How far does the apple fall from the tree? In my case, it not only ripped off the branch; it rolled all the way down the fuckin hill. Imagine Charles Schulzs Pig-Pen moving in with Mr. Clean, and youre getting warm. The Odd Couple on acid I mean, you cant really blame the guy for feeling terminally frustrated throughout my adolescent years. Ive had feral pets that were easier to tame than me in my prepubescence. To put it mildly, Dad and I just didnt see eye to eye. Nevertheless, DNA is a funny thing, and I dont need a 23andMe kit to prove that my genetic code is candied with some of his more paradoxical qualities. And no matter how hard I tried to rebel, his hand always seemed to focus the lens through which I see the world (blurred as it may be). Beyond all our differences, if there is one gene that I am most thankful for, it is the one that fueled my love of music. A love that long ago inspired me to give my father his first taste of my literary prowess: a runaway note I left on his dining-room table in 1985.

By then, I was a full-fledged, hardcore punk-rock teenager. I had taken the hereditary generosity of my fathers musical abilities and mutated them into the antithesis of his classically trained ear. I was the garage band to his conservatory, the screeching feedback to his perfect pitch, the Dead Kennedys to his Leonard Bernstein. We may have shared the same passion for music, but eventually I swapped his trademark baton and Eames chair for my splintered drumsticks and leather jackets. Steeped in the DIY culture of underground, independent music, I wanted nothing to do with the convention and formalities of becoming a classical musician. I wanted noise. I wanted chaos. I wanted the sweat and grime of a crowded gig on a Saturday night, covered in bruises from slam dancing along to my favorite band. I wanted to scream my voice hoarse, break every drumhead, and celebrate the disregard of proper technique. I wanted maximum rock and roll.

Read: The irreplaceable thrill of the rock show

At the time, I was in a band with a ragtag group of other misfits, suburban teens by the name of Mission Impossible. (Dont laugh, but we often opened our shows with the nerdy theme song from the classic 1960s TV series. Actually, go ahead and laughit was ridiculous.) Fueled by our love of American hardcore music (and near-toxic amounts of Mountain Dew), we were like gnats with amplifiers. Among us, we had enough teenage angst and energy to support every major metropolitan power grid from Vegas to Virginia Beach. Furious tempos driven by raging attention-deficit disorders, any song in our repertoire that lasted more than three minutes we considered a virtual Bohemian Rhapsody. A blur of ripped jeans and Vans sneakers, we were following the path that our heroes had laid before us. And growing up on the outskirts of one of Americas most thriving punk-rock scenes, Washington, D.C., our heroes just happened to be the local bands that we could see every weekend. Minor Threat, Faith, Void, Government Issue, Bad Brains, Rites of Spring, just to name a few. These were bands that existed entirely outside the conventional, corporate music industry. They did it all themselves. So we did too.

Having been to countless shows at various community centers, art galleries, Knights of Columbus halls, and other alternative venues that actually allowed these types of raucous gatherings, I marveled at what appeared to be the simple method of promoting a punk-rock show: Find a place to play, fork over a security deposit, find some bands and a PA system, plaster handmade, xeroxed flyers on every telephone pole within walking distance of a cool record store, and pray that enough people would show up so that you wouldnt be run out of town by an angry mob of debt collectors. Heck, I could do that! All Id have to do is mow some lawns, pick up an odd job here and there, hawk some gear, and I could become the next Bill Graham! My mind was set, and I soon decided to try my hand at promoting a show all by myself. As with most achievements in my life, I had absolutely no clue what I was doing; I just followed my gut and hoped for the best. What could possibly go wrong? (Altamont, anyone?)

Excerpt from:
How Far Does the Apple Fall From the Tree? - The Atlantic

They never even hinted at that. If they did, and gave me areas to improve on, I could have gone away and worked on those areas. That information was never given to me. I had to be courageous and make a decision.

Other coaches might have sat tight. I didnt think I could be a role model for players if I didnt feel I was getting respect from my peers. After eight seasons, a big chunk of my life, at Harlequins, I didnt even get a thank you at the end. From that point of view, it was pretty tough.

Abrahams was still officially affiliated to USA Rugby on May 25 when George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis, sparking worldwide protests under the Black Lives Matter movement. He says the incident opened up unnecessary wounds and stirred him to question certain things.

In America, I would be more aware when walking to the shops on my own in the evening, Abrahams adds. I would be more aware when driving myself to training. There just had to be a greater awareness of what you did in public.

My partner is white British and we have a mixed-race daughter. She is always asked whether she is the mother when she comes through customs.

Earlier this month, Abrahams listened to a candid conversation between Ugo Monye, Maro Itoje, Beno Obano and Anthony Watson for a special edition of theRugby Union Weeklypodcast on the sports relationship with race. His reaction was one of gratitude.

The rest is here:
Warren Abrahams interview: 'There are highly-qualified black coaches in England I am one of them' - Telegraph.co.uk

United States, Maryland, Annapolis 06-01-2020 (PRDistribution.com) Annapolis, Maryland COVID-19s impact on the global economy, while still evolving, is likely to leave marks measured in years and in trillions of dollars, and there will be profound impacts on higher education. Even before the onset of the pandemic, many students and parents were questioning the return on investment of a college degree. Skyrocketing tuition prices now top $70,000 a year at many institutions, mounting student debt averages more than $30,000 and employers are increasingly skeptical about the career readiness of new graduates.

