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<strong>A closer look at the people behind the magic...</strong></p>
Bobby Tillman (second from left) takes his place on the podium with his state second-place team from 2013. Contributed photo.
I don't know exactly when Bobby Tillman appeared on my radar screen. He just so naturally assumed a spot on my mental list of coaches that it was like he was always there. But, among the ranks of head track and field coaches here in Colorado, Bobby Tillman is among the youngest and also already among the more successful. For those of you who, like me, needed a crash course on his background, I asked Bobby a few questions.
You went to high school at Simla. There is some incredible history associated with Simla athletics. Do the ghosts of Glenn Morris and Barry Helton still walk the hallways?
Ghosts, I don't know, but there is definitely a legacy there still left by people like them. I remember seeing all the gold footballs and banners from when Barry Helton was in school and always trying to add to that count. Funny, his parents now live in the house I grew up in. There is a small shrine of Glenn Morris in the lobby of the gym. In the shrine there is a picture of him from when he played Tarzan. I know I should mainly remember that he was a gold medal decathlete, but I always thought that was so interesting. Every year at Simla at the athletics banquet, which has the best food you could imagine, they give out the Glenn Morris Award to the top male and female athlete and I was lucky enough to win it my senior year. I'm probably most proud of that.
When you were a Cub, what events did you do? Were there any especially memorable high school moments for you?
I played football, basketball and track at Simla. I loved football the most, but was better at track. I ran mostly the 400 with 200's and 800's mixed in there. More 2s than 8s. I remember having to run the 4 and the 8 at regionals my senior year with only the finals of the 300 hurdles in between. I will never forget that pain. I have always been in awe of athletes that are able to do that combo. I can't remember her name right now, but the girl from Middle Park [Samantha Berggren] who would always do the 4 and the 8 blew me away. The best part of Simla for me was getting to be coached by Shane Zimmerman. He is the best coach I have ever been around. He came to Simla my freshman year and really cultivated me to be what I was. I have learned and continue to learn so much from him.
Take us through your college years...
Not much exciting in college. Went to Northern Colorado, majored in math, lifted a lot of weights. I didn't run there.
When, and under what circumstances, did you take over the Sand Creek track and field program?
I took over Sand Creek in 2011. I had coached there for two years with Eric Bauer as the head coach before that. Eric took a break from track and stuck with just XC. Matt Mahan was our AD then and asked me if I was interested in the head job and I replied with an ecstatic YES! I didn't think I would get a head job so young, so I jumped at it.
When you took over the Sand Creek program, most of the school's top history was in girls distance--Emily Schmidt and Jen Bremser might be a couple names that some will recognize. Today, the program is much more balanced. You're a sprint kind of coach, so what did you have to do to get the explosive events contributing more to the success of the program?
We have had some great distance runners come through our school for sure. I don't know if I have done anything really different to get the other events strong, but we just try to place kids where they can be most successful. One thing that might be different from some schools is that we really only have three groups on our team: sprinters, distance, and throwers. All our jumpers are sprinters and all our hurdlers are sprinters. Jumpers and hurdlers do their event specific training on our technical days. I think having your hurdlers and jumpers train separately really makes it tough to have consistency in your program. Also, I think it makes it tough to know what your best relays could be. Having them all together gets the athletes competing against a bigger group all the time, which I think brings out the best in everybody. Our athletes have really bought into this idea and it has worked out well for us. I probably do have a bit of a sprint bias. I want everyone to be a 400 runner. My wife and I talk about this all the time, I try to make everyone a 400 runner and she wants them to be an 800 runner. Luckily, I have a great group of coaches that keep me in check.
You're a sprint guy, but you ended up marrying a distance type--how did that happen?
Just got lucky that she didn't run away from me...haha. I had to get through some initiation from her and her dad about not knowing things cause I'm a sprint guy, but eventually they accepted me. I'm extremely lucky to have met Syd. Can't imagine life without her now.
You've been at Sand Creek long enough to have a few memories to call your own. What are a couple of your favorite memories of coaching at Sand Creek?
In 2012 our 4x4 girls had an amazing race with Palmer Ridge in La Junta. It was a battle the whole race, under the lights, perfect weather, couldn't ask for more. Then also 2012 girls 4x1 at state. They were the first champions I had ever had, and getting to see them after they came off the track was something I will never forget. Before that I used to be disappointed that I never got the feeling of being a state champion as an athlete. I thought I missed out on that, but there is no way I could top the feelings I get from coaching champions.
What can we look for from the Scorpions this spring?
This spring we hope to be pretty tough both girls and boys. We have an extremely dedicated and talented group of kids and they are ready to get after it. I can't wait to see what they can do.