John Godina takes on coaching

Before the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, veteran American shot putter John Godina was asked by NBC what he hated most in life. Among his list, along with digging ditches, was coaching other athletes.

Yet, when Godina retired earlier this year, he began a new career in ... coaching.

Wait, what?

"The part about [being a coach] I didn't like was being in the NCAA environment and being in an environment where I didn't have control," Godina, 37, explained. "At that point [in 2004], nobody envisioned having a private environment that caters to the best athletes that could be viable."

Athens would be the third and final Olympic Games for Godina, who earned a silver medal in the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games and a bronze medal four years later at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. He also captured four shot put world championships.

As his competitive career wound down, Godina shifted focus to helping the next generation of professional throwers.

Of course, he wanted that control. So he started on his own.

He began not with a heavy metal ball, a discus or a hammer-but with something as light as a feather.

A piece of paper.

Godina, a UCLA biology graduate, conceived an idea for a state-of-the-art training center for throwers and sketched blueprints in 2006. "Conceptual drawings," Godina called them.

With the final product planned out, he began conditioning throwers in his garage. Later, he moved into a modest facility in Mesa, Ariz. He retired from competition in February, and finally, this summer, he reached the place he envisioned on the piece of paper three years ago.

He opened the World Throws Center near his home in Phoenix, something he calls the nation's top facility for throwers outside of the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.

It's very similar to an Olympic Training Center. In addition to general training space and workout equipment, it includes on-site massage specialists, physical therapists and nutritionists.

The World Throws Center is part of a 31,000-square foot facility owned by Athletes' Performance, a training center for elite athletes. Godina said he imagined a 30,000-square foot space in his first drawing three years ago.

"The idea was this overblown, spectacular facility that catered just to throwers," he said. "I was pretty right on."

He has assembled a few top American throwers and added credentialed assistants including Dave Dumble-Godina's college teammate and recent coach-and 2000 Olympic pole vault champion Nick Hysong.

Dumble sees the effort Godina has put into something he used to hate.

"As an athlete, you have to be all about yourself,'' Dumble said. "John did that, and that's why he was so successful [before retiring]. It's unique to see him turn the tables and provide that for other people.

"He said he'd never do it, but now he loves it."

Hiring Hysong was a step toward opening the facility to athletes in all track and field events.

"I have always had goals, a lot of them are insane-sounding, so I don't tell them to people," Godina said. "Needless to say, the No. 1 priority is to be the best track and field training center in the world."

Godina's first pupils include U.S. Olympians Suzy Powell (discus) and Loree Smith (hammer) and prominent shot putters Dan Taylor and Kevin Bookout.

Together, they're the guinea pigs for Godina's project. 

Taylor finished fourth at the 2008 Olympic Trials behind the triumvirate of Reese Hoffa, Christian Cantwell and Adam Nelson. He split with his previous coach last year, joined Godina, and later won the 2009 U.S. Indoor Championship and made the world championship team.

"[Godina's] got so much experience in the throws," Taylor said. "For coaches, it's hard to explain the subtle differences and moves [with throwing technique]. He really translates it for me."

Godina said he has soft commitments from a few more throwers and hopes to have more than a dozen Olympic-caliber athletes living and training at the facility by the end of the year.

Eventually, he wouldn't mind making the World Throws Center what the Oregon Track Club is to distance running or the IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., are to golf or tennis.

"A decade ago, distance runners started using that model," USA Track and Field spokeswoman Jill Geer said. "Throwers have had their center based at the University of Georgia under Don Babbitt. Other than that, there hasn't been a true center and certainly not a post-collegiate center."

It's a tall task for such a specialized sport, but you have to start somewhere.

"When it comes to top athletes and facilities," Smith said, "If you build it, they will come."

The biggest obstacle might be funding, not exactly a shocker these days.

Take Smith's story.

She gambled by leaving the freedoms of the Olympic Training Center behind to pay to live and train under Godina in Arizona.

The most basic packages cost about $1,000 per month, Smith said.

In the past, Smith got by window washing or bank telling or delivering pizzas. She said she's going to "try the no-job thing" now, instead focusing on reaching the elite level of her sport. But that doesn't stop the bills from piling up.

She is trying everything to make ends meet, even auctioning her uniform from the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games for $150 to a high school athlete in Texas.

"Training is worth more than a T-shirt," she said.

Godina understands. He is devoting time to help his athletes get sponsorship deals or set up Web sites for donations and fundraising.

He also has a video-coaching project in the works. Those who can't afford to travel to Phoenix can send in video of their throwing to Godina, who will critique it from his computer.

Quite a turnaround for somebody who used to liken coaching to digging ditches.

It's all part of his new philosophy.

"I've redirected that [competitive] energy into something else," Godina said. "We're breaking new ground."

On the Web: http://worldthrowscenter.com/

Story courtesy Red Line Editorial, Inc. Nick Zaccardi is a freelance contributor for teamusa.org. This story was not subject to the approval of any National Governing Bodies.

Tags: Adam Nelson, Athens 2004 Olympic Games, Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Christian Cantwell, Dan Taylor , Dave Dumble, John Godina, Kevin Bookout, Loree Smith, Nick Hysong, Nick Zaccardi, Reese Hoffa, Shot Put, Suzy Powell, Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, The World Throws Center, USA Track and Field