We recently connected with Jamie West and have shared our conversation below.

Jamie , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

It was the State Championship meet I stood there at the start line of the 300m hurdle race, it was my last race of the day and I was extremely tired. I was ranked 7th going into the race. I was trying to calm my nerves and clear my head when I heard my hurdle coach call my name. He motioned me over the fench a couple feet away. I went over there and he told me that our team needed some extra points and that he knew i was capable of placing higher then I was ranked. I remember him saying you need to get 5th and then he looked at me and said “I believe in you, I know you can do it” That was all I needed to hear. I walked back to the line and I decided right then and there I would do everything I could, I would leave my heart out there on the track to place 5th or better. Something about knowing that he knew I could do it and that he believed in me changed something inside of me for that race. The gun went off and all was a blur I just ran as fast as I was physically capable of. As we came around the last bend into the home stretch I remember counting a couple athletes ahead of me. The homestretch was where I usually lost a lot of steam but something was different this time I was running for more then just me I was running for my team, my coach, and the belief someone had in me. I ended up getting exactly 5th. My coach joked after and said, “I should have told you to go for 1st” But what he didn’t relize is he instilled in me somethign that would stay with me for the rest of my life and later play a huge role in my career.

Now flipping the pages to another part of this story. A couple years later I was in college and had just run the best race of my life. I was extatic and was on the road to some big goals I had set for myself and been working endlessly to achive. I walked off the track full of the best emotions. Seeing my time and relizing I had run a career best time that placed me as one of the top 100m hurdlers in the conference at a D1 school. One of my coaches approached me and said, hum must have had a tail wind help you get that time, along with other things earlier in the season such as “our goal is to break you down to build you up.” This moment also stuck with me as a young athelte and would also shape my life and the course of my career.

I didn’t know at the time of these experiences that I would go on to coach 1,000’s of hurdlers. I did not know I would start and run my own hurdle business, but I did know that when anyone has someone who believes in them, they can and will accomplish things they never thought possible. Becuse of these experiences I have made it my mission to make hurdling accessible to all, fostering an environment where every aspiring athlete, regardless of their level of ability, has the opportunity to learn and excel. I am dedicated to instilling unwavering self-belief in athletes, guiding them to reach and surpass their goals and limits, and empowering them to realize their fullest potential on and off the track.

It was the State Championship meet. I stood there at the start line of the 300m hurdle race, it was my last race of the day, and I was extremely tired. I was ranked 7th going into the race. I was trying to calm my nerves and clear my head when I heard my hurdle coach call my name. He motioned me over the fence a couple feet away. I went over there, and he told me that our team needed some extra points and that he knew I was capable of placing higher than I was ranked. I remember him saying you need to get 5th and then he looked at me and said, “I believe in you, I know you can do it” That was all I needed to hear. I walked back to the line, and I decided right then and there I would do everything I could, I would leave my heart out there on the track to place 5th or better. Something about knowing that he knew I could do it and that he believed in me changed something inside of me for that race. The gun went off and all was a blur I just ran as fast as I was physically capable of. As we came around the last bend into the home stretch, I remember counting a couple athletes ahead of me. The homestretch was where I usually lost a lot of steam, but something was different this time. I was running for more than just me. I was running for my team, my coach, and the belief someone had in me. I ended up getting exactly 5th. My coach joked after and said, “I should have told you to go for 1st” But what he didn’t realize is he instilled in me something that would stay with me for the rest of my life and later play a huge role in my career.

Later on as a track athlete I had coaches that did the opposite of my high school coach. One coach said, “Our goal is to beat you down to build you up” His philosophy on coaching was to do just that, beat you down. I had just run the best race of my collegiate career. It placed me as one of the top 100m hurdlers in the conference. I was ecstatic to be on the road to some big goals I had set for myself and been working hard to achieve. As I walked off the track full of the best emotion, seeing my time and realizing I had just run a career best; I felt a great sense of joy. I couldn’t wait to talk to my coaches. The “break you down” coach said, “must have had a tail wind help you get that time.” This moment also stuck with me and would also shape my life and the course of my career. I never felt any sense of belief in me or my abilities from that coach.

I didn’t know at the time of either experience that I would go on to coach. I did not know I would start and run my own hurdle-coach business, but I did know that when anyone has someone who believes in them, they can and will accomplish things they never thought possible. Because of these experiences I have made it my mission to make hurdling accessible to all, fostering an environment where every aspiring athlete, regardless of their level of ability, has the opportunity to learn and excel. I am dedicated to instilling unwavering self-belief in athletes, guiding them to reach and surpass their goals and limits, and empowering them to realize their fullest potential on and off the track.

