Whether it was athletics, art, or activities, Jimmy was all three, superintendent of schools John Macero said Monday. He was best described as Mr. Stoneham High School.

Carino died Feb. 8 of complications from COVID-19. He was 62.

After his 1976 graduation from Stoneham high, Carino returned as a volunteer, and within four years he began coaching. As boys soccer coach, Carino led the team to state championships in 2002, 2004, and 2005. He later took on the role of senior adviser. Carino retired in 2013 but continued to coach tennis at the school.

Stoneham school administrators and faculty knew Carino had been ill and in the hospital, but news of his death last Tuesday cut deep. We did not expect this at all, Macero said.

Online condolences overflowed with superlatives and praise for Carino. He was a Stoneham high legend, had a major impact on many lives, and was simply, the best, wrote students, current and former, colleagues, neighbors, and friends.

Ive known Jimmy forever, former student Angela Sciola Anderson, 36, said Monday.

Carino attended Stoneham high with Andersons mother in the 70s, later coached Anderson on the tennis team, and for years regularly took afternoon walks through the Andersons Colonial Park neighborhood.

Jimmy was a fixture in Stoneham and his personality was larger than life, Anderson said. His spirit lives on in the hundreds of lives he touched.

Carino, a father of three, created family everywhere he went, Anderson said, at home, at school, and in the community. His manner was jovial, extremely friendly and nice, she said.

As a coach, hed hold you to it, Anderson said. Hed give you the tough love when you needed it, but he was always there for you.

Macero said Carino had a special way when it came to teenagers. He was a stellar listener; he was all about building relationships and creating celebrations, he was honest, caring, and frank, in a very positive way, Macero said.

At a somber and emotional gathering on Sunday at Stoneham high, the line of mourners who wanted to share tributes to and memories of Carino snaked through the hallways and outside the building.

There was shock, there was disbelief, but also the joy of having been a part of knowing him, Macero said.

Carino was born in Medford, spent his early childhood in Somerville, and moved to Stoneham when he was nine. After high school, Carino graduated from Northeastern University, where he studied political science.

In 1989, Carino married the love of his life, Kathy Gehring. Their first child, Ryan James, was born four years later; twins, William Francis and Julia Mary, followed in 2000.

The private funeral Mass was held at St. Patricks Church in Stoneham. A celebration of Carinos life will be held in the spring or summer, relatives said.

Tonya Alanez can be reached at tonya.alanez@globe.com or 617-929-1579. Follow her on Twitter @talanez.

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Stoneham mourns the loss of coach Jimmy Carino to COVID-19 - The Boston Globe

There arent too many states that have more football tradition than the great state of Ohio. The sport is ingrained in the Buckeye States culture. High school football is a religion, and Ohio State football is a way of life. Heck, even the Pro Football Hall of Fame sits between Lake Erie and the Ohio River, in Canton.

Given that background, many of the most influential people in the game have deep roots in Ohio. From former great coaches, to administrators, to media personalities, Ohio natives can be found across the American football landscape.

Some of those influential people are head coaches, of course, and not just at the lower levels. You might be surprised how many current FBS coaches once coached on the banks of the Olentangy or in the state during their coaching career. Or, they were born or played football in Ohio.

Since its the college football offseason, we thought it would be a fun exercise to take a look at FBS head coach that once stomped around somewhere in Ohio. So here it goes

Born: Columbus, Ohio High School: Desales

Besides being born and playing his high school ball in Columbus, Luke Fickell once coached at Ohio State as the interim head coach when Jim Tressel got in hot water. He later served as the defensive coordinator, under Urban Meyer. He played and started for the Buckeyes as a nose tackle from 1993-1996. Now hes making Cincinnati into one of the best Group of Five programs out there.

Born: Montvale, New Jersey College: Siena

Hafleys time at Ohio State was short-lived, but it earned him the head job at Boston College. He was brought to Columbus to fix a porous defense, and turned things around in one year (2019) before getting his opportunity at Chestnut Hill.

Born: Cleveland, Ohio High School: Cleveland Heights

Michigan State loves former Ohio State coaches. Mel Tucker replaced another former Buckeye when Mark Dantonio rode off into the sunset. Tucker was the defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator under Jim Tressel from 2001-2004. He is also an Ohio native, born and raised.

Born: Sugar Grove, Illinois College: Northern Illinois

Before P.J. Fleck began rowing his boat, he pushed it off the shore as a graduate assistant under Jim Tressel at Ohio State in 2006. Listen to him talk about those that were most influential in his coaching career, and Tressel comes up early and often.

Born: Manchester, New Hampshire College: New Hampshire

OK. Yeah, we went there. Look, its a piece about current FBS head coaches that once did their thing on the sidelines in Columbus. Ryan Day is an FBS head coach and currently coaches YOUR Ohio State Buckeyes. Urban Meyer brought him there in 2017 as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He was elevated to head coach when Meyer retired.

Born: Wyckoff, New Jersey College: Bucknell

Greg Schiano has been at all levels of the game from his first stop at Rutgers to the NFL with Tampa Bay and now back to the Scarlet Knights for a second stint. We cant quite count Tennessee as a stop because of all the crazy chaos of being hired then not being hired via Twitter (howd that work out), but in-between, he was the defensive coordinator for Urban Meyer from 2016-2018.

