Meet Head Men's Track Coach Mike Ward
March 18, 2005
Beth Joseph is a student in a news journalism class taught by veteran sportswriter Michelle Kaufman.
Coral Gables, Fla. (www. hurricanesports.com) – Mike Ward considers himself an old-fashioned man along with being a husband, father, coach and athlete. Ward began running track when he started eighth grade and now at age 54 continues running competitively.
Born into a family of wrestlers, he strayed from his father, uncle and grandpa’s sport and ventured into track, football and baseball in middle school. As the only boy growing up with three sisters, his parents always set high expectations for him in both academics and athletics. In high school Ward began to concentrate solely on track, competing in both the one- and two-mile events. Friends and fellow runners got to know him by his nickname of “Captain” because of his intense leadership.
Mike attended the University of Maryland-Baltimore County and majored in therapeutic recreation. He was captain of the cross country team which completed its 1975 season undefeated. Not only did Ward help lead his team to a conference championship; he also met individual goals by running UMBC record times for both the three- and six-mile races. He was selected to as an All-Mason-Dixon Conference runner three times.
He worked several jobs as a coach for both men and women’s high school and college track teams in Maryland but it was Ward’s job at the VA Medical Center which caused him to move from Baltimore to Miami. While working at the medical center Mike met and fell in love with his wife, Susan. She was working in public relations for the center when they met and was swayed by his caring nature and respect for all. The two were married in 1989. Mike left the Veterans Medical Center to continue coaching.
Coach Ward pursued coaching in several ways; he was coaching distance runners for the USA Track and Field team at the Division II level and was a personal trainer for Florida track athletes for six years before joining the University Miami as an assistant coach. After five years at UM, Mike was offered the head coaching position in 1998 for the Miami men’s track team.
Coach Ward considers his first year as Miami’s head coach his greatest accomplishment. That season he coached the team to 10 new records. The 4X100-meter relay team which included three freshmen set a record time of 39.99 seconds to break an 11-year old record mark.
“If I had to pick one thing (that stands out) , it would be being Big East Runner Up my first year as head coach.” Ward said. The second-place finish at the Big East Outdoor Track and Field Championship tied for the best finish for the Hurricanes at a conference meet.
Now in his seventh year as the Miami head coach, Ward tells of his experiences to the younger athletes such as freshman Tim Harris and Roland DaSilva who he expects to both do well in Atlantic Coast Conference competition this season.
Ward believes that the ACC is a tougher conference but if the players work hard, they will succeed. On or off the track, Ward teaches his athletes to be responsible.
“He [Coach Ward] doesn’t try to make you feel like track is the most important thing in your life but he does push you to be the best you can be” Harris explained. He also commented that he feels like he is training with his father under Ward’s coaching.
Several of Coach Ward’s athletes described him as a laid back, funny and overall great guy.
Assistant coach J.J. Hunter said, “Coach Ward is a very even-kneeled coach that has a very good sense of the big picture,” said Assistant Coach J. J. Hunter. “He doesn’t get too high or too low, but make no mistake, he is a fierce competitor.”
The two coaches techniques mix perfectly because Hunter is known to get more easily excited while Ward maintains reserved and calm.
Outside of competition and track, Coach Ward works hard to instill the importance of academics to his athletes. Last season both his cross country and track and field squads earned All-Academic distinction by the USCCCA and USTCA. All runners under Ward are required study hours which enabled the men’s track and field team to earn a 3.166 GPA last semester, ranking them eighth in the nation. The cross country team also flourished ranking 50th with a 3.12 grade point average.
While Coach Ward has turned track into his profession his true passion is for baseball and his hometown Baltimore Orioles. Mike Ward’s favorite player was Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson who spent 23 seasons with the Orioles breaking countless records.Ward admired Robinson and his achievements so greatly that he named his son Brooks after his idol. Brooks is now ten years old and plays baseball, just as his father did. Mike brags about his son and his talent on the field. It brings Mike and Susan Ward great pride to go and watch their son play whenever possible.
Coach Mike Ward is a respected man. He has led the men’s track and field program through some challenging times. He has an excellent knowledge of the overall training required for runners and has developed many great athletes over the years. Always outdoors, he enjoys mountain biking and long runs. The mild mannered Ward seems to go with the flow and is happy with where life is currently taking him.
