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Talent may get you noticed, but habits determine how far you go. After more than two decades in track and field—as an athlete, international competitor, and collegiate coach—I’ve learned that the athletes who consistently reach championships aren’t always the most gifted. They’re the ones who commit to excellence long after the excitement wears off. Greatness isn’t built on race day. It’s built on ordinary days. 1. They Show Up Consistently Champions understand that consisten

There is a special kind of frustration that comes with feeling overlooked. You work hard. You show up. You train when nobody is watching. You make sacrifices. You look around and see other athletes getting attention, offers, rankings, posts, visits, and opportunities …. and you start to wonder if anybody sees you. I want you to know something: being overlooked does not mean you are not capable. It does not mean you are not talented. It does not mean your time is not coming. S

If I could sit down with every high school athlete, transfer portal athlete, and parent for just ten minutes, this is the conversation I would want to have. Over the past year, I’ve noticed a major shift in recruiting. Student-athletes are asking different questions than they did even a year ago. Many of those questions are centered around NIL, scholarship money, fees, and what colleges are “allowed” to provide. Unfortunately, much of what athletes believe comes from social m

Talent may get an athlete noticed, but development is what prepares them for the next level. In this blog, Coach Shareese Hicks breaks down why discipline, coachability, consistency, and accountability matter just as much as natural ability.

When people think about successful college athletic programs, they often think about the biggest names, the largest budgets, the longest histories, and the programs that have been in the national spotlight for decades. But one thing I have learned throughout my coaching journey is this: Big results are not reserved for the biggest names. There are programs across the country that may not always get the same attention, but they are building something special. They are developi

Recruiting is not just about collecting talent. It is about building a team. It is about finding young men and women who are willing to grow, willing to be challenged, willing to be coached, and willing to be part of something bigger than themselves. As coaches, we all want fast times, big marks, championship points, and NCAA-level talent. That will always matter. But over the years, I have learned that talent alone is not enough. Talent may open the door, but character, disc

Learn what college track and field coaches really look for in recruits beyond times and marks—from character to academics and coachability.

By Shareese Woods Hicks Championships are often measured in trophies, banners, and podium finishes. While those moments deserve celebration, they only tell part of the story. The true foundation of a championship program is built long before the final race, the conference title, or the NCAA appearance. It is built daily through intentional leadership, unwavering standards, and a commitment to developing young people into the best versions of themselves. As a Division I head c

UTRGV Athletics hired Shareese Hicks as the Head Track & Field and Cross Country Coach on July 20, 2021, after she spent two successful seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Memphis. Since arriving in the Rio Grande Valley, Hicks has transformed the Vaqueros into one of the premier programs in the Southland Conference, establishing a culture centered on championship performance, academic excellence, community engagement, and student-athlete development. Under H