Church league basketball and Division I track and field usually don't go together.
However, for assistant head track and field coach Jerry Clayton, an interest in the former helped pave the way to his current position in the latter.
"I started coaching church league basketball I think when I was about a freshman or sophomore in high school," Clayton said. "So I guess coaching has always been in my blood."
While Clayton got an early start in coaching, his passion for track and field began at his high school in Rushville, Ill., where he also played football in addition to competing in track and field.
Clayton, who is in his 11th season at Auburn, said he leaned more toward track and field because of its level playing field.
"I come from a very small high school, so if you didn't play for the larger teams (in football) it's hard to get notoriety to go to the Division I level," Clayton said. "But in track, it all matters with how the far the implement went. If you threw a certain distance, it was all equal, so that kind of helped get more recognition for a Division I level as far as recruiting."
Colleges began recognizing Clayton's abilities on the field.
He decided to stay in-state and accepted a scholarship to the University of Illinois.
Clayton was a two-time NCAA qualifier in the shot put as a member of the Illini.
Clayton's passion has turned into an occupation, as he has more than 25 years of coaching experience under his belt.
Clayton spent five seasons as the head coach at Southwest Texas State, leading the Bobcats to four Southland Conference championships. He also served as an assistant coach at his alma mater and the University of Florida before landing at Auburn.
Clayton said the experience he has gained throughout the years has helped him become the coach he is today.
"I know things that I feel work and things that I feel really do not work," Clayton said.
While every aspect of coaching is important, Clayton said getting his athletes to perform when it counts gives him the most pride.
"A lot of people can get people to perform, but to me, the highest pinnacle of the sport is getting the athlete to perform at the most critical and most important championship," Clayton said.
And Clayton has done just that at Auburn.
Two of Clayton's pupils, Donald Thomas (indoor high jump) and Jacob Dunkleberger (hammer throw), captured national championships in 2007. Seven of Clayton's athletes were selected as All-Americans the same year.
Six track and field athletes advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2008, a year in which Clayton was named USTFCCCA Men's Assistant Coach of the Year.
The success looks to keep coming, as Clayton said he isn't leaving Auburn anytime soon, if at all.
"(Auburn) is a great environment to work," Clayton said. "You don't ever say never, but I'm not going out and looking for stuff. It's a great situation."
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