Grace’s Coach K Reaches 600 Wins
Posted by Terry White on December 15, 2009
by Zane Gard
After 33 years, Coach Jim Kessler (pictured) of the Grace College (Winona Lake, Ind.) Lancers basketball team has finally reached 600 wins. Kessler made the 600-victory milestone Friday, December 11, against then-ranked No. 11 Cornerstone University.
“I think that Coach Kessler is a man of God that genuinely cares about strengthening his own relationship with Christ as well as helping his players become men that seek after God in all we do,” said senior captain David Swanson. “He taught me to play the game for something bigger.”
Kessler, who has coached more games than any other active MCC coach (1,069), has a 600-469 career record and a .561 winning percentage. After being NCCAA Coach of the Year in 1982 and 1992, Kessler was inducted into the NCCAA Hall of Fame in 1994. He was also named the 1992 NAIA Coach of the Year and has won nine MCC titles.
“It’s a product of two things,” Kessler said. “You have to have good people around you and you have to be at a place for a long time. I’ve had great assistants and great players through the years. When you have young men of character around you, you will win your share.”
Zane Gard is a Sports Management and Journalism Major at Grace College.
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