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Ralph Lindeman
Prospective Student-Athlete Questionnaire
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Ralph Lindeman begins his 12th season as head coach of the Academy's track and field program. Lindeman is well known throughout the track and field community and holds many distinctions from his long involvement with both the Olympic sport and the Academy's athletic program.
What is Lindeman's Philosophy?
Lindeman has a simple coaching philosophy which is summed up in the USAFA core values - 'Integrity first, Service before self, Excellence in all we do.' His role as the head coach is to make sure the program provides a framework in which the cadet-athletes can achieve excellence not only athletically, but also academically and militarily. "I don't think my position is just coaching the men's and women's track teams -- my responsibility is to provide leadership for the entire program -- that means not only ensuring athletic success but success in the other mission elements as well."
How did he get started in the sport?
Lindeman's involvement with track and field stems as far back as his youth when he attended Phoenix Christian Grade School and High School in Phoenix, Ariz. "My seventh grade P.E. teacher took our class to a track meet between Arizona State and New Mexico. I saw a great dual meet as well as an incredible 400-meter race between Ulis Williams of ASU and Adolph Plummer of New Mexico I loved it. The next week was my birthday, and when my parents asked what special thing we could do for my birthday, I told them all I wanted to do was to go to another ASU track meet, so we did. That got me hooked."
Where did his inspiration come from?
Throughout the '90s, the Academy's teams have benefited from Lindeman's leadership and his love of coaching. Due to the mentoring that the 49-year old coach received from his beginnings, first from his seventh grade P.E. teacher, who took him to his first ASU track meet and then from his high school track coach, who according to Lindeman "unknowingly inspired me to pursue coaching," Lindeman's career began at Glendale High (1973-78) as an assistant coach under Ken France, a legend in the Arizona coaching ranks. Lindeman credits Dave Murray at the University of Arizona for giving him his first full-time college job and teaching him a lot about college coaching (1982-84).
"Now I get much of my inspiration and motivation from my peers -- like Mark Stanforth of our own staff, or rivals like Ron Mann at Northern Arizona, Bob Fraley at Fresno State or Del Hessel at Colorado State -- I respect these guys and value their opinions."
Lindeman takes his coaching experience and responsibilities very seriously and now it is his turn to be a mentor to the cadets he trains. "I've always thought of myself first and foremost as a teacher, and that's how I started out in this profession -- teaching biology and coaching at the high school level I'm a teacher now who spends up to three hours everyday with the cadet-athletes I work with. I like to think I mentor those cadet-athletes in everything I teach from track and field technique and training to character development and leadership."
What are his passions?
Lindeman's passion for the sport and profession overflows into an involvement with both USA Track and Field and with the US Track Coaches Association. "I have a passion for the coaching profession and a real love of this sport, and so my involvement in those organizations is with the dual objective of having a significance in the profession and the sport -- I trust that any improvements that I can help affect for collegiate track & field will have some positive spin-off for the AFA track & field program."
In 1999, Lindeman served as the men's head coach for the USA team at the Pan-American Games. "It was obviously an honor I hope it might have been an honor for our staff, our cadet-athletes and for the Air Force Academy as well."
Throughout the years, Lindeman has developed a vision statement, which has helped the program to evolve into a highly competitive sport. The vision statement is simple yet precise:
"Our vision is to develop highly competitive men's and women's track & field and cross country teams which annually contend for the conference title, while insisting on a total commitment to academic and military goals, unwavering compliance with institutional and NCAA guidelines; and whose trademarks are an image of complete class and unquestioned integrity."
What about Lindeman's faith and family?
Lindeman credits his mentors and his staff for his evolution in the sport. However, he also credits his wife Cindy for having an effect on himself as a person and as coach. "My faith and my family are my top priorities in life, so quite obviously they affect my coaching. Cindy, my wife of 29 years, is the kindest and most loving and thoughtful person I've ever been around, and so she challenges me to be the same -- in fact, I guess I have to say that she's my "mentor" in addition to being my best friend."
Lindeman's daughter Jennifer Rowedder is a graduate of Arizona State University. She is a second grade teacher at Kilmer Elementary School in Monument, CO. Her husband Brian is also an ASU graduate and works at Ent Federal Credit Union. Lindeman's first grandchild, Maddison Cynthia, was born April 29, 1998. His son Brian Lindeman is a firefighter in Parker, Colo. He is a former Colorado high school state champion in the pole vault. He was married this past October to Heather Dunavin, a neo-natal nurse at University Hospital in Denver.
What are Lindeman's most memorable coaching experiences?
"The most memorable experiences are the teams which achieved way beyond their potential -- Last year's runner-up finish in the outdoor meet was tremendously rewarding." "And I will never forget the '91 cross country team that won USAFA's first-ever WAC Championship and placed 14th in the NCAA Championships and then there was our '95 men's team which was runner-up in the indoor conference championships just three and half points behind BYU -- at the time that was the closest any team had come to BYU in six years -- that was exciting."
Does Lindeman enjoy coaching at the Academy?
"I love the caliber of young men and young women I get to work with -- well-rounded individuals who have higher priorities than athletics, but who are just as committed to excellence as any other highly successful competitors."
Is there anything Lindeman likes least about coaching at the Academy?
"Honestly, there is nothing I dislike about coaching here."
What does the coach expect from his athletes?
"I expect them to be committed to excellence, which means always striving to develop, progress and show steady improvement of their performances in their event or events over the course of the year and throughout their four years in our program."
What does the coach look for when recruiting athletes for his teams?
"The first task is to identify high school juniors and seniors who can run fast, jump high and throw far. Then we screen the candidates for their academic credentials, character and citizenship.
Finally, our challenge is to sell the prospects on a service academy education and a career in the United States Air Force."
What are Lindeman's goals for his teams?
"The goal of the men's teams will be to challenge BYU for the conference title I'd be thrilled if we can achieve that, yet satisfied with a runner-up finish -- CSU and Wyoming will be formidable foes to challenge us for second. I'd be very pleased if our women's team can climb to sixth in the eight-team conference -- I believe we may have our best women's team ever -- much better than some of those Division II teams of past years which placed in the top 10 in the NCAA's -- this conference is extremely challenging for our women -- BYU, CSU, UNLV and San Diego State could all be among the top 25 teams in the country."
Where will Lindeman be 10 years from now?
"Lord willing, I'll coach right here until I retire from the profession."
