Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Tennessee SR G/F Rae Burrell

Posted on October 15, 2021 by Jon Teitel

We are keeping our fingers crossed in the hope that we can return to a “normal” version of college basketball this fall: fans in the stands, announcers without masks, etc. Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen but we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. We continue our coverage with Tennessee SR G/F Rae Burrell. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Rae about being a great FT shooter and her expectations for this season.

You were born/raised in Las Vegas: what made you choose Tennessee? I chose Tennessee because of the legacy that has been built over the years: I just wanted to be a part of building onto that legacy.

You play for Coach Kellie Harper: what makes her such a great coach, and what is it like to play for a married couple (1 of her assistants is her husband Jon)? She played for Pat Summitt and has won championships. She knows what it feels like to win a championship and what it takes to win a championship. She really tries to give us all of the knowledge that she possesses. She has a vision and knows what she wants each of us to do to reach that goal. We just have to play, lock in, and follow her plan. Since she has the experience of playing here we feel like we can trust her and what she knows: we also trust that her system works because she has done it herself. She is a really passionate coach and really cares about us, which really helps us to work hard for her. They both just continue to trust me and let me play, which helps build my confidence and makes me want to work even harder. They give me a lot of freedom on the court, which helps me a lot. I also put in a lot of extra work on my own, which has really helped me develop my game. I do not really look at them as husband and wife during practices, games, or on trips: they are just our coaches. At the end of the day when we are just hanging around it is a cool family atmosphere and you know that they are husband and wife. Their children (Jackson and Kiley) are around us a lot too, which makes it feel like all of us are in one big family.

Last January you scored a team-high 18 PTS in a 6-PT loss to UConn: how do you explain the rivalry with the Huskies to someone who has never seen it in person? It is the history behind it with Pat and Geno Auriemma, who are considered two of the best coaches in college basketball history, as well as the players who played in some big games. It is an intense game of who is going to be the best while playing on a big stage. It is really fun because of the atmosphere and having so many fans at these games. It is just so loud: probably the loudest game that I will ever be a part of.

Last year you made all 16 of your FT attempts taken in the final 4 minutes of games: what is the secret to making FTs when the game is on the line? Just having a routine: you have to do the same thing every single time. I know my routine when I get up there: 2 dribbles, spin ball, breathe in, and relax my shoulders. When I relax my shoulders I feel like I can really focus on shooting the free throw and I never take my eye off the rim. I imagine the ball going in as I prepare to shoot the free throw. Just sticking to my routine is what helps me make it every time. There is not a certain number of free throws that I take every week: when I get in the gym at the end of my workouts I will shoot until I make 10 free throws in a row. Sometimes it is quick but I just make sure to get that in at the end of a workout when I am tired. When you shoot free throws in a game you are most likely going to be winded or tired so that is how I practice them.

In the 2021 NCAA tourney you beat MTSU before losing to Michigan: what did you learn from that tourney run that will help you this year? That was my first NCAA Tournament experience: my freshman year I did not really play in the tournament and then my sophomore year it got canceled due to COVID. I think having that experience of just being there and actually being in the game and experiencing the intensity of the game will help greatly this year because now I know what it will look like.

You have made the SEC Academic Honor Roll during each of the past 2 years: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? It is really just about time management. You have to really manage your schedule and figure out what times you can get your work done and what times you can squeeze training in without interrupting the time when you have to get homework done. I think that really managing your time and getting things done in a timely manner instead of waiting until the last minute is key.

Your brutal non-conference schedule this year includes games against Texas/Oklahoma State/Virginia Tech/Stanford/UConn: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? The obvious answer is probably UConn because that is the big rival, but I feel like all of our games are going to be tests that can help our team grow no matter the outcome. We play three Final Four teams (including Stanford at home) and our conference is going to be even better this year. Each game we play will challenge us in some way and help us find opportunities to grow as a team and get ready for the SEC.

Your mother Ann played basketball at Nevada, your father John was an All-American in the long jump at Nevada, and your cousin Evan Roquemore played basketball at Santa Clara: who is the best athlete in the family? I think I am the best athlete in the family. My parents gave me all of my athleticism so that is where I get it from. My dad is really athletic: ever since I was young he has always been good at whatever he does. He does not let us win easily and taught us how to compete as we were growing up.

