Airey Bros Radio is the #1 podcast for Wrestling, Cross Country & Track & Field athletes chasing opportunities at the HS, NAIA, JUCO, NCAA DII, DIII & D1 levels. Hosted by brothers Rich & Jimi Airey, we do the legwork so you don’t have to. Our mission: spotlight programs, coaches & stories overlooked by the mainstream. From high school dynasties to national championship programs, we bring you recruiting insights, culture deep-dives, underdog journeys & the knowledge we wish we had growing up.
🎧 Weekly live shows & highlights | 🔗 IG @aireybrosradio | Spotify & Apple Podcasts – Airey Bros Radio
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Airey Bros Radio is the #1 podcast for Wrestling, Cross Country & Track & Field athletes chasing opportunities at the HS, NAIA, JUCO, NCAA DII, DIII & D1 levels. Hosted by brothers Rich & Jimi Airey, we do the legwork so you don’t have to. Our mission: spotlight programs, coaches & stories overlooked by the mainstream. From high school dynasties to national championship programs, we bring you recruiting insights, culture deep-dives, underdog journeys & the knowledge we wish we had growing up.
🎧 Weekly live shows & highlights | 🔗 IG @aireybrosradio | Spotify & Apple Podcasts – Airey Bros Radio
Coach Chris Beene | 32x National Champion | Odessa College Track & XC | JUCO Hall of Famer
Airey Bros.'s Radio
1 hour 18 minutes
4 weeks ago
Coach Chris Beene | 32x National Champion | Odessa College Track & XC | JUCO Hall of Famer
Airey Bros Radio Episode 399. We sit down with Coach Chris Beene, Head Men’s and Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field Coach at Odessa College. Beene is one of the most decorated coaches in NJCAA history, leading South Plains College to 32 national team championships, earning 14 National Coach of the Year and 25 Coach of the Meet honors, and coaching more than 20 Olympians and World Championship athletes, 50-plus national champions, and 150-plus All-Americans. He was inducted into the NJCAA Coaches Hall of Fame in 2021 and the Texas Track & Field Coaches Hall of Fame in 2024. In 2024–25 he received four NJCAA Legacy Awards, the only JUCO coach to do so.We cover his coaching philosophy, recruiting approach, academic standards, rebuilding Odessa into a national contender, international athlete development, double-threshold training and distance strategy, and how West Texas culture shapes tough, successful programs.Follow
Airey Bros Radio: YouTube: @AireyBros Spotify: Airey Bros Radio Instagram: @aireybrosradioFueled by: Black Sheep Endurance Coaching Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/aireybros
Show Notes and Timestamps 0:00 Intro and show open 1:15 Coach Beene joins; Hall of Fame legacy and Odessa vision 3:00 The JUCO mission and why community college athletics matter 4:45 From South Plains to Odessa; rebuilding a winner 8:00 Why JUCO is his favorite level to coach 10:00 Myths about junior college coaching 12:00 Odessa early rise; top women and men preseason rankings 14:00 Global recruiting pipeline; Jamaica, Africa, and Texas roots 17:00 What makes a great recruiter and how parents factor in 19:00 Academics first; discipline, study halls, and accountability 23:00 Why Odessa College support systems are elite 25:00 International athletes adapting to climate, food, and culture 28:00 West Texas hospitality and community 33:00 Recruiting in 2025; relationships over hype 35:00 Family balance, time management, and staff roles 37:00 Mentoring moments; the hurdles story and athlete buy-in 40:00 Evolving as a coach; standards, discipline, and growth 43:00 Distance training; double-threshold, mileage, and VDOT 46:00 Olympians and world championship athletes developed under Beene 49:00 Academic excellence and GPA standards at Odessa 52:00 Key meets; OSU Jamboree, Regionals, Nationals in Iowa 55:00 Half marathon strategy and the quest to win all eight titles 57:00 Building a full track program at Odessa; next steps 62:00 Mentors, rivals, and respect across JUCO track and field 64:00 Texas roots, Von Erichs, and wrestling ties 66:00 Coaching mantras; love the process and habit over desire 70:00 The person behind the coach; family, movies, and Dr Pepper 77:00 Closing thoughts; Odessa’s next chapter
Airey Bros.'s Radio
Airey Bros Radio is the #1 podcast for Wrestling, Cross Country & Track & Field athletes chasing opportunities at the HS, NAIA, JUCO, NCAA DII, DIII & D1 levels. Hosted by brothers Rich & Jimi Airey, we do the legwork so you don’t have to. Our mission: spotlight programs, coaches & stories overlooked by the mainstream. From high school dynasties to national championship programs, we bring you recruiting insights, culture deep-dives, underdog journeys & the knowledge we wish we had growing up.
🎧 Weekly live shows & highlights | 🔗 IG @aireybrosradio | Spotify & Apple Podcasts – Airey Bros Radio