Born: Fairmont, West Virginia College: Kent State

Before Nick Saban was winning SEC and national titles, he was putting his work in as an assistant at various programs. One of those stops included a stint as the defensive backs coach under Earle Bruce at Ohio State from 1980-81. Before that, his collegiate playing career took place in the state at Kent State.

Born: Massillon, Ohio High School: Massillon Perry College: Mount Union

Matt Campbell has the state of Ohio running through his veins. He was born and played his high school football in the crazed football town of Massillon, and played collegiately for one of the Division III powerhouses, Mount Union. He is doing his thing at Iowa State, but hes an Ohio guy through and through.

Born: Elyria, Ohio High School: Elyria

Les Miles might have played for Michigan, but he was one of the Ohio guys that got away. He was born and played his high school football in the northeast city of Elyria and went on to famously win a national championship as the head coach of LSU. We can probably forget about his Kansas stint, but hes still an Ohio guy.

Born: Toledo, Ohio College: Michigan

Yeah, OK. Harbaugh may be a punching bag when it comes to jokes from Ohio State fans, but he was born in Ohio. In fact, he was born at the same hospital as Urban Meyer. Its a loose tie to the state, but one nonetheless before he became all Maize and Blue.

Born: Sidney, Ohio College: Florida State

Stockstill may have grown up in Florida, but he was born just 45 minutes or so north of Dayton in western Ohio. Thats about the extent of the anchor to the Buckeye state, but a place of birth is pretty big, no?

Born: Columbus, Ohio High School: Upper Arlington

Dimels playing and coaching career may have taken him far from central Ohio, but he was born in Columbus and played his high school ball at Upper Arlington, where he graduated in 1981. It had to be a surreal experience when he was head coach of Wyoming and brought his Cowboys to the Shoe to play the Buckeyes in 1997. Now he is at UTEP, where hes been leading the charge since 2018.

Born: Westlake, Ohio High School: Cleveland St. Ignatius College: John Carroll

They are plenty. One wonders if Arth has ever left the state. He was born, played high school, went to college, and now coaches an Ohio team. We dont know where his career will go from here, but hes about as Ohio as you can get.

Born: Barberton, Ohio High School: Barberton

Loeffler played for Michigan, likely because he is from the same hometown as legendary coach Bo Schembechler. Thats right, even Bo was an Ohio guy from Barberton, Ohio. Schoeffler now leads Bowling Green in Northwest Ohio as the head coach.

Born: Salem, Ohio High School: Upper Arlington

Candle was not only born in Ohio, but played his college football at national Division III powerhouse Mount Union. He stayed within the state of Ohio when he was brought on to be the head coach of Toledo in 2016.

Born: Dayton, Ohio High School: Fairmont East

We all remember the failed stint at Michigan from 2011 to 2014, but Hoke has had a pretty good coaching career outside of that (and, hey, at least he had one win over Ohio State in 2011). Hoke is a Michigan man for sure, but he was born and played his high school football in the state to the south.

Born: Youngstown, Ohio High School: Cardinal Mooney

Stoops obviously comes from a football family out of Northeast Ohio. His brother Bob is one of the best college coaches of all time, and his other brother Mike is the former head coach of Arizona. The trio was born in Youngstown and all played high school ball there.

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Roots in O-H-I-O: All current FBS head coaches with ties to Ohio State or the state of Ohio - Buckeyes Wire

By HCO Staff

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.Interior architecture and planning firm H. Hendy Associates (Hendy) announces the completion of a new state-of-the-art patient-centric destination for global lifestyle medicine company Metagenics Clinic in Aliso Viejo. The 5,000-square-foot Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Center creates an innovative healthcare experience and transforms how primary care is delivered by enabling doctors and patients to take a 360-degree approach to their patients overall health and wellbeing. The new facility is adjacent to the Metagenics corporate office located at 25 Enterprise and is open for medical visits as well as chiropractic, lifestyle education, massage therapy, lab work and more.

Dedicated to scientific discovery, unparalleled quality and practitioner partnerships, the design of the space distinctly captures Metagenics desire to support the continued advancement of functional medicine through empowering patients to better understand and develop the health skills necessary to advance the state of their metabolic, emotional, cognitive, behavioral and physical function. The space takes a novel approach to a traditional medical facility, encourages the elimination of barriers between doctor and patient and empowers clients to take charge of their health journey.

When we were hired by Metagenics to create a solution that addresses their primary business challenge of making an even greater impact on their patients lifelong health goals, we immediately took on the task, said Jeep Pringsulaka, LEED AP and senior designer at Hendy. Hendy believes in the power of listening and learning to unlock a great design that uniquely fuels our clients business success. Were privileged to have played a part in helping Metagenics create an inspiring environment that accelerates their commitment to personalized healthcare an innovative approach to medicine thats tailored to individual needs and capabilities and focuses on supporting patients throughout the journey to optimal health.

Hendy worked closely with the Metagenics Clinic team to unearth the companys key goals, vision and patient and doctor needs. This work allowed Hendy to layout key spaces needed and helped inform the interior architecture and design of the facility. The result is an unconventional, experience-driven clinic that enables patients to feel welcome and comfortable as soon as they enter the front door and empowers them to take charge of their own health journey.

