Bob Kersee

{{Short description|American track coach}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox sportsperson | honorific_prefix = | name = Bob Kersee | honorific_suffix = | image =  | image_size =  | image_upright = | landscape =  | alt =  | caption = | headercolor = | textcolor =  | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name =  | full_name =  | nickname = | nationality =  | national_team =  | citizenship = | birth_date =  | birth_place = | death_date =  | death_place = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | monuments = | hometown = | education = | alma_mater = | occupation = Track coach | years_active = | employer = USA Track and Field | agent = | height =  | weight =  | spouse = Jackie Joyner-Kersee | life_partner = | children = | parents =  | relatives = | other_interests = | website =  | module =  | country = | sport = | position = | shoots = | catches = | disability = | disability_class = | weight_class = | weight_class_type = | rank = | event = | event_type = | universityteam = | collegeteam = | league = | league_type = | club = | team = | turnedpro = | turnedpro_type = | partner = | former_partner = | coach = | retired = | coaching = | module2 =  | worlds = | regionals = | nationals = | olympics = | paralympics = | commonwealth = | highestranking = | pb =  | show-medals = | medaltemplates = | medaltemplates-title = | module3 = }} '''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 the late Florence Griffith Joyner, Jackie Joyner-Kersee (whom he later married), 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 could not train drug-free athletes. Darrell Robinson gave a notarized statement that Kersee supplied him with anabolic steroids. The Athletics Congress has declined to investigate their allegations.

== Early life ==

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.<ref name="uclabruins">{{Cite web |title=Bob Kersee - Track & Field Coach |url=https://uclabruins.com/sports/track-and-field/roster/coaches/bob-kersee/88 |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=UCLA |language=en}}</ref> He graduated from college in 1978 with a degree in physical education.<ref name="heavy">{{cite web |title=Bob Kersee, Allyson Felix's Coach: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know |url=https://heavy.com/sports/2016/08/allyson-felix-coach-bob-kersee-wife-jackie-joyner-age-career-bio-athletes-olympic-gold-medals-history-achievements/ |website=heavy.com |publisher=Heavy Sports |access-date=28 February 2025|date=August 15, 2016}}</ref>

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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-08-03 |title=Bobby Kersee coaches some of biggest stars in track history with 'mad scientist' training methods |url=https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-bobby-kersee-mclaughlin-4350c4fc00907f47e478cceb4fd47da8 |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref>

==Career== 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.<ref name="heavy"/> He then became the head coach in 1984, winning six conference championships during his tenure.<ref name="heavy"/> He stepped down as head coach in 1993.<ref name="USTFCCCA"/>

He established his reputation for training elite level athletes, and continued working for the UCLA Bruins as a volunteer coach alongside his personal coaching.<ref name="uclabio">{{cite web |url=https://uclabruins.com/sports/track-and-field/roster/coaches/bob-kersee/88 |title=Bob Kersee |website=Uclabruins.com |access-date=June 16, 2025}}</ref> Amongst the famous athletes he has coached are Florence Griffith Joyner,<ref name="guardianfelix">{{cite web |author=Duncan Mackay |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/jul/20/olympicgames2008.athletics1 |title=The shining light |website=The Guardian |date=July 20, 2008 |access-date=June 16, 2025}}</ref> Gail Devers,<ref name="uclabio"/> Al Joyner,<ref name="latmarriage">{{cite web |author=Scott Ostler |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-05-12-sp-7522-story.html |title=Her Marriage Takes Work, and It Works! |website=Los Angeles Times |date=May 12, 1987 |access-date=June 16, 2025}}</ref> Allyson Felix,<ref name="guardianfelix"/> Greg Foster,<ref name="uclabio"/> Andre Phillips,<ref name="uclabio"/> Kerron Clement,<ref name="uclabio"/> Shawn Crawford,<ref name="uclabio"/> Athing Mu,<ref>{{cite web |author=Andrew Greif |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/story/2023-05-26/bobby-kersee-track-sydney-mclaughlin-levrone-olympics |title=At 69, Bobby Kersee is track's 'mad scientist' and as influential as ever |website=Los Angeles Times |date=May 26, 2023 |access-date=June 16, 2025}}</ref> Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Collet |first1=Jasmine |title=Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone: "My goal is to improve my personal bests" |url=https://athleticsweekly.com/athletics-news/sydney-mclaughlin-levrone-my-goal-is-to-improve-my-personal-bests-1039992505/ |publisher=Athletics Weekly |access-date=28 February 2025|date=September 11, 2024}}</ref> and Jackie Joyner-Kersee, whom he later married.<ref name="latmarriage"/>