You turned 21 last summer: what did you do for the big day? I just went to dinner with a few of my teammates and ate some sushi. My birthday was on a Monday and we had practice the next day so we did not stay out late: just went back to the dorm and watched a movie. My roommates and one of our managers (Riane) hung up a “Happy Birthday” sign in the room and got me a cake: it was a nice surprise!

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? My goal this season is the same as every season: to push myself to be the best I can be. This year I want to make sure I am a really good leader and I want to lead this team to winning games/championships. I want to focus on helping them and showing them and leading by example in terms of what we want for the program. Just being a really good leader is my main objective. As far as some personal goals I want to improve my assists/rebounds, but overall I just want to be a good leader for the team and helping us win is the main plan.

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Midland University vs Oak Hills Christian!!!

Posted on October 15, 2021 by David Griggs

So far as I know, this is the first college basketball game at any level, of any kind, of the 2021-2022 season.  These two NAIA schools will go at it tonight at 7pm, and the game is available for free on the easily downloadable NAIA sports app!!

The NAIA is normally not something we follow all that closely, but…HELL YEAH WE WILL BE TUNING IN TONIGHT!!  WE’VE GOT COLLEGE BASKETBALL!!!

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Rutgers assistant coach Michelle Edwards

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Jon Teitel

We are keeping our fingers crossed in the hope that we can return to a “normal” version of college basketball this fall: fans in the stands, announcers without masks, etc. Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen but we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. We continue our coverage with Rutgers assistant coach Michelle Edwards. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Edwards about being a Hall of Famer and her expectations for this season.

Your nickname is “Ice”: who gave you the nickname, and how do you like it? 1 of my mentors in Boston who was also my AAU coach (Alfreda Harris) gave it to me. A woman named Medina Dixon who later went to Old Dominion was the original “Ice”: she played a lot like George Gervin. She was older than me so when she left I inherited the nickname. I think it is cool: I never forgot what I needed to do because with that nickname you need to be able to deliver in key moments.

At Cathedral High School in Boston you became the 1st girl in Massachusetts history to score 2000+ PTS: what is the secret to being a great scorer? I wish there was a secret because I would bottle it up and sell it! I think it is just a God-given talent: great scorers have an “it” factor. You also need to work hard and have a community around you to support you when things are difficult. I had good teammates who did not mind passing me the ball.

1 of the college coaches who recruited you was a young assistant from Virginia: what do you recall about your 1st meeting with Geno Auriemma, and could you have ever imagined 4 decades later that he would become arguably the greatest coach in the history of the sport? I almost went to Virginia. I just remember Geno as this really handsome Italian guy: I think I spent more time talking basketball with then-head coach Debbie Ryan. I could not have forecasted all of his success but I am not surprised.

You played for Coach Vivian Stringer at Iowa and now work for her at Rutgers: what makes her such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from her so far? There are a few things but 1 that stands out is that the details matter. It is important to be honest with your players and build a certain level of trust: when you tell them the truth and they know that it is coming from a place of love they will not question you. You know she is in your corner even when she is being honest: sometimes it hurts. She is great at making in-game adjustments: when I joined her staff and saw how much is in her arsenal it is amazing. I still learn something new every day because she continues to give: it is special.

As a senior you had an upset win over top-ranked Texas: where does that rank among the greatest wins of your career? We were at a tourney in Miami and Texas was 1 of 5 teams ranked in the top-25. That upset was a memorable game but I remember a game in that tourney against Auburn even more. My double-digit scoring streak came to an end after I only scored 9 PTS but I had a bunch of AST/REB/STL. I was disappointed to not score more but still happy that we beat the Tigers: it taught me a great lesson that there are other ways to win besides scoring.