The new center features 11 exam rooms, three large rooms for chiropractic care, two lifestyle education spaces for nutrition, life coaching and telehealth and a waiting area complete with a digital check-in system, pharmaceutical counter and dispensary. Exam rooms are equipped with large HDTV screens controlled by iPads to enable real-time review and discussion of healthcare results between doctor and patient.

With the goal to create a clinic that exudes health and wellness, Hendy was tasked to incorporate myriad biophilic design elements. These included a living green wall, natural light, art of scenic California landmarks and the use of natural walnut wood and tree trunks throughout the space and in custom signage. With the project site not originally zoned for medical use, Hendy also was instrumental in facilitating permit approvals with the city.

The team at Hendy took great care in understanding how to support Metagenics goals of designing a patient-centric destination that uniquely places our most important constituent at the center of it all, said Brent Eck, CEO, at Metagenics. We are still optimizing our full patient experience, but so far, our new space has been well received by physicians and clients alike, and we couldnt be prouder of the way in which Hendy captured our requirements and partnered with us to bring Metagenics vision to the layout and design of this new facility. The result enables us to truly deliver the white-glove experience we strive to provide for every one of our clients.

Metagenics new Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Center reflects its beliefs in functional medicine as the foundation of an operating model to enable a revolutionary, personalized experience that supports patients on their journey to their best health. Applying these insights, along with evidence-based design, the result is a comprehensive facility that unifies solutions for a patients lifelong health goals under a single roof.

Founded in 1980, H. Hendy Associates is a nationally recognized interior architecture and strategic workplace firm offering a full range of services for corporate and multifamily clients.

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New Patient-Centric Clinic Wraps Build in OC - HCO News - Healthcare Construction and Operations News

Swim coach Dana Skelton and water polo coach John Tanner were two of eight coaches recognized as United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) coaches of the year Tuesday.

Skelton was named the Developmental Coach of the Year for her work at First Colony Swim Team in Texas. Tanner, who coaches Stanford womens water polo, is the College Coach of the Year.

Behind athlete success and well-being are the dedicated and passionate coaches that guide Team USA athletes in sport and in life, USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland said in the awards release. In 2020 we watched so many coaches adapt and create innovative ways to support their athletes. Its an honor to recognize these individuals and showcase their achievements in this especially challenging year.

Skeltons work at FCST in Sugar Land, Texas, has focused on the clubs Strong Girls program, developing girls ages nine and older to be strong athletes and leaders. Shes adapted her coaching during the COVID-19 pandemic via virtual sessions, emphasizing stroke analysis and guidance outside the pool. Her pupils include Olympic gold medalist Simone Manuel.

From the USOPC release on Skelton:

Her commitment to mental and emotional strength has been unmatched as she encourages her athletes to complete journal entries that spark engaging questions to help foster positive and healthy communication.

Tanner has spent 23 seasons as the coach of Stanfords water polo program, developing it from the ground up into a seven-time NCAA champion. Hes mentored 12 Olympians in Palo Alto and was elected to the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame in 2019.

During the pandemic, Tanner has instituted athlete-led TED talks that include experts in the field to inspire his athletes, seeking to cultivate a healthy environment and establish a platform for individuals to share their interests with the team. Out of the pool, hes worked with his athletes on career development workshops about resume-building and has helped a pair of athletes in launching the Swim4Diversity nonprofit.

After a year spent video conferencing at my dining room table, away from the Stanford campus and Avery Stadium Pool deck, I was stunned to receive word that the USOPC had chosen me as their College Coach of the Year, Tanner said in a Stanford release. Paradoxically though I could not be more honored in that we are holistic and integrative in our approach, always focused on long term outcomes. Water polo is the worlds toughest sport, the perfect vehicle for developing lifelong leaders for this past years extraordinarily difficult environment and for future challenges we will face. Im so grateful to be surrounded by our coaching staff, athletes current and former, Olympians past and aspiring, who make every day here a rocket ship ride. No one got to chase their ultimate 2020 competitive aspirations, but we learned and grew so much more in the wake of that disappointment and are grateful to have a renewed, distinct opportunity in 2021.

JT is an amazing coach, said Ann Friedlander, Ph.D, an Adjunct Professor of Human Biology at Stanford. During my time engaging with the Stanford Womens Water Polo Team as a Faculty Fellow, I have been continually impressed with his holistic view of coaching and his ability to bring out the best in his athletes both in the pool and in their lives. Through rigorous practice, team events, interactions with Stanford faculty, TED Talks and bonding experiences, JT helps his players maximize their potential as athletes, teammates, good citizens, and future leaders. JT should also get extra praise for keeping a sense of team spirit, high moral and focused training (both in person and remotely) during these challenging times of COVID-19. His success in the pool is only one part of what makes him an exceptional coach and I have enjoyed watching him in action.

Also recognized as USOPC Coaches of the Year are fencings Greg Massialas (Olympic Coach of the Year), para-equestrians Michel Assouline (Paralympic Coach of the Year), speedskatings Cherise Wilkins (Volunteer Coach of the Year), Alpine sports Gillian Bower (Service Provider of the Year) and Chris Packert (Coach Educator of the Year), and ski/snowboard coach Jeff Lackie, who won the Doc Counsilman Science Award. Award winners are nominated by national governing bodies and selected by a selection panel of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation.

