In the spring of my first year of teaching at Licking Valley High School, the call went out for an assistant varsity track coach. I answered that call (needing the money to pay back my college debt!) having never had one minute experience around track. I was willing to learn. Sure enough the second year I found myself as Head Coach! By my third year this was "my team!" I am proud of the fact we finished higher than any other LV team in the County Track Meet and 3 of these "speedsters" went on to compete in the State Track Meet. I learned a lot about building youngsters as a teacher and coach in these early formative "skinny" years. And they continue to inspire me.
One of those competitors (below) was hurdler and high jumper, Tommy Miles. Recently I have reconnected with the "three amigos" and talked about those "good ol' days." Tommy recently wrote, "I HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED BY THE U.S. NAVIES MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS AS AN ABLE BODIED SEAMAN. I'VE BEEN AROUND THE WORLD ABOUT 15 TIMES. IT SEEMS THAT THE WORLD HAS ACTUALLY BECAME SMALL IN MANY RESPECTS. I SORT OF WENT TO VIETNAM ON MY SENIOR CLASS TRIP AFTER GRADUATION. I WENT INTO THE ARMY LIKE YOUR BROTHER BOB. IVE BEEN A RAILROADER, BUS DRIVER, OILFIELD WORKER, COMMERCIAL FISHERMAN. I ONCE WORKED ON A CATTLE RANCH IN LOWER ALABAMA, AND WORKED ON SHRIMP BOATS GOING TO CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA. IF YOU ARE WONDERING IF MY LIFE HAS BEEN EXCITING AND ADVENTUROUS, YES IT HAS! IF YOU ARE WONDERING IF I'M STILL A WILD AND CRAZY GUY... YES I AM. IM JUST NOT AS FAST AS I USED TO BE. "
In the spring of my first year of teaching at Licking Valley High School, the call went out for an assistant varsity track coach. I answered that call (needing the money to pay back my college debt!) having never had one minute experience around track. I was willing to learn. Sure enough the second year I found myself as Head Coach! By my third year this was "my team!" I am proud of the fact we finished higher than any other LV team in the County Track Meet and 3 of these "speedsters" went on to compete in the State Track Meet. I learned a lot about building youngsters as a teacher and coach in these early formative "skinny" years. And they continue to inspire me.
One of those competitors (below) was hurdler and high jumper, Tommy Miles. Recently I have reconnected with the "three amigos" and talked about those "good ol' days." Tommy recently wrote, "I HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED BY THE U.S. NAVIES MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS AS AN ABLE BODIED SEAMAN. I'VE BEEN AROUND THE WORLD ABOUT 15 TIMES. IT SEEMS THAT THE WORLD HAS ACTUALLY BECAME SMALL IN MANY RESPECTS. I SORT OF WENT TO VIETNAM ON MY SENIOR CLASS TRIP AFTER GRADUATION. I WENT INTO THE ARMY LIKE YOUR BROTHER BOB. IVE BEEN A RAILROADER, BUS DRIVER, OILFIELD WORKER, COMMERCIAL FISHERMAN. I ONCE WORKED ON A CATTLE RANCH IN LOWER ALABAMA, AND WORKED ON SHRIMP BOATS GOING TO CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA. IF YOU ARE WONDERING IF MY LIFE HAS BEEN EXCITING AND ADVENTUROUS, YES IT HAS! IF YOU ARE WONDERING IF I'M STILL A WILD AND CRAZY GUY... YES I AM. IM JUST NOT AS FAST AS I USED TO BE. "
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