You played for Coach Stringer on team USA at the 1991 Pan Am Games: what did it mean to you to win a bronze medal, and what was it like to face a Brazilian team that included future Hall of Famers Paula/Hortencia/Janeth Arcain? I have had the pleasure/pain of facing a lot of great players from my era, be they American/Brazilian/other. In the moment I was just playing/trying to win, but looking back on it I recall it being a very physical game. Hortencia was a pistol and Janeth is a sweetheart: I later ended up playing against Janeth when we were in the WNBA.

In 2014 you were inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame: where does that rank among the highlights of your career? I have been so blessed with a lot of amazing things that happened due to basketball. It definitely ranks in the top-5 but we also spent about 6 weeks as the #1 team in the country. Even though it did not end the way I wanted to, you have to take a pause when you are the very best of 300+ teams in the country.

You lost each of your top-5 scorers from last year (Arella Guirantes/Diamond Johnson/Tekia Mack/Zipporah Broughton/Mael Gilles): how on earth will you try to replace all of that offense/leadership? When you say it like that it sounds impossible! Those are some big shoes to fill but we bring back a lot of “froshmores” as well as 8 transfers: it makes for a nice combination of players who can do some special things. Instead of relying on just 1-2 players I see a lot of talent so we need to see who can grasp the concept of Rutgers basketball. It is quite different from what some of the ladies are used to. The froshmores came in as a top-10 class and have adapted to the process/expectation of what we need from them. When you come out of high school you think that you know how to work hard…and then in college you realize that it takes even more to get to the next level. I am excited to see it all come together.

Your non-conference schedule includes a trip to the Paradise Jam in November for 3 games in 3 days vs. DePaul/Vanderbilt/Arizona: how do you plan to get through that coaching gauntlet featuring Doug Bruno (made the postseason every single year since 2003)/Shea Ralph (won 7 titles as a player/assistant at UConn)/Adia Barnes (2021 NCAA tourney runner-up)? I am impressed with how we make in-game adjustments and our preparation is out of this world. Some of my colleagues on other teams do not go as much into depth as we do with film study: we have to be prepared/in-shape. If we can really hone in on what we are trying to accomplish then the sky is the limit. Those 3 programs are all great: Doug has been doing it forever, Adia is coming off of her best season, and Shea knows what it takes to win after winning at UConn. It will prepare us for March by making us battle-tested.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? The goal is to get back to defending because that is our calling card. Coach Stringer emphasizes the mental focus/commitment that is required: even if your shot is off 1 night you can always play defense. We want to move/share the ball and then knock down shots. The expectation is to always be your best team that day but we will take it 1 game at a time. If we put our best foot forward on both sides of the ball then we will be in a very good situation to win ball games.

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Happy Birthday!: HoopsHD interviews 2-time NCAA scoring champ Keydren Clark

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Jon Teitel

There are only 10 players in D-1 history who have scored 3000 PTS, and the 1st 1 to reach that mark in the 21st century was St. Peter’s PG Keydren Clark. As a freshman he scored 24.9 PPG and was named MAAC ROY, as a junior he led the nation with 25.8 PPG/3.3 SPG, and as a senior he was named MAAC POY and broke the NCAA record for most career 3PM. He later played pro basketball overseas for more than a decade. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Keydren about being a great scorer and a great defender. Today is Keydren’s 37th birthday so let us be the 1st to wish him a happy 1!

You finished your college career as 1 of the greatest scorers in NCAA history: why did you choose to go to St. Peter’s instead of a big-time program? I chose St. Peter’s because it was the only school on my list that said I would be able to play valuable minutes as a freshman. All of the other schools said that I would have to wait at least 1 year, or maybe even 2 years. I knew that I could help a team right away so I chose to go somewhere that would allow me to do so.

In 2004/2005 you became the 8th D-1 player to ever lead the nation in scoring in consecutive years: what is the secret to being a great scorer? My teammates always found me in good scoring positions and on top of that I just found my own ways to score (FTs, steals that led to points in transition, offensive rebounds, etc.). I pretty much did what I had to do in order for us to win games.

In 2005 you also led the country with 3.3 SPG: how were you able to balance your offense with your defense? Defense has always been a part of my game. Being that I am small I had to find ways to make my presence felt on the court: what better way than to stand out on defense?! I was able to balance everything because my good defense led to my good offense. Getting a steal and scoring in transition was a way to get myself going offensively: in a sense it put me in the rhythm of the game.

