November 14, 2019 | :

Mitch Stevens

Central State University (CSU) will now offer online bachelors degrees to members of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIOs) affiliated unions.

This is an expansion on a previous program which allowed union members and their families to pursue free online associate degrees through a partnership with Eastern Gateway Community College.

College graduates with a bachelors degree typically earn 66 percent more than those with only a high school diploma and are also far less likely to face unemployment, according to a statement by CSU provost and vice president for academic affairs Dr. Pedro L. Martinez.

We are excited to partner with an institution as storied as CSU to provide working families across America with an affordable and convenient solution to completing a bachelors degree program, said President of Union Privilege Mitch Stevens.

AFL-CIO isthe largest federation of unions in the United States.

Read this article:
CSU to Offer Online Bachelor's Degrees to AFL-CIO Members - Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

BEIJING, Nov. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --China Distance Education Holdings Limited (NYSE: DL) ("CDEL", or the "Company"), a leading provider of online education and value-added services for professionals and corporate clients in China, today announced unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2019 ended September 30, 2019.

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2019 Financial and Operational Highlights

Fiscal Year 2019 Financial and Operational Highlights

Mr. Zhengdong Zhu, Chairman and CEO of CDEL, said, "We ended fiscal 2019 on a positive note, with fourth quarter revenue growth of 28.1% year-over-year, above our guidance range. Our fourth quarter revenue performance was primarily driven by continued strength from our industry-leading accounting vertical, together with higher-than-anticipated revenue from our legal vertical, primarily due to the earlier release of exam results for the objective section of the Legal Professional Qualification Exam compared with the same period last year. Total course enrollments were up 40.6% year-over-year in the fourth quarter, primarily due to significant enrollment growth in accounting continuing education courses. Cash receipts from online course registration grew 21.6% year-over-year in the fourth quarter, contributing to the robust growth of cash receipts of 33.1% in fiscal 2019, due in large part to the popularity of our longer duration premium and elite classes."

Mr. Zhu concluded, "During fiscal 2019, we continued our efforts to enhance our comprehensive lifelong learning ecosystem. Through our acquisition of Beijing Ruida, we have established our fourth key industry vertical legal, while solidifying our market position in accounting, healthcare, and engineering & construction (E&C) professional education with extensive and diversified educational offerings, such as our popular longer duration premium and elite classes. Overall, we remain focused on providing students with best-of-breed educational content and value-added services to guide them in their pursuit of professional licensure in their chosen fields. We are dedicated to serving a broader base of students at different stages of their careers to help them achieve positive learning outcomes and career advancement."

Mr. Mark Marostica, Co-Chief Financial Officer of CDEL, added, "The healthy fourth quarter revenue growth, together with continued effective expense control and leverage of our cost structure, contributed to the significant expansion of our fourth quarter non-GAAP operating margin, which came in at 30.9%, up from 23.9% in the prior year period."

Mr. Marostica, continued, "With fiscal 2020 well underway, we aim to continue to focus on balancing growth with diligent expense control, in an effort to build on the momentum of our operating margin improvement in the second half of fiscal 2019, and drive higher levels ofprofitability in fiscal 2020."

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2019 Financial Results

Net Revenue.Total net revenue increased by 28.1% to $68.7 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 from $53.6 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018. Net revenue from online education services, books and reference materials, and other sources contributed 72.0%, 8.4% and 19.6%, respectively, of total net revenues for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019.

Online education services. Net revenue from online education services increased by 35.4% to $49.5 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 from $36.5 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, mainly due to revenue growth from the accounting vertical. Revenue from the legal vertical generated by Beijing Ruida also contributed to the growth.

Books and reference materials. Net revenue from books and reference materials increased by 410.2% to $5.7 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 from $1.1 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, mainly due to book sale revenue from the Legal Professional Qualification Examination contributed by Beijing Ruida.

Others. Net revenue from other sources decreased by 15.5% to $13.5 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 from $16.0 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, primarily due to the decrease in revenue from the "Tax School Program," which the Company disposed in the first quarter of fiscal 2019; and the decrease in revenue from business start-up training services. This decrease in revenue was partially offset by the increase in offline training revenue from the Legal Professional Qualification Examination contributed by Beijing Ruida, and the increase in revenue from the sale of learning simulation software.

Cost of Sales. Cost of sales decreased by 3.6% to $25.3 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 from $26.2 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018. Non-GAAP1 cost of sales decreased by 3.5% to $25.3 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 from $26.2 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018. The decrease was mainly due to the decrease in salaries and related expenses, and rental and related expenses. This decrease was partially offset by the increase in cost of books and reference materials, and lecture fees.

Gross Profit and Gross Margin. Gross profit was $43.4 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, up 58.5% from $27.4 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP1 gross profit was $43.4 million, increasing by 58.2% from $27.4 million in the prior year period. Gross margin was 63.2% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, compared with 51.1% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018. Non-GAAP1 gross margin was 63.2% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, compared with 51.2% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018.

Operating Expenses. Total operating expenses increased by 15.5% to $23.2 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, from $20.1 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP1 total operating expenses increased by 16.4% to $22.7 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, from $19.5 million in the prior year period.

Selling expenses. Selling expenses increased by 12.9% to $16.1 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 from $14.3 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP1 selling expenses increased by 13.1% to $16.1 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 from $14.3 million in the prior year period. The increase was primarily driven by higher advertising and promotional expenses, the increase in rental and related expenses and other miscellaneous selling expenses. This increase was partially offset by the decrease in commission to agents and, salaries and related expenses.

