1976. The United States Bicentennial. Rocky Balboa, the legend, made his move from leg-breaking for a loan shark to boxing immortality. Apple Computer Company originated. The ABA merged with the NBA. My old man\u2019s high school coaching career began. His and my Yankees got swept by \u201cThe Big Red Machine.\u201d Dad\u2019s first year as head coach at Stratford Public School began with a 2-20 record. It was a year my father will never forget, not only because of that 2-20 record and the Yankees being swept, but also because, just like for Rocky Balboa, it was the beginning of a magical ride. Dad will never be forgotten and will be talked about on the mean streets of Colebrook forever.<\/p>\n
Four more years followed that special 1976 year before the real ride began at Colebrook Academy. It was in 1980 that the landscape of Colebrook basketball and athletics would be changed forever, and in a very, very good way. After 42 years, 2 children, 3 grandchildren, 3 State Championships (should be 4 \u2013 don\u2019t get me started on that), 3 State Runners-Up, 606 wins, several Coach of the Year awards, several Hall of Fame inductions, a few Player of the Year awards to his pupils, several First Team All-State Awards to his pupils, 2 Alhambra NH\/VT All Star Classic games coached, several other All Star games coached, and an uncountable number of men he helped develop, that journey has finally come to an end. Colebrook basketball AND Colebrook, NH in general became well known because of this magical ride and this man, whom I have the honor of calling my father.<\/p>\n
There are so many memories to recall in a story of this magnitude. I could go on for an endless number of pages. Those stories will be told around beers for years to come at \u201cThe Swamp,\u201d at the lake house, at any Legion in the State of NH, at the Northland, around Dad or Mark\u2019s kitchen table, in Dad and Mom\u2019s kitchen or the basement, or any other of my father\u2019s favorite landing spots to sit back and watch\/discuss hoops.<\/p>\n
Dad, or Coach to all of us former players, has much more of an impact on his players and former players than most people know. People don\u2019t even remotely have a clue how much more. It goes way beyond basketball. He taught us so much about life through basketball as he transitioned us from boys running around raising hell and playing sports to men who continue to hold and execute professional occupations and families. We never even knew it until the last buzzer sounded in our final games, and we actually stepped foot into the real world. I use present tense in a lot of this, as I\u2019m sure you can see. This is because he still gives all of us advice on anything we want, whenever we want it. There aren’t enough words to describe how important he is to us.<\/p>\n
As his career moved along, it was the development of his basketball teams through the 90s into the early and late 2000s that really put Colebrook, NH on the map. He always refers to those years as \u201cthe glory years\u201d of his program. Before then, nobody outside of the North Country even knew where Colebrook was. Dad always put so much time and dedication into building his program, and it was starting to really take off and show. It wasn’t a 9 to 5 job. It was a 24\/7 passion because he truly loved us and cared about our success once we left his guidance. You simply do not see that type of commitment to one program, to one goal, to one community, to one community\u2019s kids for so many years anymore from coaches or athletic directors. There is a lot of hopping around, or \u201cresume building,\u201d as they call it. You jump around from school to school, program to program, until you \u201cland in the perfect spot.\u201d Nobody wants to go to a program that needs to start over. Nobody wants to go to a program that isn\u2019t already winning. They want that \u201cdream job\u201d that has already in a sense been created for them, instead of creating their dream for themselves, and for the kids they care so much about. Dad literally started from scratch before turning Colebrook Academy and Colebrook, NH and their kids into a perennial power. That\u2019s what made his run so special. So much blood, sweat, tears, smiles, laughs and memories. Many frustrating times. Many triumphs. He did it the hard way. The way nobody else wants to do it.