Latif Thomas
OWNER & CEO – COMPLETE TRACK AND FIELD LLC
I have spent the past 17 years coaching boys and girls sprints, hurdles, jumps, relays, and multi-events (all at the same time) at the middle and high school level.
A University of Connecticut (2000) graduate, I earned multiple All IC4A, All Big East (the real one), and All New England honors in the 200m, 400m, 4×100, & 4×400.
After graduating UConn and starting my first company when I was in my mid-20s, I’ve made somewhat of a name for myself by effectively simplifying the complex matrix of elite coaching progressions designed by freak coaches with freak athletes using freak equipment and facilities into systems regular high school coaches like you and I can effectively integrate into our large and chaotic groups of, generally, run of the mill talent.
While I haven’t had any ‘once in a lifetime’ talents show up to practice, what they lacked in innate ability they made up for with work ethic, loyalty, and commitment. With that I’m blessed to have coaches countless (not literally countless, I just mean I stopped counting a long time ago) school, league, divisional and state champions and records in the sprints, relays, hurdles, and jumps.
This includes a streak I’m quite proud of:
Ten consecutive years MIAA Divisional State Titles in the 4×200 and/or 4×400 (spanning 3 different high schools ranging in size from 800-1200 kids), as well as the MA All-Time State Record in the girls 4×100 (47.92).
That squad is the only team in Massachusetts State History to run under 48 seconds in the 4×100. If you’re not an overly sensitive type, that achievement might hold a bit more water knowing that all four of those girls were, shall we say, entirely of… European descent.
…
If you’re into formalities, I hold both a USATF Level II Certificate (Sprints, Hurdles, & Relays), a USTFCCCA Event Specialist Certification (Sprints, Hurdles, & Relays), as well as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Certification from the USTFCCCA.
Ubiquitous competitiveness has afforded me the privilege and good fortune to be invited to speak and present at some of the premier coaching seminars in the United States, including:
- US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Convention
- MF Athletic All Star Track & Field Clinic
- Ohio Track & Field Coaches Association Annual Clinic
- Wisconsin Track & Field Coaches Association Annual Clinic
- Illinois Track & Field Coaches Association Annual Clinic
- Florida Athletic Coaches Association T&F Coaches Clinic
- Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association Annual Clinic
- Indiana Track & Cross Country Coaches Association Annual Clinic
- Holler-Korfist Track & Football Compendium II (Chicago, IL)
- Connecticut Track & Field Coaches Clinic
I’ve served as President and CEO of Complete Track and Field, LLC since 2005. Thus, my ‘day job’ consists of running a popular website catering, primarily, to high school track and field and cross country coaches.
In essence, I as an individual, and WE, as an organization, are fully committed to coaching coaches. We are steadfast in our commitment to helping advance the viability, respectability, and professionalism of the sport.
Because as you are no doubt aware, we are a second class sport lacking in viability, respectability, and especially, professionalism – particularly at the high school level.
With your help, we can change this perception and reality.
But, I digress. A topic topic for another time.
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Finally, I serve as Co-Director of the Complete Track and Field Clinic, held at the inimitable Harvard University for one weekend each July. In no uncertain terms, the event has grown in stature due to the commitment, professionalism, diligence, and attention to detail consistently displayed by Co-Director Marc Mangiacotti (Harvard University Men’s Sprints/Hurdles/Jumps Coach).
In six years, our event has grown into one of, (if not THE) largest and most respected high school track and field clinics in the United States.
Registration for the clinic sells out four to six weeks prior to the event (much to the chagrin of procrastinating parents, coaches, and athletes) and, in my opinion, we have the most talented, diverse, and hard working staff of collegiate and high school coaches you’ll find at any camp or clinic, anywhere on the planet.
In fact, 2019 is our ninth year running the event and, in that time, we have met the needs of over 3,000 sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers, throwers, distance runners, and coaches.
Our attendees have hailed from all 50 US States and Puerto Rico. Internationally we’ve had attendees from Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, China, Japan, Croatia, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, and South Africa!
Suffice to say, I believe I have a pretty solid finger on the pulse of the wants, needs, strengths, and weaknesses of high school track and field and cross country.
So, that’s my story. I bring it all up, here, because the Internet is a fraudulent place.
I know of transaction marketers with no coaching background selling programs under fake names.
I know of grifters, snakes, and liars who literally haven’t coached full time in over a decade selling tickets to coaching seminars and athlete clinics. I watch people fall for it because they think if its on the Interwebs, it must be real.
I want you to download one of our free guides, templates, or ‘cheat sheets’ because you know CTF coaches are the Real Deal.
I want you to attend our Summer Clinic and/or send your athletes because you can see our staff is the Real Deal, not using smoke and mirrors to dazzle you with empty promises and false hope.
I want you to come back to CompleteTrackandField.com for your continuing education because you know you’re always going to get great information from real coaches – people who really want track and field to thrive.
Having corresponded with probably 10,000 T&F coaches, parents, and athletes over the past 10+ years, I know the #1 reason people keep coming back to CTF or to listen to me:
I stay in my lane.
My lane is practical application of real world concepts high school coaches can pull off in real life AND get results.
I’m willing to bet, despite your best efforts, you haven’t found a lot of consistent and quality information from high school coaches for high school coaches…
ESPECIALLY…
…if you don’t have borderline University facilities and/or a team full of kids of Jamaican and West African descent.
So if you’re a HS sprints coach trying to figure out how to take a big group of kids who don’t know what they’re doing and make the proverbial genetic pot of ‘Chicken Poop’ into ‘Chicken Soup’, I’ve done it for this entire century.
1. Complete Speed Training 3: Advanced Topics in Coaching HS Sprinters
2. Complete Speed Training 2: How to Build Champion Sprinters
3. Complete Program Design for Sprinters