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Dana Skelton, John Tanner Named Among USOPC Coaches of the Year - Swimming World Magazine

For nearly 40 years, Mark Martin was known as one of the toughest opponents in NASCAR. No matter if your name was Gordon, Johnson, Earnhardt, Stewart or others, if you saw Martins car closing on you in your rearview mirror, you knew you were in for a battle.

But since retiring following the 2013 NASCAR Cup season, Martin has gotten far away from racing.

Im retired, the 62-year-old NASCAR Hall of Famer emphatically told NASCAR.com. Im really enjoying retired life, thats really all Ive got going on. I enjoy seeing and spending time with family and seeing friends and traveling and seeing the country. Arlene (his wife) and I have done a good bit of motor coaching.

While Martin is far removed from the sport these days, he admits to missing one thing in particular.

The thing I guess I really miss about racing is the people, he said. Working with a team was like a family, the energy of the fans and whatnot. So I kind of miss that. But 40 years of competing at the highest level, and digging as hard as I could possibly dig with every ounce of focus I had, Im done with that.

Im not interested in competing in anything. I dont even like to play cards or games or anything that requires competing.

RELATED: Mark Martins career through the years

That doesnt mean Martin has been forgotten by the racing community.

People always say, Well, just come and practice, come and test, he said. I get offers all the time. I have no interest in driving a race car. I did it for over 40 years against the likes of Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart for wins and championships and it was intense as hell. I dont want to do it.

That Martin walked away from the sport that consumed more than two-thirds of his life is somewhat surprising, given his competitive nature and his undying devotion and focus to chasing the checkered flag. If there was a race to be run, Martin was in it to win it.

I did it to win, not because it was fun to go around in circles, Martin said. I did it because I was halfway good at that and I wasnt good at anything else.

I have to come to grips with it and live my life and enjoy it and have a good time and enjoy family and enjoy working on the mechanical stuff, especially with my motor home. I just stay busy. Im really happy with this chapter, where Im at now and where Im headed.

Instead of driving close to 200 mph at places like Daytona and Talladega, Martins focus these days is on a much slower pace of life.

He sold his private jet, doesnt fly anymore and is involved in a number of businesses, particularly around his Batesville, Arkansas, hometown.

I dont have anything interesting, Im just Mr. Fixit every day, he said with a laugh. Theres always something. Really, to be honest with you, I spend 50 percent of my time fixing stuff that I tear up and probably another 25 percent fixing things that need to be fixed. I just live a real calm and normal life.

While racing was No. 1 on his priority list for four decades, today its barely a blip on his attention meter.

Im completely away from (NASCAR), Martin said. I mean, I know less about whats going on than the average fan.

I love racing with all my heart. Its just something that Im not interested in doing (anymore). I want to do other things. I want another chapter in my life before it closes. And in something thats different than what I did the past 40 years.

During his NASCAR career, Martin won nearly 100 races including 40 in Cup and 49 in Xfinity and capped off his outstanding tenure behind the wheel with his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2017.

While proud and humbled to be selected, Martin admits I was embarrassed because I didnt feel like I belonged when I looked up at the banners of the Bill Frances, the Junior Johnsons, the Dale Earnhardts and Richard Pettys and Cale Yarboroughs, David Pearson. I didnt feel worthy of being in that crowd, especially as early as I felt like I went in (was inducted).

There were a lot of greats and heroes of mine that needed to go in before I went in. So, I was a little bit embarrassed, totally, completely humbled, and to this day, Im still humbled by the fans and the way they supported me all through my career.

RELATED: Mark Martin among 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class

Martin had numerous memorable wins in his NASCAR career, but none more noteworthy to him than the 2009 Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix Raceway, when he became only the fourth driver 50 years or older in the sports history to take the checkered flag. (The others are Harry Gant, 52; Morgan Shepherd, 51; and Bobby Allison, 50.)

I just had this dream of experiencing winning one more time in my life, Martin said, It was such an electrifying win with so much positive energy from (crew chief) Alan Gustafson and everybody on the team, Rick Hendrick, the fans, and especially all the competitors that came to Victory Lane.

The win on the 1-mile Phoenix oval would spur him to earn four additional wins that year, finishing second in the championship battle to Jimmie Johnson.

Martin hung up his helmet after the 2013 season and he has never climbed back into a Cup car since. But he did finally scratch the racing itch in 2017 when he competed in a one-off, late-model race in Nova Scotia.

While Martin was happy to be back in a race car, the man renowned for setting high standards for himself in his NASCAR career was not happy with his finish (28th in the 30-driver field), seeing his day come to a premature end just 57 laps into the 250-lap event due to mechanical failure.

I was not satisfied with my performance, he said. I actually wanted to just go up there and sign autographs and everything and didnt want to race, but the only way we could make the deal work was for me to drive the car.

While its been a while since Martin went to a Cup race, he loves to get back to his roots and take in events at local tracks around Batesville, as well as in locales when hes traveling.

