Floyd Mayweather Jr. is beginning a post-fight career in coaching and it's a move inspired by the recent death of his famous uncle.

Mayweather Jr. began boxing at four years old, following in the footsteps of the renowned Mayweather family as his father Floyd Sr., and uncles Jeff and Roger all competed professionally in the 1980s.

Taught by his father and Roger, Mayweather Jr. was crowned a champion in five weight divisions, finished his own fighting career with a flawless record of 50 wins unbeaten, and beat a who's who of impeccable opponents such as Manny Pacquiao, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, Oscar de la Hoya, Jose Luis Castillo, and Genaro Hernandez, amongst others.

Though Mayweather Jr. retired in 2017 after besting Conor McGregor in a lucrative bout with the UFC striker, the American teased comebacks and even fought a bizarre exhibition in Japan on December 31, 2018.

But any signs of another pro fight may finally be over, as Mayweather Jr. appears inspired by lessons imparted from Roger, who died last month after years of deteriorating health.

In a video message posted on Instagram, Mayweather Jr. said this, combined with the ongoing coronavirus crisis, makes him want to pass on lessons he has learned onto the new generation and he has already been seen on video offering boxing instruction to his 20-year-old son Koraun and his 14-year-old nephew, below, who, he said, has no experience.

Mayweather Jr. said: "This is my first day working with my 14-year-old old nephew, and my second time doing mitt work.

"As many of you know, I've had incredible trainers which included my dad and uncle. Due to the recent passing of my Uncle Roger, I've felt inspired to help those around me the same way they have been there for me throughout my boxing career.

"In a time where we must distance ourselves from others, it has allowed me to reflect on how I want to make a difference in people lives and help them achieve their goals."

Mayweather then said he wants to help younger people achieve their goals in life, pushing them "to the best of their abilities."

He added: "I am new to helping people train as I've always been on the other side of the mitts. A fighter could be impressive at mitt work but it doesn't make him a great fighter. A trainer could be impressive on the mitts but it doesn't make him a great trainer.

"It has become a goal of mine to help others reach the best versions of themselves and walk with it in confidence. I want to leave an impression on those around me and allow them to see their potential.

"This quarantine period has allowed me to see the importance of unity and helping others grow. I want to do my part on this Earth and allow people to see the potential in themselves so that they can share it with the world.

"I am new at training and so far I've been working with people with no boxing experience, therefore we are growing together. But I promise you, I will be one of the best trainers in the world."

Watch Mayweather's latest video below:

A post shared by Floyd Mayweather (@floydmayweather)Apr 9, 2020 at 4:13pm PDT

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Floyd Mayweather Jr. is beginning a post-fight career in coaching - Insider - INSIDER

Life On The Run Has Slowed For WVUs Track Program

Like other student-athletes at West Virginia University, most of the members of the Mountaineer womens track & field program scattered to their respective hometowns once the NCAA shutdown all athletic events this spring to try to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

WVUs 33-member track roster features student-athletes from eight different states and five different countries, including Australia, Kenya, Jamaica and Canada. Some stayed in Morgantown, either because they were from the University City or their hometowns were virus hotspots, but most are now spread out to various locales.

WVU head coach Sean Cleary check in with his student-athletes regularly, no matter where they are.

I would say the communication between our coaching staff and our student-athletes has been good, he said. I know me personally, Im usually doing something daily, and at the very most I dont go more than two days without chatting, at least a few words.

Were communicating using WhatsApp, Instant Messenger and things like that. They have subgroups going to help keep themselves motivated, and by that, I mean mainly in school.

I think everyones big concern is how theyll adjust to online classes. Some are made for it, and for others, they think its terrible. But the fact that the whole world is doing it makes it a little easier.

Two of those Cleary has been staying in contact with are Candace Jones-Archer and Olivia Hill, who are the 2020 squads lone seniors. The NCAA has ruled that spring-sport student-athletes can get an additional year of eligibility since they missed most of the 2020 season. Thus WVUs two senior runners will have an option to return next year.

We dont have many seniors, noted Cleary, who has serves as not only West Virginias track & field coach but also its cross-country coach. Candace got married last summer. She was one of our very best milers and had an incredible breakthrough last cross-country season (finishing a team-best seventh at the Big 12 championships). She had planned on leaving town (after graduation) to run with a professional group, but she has decided to stay and will use her last year of eligibility.

Olivia, who is from Teays Valley (Christian High School, which is in Scott Depot, W.Va.), is undecided, added Cleary, who is a 1992 WVU graduate himself. She is premed, and she has numerous options in front of her, including possibly coming back. She has some thinking to do in terms of if she wants defer med school. Id say the odds of Olivia coming back are 50-50.

A native of Ontario, Canada, Cleary arrived at WVU in 1991 as a runner for the Mountaineer track and cross-country teams, and he has remained at West Virginia ever since. He served as an assistant coach from 1993-2006 and then took over as the head coach in 2007.

This is a spring unlike any other for he and everyone else. Normally hed be working hands on with his athletes on a daily basis, but now hes had to back off in many areas.

The type of thing that isnt allowed is, for instance, we cant take a local pole vaulter out to a track and work with them. We cant do that, Cleary explained of the regulations during this social distancing time. What we can do is send them a program in terms of running and strength and conditioning. The department has done a wonderful job in the last week or two in terms of putting together care packages for the kids. For our distance runners, we send them iron supplements and things like that. Weve also sent them stretching bands and some other things.

In regards to just getting out to run, its tricky, added WVUs coach. Most tracks are closed, but you can still run on the roads and places like that. We probably have 10 runners who are still in Morgantown, but we dont want to tell them to get together and go run. To me it would irresponsible to do that. What theyve done is run in singles or in pairs. Theyve been pretty responsible about that.

Im able to facilitate training for five days a week, and Ive told them these are the five days and this is what you should be doing. Im assuming they are following through with that. Those girls want to run. My job for 90 percent of the team isnt to push them but actually to hold them back when theyre doing too much. I think theyre in a good spot, all things considered.

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Life On The Run Has Slowed For WVUs Track Program - Blue Gold News

These are strange and unusual times as we wait out a deadly virus and shelter at home. With offices shuttered, we take work video calls from our dining room tables. With schools closed, students do yoga assigned via email by their physical education teacher. With restaurant dining rooms off-limits, we are eating anniversary meals of frozen pizza and cinnamon rolls.

We're also doing at-home projects, making artwork on driveways, watching Netflix and trying new recipes. And we're taking our dogs on walks. Lots and lots of walks.

Here are stories about how we are living through these times.

An unusual field trip

During these unusual times, Jennifer Meyers found an offbeat place to take her kids for fun and learning: A cemetery.

Usually, the Bartonville family is busy with school and sports. But stuck at home lately, mom took the kids Sebastien, 13, plus 10-year-old triplets Autumn, Savannah and Noah on a field trip to St. Marys Cemetery in West Peoria, the resting place of some of their ancestors.

But family heritage wasnt their only lesson of the day. They took in some history and civics while seeking military markers. They got plenty of exercise while hiking through the graveyard. Along the way, they employed their math skills in trying to figure out the oldest tombstone. For three hours, they enjoyed a one-of-a-kind educational experience.

This was a way to learn without sitting behind a computer, Jennifer Meyers says.

Phil Luciano

At-home recruiting trail

Bradley University soccer coach Jim DeRose has always been a bundle of energy. And while spring is the off-season for college soccer, his springs are hectic. He spends them training his players, coaching a short spring exhibition season, hitting the recruiting trail, running a high school boys club soccer program and administering the Peoria city amateur team.

Most of those things arent happening this spring. DeRose still is maintaining relationships with recruits and monitoring his players progress by social messaging and phone. But mainly, the coach is getting routine jobs done around his Peoria home that he usually doesnt have time to tackle.

Im painting my bathroom, getting projects done outside on my lawn and spending some good family time, he said. Im not a sit-around guy although Ive gotten in some reading and podcasts on professional development. But Im mostly an outdoors warrior. Ive got pulled pork on the smoker going right now for dinner tonight.

Dave Reynolds

Studying the good book

The Rev. Marvin Hightower has been taking advantage of the earthly standstill to focus on a more heavenly pursuit. Like many aspects of the Bible, it's one that has current relevance.

Hightower, who is president of the Peoria chapter of the NAACP, is studying Biblical passages regarding eschatology. That part of theology focuses on death, judgment and the final destiny of the soul.

"A study on the end times," as Hightower put it.

The senior pastor of Liberty Church of Peoria also has been reading "Chronicle of the Seventh Son: Black Panther Mark Clark." It's about the Peoria native who with fellow activist Fred Hampton was killed in 1969 during a predawn raid by Chicago police.

Besides the reading and studying, Hightower has been on numerous conference calls and responding to emails. He and his wife also have been extra careful in other pursuits, because their daughter has respiratory issues coronavirus might affect.

"It definitely has slowed me down," Hightower stated.

Nick Vlahos

Teaching the guitar, online

Lucas Myers has been playing the guitar for nearly half his life.

With time on his hands because of the state's stay-at-home order, the Washington Community High School junior wants to teach guitar lessons.

Online, of course.

"I'm bored sometimes, but I know how to play the guitar, so why not teach people how to play it?" Myers said. "It won't be easy teaching guitar online, but I'll figure it out."

Myers, 17, has been playing the guitar as a hobby for 7 years and he's taught three people how to play it. He's in the intermediate guitar class at Washington.

If you're a health care worker or senior citizen, Myers won't charge for his online lessons. He can be reached at 840-5407.

Steve Stein

Life outside a picture window

My picture window approximates the dimensions of a large flat-screen television. For the past three weeks it has offered a view of a constantly interesting parade of pedestrians bipeds and canines that has provided a welcome distraction from the work-at-home social distancing blues.

Strangers and neighbors Who are these people? Where have they come from? stealing moments from their own cabin-fevered days for a government-approved stroll in nice weather. Couples pushing strollers. Elderly folks leaning into canes. Joggers. Little kids on little bikes. Big kids on big bikes. Three at a time. Mostly alone.

And this, no lie:

A young woman with a Great Dane big as a whitetail yearling on a leash and a little dog poking its head out of her backpack, walking down my street like it was as normal as a day without COVID-19.

Scott Hilyard

A social-distancing workout

Marti Teubel teaches group fitness classes an activity that's difficult to carry out amid social-distancing protocols and with area gyms closed.

Fortunately, streaming video isn't just for business meetings.

Like a number of other instructors at Five Points Washington, Teubel has seized the opportunity to stream her classes.

"As an instructor, it's my life but I'm realizing my members needed it as well," she said, both for the workout and for continuing the sense of community and fellowship the workouts offer.

The camaraderie has already encouraged one person who usually does more work on the elliptical machines to reach out and show interest in future group fitness classes, she says.

Chris Kaergard

Pride in service

Ethan Barlow's ceremony for taking the oath to join the Illinois Air National Guard was clearly different. First off, it was on the Peoria riverfront, so the noise from construction crews on the Murray Baker Bridge reverberated through the air.

