Being an athlete at Midland University helped create lifelong friendships and memories for Caleb Franklin ’15. It also helped set him on a course for a career as an educator and coach.

Caleb is a physical education teacher at Anselmo-Merna High School in Nebraska. He also serves as head wrestling coach for both the boys and girls programs and is an assistant track and field coach.

Athletics is what lured Caleb to Midland from Oakland, Nebraska. He was a member of both the wrestling and track and field squads and ended up setting the school record in the 100-meter dash and qualified for the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships as a senior. “I was able to meet a lot of new people my freshman year. I will always remember the teammates and coaches that mentored me and helped shape me into the man I am today.”

Along with coaching, Caleb also runs a track club (Quantum Athletics) which fosters kids from all across the Central Nebraska area.

He has become a leader in his school and community, relying on skills and attributes he gained while at Midland. “Midland helped shape my success by teaching me how to foster great relationships with many different types of people from many different backgrounds. My time as a collegiate athlete taught me about work ethic and holding myself accountable in all of my successes and disappointments. The most important thing I learned was to always be curious. No matter what profession I am in, I am always looking to be a constant learner and evolve.”

Caleb also happened to meet his wife, Julia (Hauser) ‘14, at Midland during his freshman year, and became a father in 2020. “To this day, I still have no idea why she chose me! Becoming a father has been the most rewarding and challenging experience of my life.”

He was successful in his own athletic career, but Caleb gets even greater enjoyment seeing athletes he has coached succeed in their own way. “Watching all the athletes I have coached, at any level, reach their goals has been one of my greatest accomplishments. The elation on their faces from all the hard work they put in makes my job rewarding.”