There’s another new whistle at Sports Backers
Stadium. This time it’s in the hand of Kendra
Warren, who takes over as head coach of the
women’s track and field squad just in time to
begin the fall season.
Warren, who grew up in Catawba, S.C., comes
to VCU with an extensive track background.
She began running for her junior high school in
seventh grade, when she was more interested in
basketball, before becoming a track star at Rock
Hill High School. In only ninth grade, Warren
was already running in a national championship
in the junior Olympics.
“I had a coach tell me, ‘You know, you’re
pretty good at this. You could write your own
ticket to a university,’ ” Warren said, referring to
the scholarship offers to a college of her choice
that would await her. “Literally, I pictured myself
writing that ticket.”
It was at that point that Warren realized
track was her sport and began taking it more
seriously.
“I used it (track) to an advantage with the
other sports,” she said. “I knew if I did well on
the track, I felt good.”
Warren decided to attend the University of
North Carolina on a scholarship because of the
school’s impressive athletic and academic history.
As a “Tar Heel”, she formed some close bonds
with her teammates.
“I have some really good friends from UNC.
We would eat, sleep and breathe together with
success on the track,” she said.
For some, sports and extracurricular activities
can be burdensome and take time away from
succeeding in school. For Warren, it had the
opposite effect.
“In the classroom, it just made me more
focused,” she said. “I knew if I did well academically,
the rest was going to be falling into place
… sports helped me balance it all.”
Warren spent seven years as assistant on the
UNC track and field team following her time as
a student athlete. After taking a year off from
coaching altogether, she’s now at the helm for
the black and gold.
Will there be any office rivalries when VCU
sports play UNC?
“Yeah, but I’m a different Ram now, and that
Ram is black and gold. It’s a good situation here,
and I’m excited about it. The rivalry instead is
VCU better come out on top.”
Warren is confident she will be able to implement
her successful methods with a new team,
especially if she can keep the team focused.
“Track is a physical thing, but it is really, truly
mental,” Warren said. “I can handle their physical
fitness, but if I can keep them focused and excited,
they will have some success for this year and for
years to come.”
The coaches have high expectations for the team,
but “now, not only do you have those expectations,
you have to be accountable and responsible for
them,” Warren said.
When it comes to recruiting at VCU, Warren
is excited by what the program has
to offer. She hopes to sell prospective
student-athletes on the university’s
combination of a growing winning
tradition, location and wide range of
well-regarded academic programs.
“Recruiting is never easy,” she said.
“But when you have the things that
the athletic department and university
have, it makes you happy to offer that
to a kid.”
Despite only arriving in Richmond
on Aug. 28, Warren, along with her
family, is adjusting nicely. Her husband,
Terrence, works in the same building
with the SportsCenter.
“It’ll be interesting coming to work
everyday with him, but once we get here
we know work is work.”
Jazz, the Warrens’ son, just celebrated
his 10th birthday Saturday. He, too, is
finding Richmond to be a good home
as he enters fifth grade.
“The kids at school made him feel
welcome and took him in with open
arms,” Warren said.
Warren said she and her family are
enjoying the area and are thrilled with the
hospitability of everyone in Richmond,
on campus and off.
“This is a great place,” she said. “It’s
been a great transition.”