Kemp Schanlaber
Men's Cross Country (1985-1987)
Two-time National qualifier, placed 34th at 1986 National Meet
Two-time All-Skyway Conference and All-Region runner
Nationally ranked professional Triathlon competitor
Doctor of Podiatry in New Hampshire since 2002
The majority of Cross Country runners could often be described as slender and nimble, built for long distances and uneven terrain. However, former Waubonsee standout Kemp Schanlaber did not exactly fit that mold. With a chiseled, muscular frame, he stood out from the crowd in both appearance and achievements. “Kemp was the hardest worker of any athlete I ever coached. I’ve never seen a better conditioned athlete,” declares former Waubonsee cross country and tennis coach John Bell.
Schanlaber came to Waubonsee from Aurora West High School, where under Bells’ direction he qualified for the IHSA State Track Meet his junior and senior years in the pole vault. For the Chiefs he earned All-Skyway honors in 1985 and 1986 in cross country, helping lead the squad to the conference championship his sophomore year. Schanlaber also earned All-Region honors both years, twice qualifying for the NJCAA National Meet, and placing 34th nationally overall in 1986 when there was only one division.
“Thinking about all the great times I had at Waubonsee back in the day, I would go back and do it all again if I could,” reminisces Schanlaber. While at Waubonsee, he also helped establish the college’s Fitness Center, which was initially located on the second floor of Erickson Hall. After Waubonsee Schanlaber began competing in triathlons, earning the Illinois state title for the International Distance Triathlon in 1987. The following year he qualified for and began participating in the professional division, traveling across the country for several years to compete in numerous events.
Schanlaber went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree in Fitness Leadership in 1989 and his Master of Science degree in Exercise Physiology in 1994 from Northern Illinois University. He later received a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree from the William M. Scholl College of Podiatry Medicine in 1999. Schanlaber then completed a three-year surgical residency at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago. He moved in 2002 to join the Weeks Medical Center in Lancaster, New Hampshire, where he continues to this day to serve as a doctor of podiatry.
Schanlaber remains active and still competes in triathlons whenever he can, running 10 to 15 races per year. He and his wife Jackie reside in Whitefield, New Hampshire, and have three children, 22-year-old Kelsie and 19-year-old Jessica, who both attend the University of New Hampshire, and 12-year-old Kevin.