Stan Narewski (At-Large).

Stan Narewski first arrived at Wallace State in 1995 and immediately felt right at home in the area as the college’s cross country and track and field coach.

Narewski will become even more invested on Saturday when he is inducted into the Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame. Narewski, who lives in Gardendale, is this year’s at-large bid and will join 10 other honorees as part of the 19th class of the prestigious group during the annual induction ceremony at the Civic Center.

“Even though we live 30 minutes away, my wife and I have always felt like a part of Cullman County. It’s extra special to be inducted into the Hall of Fame considering I didn’t go to school there,” Narewski said. “It’s truly a big honor. I’m sure there are people much more deserving. I’m pleased and surprised the board thought enough of me. It means a lot.”

Narewski’s inaugural coaching stint at Wallace State lasted from 1995-2008, a 14-season span that included a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national championship for the men’s outdoor program (1997) and five NJCAA national runner-up finishes. Narewski was a three-time NJCAA Coach of the Year (1997, 2000 and 2007) selection as both the track and field and cross country coach.

Wallace State reintroduced its cross country program last year, and Narewski was eager to return to the college where he previously laid a strong foundation.

“I was telling my wife and coach (Tony) Crider the other day that you start a coaching career wanting to do good and trying to win. You do what you are supposed to do and learn the business. You surely don’t think about a recognition like this. I think you look at it and should be proud people thought highly enough of you,” Narewski said.

Narewski, who earned degrees at West Alabama and Auburn University, has been no stranger to lofty accolades during a coaching career that encompasses four decades and includes head coaching stops at Furman (1979-84), Clemson (1984-85) and Murray State (1988-92).

Narewski, 68, was a 2009 NJCAA Track and Field Hall of Fame selection and a 2005 West Alabama Athletics Hall of Fame honoree as well.

A product of Phillips High School, Narewski was a sprint record holder and president of the student body at West Alabama during his playing career. He went on to pursue graduate work at Auburn and served as a graduate assistant for the track and cross country teams, assisting in recruiting and coaching.

Upon leaving Auburn, Narewski snagged his first assistant coaching position at the University of Kansas and served there three years before accepting the head position at Furman.

Among his coaching stops, Narewski has garnered 32 Coach of the Year Awards from among the Southern, Atlantic Coast, Ohio Valley and Alabama Community College Conferences. 

At Murray State, Narewski’s teams won 11 of 12 Ohio Valley Conference championships, and during his first Wallace State stint, he led the men to five ACCC titles and the women to a pair of league championships.

Narewski has coached 13 Olympians, 11 Academic All-Americans and more than 400 career All-Americans. He was the USA Paralympic Team head track coach in Barcelona, Spain in 1992, and the head track coach for the U.S. Olympic Sports Festival in 1993.

“When I first showed up at Wallace State, I was an unknown quality in the area, but we quickly attracted good athletes, made a mark and built a good reputation. When I was at Murray State, it was quite the same. We had exceptional athletes,” Narewski said.

Upon Wallace State’s cross country being initially discontinued in 2008, Narewski accepted a position at West Alabama, his alma mater, as the Director of Planned and Major Gifts. While in Livingston, Narewski continued to be involved with the sport, serving as a collegiate cross country referee and assisting with summer cross country camps across the state. 

During both stints at Wallace State, Narewski has been encouraged and impressed with the excellence and high expectations surrounding the track and field/cross country high school programs in the county. His son conducts an annual cross country camp at Saint Bernard.

“If you’re not sure how important the sport is, just consider Cold Springs cross country brought the first state championship of any sport to the county. There are good coaches in the county, and they’ve built an important culture. They know how to properly train their athletes, and players want to be a part of that success,” Narewski said.

Narewski’s induction into prestigious company has him energized more than ever to aid to the strong cross country culture across the county.

“We have state champion runners who are headed here next season, and we’ll get them ready for the next level. Cross country is going to be solid here for many years to come, and we’re going to provide a great experience for our runners. We’re going to recruit the best runners we can from within the county and our service area and hope to be a college no one wants to compete with,” Narewski said. “We’re planning to sustain success for Wallace State and our county.”