CLIMAX-SCOTTS, Mich. — Kevin Langs said he was at a school function when he missed a phone call from the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association. His wife Kim told him that they called again. So he immediately dialed their number and learned that he was going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
“A major blessing,” said Langs about the news. “What an incredible community. You bring Climax-Scotts with you.”
Langs grew up in the small town and is an alum of the high school. However he began his career at Portage Central as a volunteer coach in 1985. He was later promoted to freshman coach and then to the junior varsity team. When he finally became head coach, he was fired six months later.
“I had a newspaper guy, about a decade ago after we won the state championship, ask ‘what was the greatest thing that ever happened to you athletically' and I said 'I got fired from my first head job,'” recalled Langs. “He said ‘no you misunderstood the question. I said the ‘greatest’ and I said ‘It was the greatest.’”
Langs said it was a low time in his life but he credits God for changing his arrogance into humility. The firing helped him to become a better husband, father and coach. And it’s what led him and his family back to Climax-Scotts in 1999.
“When we came back they were part of a 14-game losing streak,” said Langs during an interview in his office at the school. “To see it go from a position where a school had been losing 70-some percent of their games to where we’re at today is sometimes even hard to fathom.”
Since Langs started coaching the team they’ve had 10 undefeated season and made it to the playoffs 16 times. In 2004, they won it all.
“Of course State Championship everybody thinks is the pinnacle of all things,” said Langs. “But we’ve had great times inside of losses and defeats.”
Langs said he used those times to instill in his players hard work and often pointed to football as metaphor. He encouraged them to endure the physicality but to also enjoy the ride. It's what he did throughout his hall-of-fame career.
“We have one chance to live this life,” said Langs. “There are no do overs. We are going to be imperfect. It’s going to be messy but love the journey. Love the journey.”
