Most collegiate track and field programs would be happy with one Olympic athlete on their coaching staffs. But with UK head coach Edrick Floreal’s two most recent coaching hires, the Cats’ total has increased to three. Floreal, a former Olympian himself, hired Olympic silver medalist Toby Stevenson and Olympic gold medalist Allen Johnson in the offseason to push the program to the level of success he has envisioned. Stevenson was hired as the coach of vertical jumpers and multi-event competitors (Tim Duckworth is a frosh there). Before he won a silver medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics, Stevenson helped Stanford win the 2000 NCAA title as a pole vaulter, the university’s first outdoor track and field title in 66 years. After retiring from professional competition in 2009, Stevenson worked under Floreal at Stanford, coaching an NCAA champion in the process. While Stevenson’s Olympic pedigree and success is impressive, Floreal said it was his coaching ability that he desired the most. “We look for what a person’s understanding of high level performance is when looking for coaches,” Floreal said. “Someone may have a lot of success at the Olympic level, but it could mean nothing if they can’t convey that level of work to our athletes of today. Coach Stevenson has proven that he has that ability when he worked with me at Stanford, and that’s why I wanted to bring him here.” Stevenson said when Floreal approached him to coach at UK, he jumped at the opportunity because of the potential he saw in the program. “We have the opportunity to compete in the best conference in the nation in the Southeastern Conference, and be on top of it,” Stevenson said. “That’s the goal we have now, and this program presents us with every opportunity to do so.” To pass on his Olympic success and knowledge to the athletes and keep up with the expectations of the program, Stevenson said he has one message for this year’s Cats. “We need the utmost focus out of every one of our athletes to succeed to our fullest potential,” Stevenson said. “How much they’re willing to sacrifice in their life outside of track will determine how successful they’ll be. That’s how we’ll set up our work at UK.” more
