ON YOUR MARK

By Brandon Petersen

For Gus Schmader, track and field has never been just a job.

It has always been the sport.

"If a track meet is on and the Super Bowl is on," Schmader said, "I'm going to watch the track meet."

That passion — built over a lifetime in the sport — now brings Schmader to Westcliff University, where he takes the reins of the Warriors' cross country program with more than two decades of coaching experience and a decorated career as one of the nation's elite collegiate sprinters.

A self-described "track junkie," Schmader has spent the past 20 years coaching at the collegiate level across multiple divisions, including NCAA Division I, II, III, and NAIA programs. Most recently, he served as a head coach overseeing the track and field and cross country programs at Central Oklahoma before making the move west to Southern California.

But long before he was developing athletes on the sidelines, Schmader was building an elite résumé of his own on the track.

A former standout at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, Schmader was a 16-time NCAA All-American during his collegiate career. He captured an individual national championship in the 100 meters and was part of a national champion 4×100 relay team, helping Lincoln secure a team national championship during his senior season.

"I did all right," he said modestly.

His journey in the sport began much earlier.

Schmader first picked up running as a ninth grader and quickly developed into a standout sprinter and jumper. By the time his college career ended, he had cemented himself among the most accomplished athletes in Lincoln's history.

The transition to coaching came naturally.

"I've been coaching for 20 years," Schmader said. "I've been at multiple levels collegiately, and I've always stayed connected to the sport."

While his own competitive background was rooted in sprinting and jumping, Schmader developed a deep appreciation for cross country as both a developmental and competitive discipline.

"What I like most about cross country is how much you can improve," he said. "It's something everyone can connect with. You can see progression almost immediately. If you work at it, if you take care of yourself, you get better."

Unlike the razor-thin improvements often measured in tenths of seconds on the track, cross country offers athletes the opportunity to see dramatic gains over time — something Schmader believes makes the sport uniquely rewarding.

"You might only drop a tenth of a second in track," he explained. "But in cross country, you can see bigger improvements. That progression is exciting for athletes."

There's also the simple joy of running itself.

Unlike the controlled environment of the track, cross country courses offer constantly changing terrain and scenery — from gravel and grass to hills and dirt trails.

"It's always different," Schmader said. "The terrain changes. The scenery changes. It keeps the sport exciting."

That dynamic nature also requires a particular type of athlete.

Cross country, Schmader says, is built on independence and discipline.

Unlike sports where coaches can guide every moment of competition, distance runners often spend hours training on their own — logging miles, completing early morning runs, and maintaining the discipline necessary to improve.

"There's a lot of independence in the sport," Schmader said. "You have to trust your athletes. They have to have the discipline to do the work when you're not there."

Because of that, Schmader looks for specific qualities when recruiting runners.

"Dedicated, disciplined, and determined," he said. "Those are the three things I always look for."

Athletes must be committed not only to the sport, but to the daily work required to improve — showing up on time, completing training runs, and pushing through the physical and mental challenges that distance running inevitably presents.

"Mental fortitude is huge," Schmader said. "Running can be uncomfortable. It can hurt. But the athletes who can push through those hard moments are the ones who get better."

Now entering his first year leading the Warriors' cross country program, Schmader's immediate focus is simple: building the team and creating a culture that reflects the values of Westcliff.

"My expectation in year one is to get some bodies," he said with a smile. "We need athletes who are dedicated to the cause and who believe in what Westcliff represents."

From there, the goal is development.

Schmader wants his runners to improve, compete, and enjoy the process — no matter their starting point.

"You usually have a good time when you look at the clock and see something faster than two weeks ago," he said. "Development is the biggest thing. Just getting out there, working, competing, and progressing."

The competitive season typically begins in late August and runs through November, culminating with conference championships and the NAIA national meet.

But for Schmader, success goes beyond race results.

It's about creating an environment where athletes can grow — both on and off the course.

"This is about building something," he said. "Helping athletes improve, helping them compete at their best, and helping them enjoy the experience."

Schmader and his 13-year-old son, Mekhi, have already begun settling into life in Southern California, and the transition has been a welcome one.

Mekhi, Schmader joked, has quickly embraced the coastal lifestyle.

"He tells everybody he lives by the beach," Schmader said with a chuckle.

With the Pacific just minutes away and a new program taking shape, Schmader is ready for the challenge ahead.

For a coach who has spent his life immersed in the sport, the opportunity to build something new at Westcliff is exactly the kind of race he's eager to run.

And if there happens to be a track meet on television afterward, he'll probably be watching that, too.