Here's to really appreciating Mr. Campbell

My brother ran cross country in high school, so I would try it, too.

And since he was always talking about Mr. Campbell, who was clearly a mentor to him, I figured I couldn't lose, even if I finished last.

And my freshman year at Mundelein, oh, I did finish last more than once, I recall.

I never liked running cross country. Too hard. Too boring. Heck, I get bored DRIVING three miles.

So I quit after my freshman year, and eventually went out for soccer, which, yes, I know some people consider boring.

Mr. Campbell? He never once gave me grief, never once questioned my decision to "give up," which essentially I was doing. He never tried to convince me that I should follow in my brother Paul's footsteps (literally) and commit to being a runner. He respected my decision and never made me feel like less of a person. When I would run into him at school, he always called me by my first name and always said hi.

I don't think I truly appreciated that back then, but I do now.

Clinton "Art" Campbell passed away unexpectedly Monday at age 65. He had retired a few years ago after 36 years as a teacher, coach and administrator. He was a gentleman, a mentor, a leader, a family man, a competitor, a great coach and a greater person.

Truth be told, his name is synonymous with cross country and track at MHS. Is it any wonder that the Mustangs' top male and female cross country runners each year receive the Art Campbell award? Mundelein coach John Osmanski calls it "the most prestigious award we give."

Is it any wonder the annual Lake County meet is called the Art Campbell invite?

"He was a guy who strived for excellence, but did it the right way," said Carmel Catholic cross country and track coach Jim Halford, who graduated from Mundelein in 1976 after running four years for Campbell.

"He was a great competitor and really knew what he was doing."

In the spring of 1979, with Campbell as her coach, Lisa Price won the mile downstate, becoming Mundelein's first-ever state champion.

"We all respected him and valued what he said," she said Wednesday, fighting back tears. "I wouldn't have been a state champion without him and the way he trained our cross country and track programs."

Price, who married Halford and now assists him at Carmel, expressed shock at her former coach's passing. Like more than a dozen people, including many of his former runners, who took time to write in the Guest Book attached to Campbell's obituary on the Daily Herald's Web site, she spoke highly of the man so many called simply "Mr. Campbell."

"No one ever had any bad words about him," she said. "We did what we were told. He was a wonderful coach and a great motivator."

He was a friend, too.

Halford remembers piling into Campbell's station wagon with varying teammates and driving to meets in Champaign and Charleston.

"I can remember on those trips him laughing a lot," Halford said. "It was a lot of fun. He was always joking around."

For Mustangs star Mark Schrimpf, who graduated in 1977, remembers Campbell taking the team out for a steak dinner once a year.

Art Campbell knew how to fuel a young person's appetite and zest for life.

"One of my lifelong memories about him is that he taught us about choices," said Schrimpf, who now lives in Madison, Wis. "I think we were underclassmen and it was during cross country. We were all kind of tired and he wanted us to go run some more. We were like, 'Do we have to?' He said, 'No. You can go home.' Everyone ended up running. He wanted to be there only with those who wanted to be there."

I can appreciate that.

Services: Memorial visitation is from 9-11 a.m. Friday at Ringa Funeral Home, 122 S. Milwaukee Ave. (Route 83) in Lake Villa.

jaguilar@dailyherald.com