In the summer of 2005 your teammate George Jefferson died from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (the same heart ailment that killed Hank Gathers): what impact did George’s death have on you? Losing George was a big deal because he was the reason I led the country in scoring in back-to-back seasons. From the time we walked onto campus at St. Peter’s, George had me in the gym every day working on my game. He believed in me more than I believed in myself at times so when he died I was shell-shocked and did not even want to play basketball anymore. However, at the same time it made me mentally stronger, more dedicated to the game, and made me just ENJOY LIFE because at any moment it can be taken away from you. I have so many great memories of George that I do not know where to start. 1 that stands out the most was when school was starting back up and we had to go to Enrollment Services to get our schedules. When we got there the lines were unbelievably long so George being who he was (funny, charismatic, and very outgoing) walks in, sees the lines, and yells “Fire, Fire!” All of the other students ran out and he casually walked up to the front of the line and asked for his schedule like nothing happened. George also loved Michael Jordan: in his eyes Jordan was EVERYTHING and if you dared to say something bad about MJ George would pull out his hologram Michael Jordan card and read you facts about him. Another memory is when we had planned a trip to South Beach for Memorial Day weekend. Usually when someone packs to go on a trip you put your stuff in a duffle bag or suitcase: right? Not George: he packed his stuff in a laundry bag. Whenever I think about that day I just laugh and laugh. George also had some quotes that I will always remember, 1 of which was, “Where there is a will, there is a way…and where there is a G there is a J”. Another one was, “Never let a hungry man eat”: LOVE U AND MISS U GJEFF!!!!!!

In 2006 you were named conference POY: what did it mean to you to win such an outstanding honor? It meant a lot to me because all of the hard work that George and I had put in at the gym together (summer after summer, practice after practice) was finally getting recognized. However, since the person that helped me to get there was not there to see me win the award it was bittersweet.

You were named All-MAAC during each of your 4 years and led the conference in scoring each year: how were you able to come in as a freshman and contribute from the start, and how were you able to continue to dominate throughout the rest of your college career? Being that I am a small guy in terms of the basketball court, I wanted to prove all of the people wrong who had passed me over or thought that I was too small to play the game at a high level. I showed up to college early and just worked my butt off every day, twice a day, for 4 straight years. I live by the quote, “HARD WORK BEATS TALENT WHEN TALENT DOES NOT WORK HARD”. Coming out of high school I was not the most talented guy, but I knew that if I worked hard and was given the opportunity then I could do something special…and I did.

You remain 1 of 10 players in D-1 history to score 3000+ PTS: how proud are you of being on such a prestigious list? I am in the history books with some of the all-time greats so I think that I am 1 of the best scorers in NCAA history. 1 of my favorite rappers (Jay-Z) said, “Men Lie, Women Lie, Numbers Don’t”, so going by the numbers that I put up in college I would think/hope that I am considered to be 1 of the best scorers in college basketball history.

In addition to your sensational scoring you are #2 in school history in assists and #1 in school history in FT shooting: did you consider yourself to be more of a scorer or all-around player? If you never saw me play and just looked at the stat sheet you would probably think that I was just a gunner, but the people who have seen me play would say that I am a good all-around player. If not…I still consider myself to be a good all-around player!!!

After graduation you played overseas and in 2007 you led the Greek league in scoring: what did you learn from this experience? I learned a lot. The game is played differently over here: every game and every point matters. Their rules are different from ours so I had to adjust some aspects of my game. 1 thing I really enjoyed about playing overseas is the love and support you get from your fans. The fans are absolutely nuts over here and it helps to elevate your game. Whether you were playing against the top team or the worst team they just want to support you to the fullest. Aside from basketball, it is tough to be in another country by yourself away from everything you know. It is a big sacrifice that a lot of guys are not comfortable making. Being overseas is really only for the strong because when you are not playing ball you spend most of your time by yourself in your apartment. You are on the Internet, playing video games, watching movies, etc., so your life almost becomes like a recording.