Then, there was the coronavirus causing his family and friends and even the recruiter to stand at least six feet away.

The Dunlap High School senior said he wanted to join the Guard because it's in his family's tradition and because his father, Chance Barlow, was retiring after some 30 years in the 182nd Airlift Wing. Barlow will head to basic training later this year and, at some point in the future, join the Peoria-based unit as a loadmaster on a C-130.

As his father beamed with pride, Ethan Barlow raised his right hand and took the oath. When it was over, there wasn't a handshake, or a high five. The two just nodded. Chance Barlow gave his son a hug.

Chance Barlow, a longtime member of the Peoria Fire Department as well as of the Guard, said he was proud of his son's choice, noting that choosing the Guard over active duty showed his son wanted to not only serve in time of war but also in times of peace. His son agreed.

Andy Kravetz

'Life has slowed down a bit'

Shari Mahnesmith, manager at Arby's in Galesburgfor the past 11 years, has seen some positives from dealing with the COVID-19pandemic.

"The part of it that's kind of good is life has slowed down a little bit, " she said. "We're not running somewhere every night. It's kind of a bad way it happened."

Business-wise, things could be worse.

"Our drive-thru business has picked up even though we've closed the dining room," she said. "We're not hit as bad as some restaurants."

With about 30 employees, adjustments have been made to Arby's work schedule.

"Everybody has lost hours," Mahnesmith said. "If you were working four days, it's gone to three. We're keeping everybody working anyways."

And despite stay-at-home guidelines, Mahnesmith tries to help other local businesses.

"I used to eat out all the time. I don't like to cook," she said. "We just order it to go. We try to go where we usually go just to help those people."

Mike Trueblood

Real estate work continues

Tom Knapp, designated managing broker for RE/MAX Preferred Properties in Galesburg,says the real estate business continues despite restrictions caused by stay-at-home orders.

"Real estate is considered an essential business," said the real estate agentof 30 years. "We're still working, but we try to limit some of our work to home."

Office work is still required, Knapp says, but special precautions are taken.

"Every day we disinfect the office with Lysol," he said. "We spray down the door handles and hard surfaces and things like computer keypads."

House showings are also continuing, but with new procedures in place.

"We ask the buyer and seller to tell us if they've been abroad, or have a fever or cold or flu-like symptoms," Knapp said. "We limit showings to four people maximum."

After a promising start to the year which included good weather, a strong inventory of houses and low interest rates, Knapp hopes for better days ahead. "Everybody is trying to cope and do the best they can."

Mike Trueblood

Missing baseball, restaurants

Dick Lindstrom, owner of Lindstrom's TV and Appliance in Galesburg, notices the absence of the little things that make life more enjoyable.

"You don't know how much you appreciate things until you don't have them," Lindstrom said. "Like a haircut or going to Landmark and getting a sandwich. Hopefully, it will return.

"I miss baseball," said the lifelong Cubs fan. "It's just a strange time. If sports would return, that would go a long way to bring normalcy back."

To help fill the void, Lindstrom has relied on watching Cubs highlights from years past.

"I got to watch Ryne Sandburg's two-homer game against the Cardinals (1984) and their run up to the World Series, which is something I've never been able to do," he said.

Lindstrom's business of sales and service remains open under the state's stay-at-home guidelines, but with changes.

"Obviously we don't have the business we did in a typical month," he said. "Our front door (on Main Street) is locked, but a sign directs you to the Seminary Street door. We control what's happening.

"If your refrigerator or washer is not working right, that's pretty important."

Mike Trueblood

Can't get granite for grave stones

Sharon Ponder, co-owner of Lacky & Sons Monuments in Galesburgwith her husband Harv, says the pandemic has affected her business at a crucial time of year.

"This is our prime time our Christmas just before Memorial Day," she said.

"We have a lot of granite in warehouses in Georgia that we really need before Memorial Day, and we can't get it."

According to Ponder, Lacky normally receives shipments every week, but hasn't received one in three weeksduetowarehouses closed to the pandemic.

"We've got a lot of work to do to keep our employees working this month," she added.

Lacky's office is closed, but customers can call for appointments. "We do prefer them to wear a mask," she said.

Ponder is sensitive to other businesses in similar situations.

"We live in Knoxville and used to eat out, and we've been to Big Katz and Alfano's for carryout, we've been to 156 East (in Galesburg) three times in the last week," she said. "We try to help keep small businesses going.

"I'm getting very tired of my cooking."

Mike Trueblood

Walmart anniversary dinner

Steve Brubaker, a lobbyist for the Illinois Harness Horsemens Association and the Illinois Small Loan Association, is still working albeit by phone even though the General Assembly hasnt been in town for weeks.

"Its a lot harder now," Brubaker said. "Legislators are very busy in their districts dealing with COVID-19 and not as accessible as they might be in Springfield."

Negotiations on policies and potential bills are still going on even if no one knows when the General Assembly will reconvene.

The coronavirus outbreak did force a change in plans for the 38th wedding anniversary he and his wife observed.

"We usually go out to dinner," Brubaker said. "This time we had a frozen pizza from Walmart. We had a muffin from Sams Club as our celebratory cake. That was perfectly fine."

Doug Finke

'Everything is so upside down'

Daksh Desai sits alone in his two-bedroom apartment on the University of Illinois Springfield campus, over 8,000 miles away from his home in India. His roommate bagged his belongings and left weeks ago.

Desai wishes he could be doing what he normally does in April capturing moments of UIS baseball with his camera. Instead, he is playing a baseball video game.

