Office Hours: UCLA’s Joanna Hayes On Running It Back At Her Alma Mater, What Makes The Greats Great and Practicing “Aggressive Patience”

“I’m patient. I call it aggressively patient. I’m going hard for it all — but if it doesn’t happen, there’s still a process and I chip away for next time. That’s how you become a champion. You don’t just go out there and run and win. You have to have a journey and work hard. I’m always going hard.”

Welcome back to Office Hours on the CITIUS MAG Podcast, where we explore the philosophy of the coaches who push the edges of human potential with some of the best athletes in track and field.

Today's guest is someone who has climbed to some of the highest highs in the sport. Joanna Hayes is an Olympic gold medalist, a Hall of Famer, and currently the director of track and field and cross country at her alma mater UCLA. In 2024, she was named USATF's Coach of the Year — a recognition not just for her competitive pedigree, but her ability to cultivate greatness in others.

She's coached legends like Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Rai Benjamin, ushered in record-breaking seasons at both USC and UCLA, and she's done it all while remaining grounded in values of respect, discipline, family, and joy. In this conversation, we explore what success does and doesn't change about how she leads, what it feels like to return to the place where it all started, the realities of coaching both elite professionals and college athletes and how the two are more connected than you think.

We talk about legacy, resilience, motherhood, and what it means to show up not just as a coach, but as a human being who makes space for culture, connection, and yes, sometimes TikToks and fresh fits. Coach Hayes's story is one of full circle moments and forward motion. She's creating a new chapter at UCLA and you'll hear in this conversation why it's one worth watching and rooting for.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠

Guest: Joanna Hayes | @joannadhayes on Instagram

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