What a great weekend for the Cowboys this weekend in Brownwood. HSU swept the series and took over sole possession of first place in the ASC West. That in itself was a great accomplishment. In a year of balance in the ASC West there have been only two sweeps in the league so far.
In the process of the sweep, Steve Coleman won his 300th game as the head coach of the Cowboys. He is far and away the career leader in wins at HSU and Coleman is the dean of ASC coaches in his 13th year in the league.
His teams are consistently in the ASC playoffs. In fact, the Cowboys are the only team in the ASC West to advance to the ASC Championship Series in each of the first five years of the format. He has been close to the ASC title several times.
I don’t know of another coach who is more deserving of a conference title. He has put in the work, recruited great players and kids to the school and put them in a position to win seemingly every year.
Personally, Steve has been a great friend to me since I have been in Abilene. He always takes care of me when I am on the road with meals and hotels when he doesn’t have to. He makes you feel a part of the program and trust me that is not always the case in collegiate athletics.
A few things that I really admire about Steve.
The first is how he treats his players. He may be the most fair coach I have ever seen. He does not mind putting freshmen in the game, he plays the best person and doesn’t care who likes or does not like that. He is not afraid to get on a player when they need and he is also the first one to put his arm around a kid and tell him what he needs to be doing to help the team. He wants things done the right way and you know what, I think, his players appreciate that the most about him. I would say by percentage you see more former players come around the program even years after they are gone, moreso than any other program on campus. Rarely do we go on the road that we don’t see a former player at the game.
The second thing is how he handled coaching his two sons. Both Chad and Brad played for the Cowboys for four years. The big difference is Brad was a starter from day one and was a great player. Chad was more of a role player. That didn’t matter to Steve. I am sure he probably had pressure from across the dinner table to get Chad more at-bats or playing time, but he did what was best for the team. It had to be a hard situation, but both kids accepted their roles and I never heard Chad complain one time about not playing. He did everything that was asked of him and probably cares about the program more than anyone. The thing about both of them is they are great people and have followed in his footsteps as coaches.
The third is his lovely wife Lisa. Lisa may be the perfect coach’s wife. You will always see her at the games in her seat right by the gate at home games. You will also see her on the road where she travels with the team. She takes every loss hard and enjoys every win. She always makes the teams snacks and is one of the most supportive people you will meet. She is not afraid to get on to Steve when he needs it. She also makes the best peanut butter and honey sandwiches ever. If you never had one, just ask her I am sure she will hook you up. She also opens her home for guys’ night and there is always a spread, with all of the fixings. You can sometimes even find her playing some Guitar Hero.
I think I speak on behalf of all of the former players, graduate assistants, coaches and everyone in the program congrats on 300 wins. When you finally get that ASC title (and it is going to happen some day) it is going to be a great day and all of the hard work will be worth. Like I said earlier, you deserve it and what a great celebration it’s going to be.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Sometimes I Just Can’t Understand
Working every day in athletics you get to see a lot of things, but rarely are there things that I see that I can’t fully understand.
I understand when the better team doesn’t win, I understand when a team on the bubble is left out of the playoffs for some reason, I understand when a key player gets hurt how it affects the team.
Yesterday brought out a new level of I can’t understand. I know how it happened I just can’t figure out the why it happened.
Lindsey Newcombe was named the American Southwest Conference West Division MVP for the second straight year. It was a deserved honor as she was an easy choice for the top player in the conference. I guess I should explain the ASC award process.
Coaches nominate their own players for all-ASC West Division. These players are then put on a ballot and the other seven coaches (you can’t vote for players on your own team) in the ASC West rank their top 10 players. The five players with the most points are selected as first team all-ASC West and the next five are named second-team and anyone else who gets a vote is named honorable mention.
The top five from the ASC West are then put on a ballot with the top five players from the ASC East and then all of the coaches from all of the teams in the conference rank their top 5 players and that is how the overall all-ASC team is selected.
It would be easy to see if one side was dominant and they had four or five players on the all-ASC team. That would not be hard to see. But this year there were three from the ASC East and two from the ASC West. Now mind you, seven different sets of eyes vote for the all-ASC than do the all-ASC West, but it is hard to fathom how someone that was named MVP in the ASC West had two other ASC West players picked over her for the team.
Oh well … strange things happen every day, some are just more strange than others.