General and administrative expenses. General and administrative expenses increased by 21.9% to $7.1 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 from $5.8 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP1 general and administrative expenses increased by 25.6% to $6.6 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 from $5.2 million in the prior year period. The increase was mainly due to the provision for doubtful debts related to the Company's investee company, Hangzhou Wanting Technology Co., Ltd., and the sale of learning simulation software.

Impairment loss from long-term investments. Impairment loss from long-term investments increased to $6.9 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 from $2.8 million in the prior year period, due to impairment of the value of the Company's investment in investee companies, Hangzhou Wanting Technology Co., Ltd. and Amdon Consulting Pte Ltd of $6.4 million and $0.5 million, respectively.

Impairment of goodwill. Impairment of goodwill was $1.5 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, due to impairment of the value of the Company's business start-up training services segment.

Income Tax Expense. Income tax expense increased by 251.5% to $6.0 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 from $1.7 million in the prior year period, primarily due to an increase in taxable income.

Net Income Attributable to CDEL. As a result of the foregoing, net income attributable to CDEL was $13.8 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, up 42.4% compared with $9.7 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP1 net income attributable to CDEL was $18.6 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, up 48.8% compared with $12.5 million in the prior year period.

Operating Cash Flow.Net operating cash inflow increased by 20.2% to $20.0 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 from $16.7 million in the prior year period. The operating cash inflow was mainly attributable to net income before non-cash items generated in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019. The decrease in deferred tax assets, other non-current assets, and the increase in accrued expenses and other liabilities, income tax payable, and refundable fees also contributed to the operating cash inflow. The operating cash inflow was partially offset by the increase in accounts receivable, prepayments and other current assets, and the decrease in deferred revenue.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Short-term Investments. Cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments as of September 30, 2019 increased by 2.9% to $128.5 million from $124.9 million as of June 30, 2019, mainly due to the operating cash inflow generated in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019. The increase was partially offset by (i) the repayment of an offshore loan of $6.0 million and (ii) the capital expenditure of $2.0 million.

Fiscal Year 2019 Financial Results

Net Revenue.Total net revenue increased by 27.1% to $211.8 million in fiscal year 2019 from $166.7 million in fiscal year 2018. Net revenue from online education services, books and reference materials, and other sources contributed 68.9%, 12.9% and 18.2%, respectively, of total net revenues for fiscal year 2019.

Online education services. Net revenue from online education services increased by 24.7% to $145.9 million in fiscal year 2019 from $117.0 million in fiscal year 2018.

Books and reference materials. Net revenue from books and reference materials increased by 168.0% to $27.4 million in fiscal year 2019 from $10.2 million in fiscal year 2018.

Others. Net revenue from other sources decreased by 2.2% to $38.5 million in fiscal year 2019 from $39.4 million in fiscal year 2018.

Cost of Sales. Cost of sales increased by 19.2% to $104.7 million in fiscal year 2019 from $87.9 million in fiscal year 2018. Non-GAAP1 cost of sales increased by 19.4% to $104.7 million in fiscal year 2019 from $87.7 million in fiscal year 2018.

Gross Profit and Gross Margin. Gross profit was $107.1 million in fiscal year 2019, up 35.9% from $78.8 million in fiscal year 2018. Non-GAAP1 gross profit was $107.1 million, increasing by 35.7% from $78.9 million in fiscal year 2018. Gross margin was 50.6% in the fiscal year 2019, compared with 47.3% in fiscal year 2018. Non-GAAP1 gross margin was 50.6% in fiscal year 2019, compared with 47.4% in fiscal year 2018.

Operating Expenses. Total operating expenses increased by 30.9% to $86.4 million in fiscal year 2019 from $66.0 million in fiscal year 2018. Non-GAAP1 total operating expenses increased by 32.2% to $84.4 million in fiscal year 2019 from $63.8 million in fiscal year 2018.

Selling expenses. Selling expenses increased by 37.4% to $61.5 million in fiscal year 2019 from $44.7 million in fiscal year 2018. Non-GAAP1 selling expenses increased by 37.7% to $61.5 million in fiscal year 2019 from $44.6 million in fiscal year 2018.

General and administrative expenses. General and administrative expenses increased by 17.2% to $24.9 million in fiscal year 2019 from $21.3 million in fiscal year 2018. Non-GAAP1 general and administrative expenses increased by 19.6% to $22.9 million in fiscal year 2019 from $19.2 million in fiscal year 2018.

Change in fair value in connection with business combination. Change in fair value in connection with business combination was $0.7 million in fiscal year 2019, compared with $0.1 million in fiscal year 2018, attributable to the decrease in fair value of contingent consideration with respect to the Company's equity interest investment in Beijing Ruida.

Gain from Deconsolidation of a Subsidiary. Gain from deconsolidation of a subsidiary of $6.9 million related to the gain on the disposal of 60% equity interest, and fair value change of the remaining 40% equity interest, in Champion Tax Advisory or "Tax School Program."

Impairment loss from long-term investments. Impairment loss from long-term investments increased to $6.9 million in fiscal year 2019 from $2.8 million in fiscal year 2018.

