Airey Bros Radio hits Episode 400 with Coach Jesse Parker, Head Men’s & Women’s Cross Country Coach at Blinn College (NJCAA). Blinn brought XC back for the first time since 1995—and in year one Parker led both teams into the USTFCCCA NJCAA D1 rankings, qualified for NJCAA Nationals, and enters 2025 ranked #10 men / #11 women. We dig into rebuilding a program from scratch, Texas recruiting, the JUCO pathway (cost, credits, transfers), training philosophy (Daniels/Lydiard/Co.), Brenham’s “poor man’s altitude,” hosting Region 14 on a hilly course, facilities updates, and how to build a winning culture that actually fits the community.Who should listen: HS athletes & parents, JUCO/NCAA coaches, distance-running nerds, and anyone weighing JUCO vs. D1/D2/D3.
Follow Blinn XC: IG @blinn_xc
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Fueled by: Black Sheep Endurance Coaching (ultra, nutrition, & performance)
Show Notes & Timestamps
- 00:00 Cold open & ABR Episode 400 intro; why we spotlight JUCO, D2/D3, and non-Power-4.
- 01:20 CTAs + sponsor shout: Black Sheep Endurance; share with athletes exploring JUCO.
- 02:03 Guest intro: Coach Jesse Parker, Blinn College—year-one rankings, NJCAA Nationals, 2025 preseason ranks.
- 03:11 Blinn socials & contact (IG @blinn_xc; email).
- 04:04 Parker’s origin story: football/powerlifting → track nerd → Sam Houston State → coaching break.
- 06:39 Building from zero: late-spring hire, no roster, recruiting sprint, getting athletes college-ready.
- 09:59 Why Blinn? Vision with AD; resources; becoming a Division-I prep program via JUCO.
- 11:01 Blinn history lesson: national titles, Pat Henry → LSU, Steve Silvey era; bringing a legacy back.
- 14:00 Program vision (1–5–10 years): meets, community pipeline, distance-led rebuild, culture.
- 16:52 Early success: how JUCO cycles accelerate competitive timelines.
- 17:53 2025 form check: UT opener, Texas A&M PR drops, next tests vs. JUCO & strong D2 fields.
- 19:32 Where’s Blinn? Brenham, TX (Blue Bell country) + terrain, hills, and “poor man’s altitude.”
- 21:03 Training rhythm: mornings, lifts, study hall; one-run-a-day philosophy.
- 21:50 Threshold talk: Daniels/Lydiard/Co. roots; cruise intervals & modern double-threshold context.
- 23:34 Recruiting year one: flipping decisions late, scholarship leverage, culture glue (Eric Lagat).
- 25:21 Culture building: standards, maturity curve from FR → SO, educating athletes to self-coach.
- 33:55 Region 14 Championship host (Oct 18): hilly Brenham HS course; true XC racing.
- 37:38 Facilities: no track yet (400m asphalt loop + park intervals), HS partnerships, complex plans brewing.
- 41:26 A day in the life: practice → admin, meet ops, budgets, recruiting—solo staff (assistant coming).
- 42:38 Recruiting channels: HS coach network > services; text/phone/Zoom; set culture during recruiting.
- 50:00 The JUCO advantage: real costs, same transfer credits, scholarships, better academic fit (nursing/engineering), smoother life balance.
- 55:02 Scholarship math that changes lives; keeping Pell; proud parent moments.
- 56:49 Transfer mindset: JUCO as the original portal—“come here to go there” (and thrive).
- 57:32 Admin shoutout: Chancellor support matters—great coaches need great leadership above them.
- 57:49 Coach’s bookshelf: Daniels’ Running Formula, Running to the Top (Lydiard); autograph stories.
- 1:00:58 Housing & campus...
