After
seven years of coaching college and four years as an athlete, I have
seen countless coaches in many sports come and go. I even have
my own experience leaving Baker University as a graduate assistant. It
seems that even a scheduled departure from a university is met with
sadness and even sometimes hostility and anger. When I left Baker, the
majority of my athletes were very understanding
that I was not offered a full time position and had no choice but
depart. So, I began a new chapter at Kansas Wesleyan University with one
athlete. Despite the dismal program I inherited, I knew I was doing
what I had to do and more importantly what I wanted
to do. Each year I worked hard to recruit athletes, helping them grow
as student athletes and young adults. Currently with signings and
returning athletes I have grown the program from 1 athlete to over 40
athletes. I arrived with no uniforms, hurdles, or
even a track. While at KWU, I feverishly spent more of my time calling
alumni and writing letters to get our new facility built. I also was the
first coach in school history to coach both a men's and women's team to
the national championship in cross country. My years
here at KWU have held some unforgettable moments that I will always remember.
In making a decision to coach at the college level I chose to forgo high
salaries, enjoying weekends and holidays with friends, and even gave up
most of my evenings for seven years, constantly texting and calling
recruits to answer questions. I loved what I
did and as a young single man with a healthy family five hours away in
Colorado it was a great time. I now have made what is potentially one of
the toughest decisions I will ever make. I am resigning as the head
cross country, track and field coach at Kansas
Wesleyan University.
Automatically people assume that my resignation means I was asked to
leave which is not the case. Not only did KWU want to keep me, they just
offered me a raise to stay. So, failure and salary had nothing to do
with my decision. Next, one might assume I have
a coaching position lined up in Colorado, and at this time that is also
not the case. I still believe KWU is an excellent choice, as it has
some of the finest coaches and professors anywhere. My respect for my
athletic director has even grown as he has stood
up for me and my athletes multiple times. I do believe that KWU is
extremely top heavy with administration, but that doesn't apply to
athletics or my decision. I have arguably the strongest men and women's
team I've had in my five years at KWU and know that
a trip to nationals is likely for both. Even the track only athletes
will give KWU the highest placing I have ever had in track.
Leaving is not an easy decision and has been weighing heavily on me for
quite some time. I've done my best to hide it while focusing on my
athletes and growing my program. I am not leaving for objective reasons.
Instead, it is my heart pulling me home to Colorado.
My father will be 70 years old soon and has been fighting and so far
beating cancer for over a year now. This has made this past year more
difficult, as time with him and family seems more precious than ever
before. I also have a love for Colorado that any
who have met me would know. It has been hard living away from the
running community there, and even my best friends from college admit
they are shocked that I have not moved home to look for a career there
sooner. My faith and happiness is at its strongest
in Colorado. Along with my family and friends it is where I must be.
There is never a good time to leave as a coach as each year I will have
exciting young athletes that I love and care for.
I am choosing to leave now with the hope that a new coach will be blessed with a great team, and they can support each other.
I want to conclude by saying I will miss Kansas Wesleyan. I am thankful
for all the support I received while there. I love each and every one of
my athletes, and none will be forgotten. I hope in time they will
understand my decision, and I pray their academic
and athletic careers finish with personal bests all around.
