New Victories for Coach

Very few individuals at Cedarville have a one-name designation, much like a famous performer or athlete. But for many on campus, when you talk about “Coach” there’s one person who comes to mind, and that’s Dr. Don Callan.

Dr. Callan served as head men’s basketball coach for 35 years, leading the Yellow Jackets to 578 victories. He was also Cedarville’s athletic director from 1961 to 1997. And although he’s been retired for a few years now, that doesn’t mean Coach has slowed down. He continues to minister in many, many ways with athletes, senior citizens, and anyone else who will spare him five minutes.

Beyond his impact on sports, Dr. Callan has had a major influence on Cedarville’s efforts to send students on mission around the globe. He founded Mission Involvement Service, which is now Global Outreach, leading 35 trips to the Philippines and at least 10 to Europe.

Dr. Callan lost his beloved Nedra in 2020, his wife of 64 years, just a couple weeks after his 88th birthday. Near the end of the year, he battled COVID, and wondered if he might not be seeing Nedra very soon. But the Lord had new victories for Coach to experience.

“When Nedra died and went to heaven, I said, ‘I want to go to heaven,’” he shares. “God started working in my heart and life that I needed to know Him better. I found out God is interested in me for me. He wants me to be His servant, and He has something for me to do.”

The Callan Athletic Center, named after Coach, is slated for expansion as part of the 10-Year Campus Master Plan.