From real-estate rehabs to record-setting relays, Cjay Brown has taken an unconventional road to the oval—and now he’s launching the brand-new Gene Tomas High School (TX) program. We dig into how a coach who never ran track became a sprint specialist, won titles in Houston private schools, built a summer club that broke national records, and is now crafting culture from day one.
In this episode:
🐊 Launching a new Texas high school: staffing, standards, and day-one culture
🏃♂️ From “gut checks” to science: Cjay’s evolution into a sprint coach
🏆 Private-school run: Kinkaid/Houston Christian breakthroughs, records & recruits
☀️ Summer club lessons: building the Dave Bethany Elite TC & 13–14 boys national records
🤝 Club vs. high school: communication, buy-in, and building bridges for kids
🏋️ Strength first: general prep, acceleration, and why consistency beats intensity
🎒 Grades before splits: 85+ GPA standard and “character adjustments”
📅 Year-one expectations at Gene Tomas HS—and a three-year vision for state relevance
Quote:
“When passion and purpose line up, you can be really good at whatever you set your mind to.” — Cjay Brown
🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into 300+ episodes featuring insights from coaching legends such as Boo Schexnayder and Dan Pfaff, Diljeet Taylor (BYU) and Beth Alford-Sullivan, as well as superstar coaches Petros Kyprianou (Illinois), Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.
🎙️ Create Your Own Podcast Episode: Reach out to Mike Cunningham for instruction on how to create your very own Gill1918 Project episode, which airs Tuesdays through Sundays. Find YOUR voice on the Gill Connections Podcast Network.
📲 Stay Connected: Want to get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), email at mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