TexasTech.com Mailbag: Wes Kittley

Fresh off his 12th career Big 12 Track and Field Championship and in pursuit of his second Division I National Championship, we caught up with legendary head coach Wes Kittley for this week's edition of the TexasTech.com Mailbag.

To ask questions to your favorite Tech coaches and student-athletes, keep your eye on our social media channels where we will announce future mailbags.

Without further ado, let's dive into questions with Coach Kittley!

How did it feel to hoist that Big 12 men's indoor trophy for the fourth time?
"There's just nothing like it, being able to win the Big 12 Championship at home, in our facility, with our fans and with my people. It's really special. I love bringing a championship home to Lubbock and to our Red Raider fans."

What is Big 12/NCAA championship season like as a head coach?
"The indoor season is a grind because every week is so important. It's different from outdoors — you have to qualify and be one of the top 16 to go to the NCAA (Indoor Championships). Then I only get to pick 26 athletes per gender to make the Big 12 Championship-competing team. Indoors is a very big rush. You're at just a five or six-week window and you're trying to get a lot accomplished in a short amount of time."

How are the facilities up in Boston and what are your overall thoughts on the city, given this is the first time NCAA indoors will be hosted there?
"I think the New Balance facility is going to be really fast. It's similar to our track, it's a Beynon surface. It's a little different because it's on the third floor and then warm-up is on the fourth floor. Those things will be a little bit different for us but I'm okay with it. The city is fine, I haven't really gotten out in the city too much. I'm staying pretty close. It's raining and dreary, so I like Lubbock a little bit better."

How do you think our men's sprints stack up against some of the other strong programs we'll be coming out of the blocks against, specifically in the 100, 200, and relays?
"I feel real confident about our sprint group. I mean, they've got to have a great day. We start off the very first event with our men's 60-meter sprint, and then our women's 60-meter sprint, which will be really important for our women, too. But we've got five men in the 60s, we've got two guys in the 60-meter hurdles, then we've got two guys in the 200-meter and one in the 400-meter. Then our relay is set in fifth — I think 3:02 is what we ran at home and the fastest time that has been run all year is 3:02, so I feel very confident with them. We've run good all year long, and I expect us to do the same here."

Where does Terrence Jones rank among the best natural athletes you've ever coached? Are there any other notable athletes that come to mind regarding that question?
"Terrence is special. You don't see many 6'4" guys that have a great start like he does. He's kind of like a Usain Bolt type because he's very good out of the blocks. He's just very special — I don't know that I've had anyone like him. Now we've had great sprinters like Devine (Oduduru), but he's much shorter and quicker. And then we had Courtney (Lindsey) last year, who's kind of got that middle of strength that is comparable to Terrence. I think those three are kind of comparable as far as the ones we've had in the past."

What do you think has been your key to success in recruiting and roster-building? What's your pitch to these athletes?
"Well, I have been in Lubbock, Texas, for 25 years. I'm a West Texas guy. I love Lubbock and I love Texas Tech. We don't try to recruit. I call it 'we're not trying to be sexy, we're trying to be honest.' We're about family. We're about the kids feeling special, and I feel like there's no place like Texas Tech and Lubbock that the kids can come in and feel like they're in a family, good and bad. We weather with the good and the bad. I don't try to be something I'm not and I think it's worked really well for me."

What has it been like to see Tech's T&F program evolve throughout your tenure as head coach into what it is today?
"I am so proud of the 25 years that it's taken to get to where we are today. It's just been an incredible run to see. When people saw me go to Texas Tech, they said 'you can't win out there'. And for us to build a national program, a Big 12 Championship-type program — to bring that to the City of Lubbock and for Texas Tech. They deserve that. That was always my dream. I've always thought of Texas Tech as a goldmine. When I was at Abilene Christian, I thought 'man, that is the place that I could go and win a Division I National Championship.' I'm just really proud of where we've gotten our program and the culture we have."

What are your short-term and long-term goals as head coach?
"Short term, we want to win this weekend and we want to win another Big 12 Championship outdoors, for sure. Long term, I'm planning on being here a while. I just signed a seven-year contract, so I'm not planning on quitting. I just want to keep this program up at the top. We've got, I don't know, 10 or 12 top-five finishes nationally, and I want to keep doing that for our men and our women. I just want us to be a national power in track and field and keep winning those Big 12 Championships."

Is there a single moment in your career that you remember the most?
"Well, I've got to go back to 2019 when we won the National Championship in Austin, Texas. Winning it in Texas, especially at UT, and dominating like we did, it was just a special group. I have a lot of highlights. Winning Big 12 Championships is fun, but I think that National Championship has got to be the most rewarding."

What's your pre-meet ritual?
"For me, of course I like going to pre-meet with our kids and talking to each of them. I like to show a lot of positive reinforcement with them. I'm pretty nervous on the first day, because I think that's the whole key to the meet is being able to qualify on the very first day. But my ritual is just to be positive for the kids and to help them in any way I can."

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