The sun has come out and it is time for some spring sports. I hope you can make it out over the next few weeks.
The baseball team returns home this weekend after two weeks on the road. HSU will play eight straight games at Hunter Field.
Softball goes back on the road to the ASC First Pitch Tournament this weekend. The Cowgirls fought the weather to get three games in last weekend and they are off to a 5-0 start.
The track teams will get under way in a couple of weeks with their outdoor season and the golf teams have each played a tournament.
The tennis teams have both started off strong and both look like contenders for the ASC West crown again.
I understand when the better team doesn’t win, I understand when a team on the bubble is left out of the playoffs for some reason, I understand when a key player gets hurt how it affects the team.
Yesterday brought out a new level of I can’t understand. I know how it happened I just can’t figure out the why it happened.
Lindsey Newcombe was named the American Southwest Conference West Division MVP for the second straight year. It was a deserved honor as she was an easy choice for the top player in the conference. I guess I should explain the ASC award process.
Coaches nominate their own players for all-ASC West Division. These players are then put on a ballot and the other seven coaches (you can’t vote for players on your own team) in the ASC West rank their top 10 players. The five players with the most points are selected as first team all-ASC West and the next five are named second-team and anyone else who gets a vote is named honorable mention.
The top five from the ASC West are then put on a ballot with the top five players from the ASC East and then all of the coaches from all of the teams in the conference rank their top 5 players and that is how the overall all-ASC team is selected.
It would be easy to see if one side was dominant and they had four or five players on the all-ASC team. That would not be hard to see. But this year there were three from the ASC East and two from the ASC West. Now mind you, seven different sets of eyes vote for the all-ASC than do the all-ASC West, but it is hard to fathom how someone that was named MVP in the ASC West had two other ASC West players picked over her for the team.
Oh well … strange things happen every day, some are just more strange than others.
The sun has come out and it is time for some spring sports. I hope you can make it out over the next few weeks.
The baseball team returns home this weekend after two weeks on the road. HSU will play eight straight games at Hunter Field.
Softball goes back on the road to the ASC First Pitch Tournament this weekend. The Cowgirls fought the weather to get three games in last weekend and they are off to a 5-0 start.
The track teams will get under way in a couple of weeks with their outdoor season and the golf teams have each played a tournament.
The tennis teams have both started off strong and both look like contenders for the ASC West crown again.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Basketball Teams Return Home
As we head to the end of January things are about to pick up around the Forty Acres.
In a weird twist of fate with the basketball schedules this season this weekend will be the first time all year that our teams have played at home with the student body on campus. I encourage each of you to come out and support both teams as they make the final push for a playoff bid.
Both teams are both sitting just out of the playoff race, but with seven of their last nine games at home the fans can have a big impact on the teams. Both teams are young and getting better as the season goes along and they would love to have your support at the games. The next week is big for both teams with games against contending teams Concordia, Mary Hardin-Baylor and McMurry.
When we go to all three of those places they play in front of rowdy crowds with great atmospheres. Let’s bring some of that out to the Mabee Complex down the stretch and get these teams over the hump to get them into the playoffs.
Feb. 1 is the Kiwanis Shootout with McMurry. That game is a big benefit for the Children’s Miracle Network and what a fun night it always is. The basketball teams along with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will be collecting loose change for the annual “Make A Change” contest between the teams in the ASC. Be sure to gather your loose change for this great cause.
Golf, tennis, softball, baseball and track all or will be in the next week or so getting ready for their seasons. We will be hosting the ASC Track and Field Championships this year on April 23-24. This will be out first time to host the meet.
In a weird twist of fate with the basketball schedules this season this weekend will be the first time all year that our teams have played at home with the student body on campus. I encourage each of you to come out and support both teams as they make the final push for a playoff bid.
Both teams are both sitting just out of the playoff race, but with seven of their last nine games at home the fans can have a big impact on the teams. Both teams are young and getting better as the season goes along and they would love to have your support at the games. The next week is big for both teams with games against contending teams Concordia, Mary Hardin-Baylor and McMurry.
When we go to all three of those places they play in front of rowdy crowds with great atmospheres. Let’s bring some of that out to the Mabee Complex down the stretch and get these teams over the hump to get them into the playoffs.
