Hedberg’s Heading Home as New Guilford Indoor Track Assistant
Jeff Hedberg’s path through the world of track has brought him right back to where he began in his hometown of Guilford.
Jeff is a 2004 Guilford High School graduate who played basketball and competed in the high jump and sprints for the Indians’ outdoor track program. After that, Jeff went on to become an all-time top-five performer for the high jump and 4x400 relay at Bryant University in Rhode Island. Now, Jeff is penning the first chapter in the coaching volume of his story as he begins his initial campaign as a volunteer assistant for Guilford’s indoor track squad this winter.
“I saw back over this past summer that Jon Rivera was taking over the indoor program this winter. I had a great relationship with him when I ran for him at Guilford, so I reached out to him and he offered me an opportunity,” says Jeff. “It feels good to be back at Guilford. The school obviously has a different look now, but it feels good to be back with the team and Jon.”
Jeff’s standout memories as an Indians’ athlete don’t stem from winning a division championship or earning a spot on the All-SCC Team. Instead, they come from a culture that fosters nothing but positive experiences and that’s something he wants to recreate now that he’s on the other end of the spectrum.
“My experience as an athlete here was a good one and some of the best memories came from having good experiences within the team,” says Jeff. “I want to help the kids have great experiences while they’re here, along with helping them to compete and go further with the sport.”
This is Jon Rivera’s first year as the indoor head coach with the Indians. The prospect of working alongside someone as well-versed and diverse as Jeff was appealing to Rivera and so he had no second thoughts in bringing him aboard.
“Jeff sought me out to find out if there was any way he could help coach the track and field athletes as a volunteer. It really was a no-brainer to add him to our staff. Jeff was one of the first athletes I coached. He did a good job when he was an athlete here and had an even more successful college career at Bryant,” says Rivera. “He is a great fit for Guilford, has a good work ethic, and cares about what he does. We are not very far into the season, but you can tell he is eager to learn and brings a lot of knowledge about jumps and sprinting to the team. I thought he would be a nice complement to the staff and could help us to cover more events. Track has a lot of events and it is tough to be watching every event all at once, so the more knowledgeable people you can have on a staff, the better off you will be. Having coached Jeff, I know he will do a great job and the kids will respond well to him.”
As he gets a chance to relive his athletic experiences through his new pupils, Jeff would like to catch a glimpse of himself via his teachings, while helping the Indians’ competitors reach new personal heights.
“I love seeing someone set a goal or expectation for themselves and then reach it. I knew I always felt proud when I did it, but now, when you have to help them reach that goal, it’s great,” says Jeff. “The connections you develop with the athletes you coach are very important. I would love to see some of myself in the kids and help everyone on the team.”
The 2015-’16 winter campaign will be one of adjustment and acclamation for Jeff with Guilford’s indoor track squad, but ultimately, Jeff is most concerned about making sure he has a strong impact on the future of the program.
“In the short term, as far as goals, I want to fit in and learn as much as I can with this being my first year as a coach,” says Jeff. “In the long run, I want kids to go through a full four years and have the same positive experience I had.”