"I think 40 years is a good length of time," Wallin said of his retirement. "I've loved every minute of it. I just felt like now is the right time. My wife is retiring -- luckily I still have my health, and she does too. You have to remember that nothing lasts forever."
Wallin said that he has had many memorable moments over his long career at the College.
"A lot of times, it's not just remembering the best athletes, like Adam Nelson ['97] who won the NCAA meet in shot put," he said. "But, you also have to remember the other athletes who work really hard, and that sticks in your mind as well."
Nelson went on to win silver in the Sydney and Athens Olympic Games in 2000 and 2004, respectively.
Before coaching at Dartmouth, Wallin had already amassed his own accomplishments in track and field.
Wallin competed in track and field at Northeastern College and set a New England record in shot put, in addition to winning the 1965 IC4A shot put Championship.
After three years in the U.S. Army, Wallin then became affiliated with Dartmouth with the help of Big Green Athletic Director Seaver Peters '54.
"I was very apprehensive coming to an Ivy League school," Wallin said. "Even though a lot of my friends had gone to Ivy League schools, I didn't know what to expect."
In the last 11 years, Wallin has been named NCAA District 1 Coach of the Year four times. Throughout his long Dartmouth career, he has coached 29 All Americans and 15 IC4A champions.
Wallin's impressive track record has been a force in drawing field athletes to Dartmouth, according to Big Green field athlete Tim Wunderlich '09.
"Wallin has tons of experience with the sport and has success himself, and he has coached successful athletes," he said. "Coming to Dartmouth, that's all I knew, and I thought it would be great to work with a coach like that. He has exceeded my expectations of improving the mental aspect of track and field -- I've learned a lot from him about competing and staying within myself mentally."
Wunderlich cited Wallin's intensity and competitive drive as a major component of his personality as a coach.
"He is extremely intense during meets and during practice," Wunderlich said. "He will get frustrated with someone who isn't doing something correctly. In the end, it's just because he wants the best for that person and for the team."
Wallin's sense of humor also adds to his unique character, according to hammer thrower Emily Daly '09.
"He's definitely a funny guy," she said. "There was one time at practice when a trainer tripped over a hammer, and I was cracking up and told Wallin about it. Then at Heps, I had one hammer throw left, and I wasn't doing well. Wallin told me to think of that time the trainer tripped over the hammer, so I started cracking up and loosened up and moved up to second place."
Wallin often acts as a mentor to his athletes and provides support in areas outside of athletics, according to Daly, who said she considers Wallin "kind of like a second father figure to me."
"Wallin's most infamous quote will always remain, 'It's like you must,'" Lauren Goodnow '12 said. "It's how he describes why you must do a certain drill. It's his catchphrase."
Also well-known among the athletes is Wallin's trademark moustache, which "definitely adds to his demeanor," Goodnow said.
"When our son John was born in 1975, my wife asked me if I would grow a moustache, since I've always been clean shaven because I was in the service," Wallin said. "My wife's father had a moustache and when she asked me, I said 'Sure,' and that's when I grew it."
Wallin said he hopes assistant field coach Gordon Spaeth '97 has a chance to take his role on the team.
Still, both Wunderlich and Daly said the team will be forced to make an adjustment, regardless of who takes the reins next year.
"I think the seniors next year are going to take a big role in communicating with the new coach what works best for the team," Wunderlich said. "It's going to be weird not having Wallin around."
Wallin said he is optimistic about the team's future prospects.
"I think they will do great without me, to be honest," he said.
And despite Wallin's departure, his family will remain entwined with the sport as both of Wallin's children, Lisa and John, serve as assistant track coaches at Tufts University and Adams State University, respectively.