Feb. 1 is the Kiwanis Shootout with McMurry. That game is a big benefit for the Children’s Miracle Network and what a fun night it always is. The basketball teams along with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will be collecting loose change for the annual “Make A Change” contest between the teams in the ASC. Be sure to gather your loose change for this great cause.
Golf, tennis, softball, baseball and track all or will be in the next week or so getting ready for their seasons. We will be hosting the ASC Track and Field Championships this year on April 23-24. This will be out first time to host the meet.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Are You Ready For Some Futbol?
Are You Ready For Some Futbol?
What an exciting couple of weeks we have had on the HSU campus and it gets even more exciting this weekend.
It was not a surprise to see the women’s soccer team win the American Southwest Conference title. It is not a given for the Cowgirls to win, but of late it almost seems that way. Congrats to Woody and the Cowgirls for their seventh straight ASC title.
For their reward, the Cowgirls hit the air to California for a tough opening round weekend and HSU beat No. 4 Puget Sound and No. 16 Claremont Mudd Scripps to advance to the sectional tournament. Next up is a showdown with Trinity.
The Tigers beat the Cowgirls in the season opener 1-0 in overtime and expect another nail-bitter in the series between the battle-tested rivals. If the Cowgirls can find a way through this weekend a nice reward is on the other side as the Final Four will be played in San Antonio. There is plenty of work ahead for that to happen, but HSU may have its best team and the scary thing is they start just one senior.
The Trinity game will be aired on the Internet and there are links here. If you can’t make it to San Antonio be sure to listen in.
For the Cowboy soccer team it has been an exciting couple of weeks. First the Cowboys won the ASC title at Mary Hardin-Baylor on penalty kicks. After that win, the NCAA did what the NCAA does when HSU and UMHB are in the NCAA Tournament and they paired them together in the first round.
Again the Cowboys came out on top and advanced to the second round on Sunday evening at No. 2 Trinity. After a shaky first half that somehow ended scoreless, the Cowboys settled down and took it to the Tigers in the second half for a 2-0 win. You can see Chris O’Brien’s go-ahead goal here. It was probably the biggest win in HSU men’s soccer history and it was the first time an ASC team had advanced past the second round.
The Cowboys will play at Loras College this weekend, fighting for a Final Four berth. HSU plays Whitworth on Saturday night and the game will be video webcasted. A win would put them in the sectional finals against the Loras-Dominican winner.
Now some editorializing on my part – this is a blog by the way.
The Cowboys have showed some tremendous heart the last two weeks in winning three games in very hostile environments. The two wins at UMHB (actually the first one counts as a tie in the records, but the championship rings show who won) were great. There were very vocal crowds that made it a tough environment to play. Soccer fans are closer to the action than probably any other sport and soccer fans are not known for being the most cordial.
With the action on the field and in the stands, it makes victory that much more exhilarating. A big win brings out a lot of emotion and there is nothing wrong with that. As hard as the kids work all year to see them celebrate is rewarding. It sometimes rubs the losing team and crowds the wrong way, but for the most part our kids handle themselves in the right way. To be able to celebrate with their teammates, coaches and friends is part of the reward and they should be able to enjoy them.
Some people complain about too much celebration, which is more out of line than any of the celebrating I have witnessed over the last two weeks. Let the kids be kids. These moments don’t come around that often and they should enjoy them.
Personally, I hope that both soccer teams get to celebrate on another’s teams field again this weekend. Good luck to both teams, you have already made your school proud and anything you do from here on out is icing the cake. Enjoy it, because it doesn’t last forever.
Some other notes of recent success and hopefully more to come.
The Cowboy football team closed out its season with five straight wins and secured an 18th straight winning season. Congrats to the Cowboys for fighting back from a tough 1-4 start. Character is built by how you respond to adversity and Coach Keeling and the boys should be commended for what they did to end the season. It was not an easy feat.
The Cowgirl volleyball team ended its successful run this season with a trip to the ASC Championship game. The Cowgirls gave it their all in a tough-five set loss to then undefeated Texas-Dallas. Kaela Parnell and Chelsie Fowler were named all-region for their efforts. Parnell was the ASC MVP.
Freshman Lindsey Hinton had a nice run in the NCAA Cross Country regionals with a 63rd place finish in the 189-runner field. She is the first Cowgirl to participate in the NCAA regionals in the two years of the program.
