Coach Campbell’s Vision for the BU Track Team
Coach Cire Campbell became the head coach of Bluefield University’s track team in the summer of 2022, and since then he has developed a vision for the team heading into the 2023 indoor and outdoor season.
“I chose Bluefield for the small-town atmosphere,” Campbell said about his decision to become the track coach. “It is something that I haven’t experienced in my life, being from a major city like Atlanta.”
And so far, Coach Campbell said he’s adjusting well to the change.
“The thing I like most about BU is the support that athletes give each other,” Campbell said. “The athletes support other sports heavily here. Everyone seems to be a tight-knit family.”
Coach Campbell said he’s excited about more than just the athletic aspect of becoming the new head coach. He said he is also excited about living out his ministry as a coach, as well.
“(I’m looking forward to) the positive effect I can have on the many students and staff I encounter daily,” Campbell said. “This is important to me. It is my ministry, my calling.”
Coach Campbell also has a specific goal for the team in the future.
“Total dominance in the Appalachian Athletic Conference and the NAIA,” he said is his goal for BU track. “I want to build a powerhouse in every event area.”
Players on the track team share that same excitement. They say Coach Campbell approaches practice every day with this same winning attitude.
Coach Campbell brings a wealth of experience to the BU track program. He ran track in high school and college and was a well-accomplished sprinter and cross-country runner. He went to Howard University where he was All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and later transferred to Morris Brown College where he was All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. This personal experience as a runner has helped him become a better coach.
His coaching experience ranges from youth track to the Olympics. He is currently the sprint coach for the Quicksilver Track Club, which is a youth track and field club in Atlanta. He was the head coach at Georgia State University from 2001-2012 where he led them to a conference title and was also the director of development. He was once the head coach for the Saudi Arabian national team before becoming head coach and high-performance director of the Nigerian national team. He has also coached individual athletes, including Olympic champion Justin Gatlin, and others who have achieved individual accolades in the Olympics.
Coach Campbell has the credentials, experience, and competitive mindset to change the culture of the BU track program. He plans to dominate this conference for the school and the community. He loves the small-town atmosphere, which is something he’s never experienced, and looks forward to the future at BU.