From hustling neighborhood races at age eight to standing on the Olympic Trials runway — and now leading one of the most historic programs in the country — Francesca Green’s journey is one built on belief, resilience, and heart. In this powerful Season 7 conversation, Francesca shares how track and field shaped her life long before coaching ever crossed her mind. We talk about growing up in the state of Washington, competing for Washington State University, navigating injuries, chasing Olympic dreams, and learning leadership from mentors like Lissa Olson, Rick Sloan, and Fred Harvey. But this episode goes far beyond the track. Francesca opens up about: *Becoming a coach earlier than most — and setting hard boundaries at age 22 *Walking away from competition… then fighting her way back after an Achilles rupture *Qualifying for the Olympic Trials on her very last jump *Spending over 20 years at University of Arizona, learning every side of the profession *Adopting four children while building a Division I coaching career *What it really takes to build culture, trust, and belief as a first-time head coach *Now entering a new chapter as the head coach at University of Texas at El Paso, Francesca shares what excites her most about the Miners, why culture comes before championships, and how she plans to lead with honesty, clarity, and purpose. This one is about coaching — but it’s also about life, leadership, and doing hard things with courage. 🔑 Episode Highlights 🏃♀️ Growing up fast — literally — and discovering track as a way forward 🧠 Why great recruiting starts with permission to be yourself 🩹 Recovering from an Achilles rupture and refusing to quit 👩👧👦 Motherhood, adoption, and building a family while coaching at the highest level 🛠️ Culture over control: what Francesca believes actually sustains programs 🏟️ Why UTEP’s history matters — and where she wants to take it next “Track is what you do — it’s not who you are. The sooner I know who you are, the better you’ll be on the track.” — Francesca Green 🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into nearly 350 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 for your listening pleasure. 🎙️ 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 mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍