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How has the coronavirus changed our lives? - Pekin Daily Times

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KANSAS CITY, MO DECEMBER 29: Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers ran off the field following the 31-21 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. For the first time in his long, decorated career, Philip Rivers considered life after the NFL.

In February, he and the Los Angeles Chargers agreed to mutually part ways after 16 seasons that featured so many highlights: 128 victories, including six trips to the postseason; 59,271 yards and 397 TD passes, each 6th-most in league history; eight Pro Bowl selections.

Seek out another QB-needy team? Or kick back and settle into life after football?

Rivers huddled with wife Tiffany, along with older daughters Halle and Caroline, and Gunner, his 12-year old son. Soon, he plans on coaching Gunner and 8-year old Peter in high school, following his own football-career arc. At Athens (Ga.) H.S., he played for his father, Steve.

I want to coach my boys and coach young boys down the road, Rivers said Saturday during a conference call. I know whats next when my playing times over.

Back and forth the discussion went.

Then the Indianapolis Colts dialed up his agent, Jimmy Sexton.

Then it hit Rivers, who would sign a one-year, $25 million contract.

I can still do this. I still want to do this.

Really where we settled in was I still love to play, Rivers said. Certainly not coming off my best year, but a year where I still know I can play at a high level. I did it in spurts, just didnt do it consistent enough.

I loved it.

Lets not misconstrue whats going on here. Rivers and the Colts arent embarking on a long-term relationship. He should be viewed as a 38-year, short-term bridge to the franchises QB of the future.

The length of that relationship is to be determined. Again, its a one-year deal, but Rivers anticipates something longer.

I take it one year at a time, he said. Thats the best way to do it at 38. I do feel good. I feel great. If I feel like I feel right now next year, then Ill be excited to keep playing.

He reiterated his intention to coach his sons in high school.

That gives you a little idea, he said. Im not going to get carried away.

I dont think youll see me in the Tom Brady range.

The Colts were a logical destination considering his history in San Diego with coach Frank Reich (2013-15), offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni (2013-17) and tight ends coach Jason Michael (2011-13).

Throughout the process of determining what was next, Rivers always had one team in mind.

Truthfully was hoping it was going to be the Indianapolis Colts, he said, from the standpoint of the locker room, the team and shoot, I failed to mention that offensive line. Thats a heckuva group.

It just all worked out. To be a part of this group and try to help get to the top of the mountain is an exciting new challenge for me.

No one should underestimate the importance of familiarity when it comes to relocating in the NFL. Rivers understands Reich and Sirianni have tweaked and changed some terminology in the offensive system they shared with the Chargers, but the transition should be seamless nonetheless.

I have been in meeting rooms with Frank, Nick and Jason Michael, Rivers said. We communicate the same way. I know what those guys are trying to get out of a play and why they are calling this. They understand what I think and how I look for things.

There is a good dynamic there from the way we communicate. I think there was a trust factor that was built in our team here in San Diego.

Familiarity aside, the Colts did their due diligence before investing their immediate future and $25 million in a 38-year old QB whos coming off one of his more careless seasons. Rivers passed for 4,615 yards and 23 TDs, but also suffered 20 interceptions, 3rd-most in the league.

According to a source with knowledge of the teams evaluation of Rivers, the coaching staff analyzed each of Rivers games and throws. They determined he hadnt lost any of his arm strength.

Theres no question among the Colts Rivers still has the physical tools to play at a high level. Before struggling last season the Chargers followed his lead, finishing 5-11 he passed for 4,308 yards with 32 TDs and just 12 interceptions in 2018.

Philip is one of the most decorated quarterbacks in the NFL and we are fortunate to add an experienced player of his caliber to our organization, Chris Ballard said in a team release. Philip is a fierce competitor and his veteran leadership will be crucial in the continued development of our young roster.

The national and global uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic will delay Rivers arrival in Indy. He and his family are at their offseason home in Florida. When allowed by the NFL, look for the Colts to disseminate foundational and schematic information to the players.

Under normal circumstances, players would have reported to the Farm Bureau Football Center in mid-April. That reporting date has been pushed back indefinitely.

Initially, Rivers addressed the trying time for the country and world. Its a time, he insisted, for family and for praying for nurses, doctors, first responders and those infected and impacted by COVID-19.

Rivers said he and his wife have been brainstorming of the best way to support the area we are in right now. We are looking for opportunities in Indianapolis, even back in San Diego and places weve been to help in any way we can because so many people are affected.

In terms of gearing up for 2020, Rivers plans on doing whatever he can, whenever hes allowed. Hes already reached out to a few of his new teammates.

I want to step in there when I get in there day 1 and the guys in the huddle feel like I have been there more, Rivers said. I hope they dont feel like its my first day. I dont want to slow us down any and I will make sure that doesnt happen.

But communicate and just again, build a friendship, build a relationship. I think that camaraderie is huge. My favorite part of this game is being a teammate.. . . I love being a teammate. I want to be one of the guys.

As his first season with the Colts unfolds, Rivers realizes there will be skeptics. Theyll harp on those 20 interceptions last season and how they indicate his career arc is definitely headed in the wrong direction.

I have to be honest, I have never been driven by what everybody thinks on the outside, Rivers said. I always first want to be a great teammate. Ive never been driven by, Oh, what do people think I can do?

Im really not out to prove anything this season. I want to come in there, earn my teammates trust and respect. I do feel like over 16 seasons you earn some of that league-wide based on your play and your longevity.

But theres work to be done.