He has been called a "mad scientist" of coaching, and is often criticized for not racing his athletes often.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=USA Track & Field {{!}} Bobby Kersee to receive 2023 USATF Legend Coach Award |url=https://www.usatf.org/news/2023/bobby-kersee-to-receive-2023-usatf-legend-coach-aw |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=usatf.org}}</ref>

==Performance-enhancing drugs allegations== 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."<ref>{{cite web |author=Janet Brooks |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1989/06/28/Sprinter-links-Bob-Kersee-to-steroids/1302615009600/ | title=Sprinter links Bob Kersee to steroids |website=United Press International |date=June 28, 1989 |access-date=June 16, 2025}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1989/09/21/Florence-Griffith-Joyner-denies-drug-charge/2597622353600/ |title=Florence Griffith Joyner denies drug charge |website=United Press International |date=September 21, 1989 |access-date=June 16, 2025}}</ref> Robinson said that Kersee told him that he gave his athletes the anabolic steroids Anavar and Dianabol, and that Kersee supplied him with one hundred tablets in a bottle labelled Anavar.<ref name="vk">{{cite web |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010857247:mpeg21:a0211 |title=Atletiekbond VS verdoezelt doping |website=de Volkskrant |language=nl |date=September 28, 1989 |access-date=June 16, 2025}}</ref> Initially, the president of The Athletics Congress (TAC) said that Robinson's statements would be reviewed,<ref>{{cite web |author=Michael Janofsky |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/24/sports/track-and-field-tac-may-open-an-inquiry.html |title=T.A.C. May Open an Inquiry |website=The New York Times |date=September 24, 1989 |access-date=June 16, 2025}}</ref> 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.<ref name="vk"/>

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."<ref name="guardianfelix"/>

== Personal life == 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.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="uclabruins"/>

==Awards==

Awards Kersee has won are: * Pac-12 Conference **In 2016, Kersee took home the Pac-12 Women's Track & Field Coach of the Century honors, with his wife, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, earning the Pac-12 Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Century title.<ref>{{cite web |title=UCLA Paces Women's All-Century Team |url=https://uclabruins.com/news/2016/5/24/210975293 |publisher=UCLA |access-date=28 February 2025|date=May 24, 2016}}</ref><ref name="heavy"/> * USA Track and Field **In 2005, Kersee was selected USA Track & Field Coach of the year.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.usatf.org/news/view.aspx?DUID=USATF_2005_11_29_16_14_21 | title = Kersee named Nike Coach of the Year | last = Surber | first = Tom | date = November 29, 2005 | website = USATF | publisher = | access-date = February 25, 2016 }}</ref> **In 2015, Kersee won again Coach of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kersee Named Nike Coach of the Year |url=https://uclabruins.com/news/2015/12/16/210589201 |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=UCLA |language=en}}</ref><ref name="heavy"/> **In 2017, Kersee was elected to the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Hall of Fame.<ref name="USTFCCCA">{{cite web |title=Bob Kersee, USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame Class of 2017 |url=https://cahof.ustfccca.org/award-winner/bob-kersee-ustfccca-class-of-2017 |publisher=USTFCCCA |access-date=28 February 2025}}</ref> **In 2023, Kersee was awarded the USA Track & Field Legend Coach Award.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bobby Kersee to receive 2023 USATF Legend Coach Award |url=https://www.usatf.org/news/2023/bobby-kersee-to-receive-2023-usatf-legend-coach-aw#:~:text=INDIANAPOLIS%20%E2%80%94%20Bobby%20Kersee%2C%20a%20three,the%20Toyota%20USATF%20Outdoor%20Championships. |publisher=USA Track & Field |access-date=June 16, 2025|date=June 29, 2023}}</ref> * World Athletics Awards ** Coaching Achievement Award: 2021<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-12-01 |title=World Athletics awards leaves audience wanting more |url=https://athleticsweekly.com/blog/world-athletics-awards-leaves-audience-wanting-more-1039951796/ |access-date=2021-12-01 |website= |language=en-US}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090314234041/http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/w-track/mtt/kersee_bob00.html UCLA profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kersee, Bob}} Category:American track and field coaches Category:California State University, Long Beach, alumni Category:Cal State Northridge Matadors track and field coaches Category:Living people Category:Long Beach State Beach men's track and field athletes Category:Sports coaches from California Category:Track and field people from California Category:UCLA Bruins track and field coaches Category:Year of birth missing (living people)