LifeRamp, a new company founded by global higher education executive Michael Huckaby, today announced the launch of an on-demand platform that enables college students to navigate and accelerate through the increasingly competitive job market toward a successful and fulfilling career. The core of LifeRamps support for students is an impressive cadre of top, internationally certified life coaches. The clear benefits of working with a life coach have been cited by CEOs and business leaders such as Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs, and Eric Schmidt (the Founder of Google), and a host of other top performers in industry, entertainment, athletics, and government. These leaders have all credited coaching as a key to their successful careers. LifeRamp firmly believes that life coaches can add value no matter who you are, or where you are in life: They unlock your potential, enable you to discover your best self, act as a motivator, accountability partner, and strategist. LifeRamp provides experienced and accredited coaches to help you get there. LifeRamps coaching programs range between 1 12 weeks and consist of different combinations of numbers of live sessions, types and amounts of educational and/or career-related assessments, and access to proprietary data sources and resources. LifeRamps coaches are backed by a next generation digital platform that supports students with cutting-edge market intelligence, job mobility data, and core skills building content provided by an impressive array of leading industry and personal growth advisors.At LifeRamp, we know the transition from childhood to a young adult is filled with challenges and vast opportunities. We believe that all young adults should have coaches early in life to help them reach their ultimate destinations. Our accredited coaches and supplemental career services work hand-in-hand with students to ensure that they reach their personal and professional potential. We help them navigate the obstacles often encountered while transitioning to college, progressing through college, and becoming successful young professionals with purpose, said Huckaby, Founder and CEO of LifeRamp.About LifeRampLifeRamp is a next-generation virtual platform that delivers on-demand life coaching and career planning resources for college students and professionals to navigate and accelerate their paths toward a fulfilling and successful future. For additional information, visit https://www.liferamp360.com

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Company Name: LifeRamp Full Name: John Beed Phone: Email Address: Send Email Website: https://www.liferamp360.com

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Seeing Past COVID: LifeRamp launches a revolutionary life coaching platform to help students get the most out of their college years and beyond. -...

Johnny Majors, who won 185 games and a national championship as a college football coach, died Wednesday at the age of 85.

We should all have the blessing of a person in our lives we can call, simply, Coach. Maybe it's a parent. Maybe it's someone who oversaw your athletic career, youth, pro or otherwise, no matter how long or short. Or perhaps it's the legend who had his painted portrait hanging in your parents' living room, the one who led their alma mater to its greatest moments of glory. You might have never met Bear Bryant or Dean Smith, but they always felt like a member of the family.

For me, Coach was Johnny Majors. Coach died Wednesday morning at the age of 85.

I never played for him, but I did work for him. When we first met, I was 19 years old, a sophomore at the University of Tennessee. I had taken a job with the Volunteers football team as a member of the video crew, manning a camera to record every practice and every game, the vital moving images that would be dissected by the coaching staff and players in their meeting rooms.

To arrive at that job each day I walked across Johnny Majors Boulevard. To get to the practice field I walked through a museum that displayed the orange No. 45 jersey worn by Majors during his years as a Vols running back, two-time SEC Player of the Year and 1956 Heisman Trophy runner-up.

As I entered the door each day, I saw Johnny Majors' College Football Hall of Fame induction plaque. As I hit the stairs to go to the video office, I passed by the 1986 Sugar Bowl championship trophy won by a team Johnny Majors coached. And when I reached the top of those stairs I was greeted by a massive framed photo of Johnny Majors being carried on the shoulders of his players as he reached down to shake the hand of Bear Bryant, whom he'd just defeated.

Minutes later, I would ascend to the top floor of the orange and white tower that overlooked the practice fields, set up my camera and, just as the drills below had started, a hand would squeeze my shoulder.

"Mr. McGee, how are we doing today? How'd you do on that big history test this morning?"

It was Johnny Majors. The living legend. The man with his name literally over the door. Big Orange Jesus himself. And he wanted to know how I had done on my World Civ final.

That's why he's my Coach.

For three autumns and two springs, that's how it went. I kept one eye stuck to the viewfinder of the camera, pointed at the offense on the field, and one eye pointed toward Coach Majors as he talked. He talked a lot. He told me what it was like to be in the same room with Gen. Robert Neyland. He talked about his days as an assistant coach at Mississippi State and Arkansas, days spent learning from Frank Broyles and coaching up Jimmy Johnson and Ken Hatfield, balanced by nights of hitting the bars of Starkville, Mississippi, with the likes of Bill Dooley.

By the time I knew him, it had been nearly a decade and a half since he'd coached Pitt to the 1976 national championship, but he still spoke with almost religious reverence when he mentioned the Heisman-winning backbone of that team, Tony Dorsett, pronounced "Door-SIT."

Every one of those stories was constantly interrupted. Out of the corner of his eye he would spot something he didn't like down on the field and jerk the bullhorn perpetually glued to his right hand to his mouth. "CHECK! CHECK! CHECK! CARL PICKENS! SELL THAT ROUTE WITH YOUR EYES! IF THEY'RE LOOKING AT YOUR EYES THEN THEY AREN'T LOOKING AT YOUR FEET!"

Then it was back to the stories. About his father, small-college legend Shirley Majors, who'd coached Johnny at Huntland High and then coached at Sewanee for two decades. He told me about his younger brothers, fellow Tennessee All-American Bobby, Suwanee star Larry and Florida State's Joe, who played for the Houston Oilers.

He especially loved to tell stories about Bill Majors, hero of Tennessee's 1959 upset win over defending national champion LSU. Bill died six years later. He was a Tennessee assistant coach and was on his way to work with two coworkers when their car was hit by a train. Coach wiped tears away from his face every time he talked about Bill. Then he would catch himself.

"How's your dad doing? ... You still dating that girl from Nashville? ... How's my quarterback looking down there?"

