Venable Wins Fred Wilt/Educator of the Year Award
12/7/2020 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Liberty Track & Field Assistant Coach Shawn Venable has been honored as the 2020 USA Track & Field (USATF) Fred Wilt/Educator of the Year Award winner.
This award recognizes a coach who has a distinguished record marked by sustained, exceptional performance. The winning coach exemplifies passion and leadership nationally for the promotion of USATF Coaching Education. This award is the USATF's highest honor in coaching education.
Venable, who also serves as the Flames' recruiting coordinator, previously won the 2015 Vern Gambetta Coaching Education Award. Since 2013, he has served as the USATF Coaching Education Southeast Regional Coordinator. Venable spends 8-10 weekends each year instructing USATF Level 1 schools.
During July 2020, Venable instructed a USATF Level 2 school on sprints, hurdles and relays. He is also scheduled to teach a Level 2 school on jumps later this month, displaying Venable's versatility in coaching instruction.
"On and off the field, few coaches in recent years have impacted collegiate track & field more than Shawn Venable when it comes to producing great athletes and taking the time to share his knowledge and experience with other coaches," said Dr. Larry Judge, Professor at Ball State University and USATF National Chairman of Coaches Education. "His legacy is building a strong, technical foundation with his athletes that is grounded in science.
"Shawn has been instrumental in the recent success of our Coaching Education program at USATF. He has helped transition the program to a virtual (Zoom) format and his work as a Regional Coordinator and a school director has been instrumental in the success of the USATF Coaching Education Level 1 and Level 2 programs. Shawn is a very enthusiastic tireless worker and a key contributor to the USATF Coaching Education program. He is very deserving of the Fred Wilt Award."
Venable, who is in his fifth year on the Liberty track & field staff, coaches the Flames' hurdlers and jumpers. He has coached a number of high-level student-athletes during his time at Liberty, including NCAA national qualifiers Jovaine Atkinson and Darrel Jones, along with record-breaking jumper Makenzy Mizera.