Impairment of goodwill. Impairment of goodwill was $1.5 million in fiscal year 2019, due to impairment of the value of the Company's business start-up training services segment.

Income Tax Expense. Income tax expense increased by 252.0% to $8.1 million in fiscal year 2019 from $2.3 million in fiscal year 2018.

Net Income Attributable to CDEL. As a result of the foregoing, net income attributable to CDEL was $21.3 million in fiscal year 2019, up 82.8% compared with net income attributable to CDEL of $11.6 million in fiscal year 2018. Non-GAAP1 net income attributable to CDEL was $27.6 million in fiscal year 2019, up 71.0% compared with non-GAAP1 net income attributable to CDEL of $16.1 million in fiscal year 2018.

Operating Cash Flow.Net operating cash inflow increased by 45.7% to $73.0 million in fiscal year 2019 from $50.1 million in fiscal year 2018.

Outlook

For the first quarter of fiscal 2020, the Company expects to generate total net revenue in the range of $51.1 million to $53.3 million, representing year-over-year growth of approximately 20% to 25%.

For fiscal year 2020, the Company expects to generate total net revenues in the range of $254.2 million to $264.8 million, representing year-over-year growth of approximately 20% to 25%.

The above guidance reflects the Company's current and preliminary view, which is subject to change.

Conference Call

Management will hold a conference call at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 20, 2019 (9:00 p.m. Beijing Time on Wednesday, November 20, 2019) to discuss financial results and answer questions from investors and analysts. Listeners may access the call by dialing:

US Toll Free: +1-866-519-4004 International: +65-6713-5090 Mainland China: 400-620-8038 Hong Kong, China: +852-3018-6771 United Kingdom: +44-203-6214-779 Passcode: CDEL or DL

A telephone replay will be available two hours after the call until November 27, 2019 by dialing:

US Toll Free: +1-855-452-5696 International: +61-2-8199-0299 Mainland China: 400-632-2162 Hong Kong, China: 800-963-117 United Kingdom: 0808-234-0072 Replay Passcode: 3816479

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available athttp://ir.cdeledu.com.

1 For more information about the non-GAAP financial measures contained in this press release, please see "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below.

About China Distance Education Holdings Limited

China Distance Education Holdings Limited is a leading provider of online education and value-added services for professionals and corporate clients in China. The courses offered by the Company through its websites are designed to help professionals seeking to obtain and maintain professional licenses and to enhance their job skills through our professional development courses in China in the areas of accounting, healthcare, engineering & construction, legal and other industries. The Company also offers online test preparation courses for self-taught learners pursuing higher education diplomas or degrees, practical accounting training courses for college students and working professionals, as well as third-party developed online courses. In addition, the Company provides business services to corporate clients, including but not limited to tax advisory and accounting outsourcing services. For further information, please visithttp://ir.cdeledu.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expect," "predict," "anticipate," "future," "intend," "plan," "believe," "is/are likely to," "estimate" and similar statements. Among other things, the outlook for the first quarter and full fiscal year 2020 and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as the Company's strategic and operational plans (in particular, the anticipated benefits of strategic growth initiatives, including the promotion of the Company's lifelong learning ecosystem, as well as cost control and year-over-year improvement of operating margins, revenue and profitability) contain forward-looking statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic and annual reports to the SEC, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: our goals and growth strategies; future prospects and market acceptance of our courses and other products and services; our future business development and results of operations; projected revenues, profits, earnings and other estimated financial information; projected enrollment numbers; our plans to expand and enhance our courses and other products and services; competition in the education and test preparation markets; and Chinese laws, regulations and policies, including those applicable to the Internet, Internet content providers, the education and telecommunications industries, mergers and acquisitions, taxation and foreign exchange.

Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F and other documents filed or furnished with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

Statement Regarding Unaudited Financial Information

The unaudited financial information set forth in this press release is preliminary and subject to adjustments. Adjustments to the financial statements may be identified when audit work is performed for the year-end audit, which could result in significant differences from this preliminary unaudited financial information.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement the Company's consolidated financial results presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, the Company uses the following measures defined as non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP net income attributable to CDEL, operating income, gross profit, cost of sales, selling expenses, general and administrative expenses, net income margin attributable to CDEL, operating margin, gross profit margin, and basic and diluted earnings per ADS and per share attributable to CDEL. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned "Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to comparable GAAP measures" set forth at the end of this release.

The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding its performance by excluding share-based compensation expenses, impairment loss of long-term investments net of noncontrolling interests and taxes calculated using specific tax treatments applicable to the adjustments based on their respective jurisdictions, and impairment of goodwill. However, non-GAAP financial measures may not be indicative of the Company's operating performance from a cash perspective. The Company believes that both management and investors benefit from these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing its performance and when planning and forecasting future periods. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate management's internal comparisons to the Company's historical performance and liquidity. The Company computes its non-GAAP financial measures using the same consistent method from quarter to quarter. The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors in allowing for greater transparency with respect to supplemental information used by management in its financial and operational decision making. A limitation of excluding share-based compensation expenses, impairment loss of long-term investments net of noncontrolling interests and taxes calculated using specific tax treatments applicable to the adjustments based on their respective jurisdictions, and impairment of goodwill from the above-mentioned line items and presenting these non-GAAP measures is that such items may continue to be for the foreseeable future a significant recurring expense in our business. Management compensates for this limitation by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from each non-GAAP measure. The accompanying table at the end of this release provides more detail on the reconciliations between GAAP financial measures that are most directly comparable to non-GAAP financial measures.

