It isn’t uncommon for a collegiate athletic program’s fans to say “once a _______, always a _______.” In preparing for this last blog, I Googled the phrase, trying to figure out where it originated. It apparently goes beyond sports. In my research, I found considerable biblical discussion on “once saved, always saved.” There was also some relationship websites with some lively discussion on “once a cheater, always a cheater.” I’ll leave that discussion alone! Ultimately my research couldn’t prove if Northwest was the first university to coin the phrase, but residents of “The Ville” don’t need evidence. In fact, you won’t convince anyone in Maryville that the saying didn’t originate with former Bearcat coach Ryland Milner. 

And this belief is exhibit ‘A’ on why Northwest is special. It is impossible to quantify the passion of a fan base. Does Nebraska, Alabama or Notre Dame have the most passionate football fans? I suspect that depends on if you are asking someone in Lincoln, Tuscaloosa or South Bend. Here is what I know, Bearcat fans are some of the most passionate I’ve experienced. Occasionally, I’ve tried to explain the passion to colleagues in athletic administration. The best way I can do that is simply to state facts. In a town of 12,000 and a county of only 23,000 we routinely put more than 10,000 in a football stadium and we will have crowds of more than 2,000 at basketball games. That’s a strong market share! We are one of a handful of D2 programs that don’t have to worry about avoiding scheduling games at the same time as D1 teams. I can’t think of one instance where I thought our crowd was affected by a game at Mizzou, Nebraska, Kansas or K-State. Honestly, I’d put the passion of Bearcat fans up against fans of any institution.

To Bearcat fans, there is nothing more big time than the young men and women clad in green and white. They arrive early (especially to tailgate) and stay late. They travel en masse. They live and die with every possession, drive, at-bat, etc. In what feels like a sea of corn fields, lies a University that has no equal in the hearts of our 70,000 alumni and friends. So there is a deep meaning when a Northwest fan says “Once a Bearcat, always a Bearcat.”

As my last day as an employee of Northwest nears, my family is thankful for our time here. Together, we have dealt with a lot and accomplished a lot during the past 26 months. Personally, Heather and I are thankful for the support system that exists in this community. It is a great place to live and raise a family. We are thankful for the athletics staff. Northwest has some of the best coaches and administrators in the country. We are thankful for the 400+ students-athletes who have taught me a great deal about excellence and perseverance. It is because of the tremendous group of coaches and student-athletes the future is brighter than ever for Northwest. We are thankful for each faculty and staff member, alumnus, community member and fan. You make Northwest what it is. Lastly, we are thankful for our time as Bearcats. Without it, we wouldn’t know the meaning of “Once a Bearcat, always a Bearcat!”

I also love the holiday traditions.  I have spent 33 Christmas days at my grandmother’s house.  Luckily, my wife, Heather, doesn’t have a long-standing Christmas Day tradition. So on Dec. 25, I will be at my grandmother’s in Valliant, Okla. for my 34^th Christmas Day.  I am known for the post Christmas lunch nap.  We usually eat, visit and open presents.  Afterward, I slip away to one of the guest bedrooms for a short siesta. 

But this year, things will be little different.  No, I don’t expect my routine to change.  Heather, Addisyn and I will caravan across Oklahoma visiting with our family.  But I will take time to enjoy things more.  When my grandmother greets us at Christmas, I’ll hold her in a hug for a little longer.  Maybe I’ll fight off that nap a few more minutes to enjoy loved ones just a little while longer.  I might call some of my friends to see if they want to get our families together.  Heather and I take turns laying down with Addisyn at bedtime.  I can promise you that I will stare at her a few more minutes as she falls asleep.  I’ll think about how blessed we are to have this beautiful, happy girl in our lives. 

And I will remember.  I will remember and reflect on the 20 children who were killed last week at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn.  I will think about their parents.  I will pray for all of their families and friends.  I will pray for the families of the teachers and school administrators who died while doing their best to protect innocent children.  I will pray that one day we will be able to stop such senseless and tragic violence.  I will pray that God protects my own family. 

Like most Americans, my heart hurts for all of the victims of the Sandy Hook shooting.  But as a parent, I anguish most for the parents.  I am an emotional person.  I always have been. I get attached to animals, neighborhoods, places of employment and everything else.  I love my family and friends.  But I never knew a love as deep as the love I felt on July 1, 2011 when Heather and I welcomed our first child.  A beautiful little girl that gave new meaning to our lives.  I don’t even want to consider how I would continue on if something happened to her. 

I know there is little that can be said or done to comfort the families of the 20 boys and girls who were killed last week.  No words will provide relief to the spouses, children or loved ones of the seven adult victims either.  So I will remember and honor those victims by taking a few more minutes to enjoy the important things this Christmas.  Things like hugs from my grandmother, precious moments with my wife and daughter, fellowship with family and friends.  In my own special way, I will be honoring all 27 victims of last week’s tragedy.  I sincerely hope you are able to do the same!

Merry Christmas to the Bearcat Nation from the Baker Family!