That's the Coach Majors that I knew. But when I would go out with friends or talk to people around Knoxville, that wasn't the Johnny Majors I would hear about. They would talk about a big-headed head coach who made too much money and couldn't beat Alabama. They said he didn't run the ball enough, but they would also say he threw the ball too much. They said he drank too much, and that he was getting too old, that he was losing touch with young people. I tried to argue with them. I used my stories from practice as my ammo. But they could never be convinced otherwise.

"I don't worry about that stuff," he said to me one day during practice when I asked him about it. He was holding the hand of his toddler grandson. "I'm only worried about those guys on that field. And this little guy right here. And I'm getting worried about you. You're getting too skinny. Are we not feeding you enough?"

It was a critical time, not only for Tennessee football, but for the entirety of college football. Cable television was exploding. The cash was starting to roll in. Recruiting was becoming ultracompetitive. Head coaches were becoming CEOs. The Volunteers were winning a lot of football games, having just gone 11-1 with a co-SEC title in 1989 and the outright championship in 1990.

His staff was an all-star team of assistants that included John Chavis, David Cutcliffe and offensive coordinator/associate head coach Phillip Fulmer. In 1992, with Heisman favorite Heath Shuler at quarterback and great expectations, that staff turned on him. Majors suffered a heart attack during the preseason and missed the first three games. He returned in a limited capacity as the team hit 5-0 and was ranked fourth in the nation.

But the Vols lost the next three, including an embarrassing defeat at South Carolina. By season's end, he was out. I was working on the last edition of the Johnny Majors Show, the Sunday morning coach's show the morning after his final game. He came onto the set with purpose, holding a copy of that morning's newspaper that reported phone records revealed Fulmer's interactions with powerful Tennessee supporters while Majors was recovering from his heart surgery.

I'm not here to argue whether Tennessee needed to make a coaching change. But I will argue until I join Johnny Majors on the other side of life that his exit could not have been handled worse.

The divide ran so deep within the football building that everyone was identified by their coach loyalties. Were you a Fulmer guy or a Majors guy? That spring I was lonely on the practice field tower. Fulmer preferred to stay on the sideline. One day I was pulled aside by an administrator and warned to stop referring to Majors as "Coach" because he was gone and there was a new head coach now.

From then on, Majors carried a bitterness, a sadness, that never fully went away. He went back to Pitt, where he coached four more years, introduced the world to Curtis Martin, and then retired from coaching in 1996. My father was a football official in the Big East at the time. Once, in the middle of a game, Dad was standing along the sideline during a timeout, when Coach approached him: "Jerry, can you believe my alma mater would do that to me?"

In 1998, I went to Pitt and spent the day with Coach, then an associate athletic director, and he took me with him to Panthers tailgating functions before that night's upset win over Miami. He introduced me to every group by saying, "This is Ryan McGee. He worked for me at Tennessee. If you get enough drinks in him he will tell you the truth about Judas Brutus."

He was speaking of Fulmer.

For more than a decade, Johnny Majors remained in Big Orange exile. He moved back to Knoxville but was rarely on campus. He said he didn't feel fully welcomed. That changed in 2009. For all that went wrong with Tennessee's one-year Lane Kiffin experiment, what went right was one of Kiffin's first acts in power -- to call Johnny Majors and give him a keycard so that he could come to the football building anytime he desired.

Coach relished the second chance so much. He became nearly a full-time resident of the video office, hunkering down in screening rooms watching old game film. I asked him what games he watched from when I was in school and he said, laughing, "Are you kidding? All I watch are my old games, when I was playing. Man, I was really good!"

He developed a habit of parking his car right in front of the football building, leaving it sitting on the curb right in the middle of traffic and going inside. When campus police told him he couldn't do that, he pointed at the road sign above them: Johnny Majors Boulevard. "The hell you say. This is my road. I can park wherever I want."

That didn't change. Even after "Judas Brutus" became athletic director. Watching them avoid each other in the football building was like watching a ballet. They shared rooms or shook hands only when events forced them to do so. Though they never mended fences, Majors worked hard over his final years to heal wounds with other staffers who were there for the coup of '92.

David Cutcliffe, now head coach at Duke, broke down in tears when he told me about Majors visiting with his team in Durham, North Carolina, a few years ago and the private conversation the two coaches had that evening. "How much of our lives have we all wasted on grudges?" Cutcliffe said to me. "We'll never get that time back and that's tragic."

I wish I could get some time back from the last couple of years. I would visit with Majors more than I did. Whenever the phone rang or we met in Knoxville, it was an instant memory.

We laughed about the time I sat in when Paul Hornung, winner of the 1956 Heisman, interviewed Coach in his office and, trying to be funny, asked: "Johnny Majors, who really should have won the Heisman in '56?" Majors replied, "Jimmy Brown, next question."

I visited with him after another heart surgery, a valve replacement in 2014. He told me just as they were administering his anesthesia, he asked what kind of valve he was getting. "They told me it was from a pig. I told them to go down to the ag campus and see if they couldn't find me one from a bull."

We talked once every few months for my entire adult life. But I should have done it more.

The last time we chatted was last fall. He was excited about the direction Tennessee football is headed. He really loved watching LSU's Joe Burrow. He thanked me for something he'd heard that I'd said about him during college football's 150th anniversary celebration. That conversation ended the way all of our conversations ended. "Ryan, I have always appreciated your loyalty. Loyalty is all we can hope for in this life. You remember that."

Johnny Majors was always coaching me up. Because Johnny Majors was always my Coach.