Contacts:

In China:

China Distance Education Holdings Limited Jiao Jiao Tel: +86-10-8231-9999 ext.1826 Email: IR@cdeledu.com

The Piacente Group, Inc.Xi ZhangTel: +86-10-6508-0677E-mail: dl@tpg-ir.com

In the United States:

The Piacente Group, Inc.Brandi Piacente Tel: +1 212-481-2050 Email: dl@tpg-ir.com

(Financial Tables on Following Pages)

China Distance Education Holdings Limited

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands of US Dollars, except number of shares and per share data)

September 30, 2018

September 30, 2019

(Derived from Audited)

(Unaudited)

Assets:

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

30,826

67,977

Restricted cash

51,736

38,358

Short term investments

17,073

22,118

Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of US$1,282and US$1,342 as of September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018,respectively

7,280

7,330

Inventories

2,782

4,232

Prepayment and other current assets

17,054

27,247

Deferred cost

1,125

1,427

Read the original:
PR Newswire - China Distance Education Holdings Limited Reports Financial Results for Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2019 - IT News Online

The value of what Chuck Gismondi taught his players at California University as the head baseball coach for 17 years was not limited to the game.

Gismondi taught his Vulcans to have fun, work hard and go the extra mile in helping someone else find happiness and success.

He changed my life, said Don Hartman, who played at California and currently is the head softball coach at Frazier. When I was coming out of high school, I wasnt sure what I wanted to do. He offered me the opportunity to play baseball for him at Cal. That put me in the college environment and gave me a chance to have success.

Gismondi, 77, of Elco, passed away Saturday.

He earned a bachelors degree from Cal in 1964 and a masters degree from West Virginia University in 1968. He returned to Cal in 1969 to teach in the Speech Pathology department.

Gismondi is one of just four men to serve as Californias baseball coach since 1950. He succeeded Mitch Bailey (1960-79) and was followed by current Vulcans coach Mike Conte. Andy Sepsi (1950-59) is the other coach.

Gismondi finished with a 393-295-7 record with 14 winning seasons, six-postseason berths, five Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference final four appearances, three PSAC West Division championships, three PSAC runner-up finishes and an NCAA Division II tournament berth. He produced eight professional players.

One of them, Rick Krivda, who pitched in the major leagues and won an Olympic Gold medal with Team USA in 2000, said Gismondi made a huge impact.

He reminded me of my father, firm but fair, said Krivda. He is why I went to Cal. If you messed up, he would tell you about it. If you did well, hed tell you about that as well and he would help you.

He really emphasized going to class, staying out of trouble and that if you did that good things would happen.

Dion Jansante, who is the dean of Washington County high school baseball coaches at Bentworth, said he was always impressed with Gismondis coaching skills and personality.

I really enjoyed playing for him, said Jansante, who played at Cal in the early-to-mid 1980s. He taught me a lot about baseball.

A lot of what we do at Bentworth comes from him. Anytime I had an opportunity to be on campus, Id make it a point to stop in his office or just talk with him. The most fun I ever had was on our southern trips. He pushed us to work hard but when the games were over, the personal level took over. He would joke around with us. He was great to be around.

Skooter Roebuck, the baseball coach at Brownsville, started his collegiate career at Charleston Southern University in South Carolina. He wanted to move back to play in Western Pennsylvania.

Gismondi was there for him.

Chuck was the only guy I thought of calling, Roebuck said. I told him I wanted to come home and he said hed take care of everything and he did.

He did all the paperwork on the transfer. He did me a big favor. Hes meant a lot to me and a lot of people. As far as guys from our generation, we knew Chuck as a man who lived and breathed Cal baseball. He loved that university.

Gismondis No. 29 jersey was retired by then California president Dr. Angelo Armenti, Jr., in 1996.

In the last several years, former players came together to establish a 29er Club to honor Gismondi. Proceeds from the annual golf outing are distributed to the Vulcans baseball program.

He was the face of Cal U baseball for a long time, Hartman said. Chuck was a great guy.

Read more from the original source:
Gismondi was a game-changer and life-changer at Cal - Observer-Reporter

HAMILTON

When well-meaning people take pizzas or other food to homeless camps, theyre often inadvertently providing financial support for prostitution and sex trafficking, says Felix Russo, pastor and director of the New Life Mission in Hamilton.

The non-profit organization he runs on Henry Street has been helping the poor since 1969, and in recent months has raised its aspirations.

Residents need options, so Russo wants his organization to be a hub of resources that aid the poor, the homeless and the addicted, helping connect them to mental-health therapy, and organizations like Butler County Job and Family Services and veterans agencies that can help them with jobs, health-care coverage, food assistance and life coaching.

In the past year, the issue of homelessness has risen in Hamilton and elsewhere across the county, with officials working to contain homeless camps while informing residents about how to find help. Along the way, police and social-service agencies have been frustrated by people who take things to the homeless camps, saying that only encourages people to keep living in tents near railroad tracks, in woods or in fields.

Russo agrees such help is a bad idea.

As well-meaning as they are, wanting to help people on the street and Ive seen an explosion of groups the last couple of years, going out on the street and just giving things to people, he said. They feel like thats helping people, and its really not.

