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Dan Shonka talks about coaching, the sport and joining the SCTCCCA Hall of Fame in September.
What made you decide to become a coach?
I’ve been coaching one sport or another for 35 years and counting. I coached cross country 28 years. I’ve also coached track and field, basketball, football, and golf. Altogether, I think I’ve coached 90 seasons of sports.
Looking back at your time as a coach, what do you remember the most?
Realizing how sports can teach us all some skills and lessons that we can use in other spheres of our lives drew me to coaching. I became a teacher in an effort to make a difference, and becoming a coach was an extension of that. And almost always, athletes chose to come out for the team, as opposed to students in the classroom who were there because they had to be. That was a draw to become a coach.
What does it mean to be a hall of fame inductee?
What I remember the most is how hard my teams worked. Especially doing hill workouts. I remember bits and pieces of races and track & field meets where I caught a glimpse of one of our athletes breaking through, where they discovered a reward for their hard work. I remember some really tough moments in a few of athletes’ lives, sometimes related to sports, but sometimes just life, where I hope I was able to help them get through those rough patches.
It’s a great honor to be included in such a group. The ladies and gentlemen in this hall of fame are people I’ve looked up to, respected, and tried to emulate.
What do you think needs to happen in the sport?
As I retired, I was impressed with the growth in numbers on many of our teams. The large number of student/athletes willing to put forth the work to be part of our teams shows the excellent health of our sport. The one small thing that bothers me a bit about the sport is how much we focus on our kids’ times. Nobody wants to run a tough course anymore because our kids’ times won’t be all that great. Times should be something for track to focus on. In cross country, the primary focus is about can these runners beat those runners. It should be more about place and less concern about time. I liked seeing courses that tested our toughness, not just our speed.
What do you hope each athlete of yours learns from the sport?
Life skills like persistence, mental toughness, resilience, confidence, and taking on challenges are lessons athletes should be able to gain from cross country. Competitive teamwork, that is encouraging each other, but still trying to individually be the best. Hopefully they also picked up a love of running, and learned at least a little bit about how to keep themselves fit.
How long do you see yourself coaching?
I’ve stepped way back in my coaching, now just serving as an assistant track coach (mostly throws) at Southern Wesleyan University. I miss cross country, but I’ve learned to enjoy my mostly retired status. Could I be drawn back into it? If the timing and situation were right, probably.
What is your motivation to get on the track each day for practice?
I go to track practice to stay active. I still have a passion for it. I love teaching it. I’m lucky to have athletes who work hard, and that fuels me. When I was still teaching, I often told my team that coming to practice and seeing their determination, work ethic and positive attitude were the best part of my 
day. Certainly, the excellent and energetic assistants who worked with me were also part of that great day. I’ve never HAD to coach. It was always something I enjoyed. Well, except for driving the bus on some of those trips.
What challenges have you had as a coach?
Well, starting up a program from scratch was a challenge. And I didn’t even know how to run off a meet. Cross country is a tough sell to kids, until you really get it rolling. It helps if they know you, something that’s nearly impossible if you teach in one attendance zone and coach in another. And, while most of the time parents are a great support and resource, sometimes they can really undo any gains the athlete makes by tearing them down at home. One parent was so tough on their runner, the kid eventually couldn’t even finish a race because of the pressure that was being applied. That was probably the worst challenge I ever faced.
Who will be in attendance in September at the ceremony from your family and friends?
I have no idea who will show up, but I’m hoping to have some of my family, as many of my former athletes and their parents as possible, the assistant coaches who helped shape our program, athletic directors who gave our programs great support, and my wife, Deanie. We were a great complimentary team when we coached track & field together at both Daniel and Liberty High Schools.