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Bob Kersee

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Bob Kersee
Personal information
OccupationTrack coach
EmployerUSA Track and Field
SpouseJackie Joyner-Kersee

Bob Kersee is an American track and field coach. For the UCLA Bruins, he was an assistant coach (1980–1984), head coach (1984–1993), and volunteer coach (since 1993). Athletes he coached include Florence Griffith Joyner, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Gail Devers, Allyson Felix, and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

Kersee has been called a "drug coach" referring to allegations that his athletes took performance-enhancing drugs. Angela Bailey testified at a Canadian government inquiry that Kersee couldn't train drug-free athletes. Darrell Robinson gave a notarized statement that Kersee supplied him with performance-enhancing drugs. The Athletics Congress has declined to investigate their allegations.

Early life

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Kersee was born in the Canal Zone, Panama. He was educated at San Pedro High School, and then attended Los Angeles Harbor College and California State University, Long Beach.[1] He graduated from college in 1978 with a degree in physical education.[2]

Initially intending to become an NFL coach, Kersee instead became a track and field coach at the suggestion of his sisters. His training group is known as Formula Kersee.[3]

Career

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In 1980, Kersee moved to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he was an assistant coach for four years whilst working towards a master's degree in exercise physiology.[2] He then became the head coach in 1984, winning six conference championships during his tenure.[2] He stepped down as head coach in 1993.[4]

He established his reputation for training elite level athletes, and continued working for the UCLA Bruins as a volunteer coach alongside his personal coaching.[5] Amongst the famous athletes he has coached are Florence Griffith Joyner,[6] Gail Devers,[5] Al Joyner,[7] Allyson Felix,[6] Greg Foster,[5] Andre Phillips,[5] Kerron Clement,[5] Shawn Crawford,[5] Athing Mu,[8] Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone,[9] and Jackie Joyner-Kersee, whom he later married.[7]

He has been called a "mad scientist" of coaching, and is often criticized for not racing his athletes often.[3][10]

Performance-enhancing drugs allegations

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In 1985, Canadian sprinter Angela Bailey was coached by Kersee at UCLA. Four years later, she testified at a Canadian government inquiry into performance-enhancing drugs about a conversation she had with Kersee: "I said that I've heard these rumors that he was a drug coach. The only reason I'm going to go down to the United States is if you can make me that promise that you can coach me without drugs. But if you can't, then I won't be there. And he basically said, 'Just believe in me, just trust me.'" Bailey had left UCLA after six months, because Kersee was unable to coach clean athletes: "He didn't know how to coach me because I was drug-free. And I didn't improve."[11]

American sprinter Darrell Robinson was also coached by Kersee at UCLA. In 1989, he made notarized statements to the German magazine Stern about him and other athletes using performance-enhancing drugs and about coaches including Kersee supplying them.[12] Robinson said that Kersee told him that he gave his athletes the steroids Anavar and Dianabol, and that Kersee supplied him with one hundred tablets in a bottle labelled Anavar.[13] Initially, the president of The Athletics Congress (TAC) said that Robinson's statements would be reviewed,[14] but later the TAC director said that they questioned Robinson's reliability as a source for receiving $50,000 from Stern and the matter was not investigated further.[13]

In 2008, Kersee denied there was a crisis of performance-enhancing drugs in athletics: "One, two, three situations and it scars everybody and that's absolutely ridiculous. I tell my athletes we need positive performances and positive stories." And about drug tests he said: "As long as all the other athletes are tested as much as mine are I'm happy."[6]

Personal life

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Kersee is a fan of the New York Yankees, the NFL, and NASCAR. Off the track, he enjoys furniture restoration. He married his former athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee in 1986.[3][1]

Awards

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Awards Kersee has won are:

References

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  1. ^ a b "Bob Kersee - Track & Field Coach". UCLA. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Bob Kersee, Allyson Felix's Coach: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". heavy.com. Heavy Sports. August 15, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "Bobby Kersee coaches some of biggest stars in track history with 'mad scientist' training methods". AP News. August 3, 2024. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Bob Kersee, USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame Class of 2017". USTFCCCA. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Bob Kersee". Uclabruins.com. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Duncan Mackay (July 20, 2008). "The shining light". The Guardian. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  7. ^ a b Scott Ostler (May 12, 1987). "Her Marriage Takes Work, and It Works!". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  8. ^ Andrew Greif (May 26, 2023). "At 69, Bobby Kersee is track's 'mad scientist' and as influential as ever". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  9. ^ Collet, Jasmine (September 11, 2024). "Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone: "My goal is to improve my personal bests"". Athletics Weekly. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
  10. ^ "USA Track & Field | Bobby Kersee to receive 2023 USATF Legend Coach Award". usatf.org. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  11. ^ Janet Brooks (June 28, 1989). "Sprinter links Bob Kersee to steroids". United Press International. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  12. ^ "Florence Griffith Joyner denies drug charge". United Press International. September 21, 1989. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  13. ^ a b "Atletiekbond VS verdoezelt doping". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). September 28, 1989. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  14. ^ Michael Janofsky (September 24, 1989). "T.A.C. May Open an Inquiry". The New York Times. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  15. ^ "UCLA Paces Women's All-Century Team". UCLA. May 24, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
  16. ^ Surber, Tom (November 29, 2005). "Kersee named Nike Coach of the Year". USATF. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  17. ^ "Kersee Named Nike Coach of the Year". UCLA. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  18. ^ "Bobby Kersee to receive 2023 USATF Legend Coach Award". USA Track & Field. June 29, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  19. ^ "World Athletics awards leaves audience wanting more". December 1, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
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