Footballers Lee Grounds, Garrison Hardin and Paul Thebeau, soccer players Amy Kuykendall, Sarah Stansell, Becca Gault and Lindsay Cogburn and volleyball players Erin Davis and Kaela Parnell were all named academic all-district. The all-district teams are the top student-athletes in Division II, III and NAIA in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, New Mexico and Louisiana. It is a big honor and HSU had by far the most players honored in the district among ASC and Division III teams.
The basketball teams get moving this weekend with the first games. The Cowgirls play in the Trinity Tournament against Trinity on Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday they will play St. Olaf at 5 p.m. The men open up Sunday at Baylor. All HSU basketball games can be heard on www.hsuathletics.com with Jay Ashby and/or Chad Grubbs on the call. The men will be home next Tuesday night for a game with Southwestern.
Stay tuned to www.hsuathletics.com for all of the up-to-date information on HSU Athletics and we hope to see you at the game.
What an exciting couple of weeks we have had on the HSU campus and it gets even more exciting this weekend.
It was not a surprise to see the women’s soccer team win the American Southwest Conference title. It is not a given for the Cowgirls to win, but of late it almost seems that way. Congrats to Woody and the Cowgirls for their seventh straight ASC title.
For their reward, the Cowgirls hit the air to California for a tough opening round weekend and HSU beat No. 4 Puget Sound and No. 16 Claremont Mudd Scripps to advance to the sectional tournament. Next up is a showdown with Trinity.
The Tigers beat the Cowgirls in the season opener 1-0 in overtime and expect another nail-bitter in the series between the battle-tested rivals. If the Cowgirls can find a way through this weekend a nice reward is on the other side as the Final Four will be played in San Antonio. There is plenty of work ahead for that to happen, but HSU may have its best team and the scary thing is they start just one senior.
The Trinity game will be aired on the Internet and there are links here. If you can’t make it to San Antonio be sure to listen in.
For the Cowboy soccer team it has been an exciting couple of weeks. First the Cowboys won the ASC title at Mary Hardin-Baylor on penalty kicks. After that win, the NCAA did what the NCAA does when HSU and UMHB are in the NCAA Tournament and they paired them together in the first round.
Again the Cowboys came out on top and advanced to the second round on Sunday evening at No. 2 Trinity. After a shaky first half that somehow ended scoreless, the Cowboys settled down and took it to the Tigers in the second half for a 2-0 win. You can see Chris O’Brien’s go-ahead goal here. It was probably the biggest win in HSU men’s soccer history and it was the first time an ASC team had advanced past the second round.
The Cowboys will play at Loras College this weekend, fighting for a Final Four berth. HSU plays Whitworth on Saturday night and the game will be video webcasted. A win would put them in the sectional finals against the Loras-Dominican winner.
Now some editorializing on my part – this is a blog by the way.
The Cowboys have showed some tremendous heart the last two weeks in winning three games in very hostile environments. The two wins at UMHB (actually the first one counts as a tie in the records, but the championship rings show who won) were great. There were very vocal crowds that made it a tough environment to play. Soccer fans are closer to the action than probably any other sport and soccer fans are not known for being the most cordial.
With the action on the field and in the stands, it makes victory that much more exhilarating. A big win brings out a lot of emotion and there is nothing wrong with that. As hard as the kids work all year to see them celebrate is rewarding. It sometimes rubs the losing team and crowds the wrong way, but for the most part our kids handle themselves in the right way. To be able to celebrate with their teammates, coaches and friends is part of the reward and they should be able to enjoy them.
Some people complain about too much celebration, which is more out of line than any of the celebrating I have witnessed over the last two weeks. Let the kids be kids. These moments don’t come around that often and they should enjoy them.
Personally, I hope that both soccer teams get to celebrate on another’s teams field again this weekend. Good luck to both teams, you have already made your school proud and anything you do from here on out is icing the cake. Enjoy it, because it doesn’t last forever.
Some other notes of recent success and hopefully more to come.
The Cowboy football team closed out its season with five straight wins and secured an 18th straight winning season. Congrats to the Cowboys for fighting back from a tough 1-4 start. Character is built by how you respond to adversity and Coach Keeling and the boys should be commended for what they did to end the season. It was not an easy feat.