Without question, this has been an awesome fall for sports at Northwest.  Fall is also special because of Homecoming.  Last week, we played football at the University of Central Oklahoma.  Since we didn’t have any home games here in Maryville, I was able to leave early Thursday morning and visit some family in Oklahoma.  I grew up in far southeastern Oklahoma.  I love telling the people I meet that I grew up in a town of about 1,000 and I lived 10 miles from town.  While Valliant, OK, is remote and a long way from Maryville, I still love going “home.”  My family has 80 acres and some cattle. I always enjoy taking out the ATVs and riding around.  It brings back great memories of a happy childhood and spending every weekend in the country with my grandparents. 

I’m one of the only people from southeastern Oklahoma that doesn’t hunt.  I never enjoyed it.  I don’t like getting up at 5 a.m.  I hate being cold as well.  However, I love fishing.  Before becoming athletic director at Rogers State University, I owned a bass boat.  I sold it when I realized I wouldn’t have time to use it.  Occasionally, I get out to various farm ponds and lakes with friends. I enjoy the water a great deal.  The farm pond on my grandmother’s place is where I learned to fish.  Sometimes, I sit on the back porch and just stare at the pond remembering all the good times I had growing up.  No matter what is going on in life, going “home” is always relaxing. 

The football team is playing away from Bearcat Stadium during the entire month of October.  It isn’t ideal, but it’s the way the schedule worked out.  Last weekend we won a road game at UCO.  This week we play Pitt State at Arrowhead.  We finish the month with trips to Missouri Southern and Washburn before returning home for Homecoming against Emporia State on Nov. 3 so Homecoming will be especially meaningful to our coaches and players this year.  Homecoming is special to our alums, students and fans as well.  Maryville is one of those places that always feels like home.  I was visiting with one of our alums in Omaha last year.  He is a very successful and driven businessman and a great supporter.  His son told me that he loved going to Bearcat games growing up because his dad was so relaxed as soon as they pulled into town.  He said some of his fondest memories with his dad involved playing football in the tailgate areas before Bearcat games.  He said his dad was almost like another person when he returned to Northwest.  In other words, his dad loved coming “home.”

In a little over three weeks, it will be Homecoming time again in Maryville.  I hope that everyone will be excited and passionate and welcome the Bearcats back home.  Until then, we have some business to take care of.  It starts this Saturday at 4 p.m. in Arrowhead Stadium.  Kansas City will host two of the premier football programs in the country.  Pitt State and Northwest have combined to win 21 of 23 MIAA championships.  This year’s matchup features two top 10 teams.  Your Bearcats are ranked No. 7 and Pitt State is ranked No. 1.  We will need all Bearcats on hand Saturday, wearing green and cheering like crazy.  I am challenging all of our fans to make an impact in Saturday’s game.  We need you!

We also have some big volleyball games this week.  Our team play at Central Missouri Wednesday and then hosts MIAA games on Friday against UCO at 7 p.m. and at 2 p.m. Sunday against PSU.  The soccer team has a big game on the road at Fort Hays on Saturday morning.  I encourage you to get out and support your Bearcats.  We want to finish the fall sports season just as strongly as we started.  Finally, I also hope you will consider coming out Oct. 20 to the MIAA cross country meet.  Let’s give our cross country runners something they don’t get to experience often, home track advantage!

Until next time, best wishes and Go Bearcats!

Dr. Bob Boerigter followed Jim.  I will always remember how Dr. Bob evaluated the coaches.  He set up an evaluation process that gave them gave three levels of success.  You could either “meet expectations”, “exceed expectations”, or fall “below expectations.”

I’m not sure how many evaluations I received from Bob, but I never received a “below” and I never received an “exceed”..  We won as many as 24 games and lost as many as 17, but the evaluation never changed.  Dr. Bob wasn’t big on glowing evaluations, but he didn’t criticize much either.

Wren Baker has been my boss for a little over a year.  I know for sure it would have been great working for the new boss for many more years.  He’s a basketball man from past experiences.  He knows how to raise money and he knows the pressures coaches face.  I’m convinced coaches will flourish under his leadership.  I am confident he hired a great coach to replace me as the women’s basketball coach.  Mark Kellogg is a winner.

Usually I use my blog to tell stories about other people.  My last blog on this website will tell a story about me.  For the past 10 years, I had a second business that was a true labor of love.  The business came out of necessity as the coach at Northwest.

As I began working for the Bearcats, I wanted to take the team to a tournament inHawaii.  I had used a service out ofMinnesotathree previous times, but their prices had made it impossible to use them.

Luckily, I had a former player, Marissa Maaske, living and working inHonolulu.  I asked her to find a gym and hotel, price transportation, and build a package for teams.  For my part, I wrote all the NCAA Division II teams to see if there was any interest.  Rockhurst, Central Arkansas, Arkansas Tech,CalState– LA, and Northwest entered the first Hoop N Surf Classic in the fall of 2002.

