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Legendary coaches with life-changing philosophies like John Wooden and Red Auerbach are a rare breed. With a 379-9 record yes, thats a 98 percent winning record -- and 18 out of the last 24 national championships, Highland Rugby Coach Larry Gelwix may have the best coaching record of any coach in any sport. He

Living Forever Strong

by Leigh Dethman

Legendary coaches with life-changing philosophies like John Wooden and Red Auerbach are a rare breed.
 
With a 379-9 record – yes, that’s a 98 percent winning record -- and 18 out of the last 24 national championships, Highland Rugby Coach Larry Gelwix may have the best coaching record of any coach in any sport. He certainly knows what it takes to build a championship team.
 
But Gelwix is more concerned about building championship boys. And just maybe that’s his secret.
 
“It’s infinitely easier to win a national championship than to turn out a championship boy,” Gelwix said. “But that’s what we’re trying to do.”
 
It’s not just about drills (although Coach Gelwix is known for pushing the boys harder than they’ve ever worked before). It’s about life lessons.
 
His current and former players appreciate the discipline both on and off the field.
 
“He was always teaching us, but we didn’t know that we were being taught, but isn’t that the key?” said Bob Nilsen, a former Highland Rugby player (1976-1977) and current president and CEO of Café Rio. “To influence and to teach without being in someone’s face about it?  To gently, quietly point out things and to involve them?”
 
Gelwix not only has prepared more than 1,000 future missionaries throughout his career, but inspired countless others to be the best men they can be (to read their stories, visit missionarystrong.com).
 
All of Gelwix’s coaching principles narrow down to one concept: never do anything that would embarrass you, your family, or the team. Just be a good person and do the right thing.
 
He weaves gospel principles throughout his coaching, things like service, integrity, hard work and dedication.  Players must refrain from smoking and drinking, and never tell a lie, as trust is the key to any team’s success.
 
“Larry used to tell us, ‘Making the right choices in life will not make your life easy, but it will make it easier,’” said Matthew Cole, who played at Highland from 1996-2000 and now serves as president of Blue Streak Sports Training . “Larry lived what he preached. He was a father to me in every sense – someone I looked up to and wanted to be like. Larry is in the business of building men and character, and along the way he wins a lot of rugby games. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of the lessons I learned from Highland Rugby.”
 
Anyone can teach these principles, but it takes a rare man who can actually break through and get teenage boys to understand and want to live by them, Nilsen said.
 
“They reach the heart, and reach in such a way that the boys want to live those principles for themselves, for their families, for their friends, for the team,” Nilsen said. “All those things come together and have a tremendously positive impact because of that.”
 
Jon Schmidt, a popular pianist who played at Highland from 1984-1985, said he appreciated how Gelwix put a lot of emphasis on character, not just your sports ability.
 
“The principles of the Highland Rugby team are gospel-based principles,” Gelwix said. “It’s honesty, its integrity. It’s doing your best. It’s making mistakes and correcting them. It’s looking out for the other guy. It’s treating people with courtesy and respect. It’s always striving to do your best and be your best. It’s the who you want to be and what you want to be.”
 
Coach Gelwix likes to tell his players, I want you to be forever strong on the field, so that you are forever strong off the field. “If every player does just that, I’ll be a happy man,” Gelwix said.
 
“I’d like to think that all or most of the boys take away from this experience the knowledge that they are a better person, that they are better husbands and fathers, students, businessmen, or whatever they want to be,” Gelwix said.


Guess Who?

Can you guess who these former players are? They are well-known former Highland High Rugby players who played for Coach Gelwix. Click each image to find out who they are.

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