I like the dirt races, especially the late model dirt series like the Lucas Oil (Late Model) Dirt Series, he said. I love the late models and keep up with them a lot. Ill slip out to a local race track once in a while just to see grassroots people and kind of relate to where I came from.

Thats the thing with me, just connecting or reconnecting with that like I was before all the NASCAR racing, just the kid that I was in Arkansas growing up before I jumped on that runaway freight train (of NASCAR). Just reconnecting to grassroots people and racers and people that have a passion for the same kind of things that I do: motor coaches, big trucks and car racing.

Including his early days racing in American Speed Association, Martin competed in well over 1,200 races in his career. He faced the greatest drivers of all time, including the late Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon and so many more.

But when asked who was the toughest competitor he ever faced, Martin surprised with his answer.

That might be Larry Phillips, Martin said of the Springfield, Missouri, native who was a legend on short tracks primarily in the Midwest. He was unbelievable, quite a guy. He gave me my first job. I worked for him in the 70s, the summer of 1977, and raced against him every Friday and Saturday night of 77.

Phillips passed away in 2004 at the age of 62.

You could look up his history, Martin said of Phillips. One year, he won like 93 percent or 88 percent of the NASCAR regional races he entered, but we cant get him into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Its unbelievable. I think his records beat anything or anywhere. Its unbelievable what he did.

Martin then added about Phillips, He beat you with a slow car, maybe more often than Earnhardt would beat you with a slow car.

Even though Martin has been out of NASCAR going on eight years, he remains a big fan favorite. Much of that popularity is due to his reputation as a tough competitor but also a driver who raced others cleanly and fairly.

It is certainly humbling, Martin said of his still large and loyal fan base. I just always tried to stay real, tried to stay true to who I was and what I believed. I tried to be a man, tried to take my lumps like a man, and just tried to be fair on the race track. I raced hard, but I also raced very fair.

And it endeared a lot of fans to me, Im not sure why because Im a pretty boring person.

I did race hard and I tried hard. And I endured a lot of heartbreaks and failures along the way. I just feel like the fans supported me all through my career, beyond anything that I could have ever dreamed. And thats why I still had rides up into my 50s when many dont because of the fan support. It was just amazing and they had a huge hand in my success and especially in my longevity.

Martin remains a recognizable figure, even in the most remote locales.

The other day it was fueling my coach at a truck stop and the guy fueling his truck next to me said, Hi, Mark, Martin said. That was kind of unusual. I also have a strong social media presence with Twitter and Instagram and Facebook. And the Twitter following is unbelievable, so I engage with the fans that way, more than most retired racers.

Things can change, but I dont expect you to see me in a race car again. I have no desire to drive a race car. Im enjoying another chapter in my life.

To hear the full interview with Mark Martin, check out The Racing Beat on the BLEAV Podcast Network (BLEAV.com) and your favorite podcast platforms such as iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and more.

The Mark Martin file:

* Age: 62

* Hometown: Batesville, Arkansas.

* NASCAR Cup Series career: 882 starts, 40 wins, 271 top-five and 453 top-10 finishes.

* Even though he never won a Cup championship, he did record five runner-up finishes in the drivers standings.

* NASCAR Xfinity career: 236 starts, 49 wins, 112 top-five and 152 top-10 finishes.

* First Cup season: 1981. Earned two poles in five starts, with a best finish of third at Martinsville Speedway.

* Last Cup season: 2013, when he retired at the age of 54. Competed in 28 of that seasons 36 races, with a season-best finish of third in the Daytona 500.

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Where are they now? Mark Martin enjoying less competitive retirement life - NASCAR

When Steve Kerr was in high school, he was honored at a Southern California basketball banquet, a rare occasion for the sharp-shooting but largely forgettable prep player. He attended with his mother.

The guest speaker was a tall, distinguished man whose intelligence and values shone through as he spoke to the audience about family and education and the values behind basketball.

Now that, Ann Kerr leaned over to tell her son, is the kind of coach I would love for you to play for.

Neither of them had an inkling at the time, but Kerr would, indeed, play for Lute Olson.

Olson, then coach at the University of Arizona, not only proved Ann Kerrs instincts correct in that he helped shape the course of her third-born, but he also provided a home and comfort to Steve when unimaginable tragedy shook the Kerr family. No mother could have predicted that.

Olson died in August at age 85 but is never far from Kerrs thoughts. On Tuesday, the Warriors head coach will honor Olson at the Game Changer awards. The annual event by Coaching Corps, a nonprofit that trains and supports youth coaches in underserved communities, will be held virtually this year.

I suppose everyone has these serendipitous meetings with people who change their lives, Kerr said, but this happened to be a really dramatic one. He completely changed the course of my entire life.

Kerr registered Olsons impressiveness at the banquet, but it wasnt until a few months later that Olson noticed Kerr. Olson had left Iowa to take the Arizona job, a program in disarray that went 4-24 the season before he got there.

Olson needed bodies and scrambled to find them; at a summer league tournament he became intrigued by a shooter nailing outside shots. Kerr had only one other scholarship offer from Cal State Fullerton and was contemplating trying to walk on at UC Santa Barbara. But Olson told the 18-year-old that he was interested.

But he was off recruiting and there were no cell phones, and I didnt hear from him, so I felt like I had to accept Fullerton, Kerr said.

