We speak to the Birmingham-based former worldwide athlete who took the plunge into full-time teaching earlier this 12 months.
Luke Gunn is a former Nice Britain and Northern Eire worldwide athlete and a number of nationwide champion within the 3000m steeplechase. A College of Birmingham graduate, he relocated to the US in 2006 to check at Florida State College and was a member of the NCAA-winning Florida State workforce in 2007 and 2008. Demonstrating management from a younger age, the two-time All American additionally captained FSU’s males’s observe and subject and cross nation groups.
Gunn, who’s married to 2011 World Championships 1500m silver medallist Hannah England, joined the College of Birmingham as Sports activities Scholarship Supervisor in 2010 and was most just lately Head of Scholar Sport. He stepped away from his college position in April 2026 to pursue full-time teaching.
Primarily based in Birmingham, his present group of athletes contains a number of European age-group 800m champion Issy Boffey, two-time nationwide 1500m champion and World College Video games silver medallist Sarah Calvert, and European U23 800m bronze medallist Abbie Ives. He stays a part of the College of Birmingham teaching workforce and in addition helps proficient juniors together with Tilly Nickell, who has been chosen to symbolize GB & NI within the 3000m steeplechase on the World U20 Championships this month,
What impressed you to maneuver into full-time teaching?
I liked my job on the college however with each profession step I used to be being pulled additional into administration. In my final position as Head of Scholar Sport I used to be answerable for 60 completely different golf equipment and sports activities and the size of ambition when it comes to what they needed to do was huge. Whereas it’s nice to have some energy and affect and the power to make systemic modifications, I used to be three or 4 steps faraway from being “on the bottom” and I actually missed that.
On the identical time, the athletes I used to be serving to have been doing very well. Certainly one of my absolute turning factors was final October. I had athletes in Font Romeu and Hannah went out for 10 days to assist help them on the observe as a result of I couldn’t [due to my day job]. I got here up for 2 days to verify in and so they ran their quickest session of the winter. Clearly there was an impression of getting me trackside and I used to be like, “Dangle on, they’re pouring weeks of their time into this and I can afford simply two days to assist them”. And, being frank, we have athletes who’re attempting to bridge the hole to Keely [Hodgkinson] and Georgia [Hunter Bell], so I used to be pondering, “Am I the issue? Am I holding them again?”.
So it was a little bit of an deadlock the place I knew I needed to both step again from teaching at that degree or go all in and match their ardour, which can be mine. It was additionally a really uncommon time when doing extra teaching truly meant spending extra time with my household. I’ve acquired zero regrets to this point. It’s completely price it for my very own work/life stability and the main focus I can provide to doing one factor very well quite than regularly multi-tasking.
I’m additionally a passionate believer that athletics teaching must professionalise. It’s not about being paid, it is about having knowledgeable settlement to go, “Look, I will allow you to, let’s go all in for a 12 months – that is what you possibly can count on from me, and that is what I count on from you”.
Don’t get me improper, volunteerism and loyalty are the bedrock of junior sports activities and I would not be the place I’m if I did not have volunteer coaches, however I believe at this tier – particularly when you will have senior athletes particularly who wish to progress – you don’t wish to be the person who’s holding again their development.
How did you first get into teaching?
My coach Bud [Baldaro] was teaching everyone on the college and he simply could not give everybody the time, so I used to be the lieutenant on each run. I ended up being a little bit of an interpreter for his philosophy. I additionally had just a few pals ask me to assist them as a result of they did not wish to trouble Bud.
Bud instructed me in my first 12 months of college that I’d be an excellent coach someday and I simply thought that he was being good, however he ready me for that from a really younger age. I all the time had questions and he was so affected person with me, even after I was attempting bonkers stuff in my coaching that most likely did not assist my profession. He was so open and he inspired us all to be curious and take a look at new issues.
Past that, if I had the prospect to talk to George Gandy, John Nuttall or Steve Cram… I would sit for hours and hear. It most likely hindered the top of my profession as a result of I used to be attempting an excessive amount of, but it surely 100 per cent set me as much as be a greater coach. I’ve additionally been actually lucky to study from completely different worldwide teams like Melbourne Observe Membership on camps, too.
Describe your teaching philosophy
I’ve all the time tried to construct for the long-term quite than taking shortcuts. Additionally, I don’t simply wish to construct athletes that may execute coaching programmes, I need them to have the ability to execute race plans successfully.
I believe at occasions Bud was very a lot a gardener, he would permit individuals to bloom and bloom whereas I’m most likely a bit extra strategic. We have now actually focused plans and I’m a bit extra forceful with my periodisation throughout the 12 months with athletes.