One thing led to the next and Malika Sports has survived many ups and downs.  My part of the company was to talk to coaches.  Marissa’s part was to set up everything inHonolulu.  Now the company has a new name, Malika Sport Tours.  It is officially based inMaryvilleand I will work out of the offices of Maryville Travel beginning July 2.

Tera Nelson, the owner of Maryville Travel, has been great in keeping a secret.  Tera always set up my family baseball trip each summer.  She also found plane tickets for my grandson, Jacob, to visit his dad inPortlandeach summer.

Tera and I started to talk about working for and with Maryville Travel about two years ago.  To Tera’s credit, she had opportunities to bring other people into the office or even sell Maryville Travel.  She held fast and Monday, July 2, Tera will begin to train me on the travel business.  I hope she doesn’t get as sick of me as my players did each March.

Three years ago, Lori Hopkins, my assistant coach, issued a challenge.  She said, “If Sherri Coale (the Oklahoma head coach) writes a blog, why don’t you?”  So Stein’s Blog became a weekly routine in my life.  I have missed one week on my own and a blog didn’t go up one week my SID went on vacation.  Otherwise, my stories have hit the Northwest website each week.

My first blog was about a challenging freshman, Tara Roach.  Roach came fromElkhorn,NE.  She just completed her four years of eligibility. Tarahad good years and not great years during her career at Northwest.  However, she was probably the biggest fan-favorite I’ve ever had in my 13 years with the Bearcats.

Twice, my written words in Stein’s Blog got me in a little hot water.  Once, I accused the Arkansas Tech women’s basketball team of “stealing” our pizza’s after a game inMaryville.  The school protested and my boss, Bob Boerigter, asked if it was acceptable to change one word.  With a grin, he requested “stealing” be changed to “taking our pizza.”  With the same grin, I accepted his suggestion.  I don’t think it was really a suggestion.

About a year later, I was all fired-up about some policy of the NCAA.  I called them a name in this blog that refers to a government that has total power.  That might have been a little strong.  Wren didn’t request a change; he demanded that never happen again.  Trust me, it didn’t.

My time at the Northwest Athletic website comes to a close this week.  Chuck Holley, aMaryvillephotographer and friend of mine, told me I have developed a “herd” over the past three years.  I guess a herd is a term for those that have too much time on their hands and click on my blog.  Chuck suggested I attempt to keep my herd intact. 

I will continue to write Stein’s Blog on my own websites.  Since I will become a travel agent, my new business website is malikasporttours.com.  I advertise travel options for college teams on the Malika Sport Tours website, but there will be a section for Stein’s Blog, too.  I promise never to criticize the NCAA or accuse anyone of stealing (maybe taking, though).

I’m moonlighting in another profession, also.  In the past three months since my retirement announcement, I have written a book.  I am financing everything myself, so I better sell a few books.  I set up a website just to market the book.  I should explain the book first.

In 1983, my high school team won a state championship and went undefeated.  That team was the most mature team I ever coached despite all being high school kids.  The reason was the courage and struggles of a reserve guard by the name of Brenda Florian.

The book is called When the Nets came Down for Brenda.  Brenda never played a second that magical season, but the lessons she taught the team and coaches still are powerful 30 years later.  I try to tell the story in a book.

The website is whenthenetscamedownforbrenda.com.  Probably a little wordy, but the website does market the book.  It also will have a place for Stein’s Blog.  I hope my “herd” stays together.

Many people have asked me if I could do it over again, would I leave coaching after the Final Four season of 2010-2011.  The answer is always no.  I have loved every minute of coaching (almost every minute) and I don’t have a single regret.  I look forward to a new career as a travel agent and possibly an author. 

I guess I do have a single regret; it will be if I lose tract of my friends I have met while in coaching.  If anyone wants to stay in contact with me, I’ll spend most days at Maryville Travel.  You can email me at stein@malikasporttours.com.  See you around.

I had spent 15 years cultivating rapport with Nebraska coaches while the women’s basketball coach at Doane College.  I had a real feeling of comfort with most of the Nebraska girls’ high school coaches when searching the state for the top recruits.  In 1999, I had to start all over.

Some of the most memorable and best high school coaches get my mention during this blog.  I have to start with Ed Johnson.  Coach Johnson was the long-time and very successful boys’ coach at Lincoln Northeast High School.

I never had a personal relationship with Coach Johnson.  As I was growing up and a college student at Kearney State College in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, I was fascinated by the post-season success of Lincoln Northeast and a couple of other Nebraska high school boys’ programs.

I was a senior in college when I wrote five coaches including Coach Johnson on how they managed to have their team peak in February and March each year.  Coach Johnson was the only one that answered.  He sent me a five-page, handwritten letter.  The message was clear and very important; stress fundamentals.  That was one lesson I never forgot.

In my first year or two at Doane College, I spent many hours at clinics that preached coaching basketball from famous coaches.  I never established any kind of friendship or professional relationship with the famous coaches, but I did meet a very good high school coach.

