Rick McGuire Position: Head Coach AT MU: Now in his 19th season at Missouri, Rick McGuire has been inducted into the Missouri Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Drake Relays Hall of Fame, been a member of two Olympic coaching staffs, coached five NCAA Champions and numerous All-Americans and conference champions.

McGuire's Achievements at Missouri
• 2000 Big 12 Conference men’s indoor Coach of the Year
• 2000 Drake Relays Coaches Hall of Fame
• 2000 MTCCCA Hall of Fame
• Kansas Relays and Drake Relays referee
• Member of 1992 and 1996 United States Olympic staffs
• 78 All-Americans
• 63 conference champions
• 19 consecutive Academic All-American Teams
• 13 Tigers have earned U.S.A. national team berths
• 10 Tigers have won NCAA postgraduate scholarships
• 7 MU athletes have won four individual NCAA Championships and one NCAA Relay Championship
• 3 athletes set National Collegiate records
• 2 Tigers earned Conference Athlete-of-the-Year honors

Now in his 19th year as head coach at the University of Missouri, Dr. Rick McGuire has made himself a permanent fixture in the Missouri history books. He has maintained the respect and achieved the stature of famed MU coaches Tom Botts and Bob Teel and will continue to be mentioned as one of the greatest coaches to ever grace the track.

2001 SUCCESS ON THE TRACK
Last season McGuire led the track and field teams through a memorable indoor season and a strong outdoor season. The men finished third in the conference in the outdoor season and the women made history in the indoor season. The women’s distance medley relay team -- comprised of Kerry Hils, Ashley Wysong, Sunny Gilbert and current senior Ann Marie Brooks -- was the national champion in the event and posted the world leading mark in 2001.

1. Build a foundation for future successes -- physically, psychologically, socially and morally -- both in sport and in life! 2. Create, nuture and protect each child's feelings of self-worth! 3. Allow young athletes to have fun -- to experience the sheer joy and excitement of playing sport. 4. Communicate with those whom you lead as you would wish to be communicated with by those who lead you! Coach McGuire's Principles of Positive Coaching

During the 2001 campaign McGuire’s athletes earned 11 All-America awards. Besides the members of the DMR relay team, Russ Bell earned All-America status in the discus and Christian Cantwell earned the honor in the shot put and weight throw. Brooks also picked up her third All-American honor for finishing runner-up in the 3000m during the indoor season and Ashley Wysong received All-American honors in the 800m.

HISTORY OF SUCCESS ON THE TRACK
In the 19 years since his arrival 25 MU athletes have earned 78 All-American honors and three national collegiate records have been established. Seven athletes have also claimed five NCAA national titles while Tiger athletes have also won 63 conference individual and relay championships. McGuire himself made strides on the track, serving as head referee for the prestigious Drake Relays in 1997 and at the 1989 and 2000 Kansas Relays. He has been inducted into two Halls of Fame and was the Big 12 Coach of the Year for the 2000 indoor season.

Thirteen of McGuire’s athletes have earned U.S.A. team berths, including two-time Olympian and 1992 silver medalist Natasha Kaiser-Brown and current Tigers Bell and Cantwell. Another representative is World University Games gold, silver and bronze medalist Derrick Peterson, who wrapped up his career at MU in 2000 and is on the Tigers’ coaching staff for the second season. All-American Darin File competed in the javelin at the 1999 World University Games reprsenting the U.S.A.

"Coach McGuire is the reason I came to Mizzou. My parents fell in love with him from the start and put their trust in him. I joined Coach's family in 1995 and it didn't take long to realize thta if you put forth the effort, Coach would do everything he could to help you athletically, academically and personally. I am no longer a member of the Mizzou Track & Field team, but I will always be a member of the Mizzou Track & Field family." Darin File, three-time All-American and Big 12 Champion in the Javelin

SUCCESS IN THE CLASSROOM
Missouri’s student-athletes have experienced unprecedented success in the classroom as well while McGuire has been the head coach. The program boasts an amazing 19 consecutive Academic All-America Team awards, many Phi Beta Kappa honorees and numerous 4.0 GPAs, including 17 during the 2000-2001 season. McGuire has also coached 10 NCAA postgraduate scholarship recipients during his career.

These off-track accomplishments are what make McGuire the proudest. The Mizzou program is traditionally among the conference leaders in graduation rates under McGuire’s tutelage.

A PROFESSOR
Coach McGuire is not only known around the track, he is also highly regarded in the classroom as well. He is a graduate professor of sport psychology in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, one of the only Division I level coaches who teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses.

His honors include the “High Flyer” award for teaching excellence eight times from the University’s College of Education and the Missouri Student Association Award for Outstanding Teaching. The “High Flyer” award is the greatest honor a professor can receive at Missouri. The Missouri students recognized Coach McGuire with induction into QEBH and Omicron Delta Kappa National Honor Societies. He also received the President’s Award from USA Track and Field.

Coach McGuire talks things over with middle distance runner Amanda Bales.

McGuire is highly respected in the national athletic and sport psychology communities. He has chaired the USA Track and Field sport psychology program since its inception in 1983, and he is on the executive committe of the U.S. Track Coaches Association. McGuire is currently serving on the NCAA Track and Field Committee.

A NATIONAL TEAM COACH
McGuire has been a member of the U.S. National team staff at nine different international competitions. As one of the founders of the sports psychology program for USATF, he has served as the team psychologist for the 1992 and 1996 U.S. Olympic teams. He also served in that capacity for the 1989 World Cup team and the 1995 World Championships. McGuire also traveled with the U.S. Junior National team to the 1986 World Championships. He also worked the 1987 dual meet with Cuba in Havana and the coached the 1988 Junior World Championships team in Sudbury, Ontario.

"We thought the world of him. He genuinely cares about his athletes. Katie liked how he was so easy to talk to." Diane Meyer, mother of former MU athlete Katie Meyer, on Coach McGuire

A PUBLIC SPEAKER
Outside the athletic arena, McGuire is known for his “Coaching Mental Excellence” seminars and his consulting work with the Chicago White Sox, Basketball Canada and members of the PGA Tour. He has also authored three books, three textbook chapters and over 20 articles in scientific journals and professional publications.

BEGINNINGS
McGuire began his career as an educator and coach at Greenwich (N.Y.) Central School following his graduation from St. Lawrence University in 1969 with a degree in economics.

In 1978, Coach McGuire completed his master’s degree in physical education with an emphasis in coaching from Alfred University in New York.

He earned his Ph.D. in sport psychology from the University of Virginia in 1983 while working with the Cavalier track and field program and the university’s physical education department, coordinating the coach preparation program.

During his three years at Virginia, the Cavalier women’s team won an AIAW indoor championship in track as well as two NCAA cross country championships.

McGuire, 54, and wife Jane have two children: daughter Wendy, 27, and son Mick, 25.

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