When you are a former Olympian, owning a car rental franchise just doesn’t quench your competitive thirst.

That’s what new NIU track and field coach Connie Teaberry found herself doing until a new opportunity came knocking.

“I owned my Avis franchise, but I really wanted to get back into coaching track,” Teaberry said. “I had just taken the job to be an assistant with Ohio two weeks earlier and then [NIU athletics director] Jim Phillips inquired about me.”

Teaberry competed in the high jump at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and finished 15th.

Teaberry enjoyed stints at the University of Kentucky, Toledo and Arizona State from 1992-99 before leaving the sport to start her Avis Franchise.

Teaberry had never been a head coach but was presented with the opportunity at NIU.

“Connie has some awesome credentials,” Phillips said. “Her wide-ranging experience should help her take our program to the next level.”

Being a first time head coach will not be Teaberry’s only challenge, though.

The $36 million NIU Convocation Center does not have the space for indoor events so the Huskies are unable to host track meets.

Teaberry believes her team will be able to overcome the absence of a home-field advantage.

“I don’t think that we will have any sort of disadvantage because we don’t have a home track,” Teaberry said. “You just have to do the best you can with what you have.”

The lack of a home track should not affect recruiting either, Teaberry said.

“The Illinois area is rich on track talent, and I don’t think not having a home track will affect our ability to recruit,” she said.

Teaberry got her first taste of head coaching action when the NIU track season started on Jan. 22 at the Eastern Illinois University Mega Meet at Charleston.

The Huskies finished third out of six teams behind Miami-Ohio and EIU.

At the Chippewa Invitational on Feb. 4 the Huskies took fifth place of the five teams, but Teaberry remains optimistic about her team.

“We are getting better and better every week, and the girls have looked promising at both meets,” Teaberry said.

The Huskies’ next meet will be Friday and Saturday at the Iowa State Classic.

“I think that our team can do very well this season, especially in the MAC,” Teaberry said. “We have so many talented athletes and have already broken some school records in individual events.”