The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Last year, at the International Amateur Athletic Federation’s World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Dianne Woodside made her debut as the first female coach of a global senior meet.

And this year, she has been named as the first female head coach at the Olympic Games.

Woodside, a former high school hurdler who has coached at least four of the 24 members of the team that will compete in London, England, July 27-August 12, said it just shows that her commitment and dedication to the sport is finally paying off big dividends.

“At this particular time, it’s a learning experience for me,” said Woodside, who will work alongside David Charlton, the men’s head coach. “But right now, I think it’s going to be a whole lot easier than last year because I’ve had some experience coaching at this level.”

Woodside, a coach with the St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine and the head coach of the Monica Track Club, said she’s excited to work with the nine women named to the team, including sprinter Anthonique Strachan and quarter-miler Shaunae Miller, both of whom she has had some direct involvement in their growth and development.

“I think we’re gearing up for the next few years with some of these athletes,” said Woodside of the majority of the first time competitors who like her are making their debut at the Olympics. “Some of them are having their coming out year, but I think they will do very well.”

Both Strachan, fresh off her double gold medal performance in the 100 and 200 metres at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Barcelona, Spain, and Miller, the fourth place finisher who relinquished her title, are both 18 years old, which means that the future is bright for them.

“I think with the veteran sprinters like Debbie (Ferguson-McKenzie) and Chandra (Sturrup), I think they will have the guidance to push them even further,” Woodside said.

“So I’m extremely pleased to be in a position to coach them again at the international level.”

Additionally, Woodside will have some concentration on her specialty with Ivanique Kemp entered in the women’s 100 hurdles and her former protégé, Shamar Sands, competing in the men’s 110 hurdles.

“I’m really excited to have both of them on the team,” Woodside said. “They’ve worked so hard and now they are finally getting a chance at the Olympics. I’m just glad that I will be there to work along with them. Hopefully they too will do very well, especially because they are competing in one of the technical events.”

Woodside, who competed with her twin sister Dawn Woodside-Johnson (a former thrower), never made it to the Olympics as a coach. But she’s extremely pleased to be making her debut as a coach. Hopefully, this will only be the beginning of a tenure that she will enjoy in the future.