When people look back on your career, what do you want them to remember the most? I want people to remember how this small kid from Rice High School went to St. Peter’s and made all of the doubters become believers. I also want them to remember me for putting St. Peter’s on the map.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Oregon JR PF Nyara Sabally

Posted on October 7, 2021 by Jon Teitel

We are keeping our fingers crossed in the hope that we can return to a “normal” version of college basketball this fall: fans in the stands, announcers without masks, etc. Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen but we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. We continue our coverage with Oregon JR PF Nyara Sabally. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Nyara about making the Sweet 16 last March and her expectations for this season.

You were born in Oregon but raised in Berlin: how did you 1st get into basketball, and how big is the sport in Germany? I got into basketball when I was 9 years old. I went to a tryout and actually hated it at 1st but eventually I got into it. Men’s basketball is huge in Berlin but women’s basketball is not: it is bigger in smaller towns.

In the summer of 2018 you were named MVP of the FIBA U18 Division B European Championship as a member of the German national team: what did it mean to you to win a gold medal? It was amazing! Sadly I injured myself in the championship game but it was still great to put Germany on the basketball map: it was a huge deal for our country.

You missed 2 years in a row due to tearing the ACL in both of your knees: what was the hardest part of sitting out, and how is your health at the moment? The hardest part was just not being able to practice/play with my teammates. Right now I feel good and my knee is completely healed: our training staff did a great job of helping me recover from both of my injuries.

Last December you made your 1st start of the season and scored a team-high 20 PTS and made all 9 of your FG attempts in a 30-PT win over Colorado: was it just 1 of those situations where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Kind of. I did not notice that I had made all of my shots until after the game. Usually I miss a layup or 2 but things were going my way that day.

In the 2021 Sweet 16 you scored 14 PTS/6-8 FG before leaving the game early with an injury in a loss to Louisville: what did you learn from that game that will help you this year? You have to play all 40 minutes. We got off to a slow start against Louisville (trailing 29-14 at halftime) and got back into it too late. We were extremely young last year and have 7 new players this year: once March comes around it is a free-for-all but our experience will really help a lot.

You led the team in PPG/RPG last year: how do you balance your scoring with your rebounding? A lot of those rebounds were probably off of my misses! My coaches tell me to focus on rebounding because that is just an effort thing: the scoring will come. Rebounding also gives you more chances to score.

You are 6’5”: how much of an advantage is your height on the court? It is a big advantage…although after looking at the current roster I am 1 of the smaller ones on our gigantic team (including 6’8″ Phillipina Kyei and 6’7″ Sedona Prince)! Being able to post up/score close to the rim really helps.

In addition to playing both teams from last year’s NCAA title game in conference play (Arizona/Stanford), you will host 1 Final 4 team (UConn) in January, and might face the other Final 4 team (South Carolina) in the Battle 4 Atlantis in November: how will you deal with such a brutal schedule? I think it will be really exciting. We play Arizona/Stanford every year and they are good teams who help prepare us for March. I love playing games like that and being challenged: UConn at home will be amazing so I am glad that our coach schedules games like that.

Your sister/former teammate Satou is now in the WNBA: who is the best athlete in the family? Probably my little brother Lamin, who is a freshman at UTSA. When we played 1-on-1 this summer I realized that he is not so little any more: he is like 6’7”.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? I think that we can make a huge run in the NCAA tourney: the goal every year is to make the Final 4. The Pac-12 is such a strong conference so if we can win that then it would be a huge success.

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In Memoriam: HoopsHD interviews Dom “Chip” Rosselli Jr. about his famous father

Posted on October 7, 2021 by Jon Teitel

Dom Rosselli spent almost 40 years at Youngstown State and did a little of everything. He coached in 977 basketball games yet somehow found time to be head baseball coach for 31 years and an assistant football coach for 20+ years. His basketball teams appeared in 4 NAIA national tournaments and he was named Ohio College Coach of the Year in both 1957/1964. He retired in 1982 with the 10th-most wins in NCAA history and was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Dom’s son about his father’s coaching success/philosophy. Today is the 13th anniversary of Dom’s passing on 10/7/08 so we take this time to reflect on his life/legacy.

