Coach faithfully fulfills various missions of life
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As the Vietnam War raged, and with the military draft and strict quotas on the number of missionaries wards could send out, a strong desire to serve a mission for the Church seemed out of the question for Larry Gelwix in the late 1960s. He said during a Church News interview that as he approached mission age, he was queued up behind several other worthy young men in his Walnut Creek, Calif., ward. It would be several years before he could apply for a mission.
Unwilling to let go of his goal, he found an answer to his prayers and pondering. He had an uncle living across the bay in San Francisco whose ward had no missionary-age young men. After talking it over with priesthood leaders, Larry Gelwix established a residence with his uncle, had his Church records transferred and started attending Church in San Francisco.
When he turned 19, he was called to the Central States Mission, an experience he is forever grateful for. "It set the whole tone for my life," he said.
Brother Gelwix, the only head coach Salt Lake City's Highland High School rugby team has ever had, was born and raised in the Bay Area. The Church and sports were important to him growing up, he said. Before and after his mission, he went to BYU where he was first introduced to rugby.
He earned a bachelor's degree in communications and a master's in organizational communication, and had a chance to pursue a doctorate at Purdue University. Instead, he took a position with the Church Educational System teaching seminary at Highland High School.
He was asked to help coach football and wrestling at the school. That left springtime free, so he started the Highland rugby program in 1976, and the rest is remarkable history.
After teaching seminary for four years, he went into the travel business and is currently the chief executive officer of Columbus Travel in Bountiful, Utah.
Brother Gelwix and his wife, Cathy, have five children — two sons have played rugby for Highland — and two granddaughters.
After serving as bishop in the Salt Lake University 40th (Student Single) Ward, Salt Lake University 2nd (Single Student) Stake, he returned to the Olympus 5th Ward, Salt Lake Olympus Stake, where he currently teaches 14-year-olds in Sunday School.
E-mail to: ghill@desnews.com
