BHS coach goes above and beyond

Yes, great athletes make coaches look good.

But when year after year, a coach continues to send athlete after athlete to state tournaments, something has to be said about his coaching style.

That’s exactly what Baldwin High senior wrestler Kevin Callahan attributes a lot of his success to – the approach toward the team taken by BHS wrestling coach Kit Harris.

“You want to come in and work for him and do anything we can for him, because he’d do the same for you,” Callahan said. “He goes above and beyond – all the countless hours he spends outside of practice and everything that he takes away from his family.”

The hard work put in by both his athletes and the coach himself, earned Harris the All-Area Wrestling Coach of the Year honor.

Callahan – the All-Area Wrestler of the Year, Kansas Class 4A state champion in the 130-pound division and Kansas Class 4A State Wrestler of the Year – said it’s much more than the time commitment his coach puts into the program, but also the personality Harris brings to the practices.

“He’s a great person on and off the mat, and that’s exactly what he wants us to do as a team – not only be a great sportsman on the mat, but what you do outside of sports and school,” Callahan said. “He’s taught me a lot, and I’ve learned a lot just about his ethics and stuff like that, that have helped me out more with my life.”

Harris took three other wrestlers to the state tournament this year: Seniors Gabe Mason (fifth in 171-pound division) and Nick Rockhold (sixth at 119-pound) along with junior Alan Callahan, who won regionals and went 2-2 at state in the 112-pound class.

“Those seniors came in as freshmen and really upped the intensity level in practice sessions because they took it pretty serious,” Harris said. “Kids either see that or are partnered and don’t have a choice to try to keep up with that. So that type of kid definitely improves your team all around.”