Saved by Grace. Passion-Fueled Purpose
“My calling as a coach is to inspire young women and men to discover their God given potential, through our sport, while building a culture rooted in Love, Trust, Service and the Pursuit of Excellence…"
Since becoming the head coach of Cross Country at Cornerstone in 2023, Jason has been committed to building a Christ-centered culture where student athletes are challenged to grow spiritually, academically, athletically and personally.
The foundation of the program is built upon four core values: Love, Trust, Serve and Pursue Excellence. These values shape every aspect of the team experience, from daily training and competition to relationships within the program, across campus and our West Michigan community. Athletes are encouraged to find joy in the journey, give thanks in all circumstances, and compete with freedom (racing freely) rather than fear- approaching all competitions without the burden of perceived expectations, while pursuing excellence with the gifts and opportunities God has placed before them. The program philosophy, approach and its core values are rooted in finding true value and meaning within the process of training and competing to the best of our abilities, not simply the outcome.
Coach Schalk believes that lasting success begins with a healthy culture and meaningful relationships, and as new athletes arrive while seniors graduate- the personalities and team dynamics always evolve but their identity remains rooted, in Christ. The goal is not simply to develop fast runners, rather to help young men and women become confident leaders, servant-hearted teammates and faithful followers of Christ who are prepared to impact our community and world beyond their years as Golden Eagle student athletes.
Coinciding with his hire in 2023, the distance program has experienced significant growth, expanding from 31 student-athletes to 56 entering this fall. The teams have also excelled in the classroom with both programs earning repeated Academic All-American recognition. In 2025, the women’s team posted a 3.79 cumulative GPA, the highest of all Cornerstone athletic programs, while the men’s team achieved its highest mark ever- at 3.49.
The culture of growth and excellence has translated to success in competition, both within the conference and nationally, as well. The men’s cross-country team captured the 2025 WHAC Championship, their fourth title in six years. The women’s team claimed its fifth consecutive WHAC Championship in 2025 and climbed as high as fourth in the national rankings during the fall season.
While grateful for these accomplishments, Coach Schalk views championships, rankings, and awards as byproducts of something deeper: a shared commitment to faith, purpose, relationships, daily growth, and accountability. His passion remains in helping student-athletes discover themselves and their God given potential, embrace the joy of competition, and eventually graduate from the program prepared to serve wherever life leads them after Cornerstone.