His name was Jerry Beach and he was a boys’ high school coach at Sterling, NE.  I had actually met him a couple of years earlier when my future state championship team at Wilber-Clatonia High School played in a holiday tournament he organized at Bradshaw, NE.

Jerry had basketball smarts, was a tough disciplinarian, and could really handle high school kids.  While at Sterling, he won a state championship with his boys’ team.  Sadly, for the coaching profession, Jerry entered public school administration.  The pay for administrators is attractive.  It’s a route many coaches take during their career in education.

Two former players of mine are great coaches no one will ever acknowledge.  Angie (Miller) Schnaker was a first-team super-stater at Wilber-Clatonia High School.  She was a four-year starter at the University of Nebraska.  She began coaching in western Nebraska where she took her team to a state tournament.

Her husband, Rick, and Angie moved to Humboldt, NE.  She coached for the local school district but never experienced the same success.  Great coaching did not play a part in any lack of success.  Angie never had the talent that would allow her to win many post-season games.  However, the high school players at Humboldt always received great coaching.

 A huge fault of coaching is skill is often judged on success.  Since her daughter’s graduation, Angie has taught but not coached.  That’s a real shame for the students that pass through her school district.

Administration claimed another would-be great high school coach.  Trudi (Veerhusen) Nolan was a fantastic point guard for me at Doane College.  She began her coaching career at Geneva High School.  I watched her team play during the season and at basketball camps.  They were well-coached and Trudi had tremendous skill at handling her players.

She spent a little time as an assistant coach at Westside High School in Omaha, NE.  Now she is an assistant athletic director.  She has raised a family and stayed in the field of education, but players could have really benefitted from her coaching abilities.

Trudi’s high school coach, Ken Cook, did experience success.  Ken never professes to have great basketball knowledge.  He did, however, have great coaching knowledge.  Everyone knew what you would see with his teams, but few could stop it.

I’m not sure this is the correct number, but I think Ken won six state basketball championships while coaching at Adams High School.  Two of those came with Trudi as his point guard.  Ken also was a founding member of the Pinnacle Basketball Program.  Pinnacle sponsors one of the top high school club teams in Nebraska.

The school eventually eliminated the Industrial Arts program at the school.  That forced Ken out of the school district and out of coaching.  Adams will never see another coach like Ken Cook.

More recently, I began a couple of more coaching friendships, both on the professional and personal level, with Nebraska high school coaches.  Matt Fritsche and Scott Jensen coach Bellevue West and Bellevue East High Schools, respectively.  Both are great coaches and have dominated Nebraska high school prep basketball at the large class level. 

I knew Matt had successful high school teams, but I never knew what a great coach he was until one late July night at a basketball tournament in Kearney.  Matt was coaching a very young Omaha Crusader team.  Their opponent was a big, experienced club team from Kansas City.

The Kansas City team had one player that would eventually end up at Kansas State.  Several others played division one basketball after high school.  Matt’s team was small and had a lot less talent.  However, with his steady hand, the Crusaders that were  huge underdogs took down the heavy favorite.

As a recruiter from Northwest, I wasn’t supposed to root for a certain team.  However, I could barely contain my enthusiasm for the Crusaders.  Most of the college coaches had left by the time this game was played.  It may have been late but I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.

Scott and Matt married sisters and are brother-in-laws.  Both have won state championships.  The pair has sent players to Northwest.  Matt and Scott have been very honest about their player’s skills.   Their players have been good players at Northwest.

I met a high school coach from the Kansas City area several years ago when he took a chance and came to my team camp at Northwest.  Steve Ingram coaches at Olathe South High School.  His teams consistently are ranked in the top five in Kansas’s large class girls’ basketball.

What I love about Steve is how he handles his teams at camp.  He makes sure they are organized, have lodging and are fed while in Maryville.  After that, the players’ coach themselves.  Don’t get me wrong, Steve is never far from the Olathe South huddle.  However, all decisions are made by his team.

After each game, Steve meets with the team and talks about those decisions.  His team will take their coach’s advice and go into battle in the next camp game.  I love his calm approach and analytical advice.  It’s no surprise to me the way his team succeeds each winter.

There are many more coaches I could mention.  I probably have cheated many great coaches because I have already carried on for almost 1200 words.  Any success I have achieved in my college coaching career is directly related to the high school coaches I have known over the years.    

If I will miss anything about coaching it will be the coach to coach relationships I have formed over my years in the profession.  Some people place themselves above other coaches.  I call it “getting big-timed.”  Anyone who “big-times” someone else misses a great opportunity to gain valuable knowledge about coaching.

On the first pitch, Sam popped the ball to the catcher.  His first at bat lasted all of one pitch.  It ended with a weak, little foul ball out.  As he headed to the dugout, Sam shot me a dirty look that would crack fine crystal.  I’m sure he was thinking, “It’s your fault, Dad, for having me bunt.”

A couple of innings later, I thought Sam might have calmed down.  I casually said, “When you bunt, get on top of the ball.  You won’t pop it up.”  His reply was, “Thanks for reminding me.  I had almost forgotten.”