Number 1, it takes away any initiative. Why should I make a change in my life if people are going to be bringing me everything I need whatever food I want, anything I need, clothes, whatever, directly to me in my homeless camp, that takes away the initiative to want to move out of that life situation.

Russo said he has seen a rise in millennials and senior citizens on the streets, and human trafficking is part of the problem.

And these groups that are just going out and inundating people with stuff and theyre enabling do they really step back and go, You know what? Im enabling traffickers, he said. Some guys using a girl because shes high all the time, and using her to get money, thats trafficking.

Youre enabling him to traffic her out on the street.

Hes familiar with such issues, because his wife, the Rev. Kim Russo, operates Juliettes Hope in Lockland, a two-year program that helps women, mostly from Butler County, break away from addiction and prostitution.

RELATED: Juliettes Hope helping Butler County women recover from vices

Hamilton police and Butler County United Way earlier this year teamed in an effort that encourages people wanting to help the needy do so through United Way agencies.

RELATED: How to help the homeless through local agencies

Most people who know about New Life Mission believe it is only a soup kitchen, and maybe a food pantry. Its a place that people who use it have come to trust.

Russo wants the organization to become a hub for helping the poor, the homeless and the addicted, helping connect them to mental-health therapy, and organizations like Butler County Job and Family Services that can help them with jobs, health-care coverage and food assistance.

The mission, located in a single-story building, has a new strategic plan calling for it to become a hub of resources, for those in need, Russo said.

This is a good location, he said. People are already coming here for lunch. Well get 20 to 50 families come through the food pantry, daily.

Its already becoming a hub, helping connect people with Butler County Job and Family Services, and people who provide mental-health assessments.

Of the 81 people served at the JFS onsite visits in October, 61 were assisted at New Life Mission, the agency told him.

I think that is the right place, for such a place to help people, said county Commissioner Cindy Carpenter. Weve been so successful in putting a JFS staff person in the community meal center, and that person is qualifying individuals for Medicaid and Food Stamps, which are first steps to coming out of chronic homelessness. A big part of it is to get on medication.

He is the boots-on-the-ground person who probably serves this population more than anyone else, because the people he serves are the neediest of the neediest, and with the most complicated mental health and addiction problems.

RELATED: Officials argue for treatment and homeless housing in Butler County

Russo wants to convert part of the missions building to private showers for men and women.

People deserve to be treated with dignity, he said. Something thats needed right now are showers. Just the basic health, it goes with dignity, and it goes to employability.

Hed love to help some people find their way to religion, he said.

But first and foremost is about loving people, he said. Show people love, then as that relationship builds, people will begin trusting you to where you can start going, Hey, these are your options. Theyre here if you want them.

MORE: Commissioners debate funds for crisis center

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Read more here:
How Hamiltons New Life Mission is growing its help for the poor - Hamilton Journal News

WTA Insider: How did you get into tennis?Beltz: I started when I was seven years old. I played a lot of tennis in Germany. I played all the leagues in Germany and Bundesliga and everything.

When I was 16-years-old I already got my first trainer license in Germany. We have to do a license. It's called a C License, B License, and A License. So I knew pretty early that I'd like to coach a bit.

So I started when I was 16 to do my first license, but I was also playing a lot. I had more the goal to be a professional tennis player. I played prize money tournaments, futures, and then I played college tennis, which was really good for me in America.

I went to Anderson College, Clemson University, practiced there a lot. So I played there for two years, which also helps my game a lot. After the two years, I went back because I tried to play futures, ATP events for myself. Then I started to hurt my shoulder a little bit. I stopped playing and I went to coaching.

"It's nice to be able to work with the top athletes together and try to make them better every day."

I had a Bundesliga team which I coached. Pretty funny, my first team, Wahlstedt, all the girls we are talking about now, like Goerges and Barthel, they were all playing. So I was kind of the head coach and all the girls were on the team. It was a good team.

Then I started with Angie [Kerber] when she was 16. They were looking for a coach who could help her with the first steps on the tour, play 25Ks, and the junior Grand Slams. So I started with her when she was 16. That was my start of it.

WTA Insider: What drew you to tennis? Beltz: What attracted me? For sure it was my parents. Both of my parents are playing tennis as well. So I started to hit against the wall at the tennis club. My parents played at the court. I play against the wall. So I guess that's how many players pick it up.

I started to love it. And then I played a lot of junior tournaments and I liked it so much. I played a lot when I was young and I'm still loving it, so it's fun.

WTA Insider: What do you like about it? Beltz: The challenge, the competing, one against one. I really like it.

I just loved the sport because you can just go with friends and just go out and play. Also in Germany, the club scene is pretty big. It's not that big anymore, but when I was young a long time ago, it was still big. We had a lot of club matches, a lot of practice together. It was a good system and I had many friends playing tennis so it was fun.

WTA Insider: Do you have a coaching philosophy?Beltz: When I was sixteen, it was just a thing on the side, because I was still playing. It was just good at the club to teach a little bit some kids, make some small money on the side.

When it got more serious I really liked the challenge. It's nice to be able to work with the top athletes together and try to make them better every day. I think that's really the thing I like to do right now and which really fulfills my life, I would say. Try to make them better every day and to work with young players. I think it's a great job and it's a great challenge for me.

I think the philosophy kind of changes. If you play with the club level players it's more about having some fun. That was also the goal at the time to get more kids into tennis. Let's make it fun and really try to show them how much fun is the sport.