Continued here:
Forever my coach - Ryan McGee on how Johnny Majors changed his life - ESPN

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Former UNM soccer player Lana Melendres-Groves, here with her son Charlie, values coaching as a release from her duties as a doctor, fighting the coronavirus. COURTESY OF LANA MELENDRES-GROVES

Relief and resolve can come in different forms as so many have struggled to find normalcy during challenging times brought upon by the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr. Lana Melendres-Groves finds solace in soccer. That has been the case so many times in her life, including when she was a standout player for University of New Mexico. Now, soccer comes from a different angle during her career as the medical director of the pulmonary hypertension program at UNM Hospital.

She is among many on a hospital team working together against COVID-19, the daily tragedies that it brings, yet finding hope in the recoveries.

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Soccer, yes, known as the beautiful game, remains present, thankfully.

Its so awesome that I get to coach, said Melendres-Groves, who helps her husband, Josh Groves, with the New Mexico Soccer Academy. For me the coaching aspect is what keeps me sane, because working in a hospital, working where you see death and dying, you see life and birth, but all of it together, and then when you go out with kids, theyre why you do it. You want to make the world better. Because these kids with their innocence and their passion and their laughter, thats what reminds me, yep, get up and do it again because these guys need you to.

Much of Melendres-Groves strength and values have been drawn from soccer, the lessons learned from games and years of training that was at its highest level at UNM.

Delilah Davila, a former UNM cheerleader, is an ICU nurse at UNM Hospital. (Courtesy of UNM Hospital)

For Olivia Ferrier and Delilah Davila, both intensive care unit nurses at UNMH, a background in UNM athletics also prepared them for their careers. Ferrier also played soccer at UNM, and Davila was a cheerleader for the Lobos.

Olivier Ferrier, a former UNM womens soccer player, is an ICU nurse at UNM Hospital. (Courtesy of UNM Hospital)

Home is important for all three, and home is UNMH, serving the people in the community.

And it has intensified in the past three months. As of Friday, there have been 387 deaths due to the coronavirus in New Mexico and 8,672 who have tested positive.

The captain

Melendres-Groves, a captain for the Lobos, played as a midfielder 1996-2000 and is still among the top 10 in six categories in the programs record book. The Valley High School alumnus was a 5-foot-1 dynamo in her playing days.

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She saw the importance of teamwork back then and contributed off the pitch as well. She went to UNM on a Regents Scholarship, a full academic ride.

I chose to defer the athletic scholarship because of my Regents Scholarship, Melendres-Groves said in a recent phone interview. I requested that they use any of those funds for teammates of mine who needed it from an athletic standpoint.

At UNM, Melendres-Groves developed routines while juggling academics and athletics. Procrastination was not an option.

That has helped me through to today, said Melendres-Groves, who is also an associate professor in the department of internal medicine at UNM. I have four kids (Charlie, 12; Oliver, 10; Oscar, 7; Scarlett, 6). I work full time at UNM. I do consulting work. My husband runs a soccer academy in town that I do my best to try and coach most nights of the week and on the weekends. Playing soccer at UNM just prepares you for life, which is always coming at ya.

Melendres-Groves sensed anxiety and fear as the coronavirus made its way to the United States and crept into the central portion of the U.S. a little more than three months ago. As that happened, UNMH and state leaders worked together so they would be ready, Melendres-Groves said.

We prepared for really dire months to come, and what has happened is because of that preparation, she said. I think weve been ready and have been able to manage the patients in need, specifically being able to help with our colleagues that are in the Navajo Nation area and with that patient population and to provide support. Its been a tremendous effort across the board within all of health systems in the state.

Melendres-Groves is in a leadership role, yet she says, I also follow leaders who I know are taking us down the right path.

There has to be hope, Melendres-Groves said. Thats what allows us to get up each day, and to move forward is that the hope for tomorrow will be better than today and months from now. We have tremendous people around the world, but I cant say enough about our researchers from the national labs here in New Mexico, about our global policy workers and what they have done to move things along specifically for New Mexico. Often we get the afterthoughts in terms of our country as a whole.

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In the ICU

Olivia Ferrier and Delilah Davila are both thankful they respectively live alone. They have seen other ICU nurses who have families and must find ways to self-isolate, including renting a mobile home.

Our world has completely changed, Ferrier said. However, it has become second nature to us. We are now a completely positive coronavirus unit, so we are no longer accepting the ICU patients we were accepting at this time last year.

Second nature to Ferrier and Davila includes 12-hour shifts at least three days a week. They wear an N95 mask for their entire shift.

They solely take care of COVID-19-positive patients daily.

In late May, Ferrier said she saw no signs of the care and work needed slowing down.

Davila describes the experience as overwhelming.

Its been incredibly sad for sure to see these sick patients who take weeks to get better if they do at all, said Davila, 26, an Albuquerque High graduate who finished cheering at UNM in 2015 and completed the nursing program in 2017. Its been really tough. But I feel grateful to be able to contribute in whatever small way that I can.

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Ferrier, 26, a Volcano Vista alumna who played soccer for the Lobos from 2012-2016, is dealing with great emotions in her own way.

I dont think Ive acknowledged the mental toll that this has taken on me, especially with the combination of working on the night shift, Ferrier said The mental impact that COVID has had on me, I think it will start to come to light later because I havent really addressed it, which I dont know if that is good or bad. Ive just been in work mode for the last few months. On my off days, I just try to do the things I love when before we were quarantined. I try to exercise, which is even harder without a gym. I try to get outside. I dont underestimate the mental toll that it has taken on me and every nurse in the country. Its a big one. But I will address it later. Thats my plan.

Ferrier and Davila both have a sense of pride while working at UNMH because it is home. They grew up in Albuquerque. They had options to leave, but they chose to stay.