It drives me nuts how many kids Sam’s age want to blame everyone but themselves for their failures.  The way I see it, you do your best but always look at yourself when things don’t go according to plan.  That’s hardly ever the case, even in my own family.

Making excuses for failures is not limited to Little League.  In the NCAA Super Regional, North Carolina State was playing number one ranked Florida.  The game was in extra innings with Florida leading 9 – 8. 

North Carolina State had two outs.  It came down to their last strike with a one ball, two strike count.   The next pitch was probably a ball, but just barely.  The umpire called strike three to end the game.

From Little League through college and beyond, batters are told to protect the plate when you have a two strike count.  The thought is don’t let the umpire decide if it’s a ball or strike.  If the pitch is close, swing the bat.

Apparently, the North Carolina State batter hadn’t received the memo.  He took the pitch and went ballistic when he was called out.  First he charged the umpire. Thankfully, his coach was there to stop him before he could make contact.

It got worse from that point.  The batter threw his helmet so hard you could see pieces separate from the protective gear.  It took a second coach to drag him to the dugout.  If anyone could read lips, I don’t think most his words aren’t found in a Webster Dictionary or even a computer spell check.

He finally was in a spot where he couldn’t reach the home plate umpire.  That still didn’t cool him off.  He ripped off his uniform jersey and slammed it to the floor of the dugout.  Finally, the cameras focused on the celebration of the Florida team.  It wasn’t exactly a teaching moment for any Little Leaguers watching the game.

I see a less violent version of excuse making in the Northwest Little League and that includes my own team.  Very seldom does a batter take a third strike without some display of aggravation toward the umpire.

In a recent game, a team’s best hitter took a called third strike in the late innings.  He represented the tying run.  As he walked back to the dugout, he showed everyone how high the pitch had been.  I was watching the same game and I think he was off by maybe a foot and a half, but there had to be an excuse.

A couple of weeks ago, I saw a game end on a bang-bang play at third base.  The kid throwing the ball had to make an absolute perfect throw within inches of third base.  The third baseman had to ignore a runner thundering right at him, make the catch and apply the tag.  Maybe once in 50 times will you see that play made with 12-year old players, but these kids made it.

It was a great play.  There was absolutely no argument about the result of the play.  The runner was called out and it was the correct call.  However, the runner threw up his hands in astonishment.  The umpire couldn’t possible call him out.  Sometimes, you just have to tip your cap to a great play.

College coaches are just as bad as Little Leaguers.  I can’t tell you how many times I have met opposing coaches at half court after the game and got anything but congratulations on the way our team played. 

When a coach spends his time at half court ranting about how his/her team was a sure winner except for the ineptness of the officials, it takes everything away from the players.  It’s just a shame when it happens, even if it wasn’t a great job of officiating.

Excuses are a real epidemic, even in the Steinmeyer household.  I just wish coaches and players realized they won’t improve until they recognize their weaknesses.  It’s not someone else’s fault.

 As David Wells, a major league pitcher said, “I’m not going to make any excuses; I just went out and stunk it up tonight.”  Benjamin Franklin said it better.  “He that is good at making excuses is seldom good at anything else.”

            Blake McFadden, the great baseball pitcher from Savannah, joined the Maryville boys on the team.  I held my breath when the play got rough.  Blake will probably be drafted by major league baseball.  He’s also a really good basketball player.

            Tyler Walters was another kid on the team.  He is probably the best overall athlete at Maryville High School.  Kyle Leslie didn’t play basketball last year, but he showed good skill during the weekend of the tournament.

            There were other Maryville high school kids on the team.  They called themselves the Rejects, but that was just a spoof on them.  They played great and were rolling toward the championship game.  That’s when an official came to me with a complaint.  The Rejects were talking trash.

            As they waited to play the final game, I approached them.  It was my intention to give them some, “do it my way or the highway” advice.  To get my point across, I didn’t look at Blake, Tyler or Kyle.  My eyes met Eric Bostwick and I directed my advice at him.

            I knew Eric would be the best bet to gain control of the group.  He had that sly smile on his face as he listened to my requests for better sportsmanship.  While the other players may have denied the trash talking, Eric knew what I knew.  He assured me it wouldn’t continue.

            The game was played and the only poor sportsmanship came from the other team.  The Rejects hardly lived up to their name.  They won the championship going away.  Eric made sure my message got across.

            It made me aware of how much Scott is in Eric.  Scott once told me about the week before his Nebraska Wesleyan team played arch rival, Doane College.  Doane freshmen players were camped out on the football field so the Wesleyan players couldn’t damage the field.

            Damage to the field isn’t what Scott had in mind.  He and his buddies from Wesleyan expertly broke into the Doane Field House and stole every football.  Doane would have a perfect field to play on the next day, but they would have to settle for a game of tag.  There wasn’t a football to be found in the athletic department.

            Phone calls between the two schools were made.  An angry Nebraska Wesleyan football coach confronted his squad the next day.  As Scott would tell it, he looked right at him and demanded the balls be returned.  I don’t think Scott ever stopped laughing about that prank.

