Celebration of life held for former Baylor track coach Clyde Hart who died at age 91

WACO, Texas (KWTX) — A Celebration of life was held for the former Baylor track coach Clyde Hart at the First Baptist Church in Waco, Texas.

Clyde Hart, the former Baylor University track and field coach who led the Bears to a national championship, died at age 91, the Waco Tribune-Herald reported.

Hart passed away on November 1, 2025 in his home after battling cancer.

Hart coached at Baylor University from 1963 until his retirement in 2019, developing a reputation as one of the sport’s most successful coaches.

Baylor Athletic Director Mack Rhoades said Hart is “the reason why coaching is such an honorable profession,” according to Baylor Athletics.

“The impact he had on his student-athletes is immeasurable . . . just ask them,” Rhoades said.

Hart coached Olympic track medalists, like Michael Johnson, Sanya Richards-Ross and Jeremy Wariner, who came back to Waco today to thank him and say goodbye.

Michael Johnson described Hart as a dedicated coach who pushed his athletes to the best they could be.

“Coach was a competitor, he was the ultimate competitor; the ultimate competitor loves to win hates to lose but isn’t afraid to lose. Coach wasn’t afraid to take risks and go out there,” Johnson said.

His son, Scott Hart, says it’s comforting to see his father’s legacy continue with the community he held close.

“The records and the sports accomplishments are the things that get the notoriety, but his legacy will be spread on through all the folks that were here today and all the people he has impacted in his life, that was what he wanted to do and that’s what he was about,” Hart said.

The longtime coach is survived by his family.

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