I feel a lot of pride working with the people of Albuquerque and New Mexico, Ferrier said. I felt like the opportunity of working at UNM, the patients we see and the technology we deal with, we deal with some of the sickest people in the country, I wanted to stay here. I thought it was the best choice for my career. Im proud to still be in Albuquerque and working at UNM.

Said Davila: My whole family is here. I feel like Im a family-oriented person. Leaving them would have been very hard for me. Im grateful that I got to cheer at UNM. My family kept me here.

Read more from the original source:
Theyre Lobos for life, working hard to save lives - Albuquerque Journal

Whit Babcocks Virginia Tech bio is incomplete. Yes, as noted in media guides and online, the Hokies athletic director earned his chops at various career stops in fundraising, marketing, promotions, ticket sales and the like. But that ignores his roots.

Babcocks start in college sports was laboring in James Madisons equipment room. He later joined the Dukes maintenance crew and groundskeepers.

For that foundation, for that appreciation of everyone in the enterprise, Babcock can thank his dad.

He shaped my whole life, whether I realized it at the time or not, Babcock said Thursday. But I know it now.

Brad Babcock died Tuesday at age 81, his only son and other family at his hospital bedside. He was a revered baseball coach, firm administrator and popular teacher at JMU, none of which he aspired to do.

A football, basketball and baseball athlete at Appomattox County High, and a baseball shortstop at Lynchburg College, Babcock dreamed of coaching football. Fate had other ideas.

He arrived at JMU in 1971 to assist football coach Challace McMillin with the programs 1972 launch. But Babcock quickly proved too adept at his side hustle, steering the Dukes equally fledgling baseball program.

JMU upgraded its teams to Division I in 1976-77, and six years later, Babcocks team, headlined by players such as Jim Knicely, Steve Cullers and Jeff Kidd, was in the College World Series, an ascension stunning for its scope and speed.

Then 12, Whit served as the Dukes batboy for the NCAA regional in Chapel Hill, N.C., and the CWS in Omaha, Neb., a son sharing in his fathers signature professional moment from mere feet away. Thats rare, and to be cherished.

That was a true fairy tale, Whit said. I thought those guys were the New York Yankees, man, and they won a lot of games.

If they were the Yankees, then Coach Babcock was? He was fiery like Billy Martin but certainly didnt brawl with his players. He could be folksy like Casey Stengel and Yogi Berra but wasnt yet a grandfatherly figure. He was calculating like Buck Showalter and Joe Torre.

He fathered as a coach, Whit said. He didnt really take second opinions. That role fit him. He could be tough on ya, now. It was a tightly run household.

While Brad traveled, his then-wife, Brenda, took care of Whit and his younger sister, Gini. When home, he eagerly played catch, hunted and fished with his son.

At Whits baseball and basketball games, Brad sat quietly, often by himself. Still, Whit felt immense pressure to impress a man he considered larger than life.

Indeed, though not huge physically, Brad had a presence, as I learned in the spring of 1980.

Assigned to preview JMUs baseball season for the student newspaper, I found myself sitting with him in the Dukes dugout, a rather intimidating encounter for a cub reporter. Early in our conversation, he made clear who was in charge.

With all the precision of a pitcher painting the outside edge at the knees, Babcock spit tobacco juice Red Man was his chew of choice on my right tennis shoe.

Our eyes met, and he smiled first. Then we both cracked up.

Upon learning that he was an AD candidate at Virginia Tech, I texted Whit, then the athletic director at Cincinnati. By way of introduction, I shared the tobacco story.

Sounds just like him, Whit replied.

The Times-Dispatchs John OConnor recalls similar mischief from his own playing days at Richmond, Brad in the third-base coaching box impishly tossing pebbles at him while he patrolled third base for the Spiders.

The last of Babcocks 19 years coaching JMU was 1989. His teams went 558-251-4 (.689 winning percentage), reached five NCAA tournaments and endured just one losing season, that in 1972. Moreover, during his tenure, the Dukes had a winning record versus every Division I program in Virginia, including 14-11 against UVA, 11-10 versus Virginia Tech and 17-14-1 against Old Dominion.

I absolutely believe growing up in the household of a successful head coach pays dividends today, said Whit, a freshman reserve on his dads final team. I never wanted to get into coaching. That wasnt my love, and he used to come home after a tough day and say, Lord have mercy, Whit. Dont get into coaching because the fate of your job is in the hands of 18-year-olds.

I hope I would be considered a coaches AD, and I believe understanding things from their perspective is very helpful.

I last saw Coach Babcock three years ago at Techs introductory news conference for baseball coach John Szefc. He was as feisty and gregarious as ever, trading old stories with former Hokies coach and rival Chuck Hartman.

Some of those tales may have even been true.

Babcock was among the pioneer coaches who during the 1970s and 80s showed all that JMU athletics could, and would, become. Betty Jaynes and Shelia Moorman in womens basketball, and Lou Campanelli in mens basketball; McMillin in football and Bob Vanderwarker in mens soccer; Lee Morrison in field hockey and administration.

Fueling their ambition were athletic director Dean Ehlers and university president Ronald Carrier, aka Uncle Ron.

Glorious times, Whit Babcock said.

Brad Babcock transitioned into administration after coaching and also taught graduate-level kinesiology classes, the latter without a textbook. Throughout, he remained in touch with former players, the relationships coaches always come to treasure, realizing the lasting impact they made on young people.

It was nice to see him later in life, Whit said, probably like a lot of fathers do, soften up a little bit. To see him evolve into a teacher and a grandfather and take probably more joy in my career, that was really fun to see.

