Another great coach

A few months ago, I attended my 20 year high school reunion. It was a blast. Amazing time catching up with a lot of people I had not seen in 20 years and a few old friends who have been always there. Why is it that men (I attended Fenwick — at the time an all-boys Catholic high school) look either 30 or 50 at their 20 year reunion. Glad that I was told more often that I was closer to 30. The real point is that I finally cleaned out some old boxes that I stashed at my parents home. the boxes full of memories and gems. One find took me back straight to 1989.

Legendary basketball coach Bob Knight spoke at Fenwick for a “coaches clinic” on the one Saturday weekend in spring that I was not playing water polo. It was during my junior year. My history teacher, John Quinn, coached basketball and setup the event. Mr. Quinn is one of the finest teachers I ever learned from — period. Tough, uncompromising yet fair. Coach Knight was the premier coach at that time having won his third NCAA title with Indiana in 1987. I took copious notes. Mr Quinn asked me on the following Monday, if I would share my notes with him since Coach Knight was looking for feedback. I did it without thinking. When I got the notes back I tucked them away so that nothing would happen to them. Looking at them now, I wish I had kept them out in the open and re-learned from them like I am now.

My current favorite quote: Winning or losing is a habit.

Link to my original notes.