Kent Allshouse

Kent Allshouse has been coaching successfully at Graceland for nine years and has established himself as one of the best in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Over the course of his 16 years of coaching and entrepreneurial experience, Coach Allshouse has demonstrated a propensity for hard work and possesses the discipline and know-how to create success.

Since taking over the men’s and women’s cross country programs in 2003, Allshouse has amassed a solid record of achievement. In his first year, Kent built upon a women’s team of only three members and transformed them into Conference Champions and Regional runner-ups. Allshouse was voted “Coach of the Year” by his peers for his efforts. That same year he also added to and developed the Graceland men’s team which consisted of only four runners and guided them to a second place finish in the conference and a third place finish in the region. Additionally, Allshouse has produced national qualifying and all-region runners and his athletes consistently achieve new personal bests each year.

Coach Allshouse also serves as the head track and field coach at Graceland and has a proven record of success there as well. He has been voted “Coach of the Year” twice in the last two years and has produced 12 All-Americans and 73 national qualifiers in just the last three years.

Before becoming the head coach of Graceland’s running programs, Coach Allshouse also served six years as an assistant football coach at Graceland, working with receivers for three years and defensive backs for three years. As a football coach, his units were consistently ranked among the nation’s best and atop the Heart of America Athletic Conference rankings.

Before graduating from Graceland in 1984 with a degree in health and physical education, Coach Allshouse was active as a three-sport varsity athlete and campus leader. While at Graceland, he played varsity tennis, football and track. He also formed a successful Rugby club which he served as a player/coach for eight years.

Kent’s interest in coaching began at an early age when his career as an athlete was put on hold after being diagnosed with a degenerative bone disease while in high school. To keep him around the game, Kent’s coaches offered and he accepted an assistant coaching position at the age of 17. Kent used that opportunity to view athletics from a new perspective and learn from several quality mentors. Drawing upon his experience and the wisdom of his mentors Allshouse established what he calls his Six Keys to Successful Coaching: Dedication-Motivation-Respect-Communication-Concern and Accessibility. Abiding by these principles has brought him great success where ever and what ever he has coached.

Coach’s 6 Keys to Success:
Dedication, Motivation, Respect, Communication, Concern and Accessibility.
1. Dedication- A coach must be dedicated to the Institution, the Program and to the pursuit of Success.
2. Motivation- A coach must be motivated to Organize, Recruit and Involve Athletes, Parents and Alumni.
3. Respect- A coach must earn and maintain the respect of and for others.
4. Communication- A coach must be able to effectively communicate Goals, Methods, Achievements and Expectations.
5. Concern- A coach must demonstrate a true concern for the welfare of the athlete on and off the field as well as the integrity of the program.
6. Accessibility- A coach must be accessible to the athletes, parents and friends of the program.

Accomplishments at Graceland:
2005
~ Season still in Progress

2004
~ National Qualifier – Mark Boswell, Lamoni
~ 3rd place finish in the Heart of America Athletic Conference
~ 4th place finish in the NAIA Region V
~ 2 All-Region runners
~ 5 All-Conference runners

2003
~ Conference Champions, Heart of America Athletic Conference women’s cross country.
~ “Coach of the Year” Heart of America Athletic Conference for women’s cross country.
~ 2nd place finish in the NAIA Region V, Men’s Cross Country.
~ 2nd place finish in the Heart of America Athletic Conference, Men’s Cross Country
~ 3rd place finish in the NAIA Region V, Men’s Cross Country
~ 5 All-Region runners
~ 9 All-Conference runners

Kent Allshouse has been coaching successfully at Graceland for nine years and has established himself as one of the best in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Over the course of his 16 years of coaching and entrepreneurial experience, Coach Allshouse has demonstrated a propensity for hard work and possesses the discipline and know-how to create success.

Since taking over the track programs from Graceland Hall of Fame Coach Tom Nowlin, Allshouse has amassed an incredible record of success. He has coached 11 All-Americans, 81 National Qualifiers, 22 academic scholar athletes and countless all-conference athletes. He has twice been named the Heart of America Athletic Conference “Coach of the Year”. Additionally, Coach Allshouse has become well respected by his peers for his coaching and meet management skills. Because of his attention to detail, strong ethics and solid understanding of the rules, he has been selected as the meet director for seven of the last nine Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship track meets and two regional championship meets. While he is well established as an excellent coach in a wide variety of track and field events, coach Allshouse specializes in the pole vault, high jump, javelin and multi-events.

Coach Allshouse has also served six years as an assistant football coach at Graceland, working with receivers for three years and defensive backs for three years. As a football coach, his units were consistently ranked among the nation’s best and atop the Heart of America Athletic Conference rankings.

Before graduating from Graceland in 1984 with a degree in health and physical education, Coach Allshouse was active as a three-sport varsity athlete and campus leader. While at Graceland, he played varsity tennis, football and track. He also formed a successful rugby club which he served as a player/coach for eight years.

Kent’s interest in coaching began at an early age when his career as an athlete was put on hold after being diagnosed with a degenerative bone disease while in high school. To keep him around the game, Kent’s coaches offered, and he accepted, an assistant coaching position at the age of 17. Kent used that opportunity to view athletics from a new perspective and learn from several quality mentors. Drawing upon his experience and the wisdom of his mentors, Allshouse established what he calls his Six Keys to Successful Coaching: Dedication-Motivation-Respect-Communication-Concern and Accessibility. Abiding by these principles has brought him great success where ever and what ever he has coached.

Dedication, Motivation, Respect, Communication, Concern and Accessibility.
1. Dedication- A coach must be dedicated to the Institution, the Program and to the pursuit of Success.
2. Motivation- A coach must be motivated to Organize, Recruit and Involve Athletes, Parents and Alumni.
3. Respect- A coach must earn and maintain the respect of and for others.
4. Communication- A coach must be able to effectively communicate Goals, Methods, Achievements and Expectations.
5. Concern- A coach must demonstrate a true concern for the welfare of the athlete on and off the field as well as the integrity of the program.
6. Accessibility- A coach must be accessible to the athletes, parents and friends of the program.

11 All-Americans
81 National Qualifiers
22 Academic Scholar Athletes

2005
“Coach of the Year” Heart of America Athletic Conference for men’s indoor track.
6 All-Americans (indoor) – T. Fonseca, 1000m; L. Keny, 800m; Fonseca, Keny, K. Martin, R. Fraijo, 4x800m
21 National Qualifiers (indoor)
3rd Place finish, Heart of America Athletic Conference Men’s Indoor Championships

2004
1 All-American (outdoor)– L. Keny, 800m
10 National Qualifiers (outdoor)
1 All-American (indoor) – L. Keny, 800m
16 National Qualifiers (indoor)
3rd Place finish, Heart of America Athletic Conference Men’s Indoor Championships

2003
2 All-Americans (outdoor) – C. Gore, javelin; K. Rieff, javelin
1 National Qualifiers (outdoor)
1 All-American (indoor) – S. Scime, 800m
18 National Qualifiers (indoor)
3rd Place finish, Heart of America Athletic Conference Men’s Indoor Championships
Conference Champions, Heart of America Athletic Conference women’s cross country
“Coach of the Year” Heart of America Athletic Conference for women’s cross country

2002
Completed United States Track and Field Level I school – Omaha, Neb.