Now with the top, top players, I don't have to sell because they know how nice it is. So it's really about trying to get out of the players the best they can do every day, and especially to get them ready for the big tournaments like Zhuhai and the Masters and really try to get them ready for the big stage to play their best tennis.

"I think it's really important to stay positive. In tennis, every week is a new challenge and a new possibility to play good."

WTA Insider: What's the most important thing you've learned coaching at the top level?Beltz: I think it's really important to stay positive. In tennis, every week is a new challenge and a new possibility to play good. Even if it's sometimes not going your way, it's not about going up.

So I think for me as a coach, we're trying to stay positive and we're trying to see the process to try to get better. I think we're trying to do this. I think this is also what's most important for me as a coach, to try to stay positive and to stay focused, trying to have an intense practice all the time, even if the player is not feeling that great.

WTA Insider: How do you get players to trust the process and not get too attached to being results-orientated?Beltz: It's a combination. The player has to trust the coach, believe in the coach, believe in what I'm saying and doing with her. So I think it's a combination.

I'm trying every day also to give my player the feeling that I am there for her and that I have my thoughts and that I really try to prepare the practice good. I try to educate myself, to evolve positively as a coach, to try to educate myself to get better at coaching. I think if the player sees this, I think also she believes more in my work.

WTA Insider: What does a day in the life of a WTA coach look like? Beltz: It depends on the time, if it's offseason or at a tournament. We have a new platform now where I can watch the matches so I'm trying from the hotel to watch the matches and to see what my player is doing good and bad and really trying to get this right. Also trying to prepare some videos to show my player so she can see what she's doing good or bad. At night, I try to prepare the practice for the next days.

And then in the day we have breakfast together, then we have practice in the morning together, we have lunch together, we have practice in the afternoon and then fitness. The whole day is pretty planned and pretty packed. We're trying to have a good day every day and to be positive.

WTA Insider: Do you have a lot of free time as a coach?Beltz: I have free time. I like to play some golf sometimes.

It's also a good challenge because on tour you have a lot of free time actually. For sure we are coaching on the court and we are preparing, but we also have to handle the free time. But I like to be alone sometimes. I like to play golf if I can. The good thing is we are always at the sunshine so we can play golf a lot.

WTA Insider: What is the vibe like among the WTA coaches?Beltz: I think it's really good. I have no problem with anybody. I have many good friends on the coaching tour. It is really fun. We all see each other every week. So it's good to see each other. I think if we have a good time together, sometimes we go play golf together, we have a drink somewhere. I think we all get along pretty well.

WTA Insider: Do the coaches talk a lot with each other about their own players and experiences?Beltz: I think it's more easy with the coaches to get along better than the players. We talk about tennis for sure because it's all we love, tennis.

But I think I will not tell any secrets and I think all the other coaches will not tell me any secrets. I think we get along pretty good and we have some good guys on tour.

WTA Insider: What's a bad day for you as a coach?Beltz: I think also the coaches are results orientated. For sure it's tougher when the player is losing. I think that sucks. Everybody can agree to that. That is a tougher day, if the player is losing a tough match, maybe three sets or something.

I think for me the toughest is if my player is playing good and she's losing and she's feeling hurt. For me it hurts a little bit also. We as coaches have some tough days.

But it's the same as a player. We don't let it get to us and get too much down. It's trying to stay positive and see the next day and then we can work the next day and in tennis, we have the chance to do it the next week and do it better.

More here:
Coaching Dossier: Torben Beltz is the King of Positivity - 'Every week is a new challenge' - WTA Tennis

A trail runner finds sage advice in a virtual-coaching program from iFit. It changed his view of what a session on a treadmill screen can do.

Its 3 miles to the Beagle Channel. Im running in Patagonia, near the tip of South America, a few steps behind a virtual trainer on a screen.

The machine hums under my feet. A treadmill, the Commercial 2950 model from NordicTrack, speeds up and then tilts, a dynamic simulacrum of the terrain ahead.

I came to this review with some skepticism. As a serious runner, I train mainly outdoors. However, treadmills have played a significant role in my fitness regimen for years. But a virtual coach training me from a screen? It seemed like too much.

My coach was Tommy Rivers Puzey. Hes a real person, an accomplished ultrarunner, and one of more than a dozen trainers available via the iFit program on my treadmills 22-inch screen. Throughout a recent 30-minute workout, Puzey earned my trust.

After testing iFit for weeks, I had several ah-ha moments during one particular session in the virtual forest with Puzey on the outskirts of a remote Patagonian town.

SinceiFits inception in 1999, the company has made it a goal to improve the experience of working out on an exercise machine.

Built-in screens and connectivity changed the paradigm for treadmill companies. iFit hopped into that with its lush visual scenes, onscreen workout classes, and, later, virtual coaches. These coaches focus on fitness during sessions that you can watch once or view as a series, building toward achievable goals.

Its a library of content in constant evolution, with new sessions added every week. Over the years, the iFit project has included a partnership with Google Maps (which is ongoing), the formation of a massive studio space for filming in Utah, and video shoots around the world.

You can now jog through European capitals, run along tropical beaches in Hawaii and Thailand, and even trek up the flank of Mount Kilimanjaro. A multiday program lets iFit users virtually summit the 19,341-foot African peak.

