It’s easy to tell Shelli Sayers has deep roots in the New River Valley. She has memories of running on the Huckleberry Trail, a former railbed connecting Christiansburg to Blacksburg, before it became the popular paved path for cyclists and runners that it is today.
“We ran on the trestles and I was sore for weeks,” she remembers.
A proud graduate of Blacksburg High School — where she’s a member of the Athletics Hall of Fame — and now the director of Radford University’s track and field and cross country programs, Sayers’ competitive spirit was shaped early. She even gave boxing a brief try at one point — and discovered she was surprisingly good at it.
“I would not say one person inspired me, but a family of athletes gave me the desire to be competitive in sports,” she said. “I found track because our middle school PE teacher, Mrs. Colley, told me I should try it after setting up hurdles and making us run in class. I am forever thankful for her and her simple message of ‘you can do this.’”
Sayers, age 46, and her husband Andy, who coaches cross country at Christiansburg High School, are raising two daughters and embracing what she calls a “true track and field/cross country family” identity. They live in Christiansburg and are proud of the town’s vibrant running community.
Sayers connection to the region is matched by her dedication to developing young athletes.
“Mentorship goes beyond the track and field at Radford,” she said. “In the process of helping young men and women grow as people, we hope we can help them become great athletes too and leave a legacy at Radford.”
Sayers was promoted to lead Radford’s program in 2019 after serving as an assistant coach for four years. She’s also coached at the University of Northern Iowa and Roanoke College.
In the Q&A below, Sayers reflects on the impact of shifting NCAA rules and shares the story of a walk-on who became a conference medalist.
Q&A with Coach Shelli Sayers
Occupation: Radford University, Director of Track & Field and Cross Country
Family: Andy Sayers (Christiansburg High XC coach), Lily (12), Virginia (9)
What were your favorite events while competing at Blacksburg High and Roanoke College? I loved hurdling because most people seemed afraid of it. Falling on asphalt tracks brought a different kind of pain back in those days. In college, I still loved the hurdles, but found myself in many, many speed/power events. It ultimately led to trying the heptathlon late in my career. I ran cross country one season and was 2nd in the ODAC (wild!). Honestly, I should have run the 800m! After college, I enjoyed racing 5k’s.
What keeps you rooted here? Family and community. We love this part of VA, especially the New River Valley.
Who inspired you as an athlete growing up? I come from a very athletic family. My dad was a star wrestler at Christiansburg. My grandfather played basketball at Michigan, and my great-grandfather was a Golden Gloves champion in boxing. I would not say one person inspired me, but a family of athletes gave me the desire to be competitive in sports. My grandparents were also very competitive people from playing cards to horseshoes. Ruthless!
What are your earliest memories of running or being involved in track and field in the NRV? I remember my first win in the 100H on the old track by the old high school (the one that was torn down after the roof collapsed). I was a sophomore and just told myself to go for it. It was a huge turning point in my confidence in the sport.
What’s most rewarding about coaching at Radford? We still get to recruit and develop student-athletes willing to work hard. We still put the “student” first.
How do you define success for your athletes? It is easy to point to championships, All-Conference performances, and records, but success is not just in those outcomes. I want them to leave Radford the best in their sport, but also masters of their studies, confident in moments of doubt (do not give up when it gets hard), confident in the work they do, and a sense of community.
What lessons from your own time as a competitor do you try to pass on to your athletes? It is not a linear progression in sports, or life. You will have ups and downs, moments of doubt, but to never give up. Trust the journey you are on and do not compare it to others. Consistency is key.
Can you share a story of an athlete whose journey exemplifies the spirit of your program? After 20 seasons of coaching there are SO many incredible stories, again, that go beyond championships and records. I can point to one story unfolding in the program right now. We welcomed a walk-on student-athlete. At the time, she was not sure she would continue to run in college, but she was a great student, an outstanding person, so we welcomed her to the team. She ran a leg on our DMR during the indoor season and finished her indoor season with a Big South All-Conference medal. She is an example of taking the opportunity and making the most of it.
One of our school record student-athletes finished DEAD LAST her freshman year in a race. She was so mad because she was an incredible athlete in high school and not used to losing. She asked me at the end of her season what she needed to do to get better. We had a long discussion, and she did everything she could that moment forward. She graduated as a conference champion, school record holder and future hall of famer. She also graduated with honors and now can write “DR.” in front of her name. I use her story a lot when talking about consistency over time and how to obtain success on and off the track.
College athletics are undergoing major changes. How are those shifts affecting a program like Radford’s? This is an ever-evolving question and seems to change daily within the entire NCAA. Some mid major schools are “opting in” to the revenue share and roster limitations, while other mid-majors are not. We can speculate what these changes mean, but will have to be patient in how it will play out over the next year or so.
I believe it is going to be a question of opportunity in track & field and cross country. High school recruits need to ask about roster limits when speaking to Division 1 coaches. We may also see DII and DIII rosters expand because of fewer opportunities in DI, but they can only expand by so many depending on resources. Then it is about what kind of experience you want to have as a student-athlete. These are questions before we even discuss scholarships! Scholarship opportunities will vary from institution to institution.
There are many coaches worried about what this means for their programs and the sport of track and field. Thankfully, at Radford we are in a positive place. Although we are not a fully funded program, we are able to provide opportunities to compete at a high level. I feel like I am one of the few track and field coaches not cutting our roster or overly worried about future funding. Everyone always wants more and models can always be better, but I believe we are in a good place within the program at this time with the resources we are provided. We have some positive things happening and I am going to focus on the positives through all the chaos around us. Unfortunately, my answer to this question may change by this time next year. We have to evolve with changes like everyone else.
Thanks for reading. You might also like these stories:
- A masterful performance: David Angell adds world gold to long list of wins
- Blacksburg native Shelli Sayers shaping lives through track at Radford University
- Scotty Scott: Fueled by curiosity, coffee and community
- Need a boost: Meet Leah Johnson
- He donated a kidney to a stranger. Then he won a national championship.
NRV Runs 