The factor I am enthusiastic about is attempting to unlock the person and my programme will not be the identical for everybody. I’ve acquired two senior male steeplechasers that do completely different programmes, for instance, however the normal philosophy is to be as aerobically robust and as strong as attainable, and to deal with the particular work on the proper time of the programme as merely as attainable.
That human facet is vital and the way you unlock that remaining 10 per cent is usually psychological. You’ve additionally acquired to construct belief along with your athletes; that doesn’t come right away and it’s central to my long-term method.
Who has been your biggest teaching affect?
I used to be massively influenced by Bud when it comes to how I converse to individuals and take care of the particular person in entrance of me, however I believe my method is a mixture of all of the teaching influences I’ve had over time – together with my Florida coach, Bob Braman, who was a bit extra forceful together with his system.
We had ridiculous expertise on the Florida workforce and I used to be actually blessed to be uncovered to various completely different coaching teams instantly and not directly. Kevin Sullivan [three-time Olympian and Canadian record holder in the 1500m and mile] was assistant coach on the women’ workforce and he was truly nonetheless competing on the time. He was coached by Juli Benson who additionally coached Jenny Simpson [former world 1500m champion and Olympic bronze medallist] and now coaches Nikki Hiltz [world indoor 1500m medallist], so I used to be seeing what these coaches and their teams have been doing. I’d encourage each coach to take these alternatives.
The entire stuff I do with my athletes comes from different individuals, but it surely’s taking the weather you wish to work with and placing them collectively successfully that’s the artwork kind. I believe I am fairly good at filtering what’s beneficial [or right or wrong], and I believe the power to critically analyse outcomes and information factors is de facto essential, particularly now with the impression of social media.
So there’s positively elements of what Trevor [Painter] does in our coaching, and Dan Pfaff was an enormous technical affect on me and Hannah. I believe it was Dan who stated, “In case you see one thing good and also you wish to strive it, wait six months [and then try it]”. I believe that is actually good, as a result of if it nonetheless performs in your thoughts it is most likely price exploring, in any other case you could be drawn to fads.
One other factor I acquired from Bud is that you just’re coping with human beings, not robots. Whereas the programming facet of teaching and the small print are essential, it’s a must to bear in mind you’re coping with people who’re progressing, rising and studying by way of the game. They’re not completed articles.
He additionally taught me that you’ve got performed your job very well [as a coach] in the event you’re not wanted in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later. You’re attempting to get your athletes to develop and to be unbiased individuals as a result of, finally, they stand on that begin line completely on their very own. They’re in cost and finally the ultimate determination sits with them, I’m a mere information for them.
What would you say are the important thing traits of an excellent coach?
You’ve acquired to be a load of various issues. You’ve acquired to have persistence – or steadiness might be a greater descriptor – and you have to be constant. As a coach it is your job and your duty to point out up able to be the very best model of your self in your athletes that day, but it surely’s additionally essential to take care of your self to ensure that occurs.
You have to be curious across the element, too. You have to be a pupil of the game and improvements, however you additionally must be curious and analytical in regards to the nuances of coaching and the race splits and traits that you just’re seeing in a person or group.
And you have to be constructive. These guys are going deep each day. The game’s brutal, you could be in such good condition then you may get one step improper in a race, or an sickness on the improper time. It’s too exhausting for coaches to even be taskmasters. I believe these days have largely gone now, so simply being a constructive drive and making a enjoyable atmosphere in your athletes is tremendous essential.
What recommendation would you go on to a brand new or aspiring coach?
Humility: it’s not about you! We’re right here to assist athletes – and their athletes‘ careers are typically very brief so you have to strive the very best you possibly can to get it proper for them.
Everybody’s completely different: it is my job to work out what athletes want, after I’m wanted and after I have to step again – that’s key.
Take care of your self: I believe there are occasions the place coaches get too drawn into issues and get obsessed and even unfavorable and bitter. On these events it’s a must to pull your self out. I set all of my athletes a relaxation day, so I do know I have to take relaxation days and have downtime too.
Collaborate: I believe the UK endurance operating group has acquired a very nice vibe on the minute. Coaches are collaborating and searching for one another, which I do know I’ve actually appreciated. We’re all attempting to assist individuals to succeed and typically it’s forgotten that coaches are additionally human.
Ask for assist: teaching could be lonely at occasions attempting to unravel advanced issues, so please attain out to others – and even higher get your self a mentor. Most of my largest breakthroughs have come from speaking to others who’ve helped me see the answer extra clearly.
