UNM Track and Field head coach, Joe Franklin: ‘We just want them to be successful’

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico Track and Field head coach, Joe Franklin, has produced more than one Olympic star in his years.

Franklin came to UNM after a 13-year stretch at Butler University and while most of the time he is cool calm and collected, he is always on the edge of his seat when his athletes are competing.

“We just want them to be successful will I be nervous absolutely I want them to do well, and I’ll scream at the TV just like people do during the Super Bowl, then we all want them to do well because we know what it is taken for them to get there,” said Franklin.

He said once athletes leave UNM, he tries to just be supportive

“Our sport is so emotional and mental you don’t want to have a lot of this and second guessing, we don’t like to have our hands in that other than a support standpoint, ‘hey good luck can’t wait to see you, Run have fun, you’re gifted’ things like that,’” said Franklin.

Franklin remarked on his many years of coaching potential Olympians.

"There’s so many people that are gifted and there’s so many people that have special abilities, it’s not until you get to work with them for a year or so, when you see that ‘oh wow this person may be really special,’" he said.