Here Babcock paused and laughed.

He never stopped coaching or giving me advice, he continued. Some I would listen to and some I wouldnt, but he didnt mind giving it to you.

Here is the original post:
Teel: Whit Babcock remembers his dad as larger than life, but with a fun side, too - Richmond.com

Speaking exclusively to Eurosport Germanys Vocal Athletes podcast, six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker reveals he hasnt ruled out a return to the coaches box and why he left his role as the coach of Novak Djokovic.

I wouldnt rule out the possibility of becoming a coach again. In the current situation, its not possible because Im responsible for the mens Team Germany. But nothing is eternal. If there are players who interest me, who allow me to coach so and want to be open with me, then thats something I could definitely consider.

The problem is that it is very time-consuming. As a coach of Novak Djokovic, I spent 25 to 30 weeks with him. That includes training camps and smaller tournaments. You have to take part in the preparation tournaments and all the pre-season training in winter and spring. That is very time-consuming. I have a family and I have other professional projects that I need to manage. But I dont want to rule it out completely. Tennis is my great love.

When I received the first call [from Djokovics management], Djokovic had just lost his number one position in the ATP rankings he was only the number two in the world. I have commentated on many games like Wimbledon finals or US Open finals on him as a TV expert and I have always been of a clear opinion. He has taken these reviews to heart.

Then there was a phone call from his manager Edoardo Artaldi, who was also a long- time companion of mine. He asked me if I wanted to become coach of Novak. I visited Djokovic a few weeks later in Monte Carlo and we talked for 48 hours just about tennis. My promise to him was that I had to tell him open and honestly the truth, because everything else doesnt work and I cant embellish anything: The reason why you might not be so good anymore is because you felt too good as number one, you didnt improve. The other players like [Rafael] Nadal and [Roger] Federer have adjusted their game. I dont like your positioning on the court, I dont like your serve at all.

We had a long conversation. He had already won many Grand Slam titles and was an absolute superstar, but he wasnt satisfied with himself and he seeked for more. You have to give him credit for that. When I see a lot of young players in contrast, who play a semi-final once and then celebrate that success for half a year. Thats not comparable with a character like Djokovic but Federer and Nadal are the same. Djokovic is driven by tennis history and eternal records.

Novak will always be a very close friend of mine. Our cooperation terminated end of 2016 because he wanted to take a break. He had elbow problems and in spring 2017 an operation followed. It has been three very intense, very successful years and at some point even a superstar like Djokovic has to take a little break. And what does the coach do then? There was no stress and we really split up for the better. At the subsequent Grand Slams we always met whenever he had a question about a player. My door was always open. A player-coach partnership like that is above all characterized by trust. I can only help a player if he openly addresses his worries and fears. He has to be totally honest and I really appreciate that trust.

Boris Becker was a guest on Eurosport Germanys Vocal Athletes podcast.

Follow us on Twitter @T365Official.

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Boris Becker on his return to coaching and life with Novak Djokovic - Tennis365

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Brook Turson, who scored over 2,000 points in his Plymouth career, was just promoted as lead assistant in the Ashland University men's basketball program.(Photo: Brian J. Smith/News Journal)

PLYMOUTH - I don't like the terms "former teammate" or "ex-teammate."

If you had a teammate in any sport, that person will always be your teammate. Which is whycthe first guest on The Conversation, a weekly series where I sit down with a local figure in athletics, is my teammate, Brook Turson.

Turson and I played basketball together at Plymouth for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons before I graduated and got out of the way for his Big Red teams to make trips to the regional tournament.

After learning of his promotion within the Ashland University men's basketball coaching staff, I stopped by Turson's house to meet his new baby girl and catch up with the best basketball player I've ever played with and undeniably, the best player to come from Plymouth High School.

Here is our conversation.

Jake Furr: This promotion, man, it is awesome. I couldn't be happier for you. How cool is this?

Brook Turson: It really is. It is something I have always wanted to do. I had a job opportunity two and a half years ago at West Liberty University to be their lead assistant and I didn't take it because it didn't feel right at the time. Jen and I were about to get married and it just didn't feel right. So I decided to talk with Coach (John) Ellenwood and I told him I would stick around and work on campus (at Ashland University) and work in the admissions office and help out with the basketball program when I can and he was super gracious. He wanted me to be a part of things. This year, Coach (Rob) Gardner getting a job at Lincoln Memorial in Tennessee, which is one of the best Division II schools in the country, Coach Ellenwood asked if I wanted to take the job and I said absolutely without hesitation. It gets me out of admissions and into basketball full-time and I am so thankful. The program Coach Ellenwood has built is the best Division II program in the state of Ohio, there is no doubt in my mind. So to be a part of that for the foreseeable future is special because I was a player there and have a special connection to the program.

JF: For sure, man. Sitting here with you now, I think back to just how much different your life was say six months ago. The responsibility level in your life has increased exponentially with a new baby girl and now a full-time basketball coach as a lead assistant. It seems like a lot for a young guy like yourself.

BT: Oh it is. It is a lot because at the Division II level as a lead assistant, you aren't just a coach and recruiter. You are now a student-athlete academic coach, you handle a budget, you are responsible for equipment so you really get the full spectrum. My wife and I just had a child six weeks ago so I am already in a whirlwind as we work together to learn to be parents and then you through this COVID-19 stuff on top of it. Honestly, having Blair during this pandemic couldn't have been better timing because we get to stay at home with her a lot. The ramifications of this whole thing are incredible to see though as it affects recruiting and people's lives in general. It has been a whirlwind of a month and a half.