His father, Malcolm, asked him where he really wanted to go. And when Kerr said Arizona, Malcolm followed up to see whether Olson was really interested. He was, Kerr was offered a scholarship and had to make the awkward call to decline Fullerton.

Sure, his mothers words about Olson resonated, but so did the allure of leaving Southern California, of playing in what was then the Pac-10 Conference. His future, it seemed, was set.

It was all kind of perfect, Kerr said.

What: Annual event and fundraiser for the Oakland-based nonprofit, whose mission is to train and place coaches in underserved communities.

When: Tuesday 6 p.m.

Where: This year's virtual event will livestream on YouTube. It will also air on NBC Sports Bay Area at a later date.

Who: Warriors head coach Steve Kerr will honor his college basketball coach, Lute Olson. Giants coach Alyssa Nakken will honor her travel softball coach, Gabe Abelia. San Diego-based soccer coach Laura Marquez will be presented with the Coach of the Year award.

That summer, he went to Beirut with his family, where his father was teaching at the American University. At the end of the summer, Kerr was to fly back to the United States and begin college. Civil war was raging in Lebanon, the embassy in Beirut had recently been bombed, and when Kerr had to leave the airport was closed and his options for getting out of the country became a dangerous ordeal. He was driven through Syria to Jordan, where he finally caught a flight and headed to Tucson.

A few months later, weeks into his first college basketball season, Kerr was awakened in the middle of the night by a call from a family friend. His father had been assassinated in his office building.

The tragedy was worldwide news. An Arizona booster heard it on the radio late that night and called an assistant coach, who went to Kerrs dorm room and took him to the Olsons house. The story has been oft told of how Kerr, suffering from shock and half a world away from any of his family, was cared for by Lute and his wife, Bobbi. He slept on their couch. They fed him.

I had only known him a couple of months, Kerr said, but he felt a responsibility to look after me.

Kerr told The Chronicle last summer that he began regularly stopping by Olsons office and even napping on his couch.

He just kept everything as normal as possible and allowed me to play, practice and move on with my routine, which was important, Kerr said. You have to sort of fall into a routine when you suffer a loss like that. Youve got to find a way to just get through the day.

Kerr got through the days, and the months, and eventually the years, helping to turn Arizona into a postseason staple and becoming one of the most popular players in the program.

Along the way, Kerr said, Olson became a kind of father figure.

He was definitely the most influential person in my life outside of my family, Kerr said.

They kind of adopted him, said Margot Kerr, Steve Kerrs wife, who had begun dating her future husband when they were sophomores. The whole team kind of sheltered him.

The Olsons created a family atmosphere that would last throughout Olsons tenure at Arizona. Bobbi, who died of ovarian cancer in 2001, was instrumental in that structure.

Pancake breakfasts, gatherings at their house, Margot said. None of the players were from Arizona, so it really became their family.

Kerr has used those lessons learned from Olson to try to create a similar feeling on the Warriors. Though the NBA is vastly different from college, he has tried to replicate the same sensibility.

In the NBA it has to be built differently, but the thinking is, Can we build something special? Something that people love to be part of? And how do we do that? Kerr said. I recognized the power of what Lute built.

Its no coincidence that in building his team, Kerr has consistently relied on Arizona alumni, from former player Andre Iguodala to former assistant Luke Walton to assistant coach Bruce Fraser.

Andre and I used to talk about how like-minded we were in the way we saw the game, Kerr said. The way he taught fundamentals. An emphasis on detail. If you play for Lute you understand the game at a level you maybe otherwise wouldnt have. Maybe that sounds arrogant, but it comes from the detail we saw in Coach Olson, the things that became ingrained, watching the amazing foundation he built.

Kerr, of course, went on to an amazing career and played for some of the top coaches in the game. But the bond with Olson remained, through his and Margots wedding, the births of their children, dinners on the road, Kerrs introductory news conference with the Warriors. Olson followed his former player closely, and the coach whose program was nicknamed Guard U particularly loved Kerrs dazzling backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

A year ago, before the NBA shut down, the Warriors played a game in Phoenix. Kerr and Fraser used the trip as an opportunity to drive down to Tucson to see Olson, who was doing poorly after suffering a stroke.

We had a feeling that might be the last time we would see him, Kerr said.

A few months later, Olson died. But his influence remains forever.

Ann Killion is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: akillion@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @annkillion

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Warriors Steve Kerr recalls meeting with Lute Olson that changed his life - San Francisco Chronicle

Details Texas Tech Athletic Communications Basketball 17 February 2021

Due to continuing inclement weather, the Texas Tech at TCU men's basketball game scheduled for Thursday has been postponed. The Big 12 made the announcement on Wednesday morning along with the postponement of the Texas at Oklahoma game.

Additional information will be released when available.

The Red Raiders (14-6, 6-5 Big 12) are now scheduled to return to action against Kansas at 1 p.m. on Saturday in Lawrence, Kansas before playing at Oklahoma State on Monday in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The team now has postponements remaining to be played against Baylor, Iowa State and two against TCU. Texas Tech is scheduled to host Texas at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27 at the United Supermarkets Arena, while the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship is from March 10-13 in Kansas City.

