Jon Bell assumed the interim head coaching position of the cross country and track and field teams in the fall of 2007. In only one year as coach, he led the Billiken squads to arguably their best seasons in school history. Here’s what he had to say about his first-year coaching experience.
How has coaching at Saint Louis University helped you grow as a coach?
SLU is unique in that it presents challenges both in athletics and academics, and it’s a top priority in the recruiting process to find kids that can handle academics and still compete. Finding that mix has been a challenge, but in my experience, runners have always been good students. They are good people, and being around good people brings out the best in you; it’s really been a blessing for me.
What’s good about this fall’s recruiting class?
We’ve signed about 10 athletes on the men’s side. The big star is Dahmar Smiles, who comes from Laurel, Md., has family here in St. Louis, which is one of the reasons why he considered SLU. He’s a very talented athlete, and when all is said and done after four years, as a senior, he could be someone who is at the Olympic trials.
Without a doubt the best class we’ve had.
Do you have a motto you follow, or any personal beliefs about coaching?
I try to give individual attention to everybody. It’s individual, but it’s also a team sport, and trying to intermix those components is difficult, but you have to treat people the right way. There’s a saying I use with our team that may be hard to wrap your mind around: “I can’t treat everyone equally, but can treat everyone fairly.” I wish I could devote all my time equally to each member, but I have to do what’s best for those kids as well.
How important was it last season to establish yourself as a successful coach?
When you talk about building a program, especially with track being so new (only third season) and knowing the history of the program and seeing the transition it has been going through, I like to tell our kids and recruits that during that shaky time, it was a club team.
I equate previous cross country and track seasons with Junior Varsity track and field. When I took over, I told everyone that this is Division-I and Varsity athletics, and this is the way were going to do things.
And, with the support of administration and assistant coaches, I was able to get it in our athletes’ heads that we’re here to compete and win. It definitely wasn’t an easy road last year. It had it’s bright spots and low points, but I’m confident that we’re going to make a difference in the A-10 in the future. The best quality I can bring to the leadership role is a vision. The goal is to win and to set that expectation out there. It’s one thing to say it but it’s another to actually execute it.