JF: That may be the best way to put it because I could only imagine. But it is interesting you bring up recruiting because I feel like that is one of the things that has most changed in sports with this whole pandemic.

BT: Oh it has. There are so many more Zoom meetings and Zoom calls, but I spend more time on the phone calling and texting than I have in the past with guys we are interested in. We can't evaluate kids right now because we can't see them. Sure we look at highlight tapes and we get game film from coaches so I watch a lot of that and evaluate as much as I can. I watch two game films in the morning of a kid we are looking at just to see, OK he is good at this and not good at this and when we get a chance to see him if it matches up with what we see on film. It is so different because Coach Ellenwood has always been very personal with his offers. When we see a player we want, he puts nearly all of his focus on one kid at a time. You are our guy and we want you. This year, it might be a little bit different, but hopefully, this whole thing will make me a better recruiter because now, I can do so many different things and if you can recruit in a time like this, you can recruit in anything.

JF: Will this change recruiting forever or is there any chance things just return to the normal way when all this is behind us?

BT: That is a good question. I think it will change in some aspects, but I don't see it changing drastically. You are still going to have such a huge emphasis on AAU because that is the best level of competition. Now this year, it will be different because college guys like myself and even higher level coaches are going to have to go to a lot more high school games because we haven't been able to go to AAU tournaments to watch kids. We have always gone to high school games before, but this year, it is going to be the most constant evaluation that we can do besides workouts and open gyms in the fall. So it will be different this year, but next year, assuming things get back to normal, it should go back to an emphasis in the summer from shoe circuits to AAU tournaments.

JF: I held on to something you said early about highlight tapes. I feel like those things can be so deceiving. I see them all over social media and of course, every shot is made, there is dunk after dunk and I just feel like as talent evaluation, you can't put a ton of stock into highlight tapes, right? Or am I way off?

Brook Turson was elevated to lead assistant coach at Ashland University in the men's basketball program.(Photo: Ashland University)

BT: There is some truth to that. I like when they are short and concise at about 3-5 minutes. We don't have a ton of time because we get dozens a day from kids. What I want to see on them is show me you can shoot because the main thing I am looking at is your form. I look at the release and the point of the release and if it is a high-arching shot. I know you are going to make the shot or else you wouldn't put it in a highlight tape. But I also want to see you going both directions when handling the ball. I want to see how you are as a passer. Defensively, it is hard to point it out on a highlight tape, but if you put 30-45 seconds in of you playing great defense, that would be great. Everyone is an All-American in a highlight tape so you take it a grain of salt, but it does help, especially with an initial evaluation of a kid.

JF: I know you as a basketball guy. We are teammates and friends so I know it isn't only who you are, but you are making your living off of the game you love. What is it like to be doing this full-time and your only responsibility as far as your career goes?

BT: It is refreshing, I think. I am going to really enjoy what I am doing because I am part of a program I respect and love. Just working with the young men in our program is going to be so rewarding. We don't recruit jerks at Ashland. We look for high-level kids and you are going to have to be a great student and meet our culture values. So to work with people like that and in that environment is going to be refreshing. But, I still want to be a husband and father first. I can't always get wrapped up in basketball, basketball, basketball. Right now, it is easy to do because it is the first thing on my mind in the morning because it is so new, but Coach Ellenwood does a great job of showing how you can incorporate family into your career because he is such an amazing family man with four kids of his own. I know if I have something going on with Jen or Blair, he is going to support me putting my family first. That is one of the nice things about Division II vs high-level and mid-major Division I. There is so much instant need and your time is in high demand. And I can't only be a basketball coach and nor would I want to given my amazing family.

JF: Obviously there have to be head coaching aspirations, right? Ideally, where do you see this career going?

Brook Turson played for Ashland before he became an assistant coach under his coach John Ellenwood. Earlier in the week, Turson was promoted to lead assistant at AU.(Photo: News Journal File Photo)

BT: That is a very good question. You know, playing for my dad like you did, basketball is what I have known for 28 years now. I have learned from so many great coaches. But I just don't know where it is going to go. Right now, I am so thrilled to have this opportunity until coach gets rid of me (laughs). But I would love to be a head coach at some point in time, but I don't see that being anytime soon. There is just so much learning to be done with how to orchestrate a program and also how to be integrated into a community and having so many people to answer to. We will see though. If it leads to another assistant job somewhere, great. If it doesn't and I am at Ashland for 10 years, that would be fine with me, too. We are the best Division II program in the state, so who wouldn't want to be a part of that.

JF: But man, you have a daughter. Your dad coached you. Am I going to see you on the sidelines sometime in the future coaching her in high school? (Laughs)

BT: (Laughs) I don't know if that is in the cards for me. But interestingly enough, my dad said that when he has a grandchild, he would love to coach their travel and youth teams.

JF: Now that is something I have to see!

BT: Well he is already doing it to a certain extent with some step-grandchildren he has and they are all girls, too, so he already has that in his blood. So maybe I will just let him take that over and I can just be a parent in the stands. I already have little patience so I would hate to see what 8- to 10-year old girls do to me; probably make me gray. But it will be so much fun to see where Blair goes in life.

Brook Turson, playing in the 2010 News Journal All-Star Classic, was inducted as part of the charter class in the Plymouth High School Hall of Fame.(Photo: News Journal file photo)

JF: I may just have to buy a ticket to see Coach (Brad) Turson coaching youth basketball. With you two being coaches now, do you pick his brain now more than ever or does he try to talk basketball more when you guys are around each other?

