By Jim Irish
Courtesy photos
Brice Chabot has transferred to the University of Houston, the mecca of collegiate sprinting.
The Smithville High School alumnus signed a full scholarship with the Cougars on July 15 after entering the transfer portal. He said he’s also receiving name, image, likeness (NIL) funding.
Houston beat out seven universities
Chabot was in demand. Texas, Clemson, Florida State, Mississippi, the University of Southern California, Nebraska, and Oklahoma offered full scholarships.
He had sprinted for the University of Texas at San Antonio for three years but decided that he wanted to progress to a higher level. His personal records at UTSA were 10.24 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 20.44 in the 200. He clocked a wind-aided 100 in 9.9 seconds in California.
Chabot qualified for the U.S. Olympic trials in both the 100 and 200, but UTSA scratched him when he entered the transfer portal.
The reason Chabot chose Houston over the others was simple: Carl Lewis.
Lewis, the 63-year-old head coach at Houston, collected nine Olympic gold medals over a 17-year track career. He broke the world record of 9.86 in the 100 at the 1991 World Championships.
“It’s an incredible opportunity, just because of what he’s accomplished and his success on and off the track,” Chabot said. “God’s given me this opportunity for a reason, and I want to soak up as much as I can being coached by him.”
Lewis has arguably catapulted Houston, his alma mater, to the zenith of collegiate sprint programs since his arrival nine years ago. The Cougars have advanced an athlete to the final of the 100 for the past eight consecutive seasons.
Lewis places Houston in national spotlight
Last season, Louie Hinchliffe, a transfer from Washington State and a native of Great Britain, won the 100 at the NCAA outdoor meet in 9.95.
"...God's given me this opportunity for a reason, and I want to soak up as much as I can being coached by him."
Brick Chabot about training under Carl Lewis
Shaun Maswanganyi, another Houston sprinter and native of South Africa, earned a silver medal in the 400-meter relay for South Africa at the recent Paris Olympic Games.
Hinchliffe took a bronze medal in the 400-meter relay for Great Britain.
Both Maswanganyi and Hinchliffe advanced to the semifinals of the 100 at the Olympics.
Lewis was not only a world champion but also a student of sprinting who learned the science behind it from his mentor, retired Houston coach Tom Tellez.
According to Lewis, sprinting in the 100 boils down to mechanics.
“Every single person since I’ve been at the University of Houston changed something technical, starting with me,” he said. “I had a lot to change when I came in (as a freshman). It’s understanding what to do at the start — the first 10 to 20 meters — and trying to stay relaxed at the end of the race.”
Lewis said Chabot contacted him about transferring.
“Brice didn’t feel he was getting the attention that he wanted,” Lewis said. “That doesn’t mean (UTSA) wasn’t doing it. In college, you have to coach three, four, or five events, and it’s really difficult.
“We have a coach for the 100 and 200, which is me. We’re really specific. (Brice) is going to get 100% of the time, and that’s really the difference.”
For Chabot to join the country’s best collegiate sprinters in the 100, he has to improve 1% from 10.24 to 10.10 seconds, according to Lewis.
“Our objective is how do you get that 1%?” Lewis said. “It’s running mechanics.”
Lewis does not place great emphasis on the fall track season, but Houston competes at the indoor NCAA meet.
“We’ll start in the fall with conditioning and then look at running mechanics and work on that early and often,” he said. “And then we’ll add starts because I know his (Chabot) start philosophy is gonna be different from what he’s been doing. I’m sure of that.
"Our goal is for him to break 10.10 (seconds) and then see how far we can take it from there."
Carl Lewis about Brice Chabot in the 100-meter dash
“Our goal is for him to break 10.10 (second) and then see how far we can take it from there. If he can run 10.05 or so, he’ll probably make it to the NCAA final.”
One characteristic of the Houston program is that the sprinters train in flats — not spikes — until Thanksgiving. Lewis prefers sprinters running faster later.
Chabot has set lofty goals for his one remaining year of eligibility.
“I’ve always wanted to win NCAAs,” he said. “I want to make the USA team and go to the World Championships in Tokyo in 2025. I want to go sub-10 (seconds) multiple times.”
He’s at the right university to pursue them.
Jim Irish is a freelance writer in Bastrop, Texas
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