After nearly four decades at Southwestern Michigan College, Ron Gunn has announced that he will retire at the end of this academic year. Gunn has been at SMC since 1967. He has agreed, however, to continue on at SMC as Director of Extreme Sports in a part-time capacity.

"It's been a great run," said Gunn, who established the physical education and athletic programs for the College. "I've been blessed with a great career at a great institution. Over the years, I have coached a tremendous number of young men and women who have represented Southwestern Michigan College extremely well. I am also very excited to help take the Extreme Sports program to the next level. It's a terrific program for our students and a wonderful opportunity for me to finish out my career in athletics."

Highlights from Ron's career include:

o Five national cross country championships and three national marathon championships

o 28 out of 29 teams finished in the national top ten

o 23 MCCAA (Michigan Community College Athletic Association) cross country championships and 18 NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) Region XII track championships in the past 30 years

o Coached 25 individual national champions

o 142 of Gunn's student-athletes received All-American honors

o Gunn was voted the NJCAA National Coach of the Year five times and has won numerous regional, state, and conference coaching honors

o Gunn also coached for the USA International Cross-Country teams in Ireland in 1979 and in West Germany in 1981

o By the conclusion of his coaching career in 1996, Gunn was the winningest coach in NJCAA cross-country

Gunn also founded Steve's Run, which was previously known as "The Original and Genuine Road and Trail Race." Now in its 32nd year, the annual race is now held in memory of Steven Briegel, son of former SMC president David Briegel and his wife Camille. Gunn also founded the Monday Night Running Club in 1979. Since its inception, he has tutored numerous community runners and sport walkers.

Since the discontinuation of intercollegiate athletics at SMC nine years ago, Gunn has directed fitness and wellness activities for the College including SMC's Fitness and Wellness Center and the innovative Extreme Sports program. Extreme Sports courses at SMC are credit- bearing physical education classes such as whitewater rafting, rock climbing, repelling, backpacking, sea kayaking, snowboarding, and mountain biking as well as the community/student Grand Canyon hikes. These Extreme Sports offerings have proved very popular with students and have become an important part of the college life programming.

While Gunn's coaching accomplishments are quite impressive, his personal accomplishments are notable as well. Ron began his athletic career at Moline High School in Illinois where he was co-captain of both the track and football teams. He was the school record holder in the mile and his team won the state track championship in 1960. Gunn continued his career at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL, where he quarterbacked the football team and co-captained the track team to its first conference championship in several years.

Gunn was voted Michigan Runner of the Year in 1979 by the Michigan Runners magazine. Gunn had a personal best marathon time of 2:51:12 in New York at the age of 40.

Gunn has been inducted into the NJCAA Cross-Country Coaches Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, CO, and the National Track Hall of Fame in Charleston, WV.

Gunn has four children: Jeff, Jacob, Sarah and Emily. Jeff, Jacob and Sarah are all SMC graduates and Emily will attend SMC in the fall. Coach Gunn graduated with a BA in physical education in 1964 from Augustana College, then went on to earn an MA in physical education from Bowling Green University in Ohio in 1966.

SMC President Dr. David Mathews said, "It is impossible to measure the positive impact that Ron has had on this College and this community. His coaching accomplishments speak for themselves. Additionally, the impact that he has made through the Extreme Sports Program for our students has been profound. We are delighted that Ron will continue to lead the Extreme Sports Program for our st udents.