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t forget, Dad also coached soccer for many years and baseball here and there and was the Athletic Director. His duties at Colebrook Academy went way past his basketball programs. As the Athletic Director, he cared about all his teams, boys and girls, and helped guide his coaches and those players in any way that he could. Those players and coaches too have many memories to share about Dad, and I will appropriately let them share those memories and experiences on their own accord. As the Athletic Director, he became very involved with the NHIAA at the administrator level. He traveled hours, leaving at 4:00 AM to get to 8:00 AM meetings, for FREE! Nobody does that anymore. At these meetings, he, along with Harry Blood and Gary Jenness, were the voices of the smaller schools. For Jenness and Dad, they were also the voices of the North Country. They made sure all the smaller schools and schools up North were given the same opportunities as all the bigger schools and the schools that were closer to where \u201ceverything was happening.\u201d They were looking after their kids and giving them the same opportunities, because quite frankly, it wasn\u2019t happening. Hopefully someone steps up and sacrifices those miles, those early mornings and late nights, and those tough meetings with so many people disagreeing with you, so that the student athletes at smaller schools and the northern schools continue to get everything they deserve, just like my old man and Jenness did. Dad truly was a pioneer of high school basketball and athletics.<\/p>\n
As I said to start this story, I could go on and on with all the memories Dad\u2019s players and I have had with him. Here are just a few:<\/p>\n
\u2022\tchampionships
\n\u2022\ttough losses
\n\u2022\tgreat wins
\n\u2022\tthe Colebrook\/Groveton Rivalry
\n\u2022\t\u201cThe Game\u201d (you all know what game I\u2019m talking about)
\n\u2022\t\u201cOn the line.\u201d
\n\u2022\t\u201cEverybody hates a winner.\u201d
\n\u2022\t\u201cYou have 5 minutes to get the **** out of this gym.\u201d
\n\u2022\t8, 6, 4, 2\u2019s (which now have turned into 6, 4, 2\u2019s)
\n\u2022\tgut busters
\n\u2022\tthe kill drill
\n\u2022\tthe many battles against the alumni at all the practices
\n\u2022\tthe infamous MaxPreps Internet blowup of 2001 (wow)
\n\u2022\tthe packed gyms
\n\u2022\tthe scouting reports on the wall at practices
\n\u2022\tthe smile\/smirk he has when he\u2019s actually happy but is trying so hard to not show he\u2019s happy
\n\u2022\tthe high fives after big wins
\n\u2022\tthe broken clipboards
\n\u2022\tjumping around pounding his chest like a wild animal which caused Coach Bedard and Coach Lesperance to leave the gym in laughter
\n\u2022\twatching game tapes relentlessly with the team and by himself in the basement
\n\u2022\taccidentally forgetting my shoes and coming home to hear Meat Loaf shaking the entire house while he showered getting ready for a big game
\n\u2022\tPlymouth
\n\u2022\t\u201cThere! Finally someone is asking a smart question.\u201d
\n\u2022\tgetting put in handcuffs in the McDonald\u2019s parking lot in Littleton
\n\u2022\t the lucky sweater of 1997 and 1998
\n\u2022\t\u201cIf they score more than 10 points this half, you know what\u2019s coming tomorrow at practice.\u201d
\n\u2022\t\u201cIf you first two strings are still playing by the 4 minute mark of the 3rd Quarter, I ain\u2019t going to be happy. Go out and do the job.\u201d
\n\u2022\t\u201cExcuses are for losers.\u201d
\n\u2022\tthe grunt after every rant
\n\u2022\t\u201cAlright, bring it in\u2026LET\u2019S GO!\u201d<\/p>\n
I need to stop before the tear down the side of my right cheek turns into all-out bawling. Everyone that played under my old man remembers these memories. Forever, he will have a place in our hearts.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s to your next chapter and many more years of memories to make! You have three beautiful granddaughters to attend to now with Mom, and hopefully you can help Corey, Alan, Danielle, and I shape them into fine young women, just like how you shaped all of us young and dumb teenagers into the men we are today. Don\u2019t worry basketball family, he can\u2019t get away, you will still see him in all the gyms, that\u2019s without a doubt. I\u2019m sure he will still be coaching away too, as it\u2019s just pure instinct to him. CONGRATULATIONS, Coach! We love you.<\/p>\n
PS – See you this weekend up north for Final Four weekend. Have you decided yet where you want to watch the games Saturday night?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
1976. The United States Bicentennial. Rocky Balboa, the legend, made his move from leg-breaking for a loan shark to boxing immortality. Apple Computer Company originated. The ABA merged with the NBA. My old man\u2019s high school coaching career began. His and my Yankees got swept by \u201cThe Big Red Machine.\u201d Dad\u2019s first year as head […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":215,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n