(photo credit: vindyarchives.com)

Your father played 3 sports at Geneva College: which sport was he best at, and which 1 did he enjoy the most? My dad enjoyed every sport but football probably topped his list, hence the “Dom Rosselli Day” at Geneva College which celebrated his legacy on the football team. The Geneva experience meant a lot to my dad. As a young guy from Smoky Hollow he left home for Pennsylvania and traveled miles from home: he valued the opportunity to be there. Geneva College had a spiritual component of learning/sport/spirit, which describes what he valued.

After college he served in the Air Force for 4 years during WWII: what impact did the war have on him either on or off the court? All 4 of his siblings served at one time or another. Knowing him as I did he undoubtedly worried about his family. He thought that luck played into his experience. A general once asked dad when he was a Captain to work with him in “morale support”, such as setting up sport sites for the troops in California. Our mother was able to join him, which made for a very different experience than his counterparts. He was a new husband after getting married in 1940. Being able to stay involved in sports in that environment surely kept his love of sports alive.

He was born/raised in Youngstown: how did he enjoy spending 40 years at his hometown school? He was pleased/proud to be in Youngstown: watching and being a part of the school’s growth from Youngstown College to Youngstown University and finally to Youngstown State University meant a lot to him. He was very close to his brothers and I am sure that being close to home during his career meant a lot to him.

He coached football/baseball/basketball: how was he able to juggle so many different sports at the same time? That is what he did for the love of sports. He also started the collegiate baseball and intramural sports programs. I think that he really did know how to juggle: you cannot be that dedicated unless you truly love all of the sports. I remember being on vacation with the family 1 time when we were passing through Washington, DC, and we stopped at a local playground to watch Jeff Covington play. Considering the technology at the time I am unsure how he even knew when/where to be to watch Jeff play!

YSU did not have a gym during most of his career: how did he feel about having practice/games at Youngstown South High Fieldhouse? That is just what you did! He actually liked these fieldhouses: South High, Struthers High, and Fitch High…but there was something significant about eventually having a home at Beeghly Center. He was humbled when the court was later named after him.

He was voted the top college coach in the state of Ohio in both 1957/1964: what did it mean to him to receive such outstanding honors? As a coach he always felt and expressed his strong belief that it was a team award/honor and not his individually. He often expressed how YSU gave him the opportunity to do this work that he loved: that was a reward in itself.

In 1976 he became the 13th D-1 coach to ever win 500 games: how big a deal was it at the time? It was a very big deal: success always seems to need a measurement. Dad was always very humble though. He enjoyed working with the players and I know that helping them succeed meant more to him than any number of victories.

He was once quoted as saying, “My idea has always been to play to win, but I’ve never felt you had to win or die”: was he the same person at home depending on whether his team won/lost? Yes: he was quiet and unassuming. Part of winning was hard work: you might not win the game but you could still win at life. After every home game he would stop on the way home to bring us pizza. We would all sit around and talk about the game, both the good and the bad.

He always gave the credit for his success to his players/administration and his coaching philosophy was to be honest with his players and not do anything shady to win: how do you think that his value system would have worked in today’s era of college basketball? I can only reflect on this based on the values he taught us. At any cost he would always stress ethical behavior. If I could ask him that question I know that he would say, “You should always do what is right.” Good coaches can act ethically and still survive the test of time.

He passed away in 2008: when people look back on his career, how do you want him to be remembered the most? I think that people will remember him differently depending on how he touched their lives. Each year there is a group of basketball/baseball players who get together for a long weekend. I visit with them as often as I can: everyone has a story about dad but all would agree that he had a great sense of humor. I think that he would be proudest of the fact that this group of players still stays in touch and gets together to remember him fondly. As busy as he always was he still made time for his family because we were important to him. In addition to coaching he was a carpenter in the summers and always worked hard. His coaching skills are well known. What I have learned in the past few years while sorting through his boxes of memorabilia is how great of an athlete he was. Most children never get to appreciate something like that about their parents.

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