Shayla Houlihan, was one of the top steeplechasers in the United States,and is now the assistant head coach for track and field at Cal. A record-setter in the 3000-meter steeplechase as a collegian at Northern Iowa and Utah, Houlihan continued to race after graduation and ended her professional career after a 22nd-place finish in the steeple at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2012. She owns a PR of 9:51.26 in the event from 2011 and was ranked seventh in the country in the steeplechase by Track & Field News in 2010. Before she was national level stand out she ran at Northern Iowa and the University of Utah. Through those two experiences as an athlete and now as a coach, she is a wealth of knowledge about recruiting. Arizona Milesplit had the privilege to pick her brain about how to size up a program. Contrbuted Photo.
[Editors Note: As her last name suggests, she is the sister to ASU standout Shelby Houlihan.]
AZ MS: How much in terms of injuries and training should I communicate to my future college coach during track my senior year? When do they get a say in writing workouts?
I always want to know the background of my incoming athletes as soon as we establish future membership on our team. The sooner I know the ins and outs of thought processes, training regiment, etc. the sooner I can implement our training philosophies effectively to prevent injury in the future. Getting to know the athlete ahead of the cross country season is huge in building a trusting foundation.
AZ MS: If I don't have the grades to go to a major university in high school, but I really want to run for a state school, what can I do?
Junior colleges are always a great option.
AZ MS: You have run for several good coaches, how do you size up a coach as an athlete on a recruiting trip?
Everything we do at Cal requires balance. From training regiment to personalities and skill sets. We have HS all americans that will come on board, and we also have people that we are going to develop into great athletes down the line. For us to recruit only HS All americans would go against what the University of California is all about. We want diversity of personalities, diversity of strengths and abilities. When you put them all together you get this really cool mesh of personalities that help build each other up to a championship culture and vision. The people we recruit have one common goal, they want to push themselves as far as they can to see how great and competitive they can become on the big stage.
AZ MS: Retention on a team is a very important topic (or quickly becomes one), whats the best way to ask a coach a tough question like that? Do coaches get upset when you ask difficult questions?
That's one of my favorite questions that not enough athletes ask. To approach a coach and not ask them is doing yourself a disfavor. When I get asked "tough" questions I know these athletes are really invested in their future and I also know that they are fully aware of what they want out of their experience. In reality there are no tough questions if you are open and honest with your team and recruits.
AZ MS: If you could shop for a college program all over again, what are three questions you would ask the coach?
Coach Houlihan: 1. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
2. What is training like from Cross Country to Indoor to Outdoor?
3. The last thing would be asking the team questions to see if the message is consistent throughout.
<p style="text-align: center;"> <strong style="text-align: center; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">A special thanks goes out to all the coaches and athletes who particpated in this series with me.</strong></p>