For Coach Ken Brauman, coaching young runners is less of a career than a higher calling.

The beloved Cross Country and Track and Field coach has been at Seminole High School since 1983. His career, which includes several years as a Seminole High School guidance counselor, has taken him as far as the 2012 London Olympics.

“Track and field and cross country are great team sports, and they’re great individual sports,” said Brauman, “The team doesn’t have to be successful for you to be successful.”

Brauman was a track star in high school himself, graduating to attend Iowa State University on a track and field scholarship. Afterwards, he managed numerous international track and field teams. Most recently, he served as the Head Manager of the U.S. Men’s Track and Field team in the 2012 Olympics.

Beyond the international spotlight, Brauman feels that his true passion lies in coaching high school athletes. Although he spent the first eleven years of his high school coaching career at Palatka High School, he came to SHS to serve as a guidance counselor. In this position, Brauman assisted in shaping SHS into the school it is today, overseeing the creation of the Health Academy and International Baccalaureate programs.

“I like working with young people, that’s what I like the best,” Brauman said. “I’ve been here [at Seminole] since 1983, so I’ve watched it grow from a smaller school to the large school it is today.”

Currently, Brauman has just finished the Cross Country season and is anticipating starting track conditioning on Nov. 15. The team has reached its highest membership in years under his leadership, with close to 30 participating members. Brauman encourages each of his athletes to push themselves to achieve with daily practices and weekly meets.

Over the years that Brauman been at Seminole, the boys’ track team has won six state championships and the girls have won seven.

Outside of school, Brauman likes to stay active. In his free time he enjoys playing golf, riding his bicycle, and traveling.