Coach's Recovery is More Incentive to Win

Posted 11:00 a.m. May 18, 1998 — Updated 12:27 a.m. Oct 6, 2007

CHAPEL HILL — Milt Campbell will stretch half the afternoon. He warms up for two hours before he attempts any serious sprinting. As he prepares to work out on a recent Chapel Hill afternoon, Milt's training regimen gets the biggest boost of all. Coach Dennis Craddock returns to practice just 12 days after open heart surgery.

"Lucky for me they caught it in time," Craddock says. "I want to thank everyone for the prayers and cards and so forth."

Craddock's not the only one who's thankful:

"Now we have an incentive to do well in the NCAA's," Milt Campbell admits. "We're definitely praying for him, and we're glad to have him back."

Seeing his coach back on the sidelines gives Campbell that last boost he needs to cross the finish line. He wants to join UNC alums Allen Johnson and Marion Jones on the stage of the world's best.

"You've got athletes in every sport who have that God given talent," Craddock explains. "And then there are those with the talent and the drive to push themselves to be even better. He's got that extra push."

Under Craddock's tutelage, Campbell earned a ranking of 11th in the world in the 400. This winter, he set a new collegiate record in the 200 indoors. Campbell is hoping to "shock the world" with his talent.

With Coach Craddock at his side, Campbell feels he's just begun.

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