The second-ranked triple jumper in history is now just a hop, step and a jump away from school. This year, his first year coaching high schoolers, track and field coach Kenny Harrison is instructing athletes in the long jump, the high jump and, of course, the triple jump.

Harrison has had a long and tumultuous career marked by a World Championship in 1991 and an Olympic gold medal in 1996. In between, he suffered a knee injury which nearly cost him his career. It did cost him the 1992 Olympics.

After years of rehabilitation, he beat all odds in the 1996 Olympics with a world record for the longest triple-jump ever with a negative wind reading at 18.09 meters.

“The way that the public sees it we just run in the Olympics, but my career’s been way more in depth than that,” Harrison said.

After his competition years, Harrison became a coach for “high level athletes who are serious about what they are trying to accomplish,” ranging from high schoolers to professionals.

His star-studded record of former students includes high profile NFL athletes like Aaron Rodgers, Fred Beasley and Takeo Spikes.

He made the transition to training high schoolers this year because he was dissatisfied “that kids weren’t getting enough quality training to understand how gifted they were,” and Piedmont seemed like the right place to go because he was “in the area.” His personal style, he said, is to allow his athletes to enjoy the sport and then decide for themselves when they want to excel.

“Look, if a small guy from Wisconsin like me was able to accomplish my goals, I want to be able to express to them how much they can accomplish,” Harrison said.

Harrison, who stands at 5 feet and 10 inches, was often discouraged in a sport usually reserved for tall, lanky men.

“Coaches would look at me and say ‘You’re too short to do this, you can’t do x, y and z,’ and it took a lot for me to prove them wrong,” Harrison said.

Harrison said his own sense of accomplishment has allowed him to focus his efforts on his athletes.

“I don’t need to take the credit for the kids, and I’m not trying to move up the ladder,” Harrison said. “I am here absolutely to help the kids be the best that they can.”

Junior Maura Phillips said that his experience has given him command over track athletes of all levels.

“He pushes us to go as far as we can, and he is eager to improve every athlete, not just varsity,” Phillips said.

Head track coach Jeanine Holmlund admires Harrison’s meticulous attention to detail in his coaching.

“I hope his willingness to share his strengths and love of track and field is a gift our team appreciates and emulates with new students who join our team,” Holmlund said.