#310: Marc Bierbaum-Iowa Western Community College

🎙️ Iowa Western’s Marc Bierbaum from Hurdler to Marathoner & Why JUCO is the Ultimate Cheat Code

This week on the Gill Connections Podcast, we sit down with one of the most insightful voices in track & field — Marc Bierbaum, Head Coach at Iowa Western Community College. With over two decades of experience navigating the ever-changing world of college athletics, Marc brings the 🔥 on everything from NIL madness to international recruiting to why JUCO might just be the smartest path for today’s athletes.

In this episode:

💰 The wild world of NIL — blessings or chaos?

🌍 Why international athletes thrive (and what we can learn from them)

🔁 Transfer Portal overload — how it’s reshaping recruiting

🏫 Junior College as the ultimate cheat code to success

👴 Age debates in track & field — why host Mike Cunningham says rules are rules

🧠 The real lessons he’s learned coaching athletes from every walk of life

❤️ A powerful reminder that coaching is leadership — and JUCO coaches might have the hardest (and most important) job of all

"I don’t care if it’s NIL, Transfer Portal, international kids, 27-year-olds — as long as it’s within the rules, figure it out. That’s what coaches do." — Mike Cunningham

🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into 300+ episodes featuring insights from coaching legends such as Boo Schexnayder and Dan Pfaff, Diljeet Taylor (BYU) and Beth Alford-Sullivan, as well as superstar coaches Petros Kyprianou (Illinois), Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.

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📲 Stay Connected: Want to get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), email at mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