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Fort Bend Marshall girls head coach Shahira Ehiemua joins the Gill Connections Podcast to share her remarkable journey from running for Track Houston as a fourth grader to leading her alma mater to four UIL State Championships (so far!).
Mike first met Shahira while hosting the Texas High School Coaches Association Clinic, where her presentation on culture became one of the most talked-about sessions of the week. In this conversation, Shahira shares the lessons she learned as a Marshall athlete, her experiences competing at both UTSA and SMU, and how those experiences shaped her leadership philosophy today.
The conversation dives deep into building culture, developing championship mindsets, creating accountability within a team, balancing individual athlete goals with team success, and why she believes strong foundations matter more than trophies.
Whether you're a coach, athlete, or sports leader, you'll walk away with practical insights on leadership, intentionality, and creating environments where people can thrive.
🎙️ Topics Include:✅ Growing up with Track Houston✅ Competing at Fort Bend Marshall, UTSA, and SMU✅ Returning home as head coach✅ Winning four state championships✅ Building culture that lasts✅ Developing athletes for success beyond high school✅ Why "we still won" doesn't always mean a state title✅ Leadership lessons from coaching and teaching
Dive into nearly 400 episodes featuring insights from coaching legends such as Boo Schexnayder and Dan Pfaff, Diljeet Taylor (BYU) and Beth Alford-Sullivan, as well as superstar coaches Petros Kyprianou (Illinois), Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find us on Twitch.tv, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more!
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📲 Stay Connected:
Want to get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow on Instagram (@MikeCunninghamTF), email at mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

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"#383: Shahira Ehiemua-Ft Bend (TX) Marshall HS | From Marshall Athlete to 4-Time State Champion Coach" is an episode of The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast. Runtime 1 hr 39 min. Published October 5, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.