BT: He is so good at not overstepping. He knows this is not my program and that it is Coach Ellenwood's program and I am here to help. If I do have a question about something, my dad is always there and he is and has always been so supportive of what we do at Ashland. He is at every home game with Jen and my mom and everyone else. I know he is there when I need him, but since he stopped coaching, he has taken a step back and is really enjoying what he is doing instead of worrying about basketball all the time. But he is always there.

JF: I look at your life and man you have to be enjoying this right now. You have a newborn baby and now you are a full-time basketball coach. I don't really know if you can call this work.

BT: Oh some days, it is work. The league we play in, at least for next season, has so much travel. We are switching leagues next year so that will be less travel, but we have one more year in the GLIAC. But at the end of the day, it really isn't work. I get to go to the office wearing shorts or sweats with aT-shirt or a hoodie, maybe a hat if I want. When I worked in admissions, I had to wear a shirt and sometimes a tie with slacks and dress shoes. The sweatpants will be welcomed back with open arms. (Laughs) It is not work, especially when you do something you love.

jfurr@gannett.com

740-244-9934

Twitter: @JakeFurr11

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The Conversation: Catching up with Ashland University assistant coach Brook Turson - Mansfield News Journal

MADISON- The greater North Alabama Alternative Baseball Club is in need of volunteers and coaches, but no longer a head coach as Tyler Wright has been chosen to head up the local Alternative Baseball Club.

I was scanning Facebook one night and saw the organization needed a head coach and I thought that position would be awesome, said Wright. My goal is to build the program by getting players and volunteer coaches to help expand to where we can have several local teams.

The current team plays in a league comprised of squads in Atlanta, Chattanooga and Auburn, which requires loads of travel. If the local organization can expand, the woes of traveling would mostly be a thing of the past.

The Alternative Baseball Organization is a 501c3 developmental baseball program for disabled persons ages 15 and older. The national organization has been featured on national television and publications highlighting its incredible skills to assist those with a disability who have a passion for baseball.

The 31-year old Wright was born with cerebral palsy that has affected the right side of his body where he has little movement in his right hand. He also walks with a limp, but his disabilities have led to his strong competitive spirit stemming from his several years as a player and coach of his favorite sport.

I played baseball in grades 7-10 and then I helped coach softball in grades 11-12, said Wright, who works at Huntsville Hospitals Outpatient Therapy Dept. I was asked to try out for the baseball team at New Hope Middle School when I was in the seventh grade. I was afraid I would not make the team, but the coach helped me make the transition to the team. He gave me confidence as Im a competitor. I like to play the game. With my coaching experience, I want to build social skills, confidence and team work in each player and hope they will take those skills out to everyday life.

To help reach his goal with the organization, Wright needs players and volunteers. He anticipates to try and begin practices in late July or early August. He currently has 10 players on the team roster and hopes to get many others involved.

The current COVID-19 crisis cuffed the efforts of the organization. New members are currently being recruited at the organizations website- http://www.alternativebaseball.org. Those interested in being involved can visit the websites player and volunteer portal to register. I will personally follow up on each inquiry, said Wright. Being back on the field is also an issue as the team is looking for a new home field after playing at Huntsvilles Mae Jemison High School a season ago.

Alternative Baseball is for teens and adults with autism and other disabilities.

Wright currently attends Calhoun College looking to earn a degree in Health Care Administration.

His playing days at New Hope School included his having the unique talents of throwing and catching only with his left hand. Most of his time on teams was spent as an assistant coach rather than a player. His experience led him to be a coach of travel-summer baseball teams including the Huntsville Banditos for the last three years. His coaching for his new team is a natural fit as hes lived the uneasy feelings of being out of place among others and the lack of confidence to attempt a sport.

Wrights work as the team manager for his high school football team led him to be a leader and helper. His love for baseball, especially as an avid fan of the Atlanta Braves, is easily seen in his new position of making a difference in the lives of others.

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Alternative Baseball Club Names Tyler Wright Head Coach - The Madison Record - themadisonrecord.com

Lynch Hunt, popular as Coach Lynch, is a motivational and fitness expert, who is making news for offering holistic fitness coaching in transforming people. He has got a long experience of over 15 years in the world of fitness and he shares it with his clients in his training sessions.

Coach Lynch, through his brand, AWOL, is running multiple businesses by using platforms such as fitness, supplements, motivational speaking, educational curriculum-based courses, and community outreach. The sole motive of his services is to help people transform completely into their minds and bodies.

And he is making use of his leadership spirit to educate, motivate, and empower people to undergo a complete transformation at the mental and physical level. Under Coach Lynchs visionary leadership, lots of people have managed to find their new identity and explore themselves completely.

Unlike other average coaches, he pays attention to the individual requirements of his clients and plans strategies accordingly to serve their needs. With his hard work, Coach Lynch has collected numerous certifications in the health and fitness world. Moreover, he has utilized all his experiences and life lessons to introduce the brand, AWOL Fitness for people.

Through various fitness challenges, AWOL helps to improve the overall quality of life by making a person transform his mind and body. With the help of its proprietary exercise system, known as F.A.S.T (Functional Athletic Strength Training), the AWOL Fitness team helps a person improve his performance and physique in a limited amount of time.

Coach Lynch has faced a lot of hardships in his life and he even had to spend 10 years in federal prison. After that, he never looked back and made a strong comeback in the world of fitness training and personal development. He has penned down 5 self-help books on personal development and he is about to release his new workbook titled 7 Levels of Discipline that Manifest Success along with AWOLs very own Fitness app to launch at the end of june.

The rest is here:
Coach Lynch, a Life Coach and Fitness Expert, is Offering Fitness Coaching to Transform People through his Brand, AWOL Fitness - America Daily Post