            I know he laughed every time I got together with Scott and former Doane College defensive coordinator, Tom Hood.  Tom always came to Maryville to officiate the Simpson College women’s basketball exhibition game.  After the game, Scott and Tom would get together in downtown Maryville.

            I went along for the ride.  That story was told and retold.  I think I laughed harder at it the last time I heard it than the first.  Scott, like his son, loved to cross the line then laugh his way back across the line.  You just couldn’t stay made at either one of them.

            When Eric was in junior high, he would watch my son, Sam, during the summer.  Now, if Sam goes to a high school basketball game, he’s most likely to go sit with Eric and his high school friends.  Eric never turns Sam away or makes my son think he’s not welcome among the much older group.

            That’s the way Scott was with me.  Scott was the most respected assistant coach and defensive coordinator in all of football.  In the end, he was in charge of the best football program in NCAA II.  I was the head coach of the women’s basketball team.  You might say the situation was the same that confronted Sam and Eric.

            The only time Scott wouldn’t talk to me is when he was in a deep discussion with a recruit.  Often he came to my office to talk about football or basketball.  He might just stop by to talk about our sons.  He never put himself above anyone.

            This past weekend, Sam took a graduation present to Eric.  It was a Nebraska Wesleyan football t-shirt.  Sam will miss Eric when he leaves for Lincoln this fall.  We all miss Scott since he left us a year ago.  Scott is gone, but he’s not really gone.  You don’t have to look far to see his presence in his family and in the rest of us.  We still miss him.

As I made my way out of my neighborhood, I called Rich. That phone call changed my life. That day changed a lot of people’s life. When Rich picked up on the other end, he said Coach Scott Bostwick had a heart attack…and he didn’t make it. I was in disbelief. How? Why? It can’t be. But it was true.  In the days and weeks afterward, the Bearcat family would come together like never before to mourn the loss of Coach Bostwick.  On the one year anniversary of Scott’s passing, I am taking time to reflect. Reflecting on how precious life is. Reflecting on how much happens in a year. Reflecting on how blessed I am to have my parents, my siblings, my wife and my daughter here with me. Reflecting on how my heart hurts for Sue, Leah and Eric Bostwick and all of the Bostwick family.

But most of all I want to reflect on Scott, the life he lived and what he taught me. I only knew Scott a little over six months. But I felt like we had known each other for years. Scott was special that way. I will start by giving a little history of how I met Scott. I accepted the Northwest AD job Dec. 20, 2010. Within the week, Coach Mel Tjeerdsma would call, letting me know he was retiring. A million thoughts raced through my head. The legend was leaving. How could I make a decision on the future of such a storied program without knowing anyone or anything? I talked at great lengths with Coach T and President Jasinski. I then called every coach on our football staff. Every single coach, some of whom I would have had interest in talking to about being our head coach, recommended Scott. I’ll never forget Adam Dorrel saying, “I want to be a head coach someday, but this is Scott Bostwick’s job.”

While that was impressive, I wasn’t about to sign off on hiring the most visible position in our department without an extensive interview.  I called Scott.  We set up an interview.  Scott, President Jasinski and I would visit for about 3-4 hours one morning.  We talked a lot about things other than Northwest football.  If you know Scott, you know he could talk.  He could talk about life, about family, and about having fun.  Scott could talk about anything.   When he left, Dr. Jasinski asked me for my thoughts.  I told him, “I’ll have to help him with the administering of the program, with tracking the budget, with details in compliance.  It will require some work, but beyond a shadow of a doubt he is our guy.”  I had no doubts.  I knew that Scott would be successful. 

That’s how our relationship began and I always felt a strong bond with Scott.  We were kind of in it together.  Everyone outside the Bearcat faithful wanted Northwest to fail, or at very least have a chink in the armor.  That happens when you play in five straight national championship games and go several years without losing a conference game in the nation’s best D2 football conference.  Scott and I were determined to keep the success going.  After his passing, his wife Sue pulled me aside and said “I want you to know how excited he was about you.”  She said he told her I was the “real deal” and that he knew we would work well together.  Scott’s friend Greg Wilson told me the same thing, as did Rich Wright.  To know he had as much confidence in me as I had in him meant so much.  I think about that often and get emotional.

Scott was special.  If you knew him, you already know that.  If you didn’t, I’m sorry you didn’t have the opportunity to meet one of the most awesome people ever.  I want to share with you a few things I learned from Scott in my short time knowing him.

1)       Work hard but find time to play hard and live life.

I’ve been guilty of not making time for my wife and family.  Being driven in your profession is a good thing, but not taking time for other priorities is a serious flaw.  Scott picked up on that with me right away.  He would come in and say, “Go home” and I usually did.  No one ever accused Scott Bostwick of not working hard.  He was a ferocious recruiter, he spent an enormous amount of time studying players and teams, watching film and developing schemes.  But he had more stories of good times with friends than anyone I know.  He made time to have fun.  He made time to live.  And he made time to travel with his family.  I can honestly say I’ve changed my thinking since last June 5^th.  I’ve made my family a bigger priority in my life.  I have Scott to thank for that.