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Inclement Weather Results in Another Postponment for Texas Tech and TCU - BCSNN - Best College Sports News Network

The Face of Youth Life Coaching Nick Petro | Live MPWRD

As a dual college athlete himself, Nick brings a level of energy and motivation that connects with youth of today. With a background serving schools, youth organizations, and nonprofits, it was always clear that his passion was with impacting youth. As a youth pastor creating meaningful, entertaining experiences for youth, Nick had provided a unique place for youth in the organization to feel known, connected, and have fun.

Parents began asking Nick for time with their kids in additional settings, as they noticed changes in their kids from being part of his groups. As parents continued to ask Nick to work with their kids, the Nick Petro Coaching Company was formed in order to connect more personally with youth to enact change.

Find your purpose, live on passion, live life with powerful communication are words that Nick lives by. This motto fueled his book, The 7 Pillars that Bridge Communication, which he wrote in order to provide ways for parents to connect with their kids and work through the barriers that arise between adolescents and parents. This workbook is also utilized by the youth life coaches Nick trains across the world to more effectively coach the youth with proven methodologies and proven results.

He has spoken to more than 50,000 students nationwide, inspiring them to find the things for which they can live passionately and on purpose. One of the students he worked with experienced such a transformation that Disney+ noticed and picked up her story. After being around Coach Nick, a fire was ignited in Daniella. On a school trip to Tijuana, she saw the poverty that the local residents, who she spent time with, lived in. Daniella went on to raise enough money to fund building a home in Tijuana. She did this again, which is when Disney+ heard about her. Dynamic Daniella was featured as a comic book character through the Marvel Superhero Project. Nick seeks to bring more youth to finding their places of purpose in life to create more superheroes.

From this passion, Nick co-founded Live MPWRD in order to create a better tomorrow for the next generation. By providing an experience-based, effective coaching curriculum to train more future youth life coaches, Live MPWRD is providing a change that is missing from current leadership for students. Nick and Live MPWRD are working to empower youth to live life in passion, on purpose, to create positive change through the MPWRD Youth Life Coaches.

The more coaches we can train, the bigger lasting impact we can have for the next generation.

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Faces of North County 2021 | Youth Life Coaching - Coast News

AP Published 6:39 p.m. ET Jan. 29, 2021 | Updated 6:43 p.m. ET Jan. 29, 2021

Reaction from the sports world to the death of former Temple basketball coach John Chaney:

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Coach Chaney was like a father to me. He taught not just me, but all of his players more than just how to succeed in basketball. He taught us life lessons to make us better individuals off the court. I owe so much to him. He made me the man I am today. Aaron McKie, former Temple star and current coach.

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He's probably been the one person that I consistently talked to. That watched the games, that gave insight. He's one that I truly love. He gave me all that I had and I didn't have to ask for it. He knew. He knew what I needed when I started coaching. He just fostered that and allowed me to grow and allowed me to make mistakes and was there to pick me up when things weren't working out as I thought they should. Everybody in their lives, whether they're in coaching, outside of coaching, or whatever profession, needs a person like coach Chaney in their life. South Carolina coach and former Temple coach (2000-2008) Dawn Staley.

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Coach Chaneys ability to coach hard, yet build trust and teach life lessons, is unmatched in our profession, in my opinion. Although we were competitors, its what I admired most about him. Coach Chaney and I fought every game we competed as everyone knows, sometimes literally but in the end, he was my friend. Throughout my career, we would talk about basketball and life. I will miss those talks and I will my friend. Rest in peace, Coach! Kentucky coach John Calipari.

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We have lost a true Philadelphia jewel. Coach Chaneys enormous impact on our game has been felt across the nation and the respect for him reflects that. He has been an inspiration to players and coaches for generations. Villanova coach Jay Wright.

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I'm just grateful for my time with him. All those years I coached against him, many of those obviously resulted in a not-successful outcome. He won many, many games. The people that he touched and the lives that he influenced; I think that's what's so great about the profession that we have. John Chaney impacted all of these players that he had and then he became their friend. They see him in a totally different light and appreciate him even more than when they played for him." former Penn coach and Chaney's successor, Fran Dunphy.

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"RIP Coach John Chaney! A true legend in coaching. I learned so much about coaching & life from you. I will always be grateful my time at Temple and our friendship." former Temple football coach (1983-1988) and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians.

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More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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Reaction to the death of Hall of Fame coach John Chaney - USA TODAY

As the Kernels attempted to maintain a second-half lead against Brandon Valley on Jan. 19, Neuendorf turned to his assistants and asked a question about personnel as they looked to stop Lynx standout Jackson Hilton. They responded, and moments later, a substitution was made.

The coaching staff has been reshaped during the last two seasons and it now features a former head coach that has seen every scenario imaginable and a young assistant that aspires to be a head coach in the future.

Longtime Mitchell girls coach Wes Morgan stepped down from his post following the season in 2019 essentially trading places with current girls coach Cole Knippling citing a desire to coach his son Steele, who is now a sophomore. Meanwhile, Ryker Kreutzfeldt was hired days before Neuendorfs first season. He was a former Kernel, but unknown, unproven and still a student at Dakota Wesleyan University.

