After 40 years of service with the Athletics Department at BYU-Hawaii, Coach Norman Kaluhiokalani, better known as Coach “K,” is set take a step down as head coach. Kevin Schlag will take the helm as head coach of the women’s cross-country team this upcoming 2014 season while Coach K will stay with the team as an assistant coach.Offering his diverse skill set through his time at BYUH, Coach K has served as faculty member, soccer coach, and state champion rugby coach. Although Schlag is new to the Head Coach position, he is not unfamiliar with the responsibilities ahead of him. “I’ve been the assistant coach for the men’s team since 2010,” said Schlag. The new head coach is also the University Technology Officer at BYU-Hawaii.Schalg said Coach K was the one who helped inspire him as a coach. “Coach K asked me to help and has inspired me. He has been the foundation of the program for 30+ years. We owe our success, our history, and our future to him. No one can ever fill Coach K’s shoes. He’s set the foundation for cross country here so I am lucky to step in for him.” With a new season set to begin shortly, Schlag hopes to make the most of the three remaining years of Athletics at BYUH. He said, “We’ve got three seasons left for Athletics, and we want to make them count. Not the men’s team, we have a lot of seniors, and they want to finish on a good note. For the women, we want to build on last year’s success.” As for motivating his athletes, Schlag said, “Cross-country runners are typically self-motivated. My job is to shape the training to get them ready for peak performance during our Regional meet in November. The team’s goals always include going to Nationals.” Schlag continued, “On our cross-country team, we focus on Lokahi—mind, body, and spirit. Our runners need to be in balance with their physical bodies, their intellectual pursuits, and their spiritual development.”The Cross Country season begins on Aug. 30 in Hilo.
Writer: Meagan Crowell ~ Multimedia Journalist