2)      The Big time is where you are at.

I’ve mentioned that Northwest was Scott’s dream job and that he passed on some tremendous opportunities.  He was often quoted as saying, “the big time is where you are at.”  This philosophy can apply to coaching and athletic administrative positions or any profession really.  But it applies to so much more.  We live in a society that more and more measures success by the title behind your name, the size of your house, or the brand on your car.  How much simpler is life when you can just be satisfied with what you have and do the best you can with it?  Scott was simple in that regard.  He drove a Kia.  He and Sue lived in the same house for almost two decades.  And he didn’t chase every job that came around.  What an amazing quality to have.  What an amazing outlook on life.

3)       Be yourself.

One of Scott’s first comments during our interview was, “I can’t be Mel.  I won’t try to be Mel.”  He then spent 20 minutes talking about how awesome Mel was to work for and all the things he had learned from Coach T.  He talked about some things he would have to change on the field, in the office and in his personal time.  Things he would do more like Coach T.  But he never tried to be something he wasn’t.  The Scott you met hanging around on the weekend is the same Scott you would see in the office or at church.  Be yourself sounds easy, but in athletics it is difficult.  It has become a very political profession.  I respect Scott for always being true to himself.

4)      Be forgiving.

Scott believed in people.  He believed in second chances.  Many coaches will give second chances to great players.  Scott would give them to any player.  He didn’t care what the talent level was.  He truly wanted to help young men change, mature and develop into productive citizens.  Sometimes the easy thing to do is to walk away from a student-athlete.  That wasn’t Scott.  He would exhaust all possibilities to help them learn and rehabilitate them.  I grew to appreciate Scott for his big heart and compassion for people.

5)      Never give up.

1. Scott refused to give up.  I am sure this was part of the mentality that helped the Bearcats have so many dramatic come-from-behind victories over the years.  I still laugh at Jim Svoboda’s assessment of Scott’s recruiting tenacity when Jim spoke at Scott’s memorial service.  Jim said Scott absolutely wouldn’t take no for an answer.  Specifically, Jim said “If there were a natural disaster, and there were only one school left on earth and the recruit said he still wouldn’t go to Northwest, to Scott that meant put him on hold and call him back in a few days.”  Scott’s never give up attitude is still an inspiration to us all.

6)      Leaving a Legacy.            

1. I keep a quote in the top drawer of my desk.  It reads, “What we have done for ourselves dies with us, but what we have done for others remains, and is immortal.”  It serves as a reminder of why I went into this business.  I often give it to donors and supporters who want to establish a legacy at Northwest.  Without question, Scott is immortal.  He gave his time, his resources, his energy…he  gave his life to football and Northwest.  His competitive spirit lives throughout this football program and athletic department.  There have been many tributes to him this past year.  But none were more impressive than last football season.  A team that had every reason to collapse,  every excuse not to compete, and could have folded at any time fought back time after time.  They had a tremendous season and gave our faculty, staff, students and fans something to cheer for.  They did it for Scott and his memory.  But they also did it because of Scott.  Because he taught them how to live, how to compete, and how to fight through adversity.  He gave them something that lives on and is immortal.

Honestly, I could fill up a few more pages with my thoughts on Scott and lessons I learned from him.  I’ve shed more than a few tears while writing this.  It is hard day.  It has been a difficult year.  But as time passes, we will still have the lessons Scott taught us.  The memories of his laugh, of his courage and of his wisdom.  We will remember the pure passion of the man in the red hat.  Scott is one of those guys you always remember.  He is one of those men, you could never forget.  God bless Sue, Leah, Eric and the Bostwick family today and every day.

And RIP to Coach Scott Bostwick.  Thank you for everything.

Our coaches also emphasize community engagement initiatives.  A part of community engagement is giving back.  We believe that it is part of our responsibility to give back to our community and those in need.  Our student-athletes and coaches understand and embrace this responsibility.

With that in mind, our department embarked on some new endeavors this year.  In February, we hosted the Special Olympics district basketball tournament.  The Special Olympians enjoyed playing in collegiate facilities and the entire community joined in our efforts to make it a special event.  The group had such a good time they came back in April and we hosted their spring track and field games.  It was another very rewarding experience and one that we hope to continue. 

This Saturday many of our coaches, staff and student-athletes will join with others in the community to participate in and host the Nodaway County Relay for Life.  The event starts at 12:00 PM at Bearcat Stadium.  We are excited to partner with the American Cancer Society (ACS) and look forward to doing our part to find a cure for cancer.  The Relay for Life is the #1 fundraiser for ACS.  Each team agrees to have someone walking the track for a twelve hour period.  Cancer has probably affected everyone in some shape or form.  Hopefully, together we can find a cure for this terrible disease. 

