4(2, <: @6<9 */60*,
Free
/LYLQJ /LIH $IWHU
/HHU 'ULYH 6XLWH $ (ONKDUW
0RQ )UL DP WR SP :HG XQWLO SP
15,000 Circulation
Vol. 35, No. 8
October ber 2022
Elko Edition Reachi Reaching ing Elkhart, Kosciusko, Noble And LaGrange Counties
*RVKHQ +LJK 6FKRRO
UXQQLQJ FRDFK FHOHEUDWHV
7+5(( '(&$'(6 DW WKH KHOP
7H[W DQG 3KRWRV %\ .(,7+ .1(33 (GLWRU For the past three decades, Goshen High School’s distance runners have been in the competent coaching hands of Mike Wynn. Whether it be in the fall with the cross country kids or in the spring with the track team, Wynn has been the guy with the whistle and stopwatch. A 1984 graduate of GHS, Wynn is in his 30th year as the school’s cross country coach at his alma mater, plus another 29 seasons as an assistant track coach in the spring. During his tenure he has coached many of the top distance runners in Elkhart County, with many success stories in the always tough Northern Lakes Conference, as well as at the sectional, regional and state levels in IHSAA meets. After his successful career as a Redskin distance runner, Wynn accepted an athletic scholarship to Indiana State University in Terre Haute. Unfortunately, injuries limited his college career to one healthy season, which eventually brought him back to his hometown. Wynn’s wife, Lee, was coaching the girls in the cross country program when the school split into two teams. When Rick Clark, who coached Wynn in high school, received an offer to move on to Goshen College, the GHS athletic director at the time, Herb Resler, asked Wynn if he’d take over the boys program for a year. Wynn said it was always a dream of his
to coach cross country, so the match was two-sided. Three decades later, the interim tag went by the wayside long ago. Lee got out of coaching while the Wynns were raising their two kids, but has returned to be a coach on the staff for the past six years. During their time at Goshen, both his son and daughter participated as runners. When his kids were growing up, the Wynns sat down as a family to discuss how his coaching would take away from his family time. He said he was willing to step aside from his duties, but they encouraged him to stick with it and eventually benefitted from his athletic leadership. “I like the fact that I can share the knowledge I’ve gained about running,” Wynn said. “It’s neat being around young kids. It helps keep me feeling somewhat younger.” Wynn added that his job is to try to keep his runners in shape and to not hurt them. “We go as light as we have to keep the majority of them healthy,” he said. “And even then, we have some people who get hurt; it’s inevitable.” Last spring, the program graduated one of its most successful runners in Drew Hogan, but Wynn said doesn’t dwell on seeing his top runners move from the program. “Each season brings a new team,” he said. “We go through each season doing what we can.” His first year as coach he had seven boys on the team. Just prior to COVID, his team had 37 boys and 26 girls on the
/,67(1 83 ³ *RVKHQ +LJK 6FKRRO FURVV FRXQWU\ KHDG FRDFK 0LNH :\QQ JLYHV GLUHFWLRQV DW D UHFHQW SUDFWLFH KHOG RQ WKH *RVKHQ &ROOHJH WUDFN :\QQ LV QRZ LQ KLV WK \HDU DV FRDFK LQ WKH SURJUDP LQ DGGLWLRQ WR \HDUV DV DQ DVVLVWDQW WUDFN FRDFK LQ WKH VSULQJ
'<1$0,& '82 ³ /HH DQG 0LNH :\QQ DUH ERWK LFRQLF PDLQVWD\V LQ WKH *RVKHQ +LJK 6FKRRO FURVV FRXQWU\ SURJUDPV
team while this year includes 21 of each. For the past several years he has coached both teams. Wynn has not been a runner himself for the past 15 years or so, saying his “knees are gone.” Seeing the kids again is what brings Wynn back each season. He doesn’t have any immediate intentions to step away, but with four grandchildren in the area he said it’s going to be much tougher, calling it a “wait and see process.” “The kids (on the team) do bring sun to a gloomy day,” he said. “Sometimes their enthusiasm is infectious. When that enthusiasm isn’t there, maybe that will be the time I step away.”
.((3,1* ,7 /,*+7 ³ 0LNH :\QQ VD\V KH GRHV KLV EHVW WR NHHS SUDFWLFHV IXQ IRU KLV UXQQHUV LQ ERWK WKH *RVKHQ +LJK 6FKRRO FURVV FRXQWU\ DQG WUDFN SURJUDPV
Protect your Home and Life Savings (OGHU /DZ DQG (VWDWH 3ODQQLQJ +HOSLQJ 6HQLRUV IRU \HDUV
Are you aware that:
Learn how to:
• Nearly half of all seniors will spend time in a nursing home. • Locally, nursing homes cost about $7,500 per month. • Many seniors lose their homes and life savings.
• Preserve your assets from spend-down. • Remain in your OWN HOME. • Qualify for Medicaid.
WE CAN HELP even if you do not have long-term care insurance.
Free Workshops
,HZ[ <UP]LYZP[` +Y 0 .YHUNLY 05 ^^^ YPJLHUKYPJL JVT or
(K]LY[PZPUN 4H[LYPHS
Monday, Oct. 3rd 6:00 p.m. Monday, Oct. 10th 6:00 p.m. Ruth’s Chris Steak House 902 E University Dr | Granger, IN
Reservations Required!
Call Today to Reserve Your Seat!
574.703.3322
)RU 3HUVRQV RU 2OGHU -RLQ 8V 6HDWLQJ LV /LPLWHG