Larry Gelwix
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Larry Gelwix (born in
Oakland Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major West Coast port, Oakland is ...
,
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
) has been the coach of the
Highland Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally, ''upland'' refers to a range of hills, typically from up to , while ''highland'' is usually reserved for range ...
Rugby team since its founding in
Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...
in 1976. The movie ''
Forever Strong ''Forever Strong'' is a 2008 American sports drama film directed by Ryan Little, written by David Pliler and released on September 26, 2008. The film stars Sean Faris, Gary Cole, Neal McDonough, Sean Astin, Penn Badgley and Arielle Kebbel. ...
'' (2008) was inspired by him and his team's history. The Highland rugby team has compiled an unrivaled winning record since its founding in 1976. He also hosts a weekend travel show, heard on KNRS and
KNRS-FM KNRS-FM (105.9 Hertz, MHz) is a commercial radio station, city of license, licensed to Centerville, Utah, and broadcasting to Salt Lake City metropolitan area, using the branding "Talk Radio 105.9." KNRS-FM simulcasts a talk radio radio forma ...
in Salt Lake City and syndicated to other radio stations.


Team win/loss record

Highland Rugby's 35-year varsity record (1976–2012) is 419 wins and 10 losses, including 20 USA Rugby national championships in the 26 years USA Rugby has sponsored a national championship. In 1998, Highland represented the United States at the World Schools Rugby Championship in Zimbabwe, Africa, which brought together the individual country high school national champions and top teams from around the world. Highland represented the USA. Highland came home with a bronze medal and a third place world finish.


Coaching principles

Gelwix is known to be very demanding on the athletes, requiring all players to adhere to a non-negotiable honor code that includes, among other things, avoiding alcohol, tobacco and drugs. Gelwix formulated what he called the "5 Championship Strategies for Sustainable Success." These success principles focus on Horizontal Leadership; staying away from things you know are wrong; attitude and effort, W.I.N. – What's Important Now – which encourages his players to make decisions now that support what they want in the future, or "tomorrow"; and to focus on the final score of life. Gelwix encourages his players to be true to the beliefs of their own individual faith.


Personal story

Gelwix is a native of
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. He was born in Oakland, CA to Betty Jo Mercer and Kennth Gelwix, Jr. and raised in Lafayette, California in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the second of four children. Gelwix graduated from Del Valle High School in Walnut Creek, CA. After attending one year at BYU, he served as a
missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...
for
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...
(LDS Church) in the Central States
Mission Mission (from Latin 'the act of sending out'), Missions or The Mission may refer to: Geography Australia *Mission River (Queensland) Canada *Mission, British Columbia, a district municipality * Mission, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood * ...
. He earned a BA and MA from
Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU) is a Private education, private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is the flagship university of the Church Educational System sponsore ...
(BYU) in Organizational Communication. He also played rugby for three years at BYU under coaches from New Zealand. He became an instructor at an LDS Church
seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as cle ...
adjacent to Highland High School to earn money to pursue a doctorate at
Purdue University Purdue University is a Public university#United States, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded ...
. He became an assistant football coach during the fall season and a wrestling coach in the winter. He missed coaching in the spring, and having played rugby at BYU, decided to start a rugby team at the high school. Gelwix left teaching seminary full-time after four years and pursued a career in the travel industry. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, Gelwix became a co-owner of Morris Travel, which operated travel agencies throughout the western United States. Gelwix and his partners sold Morris Travel in 1995, at which time Morris had 50+ offices and over 400 employees. Following the sale of Morris Travel, Gelwix was hired as CEO of WinAir Airlines, a charter airline operating nine 737 aircraft. In 2000, Gelwix and former business partner, Mark Faldmo, formed Columbus Travel, headquartered in Bountiful, Utah. Columbus Travel has become one of the largest and most successful travel agencies in Utah and won the "Best of State" award three times as the "best travel agency in the state of Utah" and was named by Mark Travel Corporation (one of the largest tour operators in the world) as one of the "Top 10 Travel Agencies" in the country. Columbus has been awarded numerous other honors, distinctions, and citations in the travel industry. Gelwix is best known in the Rocky Mountain area as the "Getaway Guru" and host of the syndicated "Travel Show" radio broadcast. Gelwix has been an on-air radio talk show host for more than 20 years (12 years at KSL and 8 years syndicated by Clear Channel Communications). Gelwix is also the feature on the "Getaway Guru" segment broadcast weekly on KUTV channel 2, the CBS network affiliate in UT, ID, and western WY. Gelwix serves as CEO of Columbus Travel. Gelwix has received many awards, honors, and distinctions, including the "Best of State" award as the best high school coach in the state of Utah, the "Education Service Award" from the State of Utah Department of Corrections; and the BYU "Outstanding Service" Award. The movie ''
Forever Strong ''Forever Strong'' is a 2008 American sports drama film directed by Ryan Little, written by David Pliler and released on September 26, 2008. The film stars Sean Faris, Gary Cole, Neal McDonough, Sean Astin, Penn Badgley and Arielle Kebbel. ...
'' was based on Coach Gelwix and the Highland Rugby Team. Though retired from active coaching, Gelwix continues his "coaching" by the letters and daily inspirational quotes that he sends to former players and many others


