Clark starting to finalize support staff

J.J. Clark

J.J. Clark expects to make his first hire for a merged Tennessee track and field program any day.

Clark, the Lady Vols coach who was named director of track and field for the merged men's and women's program, said he is close to announcing the first of two new assistant coaches.

The first addition will be a sprints coach to work with the women.

A second vacancy will be filled by an assistant to work with both men and women on the long, triple and high jumps.

"It's a very tedious process,'' Clark said. "You want to make sure you're not overlooking anyone, that you're asking the right questions and hiring the right person.''

The four coaches in place are:

n Clark, who will work primarily with women's distance events.

n George Watts, long-time men's assistant, who will concentrate on men's distance events.

n John Frazier, from the Lady Vols' staff, who will coach all the throwers. Frazier has coached men and women prior to UT.

n Norbert Elliott, who will continue to concentrate on men's sprints and hurdles.

"Collectively,'' said Clark, "we'll be working together for the good of the whole.''

Clark said several volunteer coaches who helped the men and women, respectively, will remain in the same capacities.

Trying to maintain the UT men's strong tradition in the decathlon will be a team effort among the coaches of the various disciplines.

This is UT's first endeavor at merging sports under one umbrella, although Dave Parrington has coached divers for both the men's and women's swimming teams.

"I absolutely feel that everybody is on board to do well,'' Clark said.

"You can't please everybody all the time but I think everyone is optimistic.''

The physical merger of offices from opposite ends of Stokely Athletics Center has gone well, Clark said.

"In the minds of the athletes, not that much has changed,'' he said. "They like being around each other. That's a non-issue.''