Van Rose
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Impact Statement
“The most important thing about this job is making each runner feel important.” -Van Rose
Biography
Rose has been Northwest’s only cross country coach since the school opened its doors in 1969. His boys’ teams have won 14 consecutive Class 6A state titles, the nation’s second-longest active streak and second longest all-time, and 19 state titles overall, ninth all-time.
He guided the Cougars to their first state title in 1977 and his boys’ teams have finished in the state’s top four 28 times. His girls’ teams have been almost as successful, winning 12 state titles and recording 24 top-four finishes in the girls’ state meet’s 31-year history. Northwest has swept the boys’ and girls’ state titles in nine seasons, most recently in 2005. He has coached seven runners to a total of 11 individual state championships.
The Kansas Cross Country and Track and Field Coaches Association has named Rose its Cross Country Coach of the Year four times, for the boys’ team in 1990, 2000 and 2006 and the girls’ team in 1991.
Since being honored in 2008, Rose continued to lead Shawnee Mission Northwest to another four consecutive state championships which ran from 1998 until 2012. In 2017 Rose was the inaugural member of SMNW Hall of Fame.
Rose hung up his coaching shoes in May of 2018 after 50 years. Though retired, Rose is still pounding the pavement every day.
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