 |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Track coach |
| Employer | USA Track and Field |
| Spouse | Jackie Joyner-Kersee |
Bob Kersee is an American athletics coach.
Initially intending to become an NFL coach, Kersee instead became a track and field coach at the suggestion of his sisters. His training group is known as Formula Kersee. [1]
Kersee was born in the Canal Zone, Panama. He was educated at San Pedro High School, and then attended Los Angeles Harbor College and California State University, Long Beach. [2]
He graduated from college in 1978 with a degree in physical education. [3]
In 1980, Kersee moved to the University of California, Los Angeles, where he was an assistant coach for four years whilst working towards a Masters degree in exercise physiology. [3] He then became the head coach in 1984, winning six conference championships during his tenure. [3]
He established his reputation for training elite level athletes, and continued working for the UCLA Bruins as a volunteer coach alongside his personal coaching. Amongst the famous athletes he has coached are:
and, more recently,
in addition to his wife Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
He has been called a "mad scientist" of coaching, and is often criticized for not racing his athletes often. [1] [5]
In 1989, sprinter Angela Bailey stated that she did not want to train with Kersee due to suspicions about performance-enhancing drugs. [6]
Kersee is a fan of the New York Yankees, the NFL, and NASCAR. Off the track, he enjoys furniture restoration. He married his former athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee in 1986. [1] [2]
In 2005, Kersee was selected USA Track & Field Coach of the year. [7] He also won the award in 2015. [8] [3]
Other awards Kersee has won are:
In 2017, Kersee was elected to the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Hall of Fame. [11]