The Cowgirl volleyball team ended its successful run this season with a trip to the ASC Championship game. The Cowgirls gave it their all in a tough-five set loss to then undefeated Texas-Dallas. Kaela Parnell and Chelsie Fowler were named all-region for their efforts. Parnell was the ASC MVP.
Freshman Lindsey Hinton had a nice run in the NCAA Cross Country regionals with a 63rd place finish in the 189-runner field. She is the first Cowgirl to participate in the NCAA regionals in the two years of the program.
Footballers Lee Grounds, Garrison Hardin and Paul Thebeau, soccer players Amy Kuykendall, Sarah Stansell, Becca Gault and Lindsay Cogburn and volleyball players Erin Davis and Kaela Parnell were all named academic all-district. The all-district teams are the top student-athletes in Division II, III and NAIA in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, New Mexico and Louisiana. It is a big honor and HSU had by far the most players honored in the district among ASC and Division III teams.
The basketball teams get moving this weekend with the first games. The Cowgirls play in the Trinity Tournament against Trinity on Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday they will play St. Olaf at 5 p.m. The men open up Sunday at Baylor. All HSU basketball games can be heard on www.hsuathletics.com with Jay Ashby and/or Chad Grubbs on the call. The men will be home next Tuesday night for a game with Southwestern.
Stay tuned to www.hsuathletics.com for all of the up-to-date information on HSU Athletics and we hope to see you at the game.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
It's A Special Thing To Be A Senior
It is that time of year again and no I am not talking about the baseball playoffs or college football or the other great things about the fall.
One of the things I have come to enjoy and hate at the same time has become Senior Days. Coach Keeling always says it is a special thing to be a senior. I use to think it was just coachspeak, but the more I am around college athletics the more I realize like his more often than not exactly right.
Those Senior days are so emotional for the players, parents and coaches. We try hard to take of our seniors and show them how much they are appreciated. For this sometimes big ol’ gruff guy, those senior days often soften me up and I have to admit I have had to wipe the tears away a few times.
It really is a special thing to be a senior. For our kids that go through what they do on a daily basis year round to compete in what is really just a few games is remarkable. To make it through four years is pretty much mind boggling.
The commitment level is something they will take with them for life. The friendships they will take for life. College athletics is really about molding young men and women for life. I am so thankful that I get to be a small part of that. Winning is great, but life lessons are also learned from the tough loss. Coming together for a common goal those are things that any employer should be looking for.
In this blog I am going to copy a couple of things I have seen several places, but I took them directly from a former player’s Facebook page. It is from someone that knew what it was like to play through pain, both physical pain and emotional. I saw him in near tears and obvious pain getting a treatment on a painful foot in my hotel room when I was rooming with the athletic trainer on a road trip. It was that same painful treatment every day of the season just so he could practice and play a game for what. I think the following quote tells you for what.
“People don't play sports because it's fun. Ask any athlete, most of them hate it, but they couldn't imagine their life without it. It's part of them, the Hate/Love relationship; it's what they live for. They live for the practices, parties, cheers, long bus rides, invitationals, countless pairs of different types of shoes, water, Gatorade, & coaches you hate, but appreciate. They live for the way it feels when you beat the team next to you by 1 point in overtime, and you know those 2 extra sprints you ran in practice were worth it. They live for the way you become a family with your team, they live for the countless songs you sing in your head when you’re running ALL those suicides. They live for the competition, they live for the friends, the pain, heartaches, and the memories, and it’s who THEY ARE. It's who WE ARE. WE ARE ATHLETES.”
A pet peeve of mine is when people just automatically downplay Division III athletics. You hear quotes like it is just like high school or glorified intramurals. Division III athletics is so much more than that. It is the same as other levels, but a football player might run a 4.6 instead of a 4.4 or a lineman might be 6-1, 250 rather than 6-5, 325. It doesn’t mean they are here because they couldn’t play at a scholarship school. Some of them that is true, but we have a lot of players that turn down scholarships to come to Hardin-Simmons and other schools like them.
This quote comes from the same person referenced above, but it was written by a former Division III player and is kind of the Division III creed, but the words ring so true.