Jamie , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have a deep love for track and field, especially for the hurdles. I can still remember trying out hurdles for the first time my sophomore year in high school and being hooked! Deep down I knew these barriers had big things in store for me. As I ran track in high school and college, that love only deepened. I found success and setbacks along the road to my dreams. My last year in college I volunteered at a local Jr. High and High school to help coach their hurdlers. I quickly found an even deeper love for coaching. After graduating college, I was hired to be the girl’s head track and field coach at Davis High School. My coaching journey had begun and would take me on a road that has been unforgettable. As the years passed, I found more and more athletes, parents, and coaches reaching out to me for help with their hurdlers. I found myself spending lots of time writing up workouts, reviewing film, and setting up times at the track to help people. At the same time, my life as a mother was getting more and more busy. I realized maybe this was something I could turn into a side job, take my passion to private/club coaching. Doing that I would be able to set hours that worked around my home life. I started an Instagram page and was off and running with only 1-3 athletes at a session and charging next to nothing. The first two years were slow but by the third year [I took the hyphen out between third and year as this use of those words is not adjectival] things really started to take off. I started to have more and more hurdlers, coaches, and parents reach out. Coaching has taken me to 3 different high schools where I have had the opportunity to work with hundreds of hurdlers. Through the private/club coaching my opportunities have led me to work with many athletes and coaches at different levels all across the state of Utah, nationally, and internationally. One of my favorite things is hosting a summer and winter hurdle clinic to hopefully give more and more athletes the opportunity to discover a love of hurdling. It has been a joy to watch these clinics grow and be able to reach so many coaches and athletes and give them tools to take home to and improve their hurdling. Our most recent clinic had almost 70 athletes from all over Utah as well as Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. I am a firm believer that anyone can turn their passion into something to help and teach others. Coaching has brought me such a deep joy and sense of fulfillment. I love seeing athletes grow and chase their dreams. While things have grown a lot in my coaching world, I still have big dreams and desires. Down the road, I would like to start a nonprofit that does day-to-week track camps for young people in poverty or abusive situations. There is such a power and freedom in running and especially hurdling

The business I run is a private/club track and field program that specializes in hurdle training. I meet with athletes for group sessions twice a week for an hour and half to give them elite hurdle training. My wonderful assistant coaches Ruby Waltman, and Porter Sweat, and I also offer one on one sessions that athletes can set up where they get training that is specialized for their needs. I have coached hurdles for over 17 years where I have been fortunate to coach 8 State Record holders, 18 individual State Champions, and 80 State placers (placed top 6). On the international level, I had the opportunity to online coach and work with India’s u23 National Champion in the women’s 400 hurdles. And this past year was fortunate enough to work a little with USA’s U20 400m boys Champion and Nike Nationals champion. I care deeply for the athletes I get to work with. While each one is an athlete, they are a person first to me. I love teaching them tools that help on the track and more importantly in life. My goal is to help athletes set goals, work towards those goals, and achieve them.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

My greatest sources of new clients are word of mouth and really having intent with what we are doing. Many of the athletes that come and train with us have come from the recommendation of a previous or current athlete, parents, or coaches. Their trust in our services and the referrals they extend hold great value. I feel a responsibility to live up to that. I also am a firm believer that a business thrives when it embodies authentic intent behind its products and actions. Staying true to our intent I believe has built trust with clients and they recognize those genuine intentions.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I have encountered numerous challenges while seeking spaces for athletes to train hurdles in track and field. Unlike sports with readily available facilities like turf, gyms, or courts to rent, accessing a track has been incredibly challenging. Countless calls to gyms with tracks within a 45-mile radius revealed the scarcity of accessible tracks for rent. Even local school tracks are often inaccessible or come with very steep rental fees.
Despite these hurdles (wink, wink), I’ve been inspired by the athletes and their dedication. Many are willing to travel long distances for training, motivating me to try to find creative solutions. We’ve trained in hallways, grass, and even in pouring rain on tennis courts. I refused to give up on providing opportunities for these athletes. After years on a path with roadblocks, it seems like things are starting to shift, I’m genuinely grateful for places like the Utah Olympic Oval and Wasatch soccer facilities which understand the needs of athletes and provide accessible spaces for track and field athletes at a reasonable cost. It has definitely been a journey to overcome challenges and train in unconventional spaces. And the athletes have shown such positive attitudes and took any opportunity to pursue their goals.

Contact Info:

• Website: westhurdletraining.com
• Instagram: @westhurdletraining.com
• Youtube: coming soon!!

Image Credits
Nate Athay @nateathay athaynate@gmail.com