Morgan, the 1987 South Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year, has mentored standout post players Caden Hinker and Zane Alm, who total more than half of the points this season. Kreutzfeldt has also found a niche as the scouting guru for the Kernels, helping devise game plans and providing tendencies for each opposing player.

With the input from his two top assistants, Neuendorf is able to call offensive sets and adjust his defense accordingly, which has been a key to Mitchells 10-1 start.

I dont have all the answers and I dont pretend to, Neuendorf said. I like to have my assistants be part of where were going and give their advice. I might not always take it, but more often than not, if they have something Ill take it and use it. I want them to have a voice, I dont want them to just sit there.

Morgan has been blunt about his desire to shift from girls coach to help his son and was easier when Steele requested the move.

For Neuendorf, the move seemed logical. Morgan had plenty of success in 11 seasons with the girls team, which included six state tournament appearances, three trips to the finals and a state championship in 2012. He was also a standout player for DWU, scoring 1,429 points and was named all-conference twice.

But Morgan knew his new charges did not seem as enthralled with his presence. It took some time for them to get used to his style, but eventually the Kernel post players began to believe in his guidance.

Alm and Hinker have connected on 57.8% of shots in the paint during the last two seasons. While both players have put significant effort into improving during time with Mitchell and in AAU basketball, Morgan has helped Alm develop a jump hook that has become his signature shot. Alm went from scoring 15 points in 15 games the year prior to Morgans arrival, to averaging 16.2 points per game this year.

If you put the time in with the kids, they start trusting you, knowing who you are and knowing that youre not just a flash in the pan, said Morgan, who was roomates with Alms father Corey at DWU. When you go from a girls coach to a boys coach, the stigma is that youre a girls coach. In the end, you know basketball. When you know basketball, they start seeing where youre at and what you know. After a while, the stuff you tell them starts to stick.

Mitchell assistant coaches Wes Morgan, right, and Ryker Kreutzfeldt watch as head coach Todd Neuendorf calls a defense during a game against Brandon Valley on Jan. 19 at the Corn Palace. (Matt Gade / Republic)

Morgan often views the game similar to Neuendorf, but frequently offers tips or suggestions when warranted. After more than a decade of running every aspect of his program, Morgan sometimes misses developing game and practice plans, but he also enjoys not worrying about the administrative work, parental complaints and responsibilities that come with being a head coach.

When I came on, (Neuendorf) said, I want to know what you think. If theres a problem, deal with it, Morgan said. Im not here just to be a fixture on the bench and be the JV coach. He wants me to help get this team better. He gives me a lot of input.

Adding a former head coach to the staff may have been a no-brainer, but the addition of a college senior was a gamble.

Kreutzfeldt had never met Neuendorf when he wandered into his classroom a week before the start of the 2017-2018 season. He wanted to learn how to be a coach and figured he would essentially be a cheerleader, handling odd jobs for freshman coach Pat Larson.

But the encounter was familiar for Neuendorf. As a junior at Northern State University, Neuendorf went to then-Aberdeen Central coach Terry Small and made a similar request to learn how to coach.

I didnt learn basketball in a college classroom, I learned it by working with Coach Small, Neuendorf said. I did some background checking on him. Hes a guy I thought we wanted to be part of our program. I didnt know how much basketball he knew, but he was a good person and a person we wanted to work with the kids.

Kreutzfeldt eventually acquired a teaching position at Mitchell and remained on the coaching staff, attending every practice, scouting trip or fundraiser for the team. However, it took some time to realize his opinion was valued by the rest of the coaches.

Mitchell assistant coaches Wes Morgan, right, and Ryker Kreutzfeldt watch the action along with head coach Todd Neuendorf during a game against Brandon Valley on Jan. 19 at the Corn Palace. (Matt Gade / Republic)

One of the first realizations came when he learned to create scouting reports on Hudl, an online scouting site. He presented his idea to Neuendorf and the two have collaborated on the game plan for each game.

After three seasons coaching freshmen, Kreutzfeldt was elevated to coach the sophomores this season, and because of his proficiency with the scouting report, he now makes most of the substitution decisions for the varsity team.

If you want to learn, you have to just get in and do it, Kreutzfeldt said. Coaching isnt easy and you just have to do it. You figure out what works and what doesnt. Hopefully seeing it work helps me down the line.

As Kreutzfeldts voice continues to grow within the Kernel program, the idea of being a head coach in the future becomes more attainable. Neuendorf understands he may eventually lose his protege, but Kreutzfeldt is content in his current role.

Having spent the duration of his life in Mitchell, moving away would be a life-changing decision. Plus, after being a part of Neuendorfs initial rebuilding phase that saw the Kernels go 10-52 in the first three seasons, Kreutzfeldt has enjoyed experiencing Mitchells revival this season.

Those first couple years we had some long bus rides and long nights in the back room at the Corn Palace trying to figure it out, Kreutzfeldt said. Now that weve got it rolling a little bit, hopefully we can keep it going. Its a lot of fun and the hard part is enjoying it. Youre always thinking about the next game, but you have to enjoy the wins because theyre hard to get.

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Diverse coaching backgrounds of Wes Morgan, Ryker Kreutzfeldt play crucial role in Kernel basketball rebirth - The Daily Republic