Coach Anthony Kowalczyk SXU Athletics
Saint Xavier’s track and field assistant coach Anthony Kowalczyk’s strive to be great has left a lasting impact on his teams in his time coaching.
But, prior to Kowalczyk being a coach, he was an alumni of Saint Xavier University, graduating with a BBA in Management and Marketing.
Kowalczyk’s time at Saint Xavier included being a two sport student athlete, meaning he attended many practices, meetings, classes and frequent trips to the trainer’s office.
He played defensive end for the football team and was a thrower for their track and field team, in which he excelled in both for all four years at Saint Xavier.
Kowalczyk’s accomplishments also included being on the All-American Academic team for both track and football.
In football, Kowalczyk was a three time conference champion as well as a team captain.
In Track he was a five time school record holder which he still holds records in the hammer throw and weight throw to this day, two time All-Conference honors, and a team captain.
“I wanted to stay within sports once I finished my collegiate career in athletics…All my life I loved sports, so it’s hard to say goodbye once your eligibility runs out,” said Kowalczyk.
Although his playing days were over, it wasn’t his last ride being active in sports.
After adding all his accolades to his resume, Kowalczyk set his sights on coaching while in the process of finishing his undergrad. He started coaching at his former high school, Steinmetz College Prep, leading workouts with the football team as well as working with the throws team.
In his year at Steinmetz, he coached a thrower to qualify for state and break the school record in discus.
“This gained confidence in my ability to coach,” Kowalczyk said, “which became my passion that I planned to rely on once my playing days are over.”.
When Kowalczyk finished his undergrad, he started coaching as a graduate assistant for football, but would work temporarily with track and field.
Kowalczyk went on to say he felt like he “had unfinished business at SXU” due to his senior year being cut short from injury.
Although his season was cut short as an athlete, his coaching career was just beginning to gain momentum.
He began to focus more on Track and Field and took on the role as the assistant coach of track and field, as well as the throws coach and recruitment coach.
Taking this position were big shoes to fill. Kowalczyk was only a graduate assistant for track and field for a year due to COVID-19 shutting down the program for that year.
Kowalczyk would make history in 2021 after creating the first class of women’s throwers and coaching a future All-American on the men’s team.
At this point in Kowalczyk’s career it was evident that his coaching skills began to show. On top of that, his joy for coaching grew as well.
“Coaching has made a positive impact [on] my life, allowing me to stick with the sport I love and building friendships with some incredible student-athletes and coaches,” says Kowalczyk. His journey becoming a coach has made not only a difference in his life, but to the lives of others.
When asked what his inspiration was to be a coach, Kowalczyk gave credit to his former coaches and family.
“My high school coaches [helped] instill confidence in my coaching, my college coaches helped provide me with the opportunity/ knowledge to coach and my family provided me with support to coach. All of them have inspired me in so many ways.”
His positive attitude has turned Saint Xavier’s football team and track and field team in the right direction.
As of today both programs are excelling in their own divisions this past year. The football program was MFSA Midwest Conference Champions, and a thrower from his track and field squad was a part of, that person being junior, Ayobami Arokoyo.
The track and field team placed third in the 2023 CCAC Outdoor Conference, as well as having two All-American athletes. One of the All-Americans, Arokoyo, is one of his athletes that accomplished just as much as Kowalczyk in college.
Like Kowalczyk, Arokoyo plays defensive end and throws shot put and discus. Arokoyo was the athlete who broke both of Kowalczyk’s records in shot put and discus.
“Being accountable, being honest, time management, and open minded,” are all qualities that Kowalczyk takes pride in when coaching, and it shows off in the long run.
From training athletes to become their very best, or having a good laugh with staff and players. Kowalczyk has a big heart and cares for sports and the people around him.