Shoot, youve got to start and build that with your new teammates, he said. So its not so much prove it (to outsiders) as it is I want to prove it to now our locker room, to be a guy that they believe in and just again, be a part of something special.

You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.

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For Philip Rivers, coaching will have to wait; I still love to play - Fox 59

OLD SAYBROOK, CT Growing up in the sticks of Westminster, as she called her childhood home, Jody (Normandin) Lech had about the most primitive front yard basketball court any future roundball star could imagine.

For my first hoop, my uncle Donald Leger cut a piece of really thick telephone cable and nailed it to a piece of plywood, she recalled with a laugh. That was my first basketball hoop and I would play amongst the pine trees and roots and rocks in my driveway.

Then he and I used to play the guys down at the Westminster outdoor courts, and hustle them so many years ago, she added.

Out of those very humble beginning grew the legend of one of the finest girls basketball players to ever grace the local hardwood.

The three-sport star and Oakmont Hall of Famer helped to lead Spartan teams of the mid-1980s to appearances in four district final games, winning three championships and appearing in two state title games.

Im so grateful. We had such an amazing education (at Oakmont), she said, noting that the success came from the instruction she received on the courts and fields. It was the fundamentals and the coaching. We had such great coaches.

In the fall, when she was a high-scoring forward on the field hockey team, it was under the direction of head coach Bob McGowan. During the winter, she was the sharp-shooting point guard on the basketball team led by coach Ron Therrien.

Our field hockey team had an awesome coach in Mr. McGowan, and then Id have to say that Ron Therrien was the best coach I had in my whole life, she continued. He taught me everything. Even today, when Im working with my son, I will teach him those same drills. He was such a stickler.

Great coaching and talented players equaled a tremendous run of success during her junior and senior seasons with the Spartans.

We had great camaraderie, she said, with such teammates as Robin Paris, Marnie MacLean, Tonya and Missy Urban, Karla Swedberg, Karen Bourgeois, Kim LeBlanc, Maureen Casey and her older sister Jill comprising many of the teams.

Those coaches taught us such life lessons and we were so successful because you respected them and they were also very positive, she continued. Their preparation was spot on so that they would have already scouted the teams, they had a plan to what we were doing. I think we all bought into that and it made it easier to play and be successful.

The run of success began during her junior field hockey season in the fall of 1984 when the Spartans captured their first-ever district championship with a 2-1 win over Southbridge. From there, they advanced to the state championship game, losing to Rockport, 2-0.

Four months later, she was on another team that vied for a state championship after the Spartans beat Southbridge for the district title, 47-42. Oakmont then went on to beat Athol 45-42 in state semis, with Normandin leading the way with a game-high 18 points.

Playing on the biggest Central Mass. stage the Worcester Centrum Oakmont met up with a Westwood team that had won twelve-straight Tri-Valley basketball championships. The Spartans fell in the state title game, 65-54.

It was such a great team and we just kinda clicked, said Lech, looking back. We made it to the state finals and we had most of our team coming back, so we were really looking ahead to the next season.

In the spring, she was a member of the 1985 Oakmont softball team that advanced to another district final losing in the title game to Wachusett League rival Quabbin, 6-5. That fall, the Spartan field hockey team suffered an early exit to Murdock in a game decided by strokes.

Murdock would go on to take part in the state field hockey finals.

The winter of 1985-86 brought the Spartans yet another district title as Normandin, with 18 points and six assists, led the team to a 74-46 championship win over Leicester. However, the Spartan express was derailed in the state semifinals to powerful Monument Mountain, 55-53.

While high school basketball drew to an end, there was much more basketball ahead in the career of Jody Normandin first at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and later with a semi-pro hoop team in Connecticut.

At WPI she became the all-time leading scorer in womens basketball history with 1,716 points, a mark that stands to date. She averaged an amazing 16.3 points per game and scored in double figures in 84 games. In addition, she was the career leader in field goal attempts (1,579), three-point field goals made (147) and attempted (349), free throws made (325) and free throw percentage (.765).

She also ranked in the top five all-time in steals, assists, free throws attempted, field goals made, scoring average and games played. Twice named to the New England All-Star Second Team by the Eastern College Athletic Conference, she was later inducted into the WPI Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.

After graduating WPI with a B.S. in Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, she spent ten years at General Electric working in project engineering, product management and sales engineering. Upon moving to Connecticut, she continued playing semi-pro basketball for the Noreastern Storm.

On that semipro team wed play something like 25 games in 30 days, she recalled. We were the warn-up game for womens college teams, so everyone was trying to get us in before November and it was really too much.

One of her teammates on the Storm was former Gardner High standout Dina Sawicki.

Lech suffered a partial tear of her patella tendon while still playing at the age of 36, and decided it was time to call it a career.

The timing was right as she and her husband. Mark Lech, learned they were expecting their son Josh. Today, Josh is a 15-year old freshman basketball player at the all-boys Catholic school Xavier High School in Middletown, Connecticut.

Hes not a bad player, said the proud mom. I guess its in the blood.

Currently, she, her husband and son live in Old Saybrook, Connecticut where she works for Boston Scientific Pelvic Health Division, as the Territory Manager for Connecticut.

I help to train physicians on our products and work with them in the operating room, observing them implanting our product, she said. Its a fun job, like getting on the court and preparing for a game.

She noted that through her work, she has developed a stronger bond with her Catholic faith, instructing Confirmation classes as well as being a CCD Teacher for more than 20 years.

Looking back on her playing days, she expressed her gratitude to her parents Pete and Sandy, for all the support over the years and attending an unending number of games.