“It's not about getting a scholarship, getting drafted, or making Sports Center. It's a deep need in us that comes from the heart. We need to practice, play, to lift, to hustle, to sweat, to compete. We do it all for our teammates. We don't lift weights with a future Olympic wrestler; we lift with a future doctor. We don't run with a future Wimbledon champion; we run with a future CEO. It's a bigger part of us than our friends and family can understand. Sometimes we play for 200,000 fans, sometimes for 25. But we still play hard. You cheer for us because you know us. You know more than just our names. Like all of you, we are still students first. We don't sign autographs for money. But we do sign graduate school applications, MCAT exams, and student body petitions. When we miss a kick, or strike out, we don't let down an entire state. We only let down our teammates, coaches, and fans. But the hurt in our hearts is the same. We train hard. Lift, throw, run, kick, shoot, dribble, and lift some more, and in the morning we go to class. Still the next day in class we are nothing more than students. It's about pride; in ourselves, in our school. It's about our love and passion for the game. And when it's all over; when we walk off that court or field for the last time, our hearts crumble. Those tears are real. But deep down inside, we are very proud of ourselves. We will forever be what few can claim: College Athletes.”
As we come to the end of our fall sport seasons and you see a senior, be sure to let them know how much you appreciate them and how much you care about them and what they have done for our university.
One of the things I have come to enjoy and hate at the same time has become Senior Days. Coach Keeling always says it is a special thing to be a senior. I use to think it was just coachspeak, but the more I am around college athletics the more I realize like his more often than not exactly right.
Those Senior days are so emotional for the players, parents and coaches. We try hard to take of our seniors and show them how much they are appreciated. For this sometimes big ol’ gruff guy, those senior days often soften me up and I have to admit I have had to wipe the tears away a few times.
It really is a special thing to be a senior. For our kids that go through what they do on a daily basis year round to compete in what is really just a few games is remarkable. To make it through four years is pretty much mind boggling.
The commitment level is something they will take with them for life. The friendships they will take for life. College athletics is really about molding young men and women for life. I am so thankful that I get to be a small part of that. Winning is great, but life lessons are also learned from the tough loss. Coming together for a common goal those are things that any employer should be looking for.
In this blog I am going to copy a couple of things I have seen several places, but I took them directly from a former player’s Facebook page. It is from someone that knew what it was like to play through pain, both physical pain and emotional. I saw him in near tears and obvious pain getting a treatment on a painful foot in my hotel room when I was rooming with the athletic trainer on a road trip. It was that same painful treatment every day of the season just so he could practice and play a game for what. I think the following quote tells you for what.
“People don't play sports because it's fun. Ask any athlete, most of them hate it, but they couldn't imagine their life without it. It's part of them, the Hate/Love relationship; it's what they live for. They live for the practices, parties, cheers, long bus rides, invitationals, countless pairs of different types of shoes, water, Gatorade, & coaches you hate, but appreciate. They live for the way it feels when you beat the team next to you by 1 point in overtime, and you know those 2 extra sprints you ran in practice were worth it. They live for the way you become a family with your team, they live for the countless songs you sing in your head when you’re running ALL those suicides. They live for the competition, they live for the friends, the pain, heartaches, and the memories, and it’s who THEY ARE. It's who WE ARE. WE ARE ATHLETES.”
A pet peeve of mine is when people just automatically downplay Division III athletics. You hear quotes like it is just like high school or glorified intramurals. Division III athletics is so much more than that. It is the same as other levels, but a football player might run a 4.6 instead of a 4.4 or a lineman might be 6-1, 250 rather than 6-5, 325. It doesn’t mean they are here because they couldn’t play at a scholarship school. Some of them that is true, but we have a lot of players that turn down scholarships to come to Hardin-Simmons and other schools like them.
This quote comes from the same person referenced above, but it was written by a former Division III player and is kind of the Division III creed, but the words ring so true.
“It's not about getting a scholarship, getting drafted, or making Sports Center. It's a deep need in us that comes from the heart. We need to practice, play, to lift, to hustle, to sweat, to compete. We do it all for our teammates. We don't lift weights with a future Olympic wrestler; we lift with a future doctor. We don't run with a future Wimbledon champion; we run with a future CEO. It's a bigger part of us than our friends and family can understand. Sometimes we play for 200,000 fans, sometimes for 25. But we still play hard. You cheer for us because you know us. You know more than just our names. Like all of you, we are still students first. We don't sign autographs for money. But we do sign graduate school applications, MCAT exams, and student body petitions. When we miss a kick, or strike out, we don't let down an entire state. We only let down our teammates, coaches, and fans. But the hurt in our hearts is the same. We train hard. Lift, throw, run, kick, shoot, dribble, and lift some more, and in the morning we go to class. Still the next day in class we are nothing more than students. It's about pride; in ourselves, in our school. It's about our love and passion for the game. And when it's all over; when we walk off that court or field for the last time, our hearts crumble. Those tears are real. But deep down inside, we are very proud of ourselves. We will forever be what few can claim: College Athletes.”
