2022 Inductee
We have all heard the terms “Servant Leader” or “Servant Leadership”.
While traditional leadership is focused on helping an organization thrive, servant leaders put the needs of those around them first. They focus on developing individuals to perform their best. Some examples of servant leaders are Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and Mother Theresa.
When it comes to servant leadership our next inductee, Mark Kauk, talks the talk and walks the walk.
His goal was to be a teacher and coach who was able to provide leadership in helping student athletes develop Christ like character, discover their calling in life and develop their God given abilities to their fullest potential.
Mark graduated from high school in Sutton, Nebraska in 1972 and Dordt College in 1976, before moving to Orange City, Iowa where he spent his entire professional career.
Upon retiring from teaching and coaching at Unity Christian, Mark had been the Girls Head Cross Country Coach for 43 years and Head Girls Track Coach for 42.
Kauk coached Cross Country teams won 5 state championships, were 5 time state runners-up, 24 time conference champions, 14 time regional champions and had 2 individual state champions.
On the oval, he led his squads to a state team title and a state runner-up finish while taking home 13 individual titles and 5 relay golds.
He has served on the IGHSAU Track Advisory committee and the IATC Cross Country ranking committee.
Coach Kauk was selected as a National Coach of the Year twice, and was a finalist on 3 other occasions. He has been a IATC state Coach of the Year 7 times and a recipient of the prestigious I-G-H-S-A-U Golden Plaque of Distinction Award.
In January, Mark and his wife Melissa, began a 2 year commitment to mission work in Haiti. Mark is serving as the lead of leadership development for a staff of over 90 Haitians. Melissa is working to impact the first 1000 days of a child’s life through nutrition and education. They live and work in Haiti 7 months of the year.
Together, Mark and Melissa have five children and 11 grandchildren.