Personal quotes

Gelwix is known for his quotes, known as Gelwixisms. Among them are: * "You have two years to serve the Lord, and the rest of your life to think about it." * "Good decisions don't make life easy, but they do make it easier." * "The true test of a man is what he will do when no one will know." * "The essence of a lie is not the words you choose, but the message you convey." * "If you lose your integrity, you've lost everything." * "I want you to be forever strong on the field, so that you will be forever strong off the field." * "I don't build championship teams, I build championship boys." * "Practice doesn't make perfect, practice makes permanent."


Legacy

Bob Nilsen, who played Highland rugby under Gelwix, was formerly president of
Burger King Burger King Corporation (BK, stylized in all caps) is an American multinational chain store, chain of hamburger fast food restaurants. Headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the company was founded in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacks ...
and is now co-owner of Cafe Rio restaurants. He was asked at a business meeting in Hong Kong what teacher had most affected his life. He named Gelwix. Another player, Matthew Cole, became president of Bluestreak Sports Training in Stamford, Connecticut. While playing for Highland from 1996 to 2000, he says Gelwix was his father figure after his parents' divorce. Professional pianist and composer Jon Schmidt says Gelwix is "unusual in his ability to be an influence and be an example."


Church service

Gelwix was interviewed by Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the
First Presidency Among many churches in the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency (also known as the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) is the highest presiding or governing body. Present-day denominations of the movement led by a First Presidency ...
, on December 1, 2010 and was called the same day to serve as a
mission president Mission president is a Priesthood (LDS Church), priesthood leadership position in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). A mission president presides over a geographic area known as a Mission (LDS Church), mission and the M ...
for the LDS Church. He received his call to the California
Fresno Fresno (; ) is a city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County, California, Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley (California), Central Valley region. It covers a ...
Mission Mission (from Latin 'the act of sending out'), Missions or The Mission may refer to: Geography Australia *Mission River (Queensland) Canada *Mission, British Columbia, a district municipality * Mission, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood * ...
in February 2011 and began service as its president on July 1, 2011. He and his wife, Cathy, completed their service in June, 2014. They returned to their home near Salt Lake City thereafter, whereupon Gelwix resumed his service as CEO of Columbus Travel and began once again hosting his syndicated radio and television segments.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gelwix, Larry 1950 births Rugby union coaches from California American leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints American Mormon missionaries in the United States Brigham Young University alumni Church Educational System instructors Living people 20th-century Mormon missionaries 21st-century Mormon missionaries Mission presidents (LDS Church) Latter Day Saints from California Latter Day Saints from Utah