Her older sister Jill was her Oakmont teammate for several seasons, while younger sister Hollybeth was a member of the 1990 Spartan basketball team that played in the state finals. In addition, she has two brothers, John and Peter the latter who was a 1,000-point scorer for the Oakmont boys team and later played college basketball at Clark University.

Sports continue to be a big part of her life.

I still play a little bit of basketball here and there, when the knees hold out, she said. I still work out a lot; do a lot of cycling, boating, lifting and play some tennis.

Do you have a suggestion for a future Where are they Now segment? Please contact Mike Richard at mikerichard0725@gmail.com or in writing Mike Richard, 92 Boardley Rd. Sandwich, MA 02563.

Originally posted here:
Oakmonts Jody (Normandin) Lech became one of the schools best athletes of all time - The Gardner News

ANDERSON Longtime Anderson High School basketball coach Norm Held, who led the Indians to four state finals, has died at the age of 85.

Held passed away Thursday morning in Florida, officials at Loose Funeral Home in Anderson confirmed.

Held coached the Indians from 1975 to 1993, compiling a record of 343-114. His teams won five semistate championships, nine regional titles, 10 sectionals and five North Central Conference crowns.

He coached the 1984 Indiana All-Stars and two Mr. Basketballs at Anderson, Troy Lewis in 1984 and Maurice Kojak Fuller in 1993. Held won more than 500 games overall, just over 70% of the games his teams played, in his 31-year career.

Held also was a coach in the 1990 McDonalds All-American game, which featured players such as Rodney Rogers, Ed OBannon, Eric Montross, Grant Hill and Damon Bailey.

In 2010, he was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

Beyond the the victories and championships on the court, Held was remembered Thursday as a man who made a difference in the lives of the people around him.

Former Anderson basketball assistant Terry Turner, now the Daleville baseball coach, recalled a time when Held discovered two players were living in the gym.

We had a couple kids who ... were always in the gym when I came in in the morning and turned the lights on, Turner said. I came to find out ... they were literally homeless and they were on the basketball team. Norm found them a place to live and people to take care of them.

Lewis, who went on to star at Purdue University and is now coaching in the Dayton, Ohio, area, says a boost of confidence from Held helped pave the way for his future success.

As a sophomore, Lewis was expecting to play in the junior varsity game at Fort Wayne Wayne. Despite playing sparingly on the varsity up to that point, Lewis was installed in the starting lineup just before game time.

We were in the locker room getting dressed, and he was giving his pregame speech, Lewis recounted. He said, Hey, were going to make a change to the starting lineup. Troy, youre going to start. It just blew me away.

But, in my mind, I knew I was ready. To this day, I dont know what he saw. That was the turning point in my life, because without that confidence he had in me at that moment, I dont know where my career would have been.

Lewis said he has borrowed many of Helds teachings for his own coaching career. Likewise, Turner said he learned much from his time at Anderson that translates onto the baseball diamond, where he has won a pair of state titles with the Broncos.

Its easy in your coaching career to pick out all the mistakes kids make because you want to correct those, he explained. But one of the things Norm taught me was that youve got to see the positives and build on those positive things that kids do. Thats one of things I took from him and just keeping an even keel when the chips are down.

Art Pepelea, a 1968 Anderson graduate and former city councilman, says Helds standing in the community grew from his love of the city.

He was incredible, he was always so active in everything, Pepelea said. Anytime he could help anybody, be it at functions for baseball, basketball, football or whatever, he was there. He loved Anderson, Indiana dearly, he really did.

While many basketball fans might remember Held for his flamboyant style on the sideline, Pepelea, Lewis and Turner knew a man who truly cared about his players.

He will always be that person in my life who I have to give credit for where I am today, Lewis said. Its a tremendous loss.

According to Pepelea, a public celebration of Helds life will be conducted in Edgewood in 30-60 days, after the coronavirus crisis has passed.

See the original post:
Norm Held, who died Thursday, made his mark as coach of the Indians - The Herald Bulletin

Orpheum Vaudeville

The new Orpheum Theatre opened Dec. 19, 1927. The theatre included vaudeville acts, such as a comedy acrobatic act and singer Frank Richardson. Ticket prices in 1927 were 50 cents for adults in the main floor seating and 35 cents for balcony seats. Children were charged 15 cents.

The RKO New Orpheum Theater, as it was later known, was only four stories tall when it was originally erected in 1927. Four more floors were added in 1948. The theater closed in 1992.

Playbill from the Orpheum Theatre's production of "Life with Father," which graced the stage Feb. 23, 1942, starring Lillian Gish and Louis Clahern.

Dubinsky Bros. Theatres of Lincoln, Neb., remodeled and opened the Orpheum as a movie theater. A suspended ceiling was installed and concealed the chandeliers and dome of the auditorium.

The Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City is shown in April 1985. A local group was given grant money in 1988 to study whether the Orpheum should be renovated to its original glory.

The ceiling of the Orpheum was uncovered in April 1999, exposing several original crystal chandeliers.

The Sioux City Symphony performs along with the Siouxland Master Chorale, the Morningside College Chorale and the Briar Cliff University Singers during the grand opening of the Orpheum Theatre on Sept. 15, 2001.

In this 2001 file photo, the new Orpheum Theatre sign awaits elevation above the marquee on the front of the building.

The Yanney family donated this chandelier for the Orpheum restoration in 2001.

People mingle in the lobby of the Orpheum Theatre at its grand opening in 2001.

The Orpheum Theatre fills with people during the grand opening ceremonies on Sept. 15, 2001.

Master of Ceremonies Jim Wharton welcomes people to the grand opening of the Orpheum Theatre on Sept. 15, 2001.

