As Rob Mallinder finishes his last season as head coach for the track and cross country teams, a search committee will form to begin the process of finding his replacement.
Baker University athletic teams have 11 head coaches altogether, eight of which also teach classes for the university. Athletic Director Dan Harris said he would like to see Baker’s exercise science program expand and said he would like to fill Mallinder’s position with someone who could teach classes for that department.
“We are definitely going to be looking for a coach with education and experience in exercise science,” Harris said. “I think the academic connection is really important to have.”
Harris said he understands the head coach position for track and cross country is a time-consuming one and would keep that in mind when creating the job description, which he said would take place in November.
“It is really a head coach of six sports,” he said, referring to both men’s and women’s indoor track, outdoor track and cross-country teams. “The teaching responsibilities will be a lighter load than others.”
The minimum requirement for a professor to teach a course at Baker is a master’s degree, even though Baker prides itself on the fact that a majority of its professors hold a doctorate degree.
Assistant track coach Mackie Valentin, who is in his sixth year coaching at Baker, does not have a master’s degree. He said earning a master’s has been in the plan.
“Becoming head coach has always been my dream, then the events that have come with coach Mallinder were unexpected,” he said.
Valentin said he will consider taking the head coach position. He has a bachelor’s degree in business and is Level 1 USA Track & Field certified, but said his best attribute is his experience and knowledge of the track and cross country program here at Baker.
“This is a program based on relationships,” Valentin said. “I think I have what it takes over other candidates when it comes to knowing the athletes, the university and the track program.”
Senior LaTasha Roberts said she would like to see Valentin become the head coach.
“It would be very fortunate because we are in the process of developing a very strong team,” she said. “He is part of that foundation. He brings a passion supported by a strong knowledge base of the sport.”
Some students think the head coach should not have teaching responsibilities.
“He is here to coach track,” sophomore Trevor Gleason said. “He shouldn’t have to worry about teaching.”
Gleason said Valentin is a strong presence on the team, and he is a big part of the team’s growth.
“(The team) trusts him; they have personal relationships with him, and they respect him a lot,” he said.