Tucked away in a corner of The Convo's athletics office is a man whose personality fits his location.
Adjacent to the suite supplied to visitors of the basketball team at the end of a quiet, dark hallway is Clay Calkins' desk, and, despite a run of negativity in years' past, he seems content in his confines.
It's hard to doubt him when he looks in the sky, smiles and says, Oh yeah
it's track weather.
The Ohio track and field coach has dealt with adversity during his tenure in Athens swiftly and calmly. He's been forced to become a builder, putting his mark on the program while operating alone.
He's also been forced to deal with something that coaches can't prepare for: the loss of a program.
There was nothing good about what happened Calkins said. I lost athletes and there was a diminishing of three coaching positions. No good at all.
Calkins came to Ohio University in 1997 and earned a master's degree in athletic administration in 1998. After serving as an assistant to long-time coach Elmore Banton, Calkins took over the program in 2003.
He said that the financial aspect of the job was a concern, having to operate within a budget of which he had no control.We had to worry about keeping up with our competitors in the conference and at the same time worry about bolstering our program as a whole
Calkins said. It was about being on an even keel.
You have to have money to compete and get into the big meets.
Calkins' athletes describe his understanding of the sport
which is validated by an extensive background in track and field
both as an athlete and a coach.
(Calkins) is understanding of us and is passionate about track, junior hurdler Jessica Kestler said. He's willing to work with us and put his work on hold. He tells us right from the get-go what's expected of us. It is what it is.
To the naked eye
the status of the program isn't exactly appetizing. After losing his men's team to controversial athletic cuts in 2006
the popular belief was that Calkins would catch a ride out of town.
Based on the tense atmosphere surrounding the athletics department at the time
it would have been hard to fault Calkins for leaving. But the coach admitted that the thought never crossed his mind.
I made a commitment to Ohio University and the women's track program here, Calkins said. Those who thought (I would leave after the men's track team was cut) obviously don't know the situation here.
People could infer that there would be a lesser commitment to the women's program once the men's was cut
but it simply wasn't the case.
While other sports lost athletes to transfer, Calkins needed to find a way to keep his women's program together.
It was a challenge for us
definitely
