#370: Joanna Hayes-UCLA | From First Hurdles to Leading the Bruins

Joanna Hayes is one of the most accomplished names in track & field—but this conversation goes somewhere different.

Instead of reliving Olympic gold memories, we rewind to where it all began… and fast-forward to how she became the head coach at UCLA Bruins.

From discovering track at just nine years old, to not even touching hurdles until her junior year of high school, to navigating the identity shift from elite athlete to coach—this episode is about growth, perspective, and purpose.

Along the way, Joanna shares the real transition moments most people never hear about.

🔥 In this episode, we cover:🧒 How track and field first entered her life—and why it stuck🏃‍♀️ The late switch to hurdles that changed everything🎯 Being a coach’s dream athlete—and how that shaped her coaching style🔄 The mental shift from “it’s about me” to “it’s about them”💥 Early coaching mistakes—and what finally made things click🧠 Learning under Caryl Smith Gilbert (Gill podcast guest #272) and developing her own philosophy🎓 Taking over as head coach at UCLA and what that responsibility really feels like

💬 “I didn’t question anything as an athlete—I just did the work. Coaching taught me how to think differently… because now it’s not about me anymore.” -Joanna Hayes

This is a rare look at one of the sport’s elite minds—not as an Olympian, but as a coach, mentor, and leader shaping the next generation.

👉Dive into nearly 400 episodes featuring insights from coachinglegends such as BooSchexnayder and Dan Pfaff, DiljeetTaylor (BYU) and Beth Alford-Sullivan, as well as superstar coaches Petros Kyprianou (Illinois), Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find uson Twitch.tv, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more!

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📲 Stay Connected:Want to get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), email at [email protected],or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