For more information on the Nodaway County Relay for Life visit http://relay.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY11National?sid=128433&type=fr_informational&pg=informational&fr_id=39996

To donate to our athletic department team “Team Bearcats” visit this link http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?team_id=1189191&pg=team&fr_id=39996

You are also welcome to come out and visit with our team.  In closing, these are just a few examples of how Bearcat athletics is affecting our community.  Let me also take the opportunity to thank all of you who support our student-athletes, coaches and Northwest.  Northwest is a special place and this is a special community.

However, fear not Lombardi fans.  He danced around that quote any number of times.  Lombardi definitely said, “Winning isn’t everything, but the will to win is everything.”  Personally, I liked it when he said, “Winning is a habit.  Unfortunately, so is losing.” 

I never was big on locker room quotes.  I think the only quote I ever used on my teams in 33 years as a head coach was one by Walt Disney.  It was in a year when the team was going to travel to Disney World in Orlando, FL.  I didn’t put it in the locker room, but I used it in some publication for my players.

The quote was, “If you can dream it, you can do it.  Always remember that this whole thing started with a dream and a mouse.”  That’s what I call winning.  This guy grew up in Marceline, MO, which isn’t that far east of St. Joseph. 

Who knew the power of an over-sized mouse?  However, I do proudly claim to be a card carrying member of the Mickey Mouse Club.  I would wear those stupid ears just in case Annette Funicello came to Clatonia, Nebraska.  I would do anything to “win” over the early maturing Mouseketeer.

Zig Ziglar, the famous motivational speaker tried to piggy-back on what Lombardi had to say.  The quote attributed to Zig was, “Winning is not everything, but the effort to win is.”

In 1948, John Wooden was coaching at Indiana State University.  He invented a pyramid that contained 15 steps that he called the “Pyramid of Success.”  Can you name any of those steps? 

In the early 1970’s, Jerry Hueser was the men’s basketball coach at Kearney State College.  He was the basketball theory teacher when I was first learning the craft.  Coach Hueser actually read the book to us in class.  We had to memorize every step.

I am about to criticize the holy grail of basketball, but I always thought the “Pyramid of Success” was a little corny.  A few of the blocks in the pyramid are really obvious stuff like “Enthusiasm,” “Cooperation” and “Friendship.”  I know many coaches who are as enthusiastic as a cheerleader, cooperate with everyone, and is a friend to all who know him, but can’t win a basketball game.

Take for example the very first block on the pyramid, “Industriousness.”  What exactly does that have to do with coming up with a game plan to beat an MIAA team?  According to the dictionary, industriousness means, “hard working and diligent.”  Aren’t we all?

The last block at the very pinnacle of the pyramid, the great John Wooden puts, “Competitive Greatness.”  Tim Tebow says that means getting your team in the best position to win.  What bothers me about all these blocks and definition is you can’t buy them a Dick’s Sporting Goods.  I can’t even draw what they look like.

The Pyramid of Success is the Bible of basketball.  That’s why I’m sitting here at my computer checking the skies for any sign of lightning.  With all that in mind, John Wooden was quoted about winning, “Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character.”  I can wrap my hands around that quote.

Two of the greatest basketball players of our time have famous quotes about winning.  What does Bird and John Wooden have in common?  They both spent time on the Indiana State campus.  I relate to Larry Bird.  He has a big nose, he never could jump, and he wasn’t exactly a speed demon.  Those could all be said about my appearance and talent.  The difference was about 40% higher shooting percentage from Bird.  Oh yah, millions of dollars earned, too.

Larry Bird said about winning, “A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talent, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses his skill to accomplish his goals.”  Bird should have built a pyramid.

I loved watching NBA basketball when Michael Jordon played.  There always was a chance you would see something that had never been done on the basketball court.  Michael certainly doesn’t build teams with his talents as is proof with the Charlotte Bobcats.  The president and part-owner of the Bobcats, Jordon led the team in a record low nine wins this year. 

However, he could talk winning.  Michael said, “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.”  I’m not sure what this means, but he also said, “There is no “i” in team, but there is in win.”

Knute Rockne was the master motivator.  Who really knows if he heard George Gipp, in his dying breath and leaning on one elbow and said, “I’ve got to go, Rock.  It’s all right.  I’m not afraid.  Some time, Rock, when the team is up against it, when things are wrong and the breaks are beating the boys, ask them to go in there with all they’ve got and win just one for the Gipper.  I don’t know where I’ll be then, Rock.  But I’ll know about it, and I’ll be happy.”

Rockne used those dying words to rally his team from a 12 – 6 halftime deficit against number one ranked Army to upset the military academy.  He also said, “If I know a gracious loser, I know a failure.”  That’s a little harsh on sportsmanship. 

Leo, the Lip, Durocher, played major league baseball for 20 years.  However, it was his 22 years as a major league manager that gained him the most notoriety.  He is credited with the famous quote, “Nice guys finish last.”

The Lip rejected that claim when he said, “I never did say that you can’t be a nice guy and win.  I said that if I played third base and my mother rounded third with the winning run, I’d trip her up.”   That’s my kind of quote.