There are thousands of workouts in the library, and the company has produced on-location shoots from all seven continents and more than 40 countries. iFit touts itself as more convenient than a gym, more affordable than a personal trainer.

Pricing starts at $15/month, and iFit works with a range of NordicTrack and other ICONexercise equipment. (If you have multiple devices, a single subscription works across a range of NordicTrack devices, from incline trainers, rowers, cycle machines, and a strength towerupdated this year.)

I ran several sessions over the summer, and then last week I picked Puzeys course in Patagonia. I wanted to relive a region I knew well after an expedition to Tierra del Fuego years ago.

The scenery was sublime, as expected, with misty forests and ocean views. But what surprised me was Puzeys dialogue, which meandered from fitness tips to a historical tutorial on the areas scourge of invasive beavers.

Theyd come from Canada as a failed experiment in habitat relocation. I knew those beavers too well from my time in Patagonia. One day, after more than a week in the wilds in 2010, we encountered a decimated forest stretching for miles. It was the result of seemingly innumerable beaver dams.

Puzey pointed at an effected area like that off the trail. The talk and the scenery on the screen were a positive distraction as I ran. Initially, thats what I envisioned iFit would be: an alternative to staring at a TV or zoning out to a podcast as treadmill minutes and miles ticked away underfoot.

But Puzey proved me wrong and it wasnt just the beavers. From the start of the session, he gave legitimate tips on running technique. He talked about cell physiology and V02 max in an uncomplicated way. The conversation throughout the 31-minute run, which is titled Gable Island, Argentina in the iFit library, was stacked with invaluable information if you listened close.

For example, at one point near the beginning of the session, Puzey talks about upper body considerations and form. He notes a runner should avoid twisting the body or swinging the arms too much from side to side. Instead, runners should direct all motion (arms included) linearly ahead in the direction of their run.

This sounds basic. But it took a long time for me to ever hear that advice as a beginner runner years ago. I changed my arm movement and focused on posture and gait. It was a significant step toward increasing my efficiency and speed, and I wish Id known this sooner.

Another example from iFit: Right at the start of the Gable Island run, Puzey talks about the importance of warming up before a hard run. I was feeling impatient at the time and almost sped the treadmill pace ahead of the programs prescribed speed.

Instead, I listened to Puzey, who explained the why behind taking a few minutes to warm up. It was a weird moment of mind-reading, as he seemed to rebuke my questioning as soon as it came to my head.

Warming up, he said, is useful because once youre literally warmer and beginning to sweat, thats a good indicator that on a cellular level your body is more ready for the rigors of exercise ahead. As a sprint-from-the-gate kind of guy, the information on why warming up matters now sticks as usable advice.

Hills and twisting trail were a part of the virtual run. The iFit program worked seamlessly with the NordicTrack treadmill, speeding up, slowing, tilting on ascents, then declining as the ersatz path went downhill.

Id moved a NordicTrack 2950 into my basement a few months ago for a test. Its a solid machine and has found a place in my weekly regimen. Indeed, in 20 minutes flat, I can pace out 3 miles on a sprint day. Workouts via iFit range from beach jogs to mountain runs, where the NordicTrack inclines up to 15 percent, mapping the virtual hills.

To be sure, I run outside for many of my miles. I compete in trail races and do an ultra or marathon most years. But the treadmill is a part of my training regimen. In winter, I love to run on snow some days. Other times, the convenience of an indoor option is alluring when roads get icy around my neighborhood.

Based in Logan, Utah, ICON Health & Fitness Inc. is the worlds largest manufacturer and marketer of fitness equipment. It owns a suite of brands, including iFit and NordicTrack. Dubbed a commercial treadmill, the NordicTrack 2950 is a high-end machine with a price tag to match.

A metal-frame incline feature, reliable build and motor, a fold-up design, integrated fans, and a large, vibrant touchscreen that comes ready to run iFit justify its $2,999 price tag. A one-year iFit subscription is included.

Back in Patagonia, a camera followed tight behind Puzey the whole time, giving the trick of having a running partner just a couple steps ahead.

At the start, my screen revealed the 31:30 workout would include one-minute VO2max intervals where youll run at an intensity level of 9. I would burn 356 calories. The workout would tackle 2.77 miles and gain almost 300 feet.

Closer to the Beagle Channel, Puzey explained workout thresholds and intensity zones. He mentioned cellular mitochondria and their integral role in increasing holistic fitness as you train. You get a breakdown on V02 max.

In a half-hour with iFit, I heard training advice and information that took years for me to learn in the real world through casual training. Id paid coaches for blood-lactate tests and heart-rate regimens. People assessed my gait and form.

Though a session on a screen isnt a stand-in for personal coaching in life, I was impressed by the quick depth Puzey presented on a sprint through the Patagonia forest.

The company noted it had an original goal, starting in 1999, of wanting to improve education and expertise through trainer-created workouts. IFit developed programs to hook runners with progressive sets of workouts to build engagement through motivation to finish circuits and reach goals over days or weeks.

As the company puts it, The iFit expertise is automatically integrated in the workout; all the consumer has to do is follow along. iFit likes the term connected fitness to describe its technology. There are many other treadmills with touchscreens and graphics or streamed workouts. But iFit has interactive facets like auto-adjusting speed, incline, and decline.