Gene Hancer, Sioux City, wears period type attire while attending the grand opening of the Orpheum Theatre on Sept. 15, 2001.

Bob Ralston plays the Wurlitzer organ at the Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City in November 2004.

Larry Wentz and Amanda Krenz introduce the speakers at the Iowa Governors Debate at the Orpheum Theatre in 2010.

The Orpheum Theatre is shown in January 2011.

People dine during the Mardi Gras Gala outside the Orpheum Theatre on June 30, 2011.

Guy Fieri warms up the crowd at the beginning of his cooking show at the Orpheum Theatre on May 27, 2011.

Workers prepare the stage at the Orpheum Theatre in September 2010 while setting up for the Iowa gubernatorial debate.

Usher Trudy Gordon grabs a pair of ear plugs while preparing for the Bret Michaels concert at the Orpheum Theatre Saturday, December 21, 2013. (Jim Lee, Sioux City Journal)

Irving Jensen, Jr., poses for a photo at Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City on Sept. 14, 2016.

A cartoon of Irving Jensen, Jr., drawn by famed Disney director Ron Clements is seen at the Orpheum Theatre on Sept. 14, 2016.

The Orpheum Theatre is pictured in 2016, 15 years after its "rebirth."

A board outside the Orpheum Theatre displays coming attractions in fall 2016.

"Fluffy" (aka stand-up comic Gabriel Iglesias) actually was there. Theater technician Joe Mahaney II talks in 2016 about some of the celebrities who have signed the backstage wall at the Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City.

The 1-ton grand chandelier is a centerpiece of the Orphuem Theatre.

Willie Nelson's autograph is shown in 2016 on the backstage wall at the Orphuem Theatre.

The seven-story structure, at 528 Pierce St., was built for $1.27 million in 1927 as a vaudeville and movie palace. After years of neglect, this architectural treasure was brought back to life in 2001 and is now a performing arts center and home to the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ.

Theater technician Joe Mahaney II stands on a catwalk surrounding the dome above the the ceiling in the Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City.

Theater technician Joe Mahaney II stands on a catwalk surrounding the dome above the the ceiling in the Orphuem Theatre in Sioux City.

The Righteous Brothers' autographs are shown on the backstage wall at the Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City.

Theater technician Joe Mahaney II flies a movie screen down across the stage at the Orphuem Theatre in Sioux City.

Director John Luebke of the Sioux City Rockestra is pictured ahead of the group's final concert at the Orpheum Theatre.

An audience assembles for a panel discussion held in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the United Airlines flight 232 crash in Sioux City, at the Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City, Iowa on Friday, July 18, 2014. (Dawn J. Sagert, Sioux City Journal)

Iowa gubernatorial candidates Gov. Terry Branstad and Jack Hatch debate at the Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City on October 14, 2014

People watch on a monitor as Victor Cayres, from Brazil, competes during the solo recital round of the Iowa Piano Competition at theOrpheum Theatrein Sioux City on March 19, 2015.

Members of the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra rehearse at the Orpheum Theatre on Sept. 15, 2015.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during a campaign event at Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City, Iowa on Tuesday, Jan., 5, 2016.

Donald Trump speaks with Jerry Falwell, Jr., at the Orpheum Theatre on January 31, 2016.

Kansas performs at the Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City on October 7, 2017.

The Orpheum Theatre's seats are shown from the stage in 2017.

Read the original post:
Looking for a Final Four: Bruce Miller's top 32 basketball films, just waiting to be ranked - Sioux City Journal

Help for mental health struggles and crisis issues available on devices.

(LAS VEGAS) Elemental Treatment has developed an app available on all devices to offer teletherapy. Programs include therapy for addiction, depression as well as life coaching and life skills.

During these difficult times, people should be able to access care wherever they are located, says Mendi Baron, founder and CEO of Elemental Treatment. This is so important for our vulnerable populations, including teens, the elderly in nursing homes, traveling professionals, vulnerable and stigmatized populations and people who cannot afford to take time off from work for treatment. There are also military personnel and college students to consider.

For many, a stigma remains for anyone who reaches out for help with mental health. Now with social distancing, additional concerns for everyones safety is at the forefront of health care providers and their patients. Elemental Treatment has extended hours so that treatment is accessible anytime using state-of-the-art technology. English- and Spanish-speaking programs and counselors are available.

After texting the therapist, a link is clicked, and there is a face-to-face engagement over the device. Help can be accessed from a phone, tablet, or computer via encrypted video, text, or call.

Developers for the Elemental Treatment app researched other platforms and discovered many were conduits for the therapists clients with no resource for new, potential clients to reach them. Other platforms operated as a broker connecting therapists with anyone who inquired about possible therapy sessions. What makes Elemental Treatment unique is that the professionals are all licensed and vetted and processes are in place to review documentation or effectiveness of the treatment program offered by the therapist. Elemental Treatment is one of the only teletherapy programs in the world to receive the coveted CARF Accreditation due to the rigorous standards it needs to meet

As all therapy sessions and treatment programs offered by Elemental Treatment are highly accredited, this also makes them fully billable to insurance. Though payment plans include cash options, insurance providers work with Elemental Treatment to cover the care, including specific contracts to cover the military through Tricare, and the Culinary Fund. This support is especially vital to the members in the Culinary Union who were laid off during this pandemic. The Culinary Fund will cover this care for eligible participants.

Our platform allows anyone to call, text or videoconference anywhere with one click, explains Baron.

The app, available for both IOS and Android, offers additional content including reminders, updates, tips for mental health, questionnaires, and interesting concepts about mental health and wellness.

