptional jumps coach who's coached many athletes to be among if not the state's best and took over as head coach in the last decade or so. Johnson's Hickman boys squad just missed a Class 5 state track and field trophy in Columbia in the compressed one-day 2019 state meet.
After Covid-19 canceled the 2020 season, Johnson's Hickman boys made it to the podium, earning a 4th-place state finish when just 5 points separated the top 5 teams at the 2021 state meet, another compact one-day meet, which was Covid-19 induced. Johnson has and continues to mentor many former high school and college athletes when they turn to coaching, as assistants at Hickman.
Johnson has secured many great coaches to present at the clinic, some known worldwide and other Show-Me State gems. Former LSU jumps coach Irving "Boo" Schexnayder makes a return trip to the MTCCCA clinic as one of two keynote speakers on Thursday night. Schexnayder is one of the world's top jumps coaches, having led athletes to a world title, an Olympic silver medal, and seven to the Olympics, along with 10 individuals to a total of 19 NCAA national titles. After leaving to work as an athletic and training consultant, he returned to LSU in 2017 and is currently an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Tigers cross country and track and field programs. His opening night presentation at 8:15 p.m. is titled "Developing Young People (and Young Coaches)Through Athletics".
Former University of Loyola-Chicago head track and field coach and 2nd-year University of New Mexico long sprints, jumps, and hurdles coach Bob Thurnhoffer opens in the clinic's first session Thursday night. Thurnhoffer's athletes had a spectacular 2022 season including All-America honors for four men outdoors, in the 400-hurdles, 400, and 4x400m. Thurnhoffer was named the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Mountain Region Men's Assistant Coach of the Year. His opening presentation at MTCCCA is titled "Amor Fati: An Evolution of a Track Coach".