As we come to the end of our fall sport seasons and you see a senior, be sure to let them know how much you appreciate them and how much you care about them and what they have done for our university.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Seasons Change ...
What is going on in Abilene, we have actually had a fall-like fall. The weather has been brisk and damp, we have had cold and warm. I think I kind of like this actually having seasons.
Speaking of seasons, if you look on your calendar it is almost basketball season. Can you believe the teams will hit the gym for the first time on Thursday for real practices?
It has been an interesting fall around here. Going into the football season every team has optimism and I think rightfully so in the case of the Cowboys. Lots of starters returning, led by an All-American quarterback it looked like it would be a banner year. Several injuries later and the Cowboys are 2-4 and looking just to survive the season.
One thing about this year there has been no quit in the Cowboys. I have watched every second of every game and I have not seen very many plays, if any, the entire year where the Cowboys did not give great effort. That has been a trademark of the Cowboys teams of the past. They play hard and give maximum effort. It is sad that the Cowboys big postseason plans came to screeching halt thanks to some significant injuries. The silver lining is the Cowboys will return a lot of experienced talent for next year. If some of the injured guys come back healthy next year the expectations will again be high for this team.
The Cowgirl soccer team is a couple minutes away from an unbeaten record, as it stands they are 10-1 and have won 10 straight games. HSU has increased its ASC unbeaten streak to 114 straight games and the Cowgirls have a stranglehold on another regular-season title. The amazing thing about the Cowgirls is they are a relatively young team. Three of the top four scorers on the team are freshmen.
The men’s team has also put themselves in a great position to host the conference tournament. The Cowboys need to win their five remaining games, including one against Mary Hardin-Baylor. The Cru, led by former Cowboy Brad Bankhead is 7-1. The Cowboys are in second-place at 5-0-2 in league play.
The men’s team has the right to host the tournament this year if both the men’s and women’s teams win the ASC. If both HSU team’s won the regular season, the women’s tournament would be at the No. 2 team and HSU would be the No. 1 seed.
The volleyball team has come on strong and is now 12-5 on the year and in first place in the ASC West. The Cowgirls have a big match at McMurry on Wednesday and then will co-host the ASC Crossover with McMurry this weekend. Friday night the Cowgirls will celebrate senior night to honor Sam Lucien, Chelsie Fowler and Kaela Parnell. The winner of the ASC East hosts the ASC Tournament this season.
The women’s cross country team has been more competitive this year and has a chance for a strong finish at the ASC meet this year. The men have struggled to field a full team.
The golf and tennis teams are about through the fall non-traditional seasons. Both have had solid seasons.
Be sure to come out and support your HSU teams this weekend. This is a busy weekend for everyone, but our kids enjoy your support.
Speaking of seasons, if you look on your calendar it is almost basketball season. Can you believe the teams will hit the gym for the first time on Thursday for real practices?
It has been an interesting fall around here. Going into the football season every team has optimism and I think rightfully so in the case of the Cowboys. Lots of starters returning, led by an All-American quarterback it looked like it would be a banner year. Several injuries later and the Cowboys are 2-4 and looking just to survive the season.
One thing about this year there has been no quit in the Cowboys. I have watched every second of every game and I have not seen very many plays, if any, the entire year where the Cowboys did not give great effort. That has been a trademark of the Cowboys teams of the past. They play hard and give maximum effort. It is sad that the Cowboys big postseason plans came to screeching halt thanks to some significant injuries. The silver lining is the Cowboys will return a lot of experienced talent for next year. If some of the injured guys come back healthy next year the expectations will again be high for this team.
The Cowgirl soccer team is a couple minutes away from an unbeaten record, as it stands they are 10-1 and have won 10 straight games. HSU has increased its ASC unbeaten streak to 114 straight games and the Cowgirls have a stranglehold on another regular-season title. The amazing thing about the Cowgirls is they are a relatively young team. Three of the top four scorers on the team are freshmen.
