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Former UTSA coach Rose Monday ready to lead Team USA in the 2020 Olympics

San Antonio products Rose Monday and Gregg Popovich will both coach Team USA at the upcoming Summer Olympics.

SAN ANTONIO — Rose Monday had an idea about her future in track and field.

"I knew at the age of 11 that I wanted to be an Olympian after watching Bob Beamon win an Olympic gold medal."

She just didn't know it would be like this.

"My goal was always to be an Olympian and I never would have imagined I would be the Olympic coach," Monday said.

She started her work with USA Track and Field as an athlete 34 years ago. After some nudging from mentors, she took her best foot forward elsewhere.

"It wasn't easy – it was hard – but it was definitely far more rewarding than I would have ever imagined and I was hooked," the California native and San Antonio resident of 20 years said.

Monday worked her way through the coaching ranks, even leading the UTSA program for seven years.

"Next thing I know, I'm selected to one of the international coaching staff positions," Monday said.

Her career, at this point, was ready to move beyond the confines of the United States.

Credit: UTSA Athletics
Campus files

"Maybe it's better to say where I haven't been," Monday said with a laugh. "I'm really very fortunate; I've been all over the world."

Monday has coached in 11 international competitions, including back-to-back trips to the Olympics as an assistant with Team USA in 2012 and 2016.

"The entire Olympic games I went from calm to goosebumps, calm to goosebumps," Monday said. "The entire time it was phenomenal."

Now she has to pinch herself earning the head coaching job for the upcoming 2020 games in Tokyo.

"There isn't a moment of the day I'm not thankful for this opportunity. It's a huge honor," Monday said.

Who knows what her 11-year-old self would say to her today?

But maybe that girl was thinking too small when it came to her medal count.

"It's a huge responsibility and I want to make sure that everything goes smoothly so that the athletes at the most important time – in a very high stressful situation – can bring home the most medals ever," Monday says with a big smile.

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