For more information, visit: elementaltreatment.com.

For Culinary Union and Culinary Fund Members, visit: Elementaltreatment.com/culinary

For Military members, visit: Elementaltreatment.com/military

ABOUT ELEMENTAL TREATMENT

Elemental Treatment offer programs to give clients the support and attention they need with a comprehensive, flexible, and individualized treatment plan to guide them without interrupting daily life and routine.

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Go here to read the rest:
Elemental Treatment Offers Teletherapy options - Nevada Business Magazine

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Heather Marini is a coach. The quarterbacks coach for the Brown University Bears, to be precise. That's a new title, but she's been a coach practically half her life.

But becauseMarini is female, she is "the first female position coach in Division I history." So the question about what that distinction means to her has come up inrecent days since her promotion. She claimedshe still doesn't have a great answer for it. It's still a pretty good one.

"Honestly, I think its great that there is a first because it means there will be a next,'" Marini said by phone Tuesday, a day after Brown made her promotion from offensive quality control assistant to quarterbacks coach official.

"There are so many women that I have met through this journey and through this process that are going to make great position coaches, that are going to make great offensive coordinators, that are going to make excellent head coaches. By being the first, that means someone else is going to come along."

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Brown University QB coach Heather Marini grew up in Australia.(Photo: Jessica Koach)

It just so happened Marini's turn came before everyone else.

"I dont think its the worlds biggest deal," she said in herAustralian accent."And its certainly not the biggest deal in the world to the staff here at Brown, who have been fantastic."

The road from Australia to Providence, Rhode Island, was not direct.

I feel like I need a prerecorded version of this story now, she saidwith a laugh.

It basically goes like this. A girl who grew up in a small Australian townplayed every sport under the sun but gravitatedtoward tennis and netball (a game similar to basketball). At college, she majored in emergency health at Monash University, but the degree may as well have read "coaching," Marini said. Her dream was to coach the Australian national netball team.

About a decade ago,she met Kieren Marini, an Australianwho grew upwatching the NFL with his dad and is now her husband of nearly five years. At first, both Kieren and Heather assumed her first football game would be her last. She watched from the sidelineon a freezing, rainy day.

"She was like, 'I dont think Ill ever love the sport like you do.' Which is kind of funny because of where she is now," he said.

Kieren saidthe game lasted more than fourhours; Heather believedit wascloser to five-and-a-half.

I thought, This is the craziest sport Ive ever seen. Im not sure Im that interested. Good luck! Heather said.

As they dated,Kieren kept playing, and Heather became a trainer for the club. Then she advanced to strength and conditioning coach.

The more I startedlearning about the sport, the more I got involved, she said.

In 2010, Marini landed an internship with theOregon State Beavers inthe strength and conditioning department. She loved it, but her heart wasnt in the weight room. It was on the field.

"In Australia, all that strength and conditioning was done out on the field. So we didnt really delineate between sports-specific drills and strength and conditioning drills," Marini said."I went back to Australia with that knowledge of, Actually, I want to be on the field. And I got more and more involved."

Back at Monash, she began coaching the U-19 team, with the Warriors finding success as one of the younger teams in the leagues.

Kierens work as a cancer researcher (heholds a PhD and works at the University of California, San Francisco) brought the couple to the U.S.As they prepared for the move in 2017, Marini attendedthe NFL Womens Careers in Football Forum.She made two life-changing contacts there: NFL senior director SamanthaRapoport, who pushed her to apply for jobs,and Brown head coach JamesPerry, who was then leadingBryant University.

It dawnedon Marini that coaching could be a career rather than a hobby. After all, her coaching efforts in Australia were solelyvolunteer. Once she received a working permit in the U.S., she embarked on her owncoaching tour.

"I call it my DIY internship year," Marini said."I had a lot of coaches that were really supportive of me and let me come to practice and sit and watch film and all that sort of thing. Met a lot of folks, went to a lot of clinics."

She broke into the professional ranks in 2018 by earning a pro scouting fellowship with the New York Jets, spending six weeks with the team before the season started. A few months later, when Perry was forming a new staff at his alma mater, he hired three women to his quality control staff including Marini.

"Heather has earned the coaching position,"Perry said in a statement."In one season with our program, Heather has done a great job for us.She has proven through her efforts in the office every day with us in an off-the-field role that she's ready to run the quarterback room."

At Brown, Marini will have the luxury of coaching E.J. Perry, a Boston College transfer who set league records in 2019. The Bears play fast and run a lot of plays, which Marini enjoys.

"How can I take the playbook or the skill that were trying to teach and get the best out of the player? How do I use my words and my demonstrations and the drills I create in order to get them to execute at the highest possible level?" she said, describing her style.

"My coaching philosophy was: Develop thinking players, always developing, always moving forward, always building, getting them to really think about not just their job on the field but whats happening around them as well as, now that Im here in the U.S., how theyre developing as student-athletes."

And Marinihas more in mind for her future --she would like to eventually call plays andbecome a head coach.

The path to becoming a position coach in the Division I ranks usually involves goingfrom player to graduate assistant, to assistant, with those individuals all men until this point relying on personal networks and connections.

Kieren, who tries to FaceTime Heather every dayfrom California(it helps that he craves nitty-gritty football information),realizeshis wife reached that level the hard way.

"I dont think youcan understate how much work she is putting into this," he said."I guess a lot of paths American coaches have is very built into the system."

That system couldn't deny Heather Marini, and now she's a part of it.

Read more:
Brown Bears' Heather Marini is first female Division I football position coach: 'It means there will be a next' - USA TODAY