The men’s team has also put themselves in a great position to host the conference tournament. The Cowboys need to win their five remaining games, including one against Mary Hardin-Baylor. The Cru, led by former Cowboy Brad Bankhead is 7-1. The Cowboys are in second-place at 5-0-2 in league play.
The men’s team has the right to host the tournament this year if both the men’s and women’s teams win the ASC. If both HSU team’s won the regular season, the women’s tournament would be at the No. 2 team and HSU would be the No. 1 seed.
The volleyball team has come on strong and is now 12-5 on the year and in first place in the ASC West. The Cowgirls have a big match at McMurry on Wednesday and then will co-host the ASC Crossover with McMurry this weekend. Friday night the Cowgirls will celebrate senior night to honor Sam Lucien, Chelsie Fowler and Kaela Parnell. The winner of the ASC East hosts the ASC Tournament this season.
The women’s cross country team has been more competitive this year and has a chance for a strong finish at the ASC meet this year. The men have struggled to field a full team.
The golf and tennis teams are about through the fall non-traditional seasons. Both have had solid seasons.
Be sure to come out and support your HSU teams this weekend. This is a busy weekend for everyone, but our kids enjoy your support.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Time and Place
OK, I like to think I know a little about sports. I did choose early in my life what I wanted to do and have a wonderful job that I love covering sports. I will have fun with our coaches telling them what I think about their strategy and lineups and those kinds of things. For the most part, they know that it is my way of trying to keep them loose.
We at Hardin-Simmons are blessed to have great coaches, who first love their kids and second love their job. It is not all about wins and losses, but the wins sure are nice and the losses sure are painful. I have yet to come across coaches that didn’t want to win and would do whatever they thought was right to win.
All of our coaches put in a ton of time every day to have successful programs and there is not one of them that does not prepare his or her team to win a game. Not one that has ever gone out of their way to try to lose a game. The coaches do what they have been trained to do to make their teams successful.
What people on the outside looking in don’t see is the time and effort the coaches put into recruiting, practicing, fundraising, promoting, being counselors on and off the field or court, preparing game plans, watching film and all of that comes before the actual game.
Most rational people understand the job they do, but when irrational people think that they know more about what is going on with a team and they think they know how to deal with it bugs me to no end. Coaches understand that dealing with parents or fans is also part of the job, but remember there is always a time and a place for everything.
The emotion of a big win or a tough loss makes people handle emotions in a different way. One thing we at HSU have always done, at least since I have been here, is win with class. When it happens we lose with class as well. Every game that is played there is a winner and a loser and it is not always your team that wins.
I encourage each and every fan out there to savior the wins and be disappointed in the losses, but always remember that our coaches and our kids give every amount of effort they have into winning. It does not always happen. If you have a problem with a loss, deal with it personally. Don’t take it out on the kids or coaches, because I can promise you one thing they take every loss as hard if not harder than any fan out there.
We at Hardin-Simmons are blessed to have great coaches, who first love their kids and second love their job. It is not all about wins and losses, but the wins sure are nice and the losses sure are painful. I have yet to come across coaches that didn’t want to win and would do whatever they thought was right to win.
All of our coaches put in a ton of time every day to have successful programs and there is not one of them that does not prepare his or her team to win a game. Not one that has ever gone out of their way to try to lose a game. The coaches do what they have been trained to do to make their teams successful.
What people on the outside looking in don’t see is the time and effort the coaches put into recruiting, practicing, fundraising, promoting, being counselors on and off the field or court, preparing game plans, watching film and all of that comes before the actual game.
Most rational people understand the job they do, but when irrational people think that they know more about what is going on with a team and they think they know how to deal with it bugs me to no end. Coaches understand that dealing with parents or fans is also part of the job, but remember there is always a time and a place for everything.
The emotion of a big win or a tough loss makes people handle emotions in a different way. One thing we at HSU have always done, at least since I have been here, is win with class. When it happens we lose with class as well. Every game that is played there is a winner and a loser and it is not always your team that wins.
I encourage each and every fan out there to savior the wins and be disappointed in the losses, but always remember that our coaches and our kids give every amount of effort they have into winning. It does not always happen. If you have a problem with a loss, deal with it personally. Don’t take it out on the kids or coaches, because I can promise you one thing they take every loss as hard if not harder than any fan out there.
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