Olympian Kip Janvrin reflects on time at Simpson College

INDIANOLA, Iowa -- In honor of NCAA Division III Week, five-time national champion, Kip Janvrin '88, reflects on taking the "road less traveled" as a student-athlete on the Simpson men's track and field squad that prepared him for a spot at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Janvrin was a 10-time All-American competing primarily in the decathlon for Simpson. "I didn't need the fancy equipment and over-the-top facilities in college," he said. "I just needed someone to point me in the right direction and I would provide the work."

Competing at the Division III level often means joining a smaller campus and community. It can be a difficult adjustment for some, but others can prevail in the tight-knit environment. "My hometown had 1,000 people, so Simpson College and Indianola were right for me," said Janvrin. "I had professors who cared about me as a person and I had teammates who competed for the pure joy of the sport. As a student-athlete, we all took pride in competing for Simpson and we loved the opportunity to go against athletes from larger institutions."

Janvrin continued to relish the opportunity to compete against individuals from larger institutions even after he graduated, often times lining up side-by-side with Division I athletes. "When I was introduced at meets as a Division III athlete from Simpson College, I took pride in that; I also took pride in beating athletes from major universities," he said. "Track and field athletes from [the Division III] level are extremely passionate about the sport."

Like most student-athletes in Division III, Janvrin met numerous people on campus, but a certain quartet of men left a lasting impact. "I was fortunate to have four great coaches to learn from: John Curtin, Steve Scullen, Keith Ellingson and Guy Mosher," he said. "They each had different coaching styles and knowledge that helped me perform better as an athlete and handed me the tools necessary to become an effective coach."

It's been over three decades since Janvrin left campus as a student-athlete but he is still heavily involved in the track and field community as the co-head coach of the NCAA Division II University of Central Missouri track and field programs. He coaches with Kirk Pederson '85, a five-time All-American during his time on the Simpson track and field team. "Kirk is the reason I came to Central Missouri," he said. "We were best men in each other's weddings and have kids that were born on the same day.

"I would encourage anyone with athleticism and desire to participate in sports. It gives you a healthier lifestyle and friends that will last forever," said Janvrin. "The competition aspect can be focused on you getting better and becoming a well-rounded person as you are able to learn about yourself through training and hard work."

Along with his five national titles, Janvrin won 12 Iowa Conference Championships. He currently holds world records in the decathlon for most career wins with 41 and most career decathlons scoring at least 8,000 points at 26.

The Storm track and field programs were set to host the 15th-annual Kip Janvrin Open this spring. The event welcomes nearly 1,200 track and field athletes from across the nation to campus as one of the largest track meets in the Midwest.