Hall of Fame
Coach Jerry Arvin had been the cross country/track and field coach for men and women for the last six years following an eight-year period when he was the assistant to Point Loma Hall of Fame coach, Jim Crakes. One of the most impressive aspects of Arvin’s induction is that his nomination came from his athletes:
“I would like to take this opportunity to bring to light the significant contributions of Coach Jerry Arvin to the PLNU athlete, not only as a coach, but as a friend and mentor as well. Coach Arvin has been a strong leader in track and field and cross country. He always strives to put the Lord first and is a counselor and our leader. He looks for athletes who want to be here in this Christian atmosphere. He always tells us the most important thing to him is our walk with the Lord, then school and classes, then athletics. Having a coach with his priorities straight, helps our team as a whole keep their priorities straight. This example had been one of security and peace for many athletes. Another aspect is his friendship and guidance. Numerous students, athletes and friends agree that he often places our needs above his.”
When Crakes retired and Arvin became head coach, the colleagues in the NAIA District Three and Region II were already relying heavily on his wisdom and insight into the management of the region’s cross country and track and field events. Under his leadership, the size of the teams has increased dramatically. The performances have continued at the high level that Point Loma track and field and cross country followers have come to expect. During his first five full seasons, there were 15 athletes achieving All-American status and between those, 24 All-American performances in various events. He has also had 12 Academic All-Americans during that time period. Arvin was selected the GSAC and NAIA Region II Coach of the Year in 1994 for cross country. While in track and field he was chosen for GSAC men’s Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1998 and for the women in 1997, 1998 and 1999. In 1999, the NAIA Track and Field Coaches Association selected Arvin as on of their five regional coaches of the year.
Arvin has made a significant contribution to our teams during his entire career. He is the epitome of a dedicated coach as a Christian university. His teams are highly competitive, the carry high GPAs and they are model students. It is not by accident—it is by leadership.
The award for Outstanding Achievement by a Coach was presented to Arvin by Bob Brower.