In the end, I became an iFit adherent, but I didnt love every program. Certainly, you need to find the coach and class type built for your interest and fitness level. But as a whole, its a program that can benefit beginners and serious runners alike.

Check out the virtual world of iFit if youre training indoors this winter. The round-the-world iFit scenery can be amazing to virtually explore. Coaches like Puzey provide motivation and direction that can be invaluable in obtaining a fitness goal.

See details on the NordicTrack 2950 treadmill here.

Go here to see the original:
Treadmill Training: Why I Became a 'Virtual Coach' Convert - GearJunkie

Lane Kiffin likes life in Boca Raton, Florida.

That much is true after the third-year head coach of Florida Atlantic responded to a tweet from an Arkansas fan on Twitter pleading for Razorbacks athletic director Hunter Yurachek to hire Kiffin as head coach.

Kiffin, who coached in SEC most recently as the offensive coordinator at Alabama from 2014-16, thanked the fan for the love but assumed the person had "never been to" Boca Raton.

Fayetteville, Arkansas, is certainly not South Florida.

It is, however, an SEC job which Kiffin is open to.

Kiffin, who was the head coach at Tennessee in 2009 before bolting for USC from 2010-13, said Oct. 22 on SEC Network's "The Paul Finebaum Show" that he would not rule out a return to the SEC.

His current situation, though, makes him selective.

"I'm really happy here, Paul, and all coaches say that, but you know I'm not one to just give coach speak," Kiffin said. "As you get older, I think you value different things. And so when you're younger, a lot of times you're chasing money and titles how big is the job? and all those things.

"So I'm very happy here. I think we've gotten something pretty neat going on here with ... 24 wins or something like that in three seasons and they had (three) three-win seasons before (from 2014-16).

"So a lot of really good young players, so I'm very happy here and it's a great place to live. As you get older, you kind of appreciate where you live, too."

After an 0-2 start, the Owls are 7-3 overall and 5-1 in C-USA play, winning six of their past seven games as they are tied for the conference's East Division with Marshall (7-3, 5-1), the only loss over the recent stretch.

Kiffin followed 2017's breakout campaign at 11-3 with 2018's step back, going 5-7, but has since rebounded.

Off 2017's success, Kiffin's contract extension came June 21, 2018, with a 10-year renegotiation that runs through 2027. In addition to Kiffin's base salary of $950,000 annually, he has a $2 million buyout, which drops to $1.5 millions after the 2019 season and $1 million following the 2020 campaign.

Arkansas fired second-year head coach Chad Morris last Sunday after he went 4-18 overall and 0-14 in SEC play, capped by Nov. 9's 45-19 home loss to Western Kentucky, and still owes him his buyout of more than $10 million.

Yurachek, however, said last Monday that the Razorbacks were "fully committed to getting the best person" and "desperately want our football program to be great again."

"No one could rule that out," Kiffin said. "But ... as you go through things and places, you've got to (have) the right leadership and people who are dedicated to do the things to win national championships. ... I'm not going to take some job just (because) you make some more money or in a bigger conference. It's got to be someone with people that want to win national championships."

Kiffin went 7-6 overall and 4-4 in SEC play as Tennessee's head coach, before he bolted for his four-year stint at the helm for USC. With the Trojans, Kiffin went 28-15 overall and 17-12 in Pac-12 play.

Alabama scooped him up for three seasons as the Tide went 40-4 with a trip to the College Football Playoff in each year, but longtime head coach Nick Saban cut ties with Kiffin after the 2016 campaign.

Saban chose to go in a different direction with Alabama's offense after the Tide, who won the 2015 CFB Playoff national championship, fell in the 2016 final.

See more here:
Kiffin responds after fan tweets Arkansas AD to hire FAU coach - 247Sports

Coaching can be a rewarding career path. You help people achieve their goals while making it fun, interesting, challenging, and engaging. Writing workouts to accomplish this goal isnt easy considering that the spectrum of swimming experience can range from newbie to Olympian. The different goals and interests of Masters swimmers can also affect what youre trying to accomplish. You probably have competitive swimmers, fitness swimmers, triathletes, and social swimmers in your program. Its difficult to make everyone happy at every single practice, but its possible.

Here are a few healthy habits to help you take care of yourself and make the crazy life of a Masters swim coach an awesome one.

Swimmers can tell when youre lying. If you missed their swim or didnt watch their stroke technique, just tell them so. If you see that theyre doing something very wrong, and they ask for feedback, politely tell them the truth. In addition, admit when you dont know the answer to a question or if you were wrong about something youve said before. Let them know, then follow up with them when youve found an answer.

Swim coaches can be consumed by the sport. Its sometimes difficult to disengage for a while and, if all your friends are customers or co-workers, it can be difficult to find the support you need when things get tough. And they will get tough as every career has its ups and downs. Having friends outside of swimming can give your mind and soul a break from the amount of time and energy required of swim coaches. All things in moderation; its possible to have too much swimming in your life.

In a previous article, I wrote about the benefits of taking a golf lesson or a lesson in any other sport. This places you in the frame of mind of someone new to the sport. It helps take your mind off swimming for a little while and gives you something else to look forward to. Its also a great way to make friends outside of swimming.

In the world of social media and publishing everything, it might seem OK to take someones picture and share it on your clubs Facebook page or Twitter feed. But some people might not want their photos taken, and you need to respect the privacy of your swimmers. Always tell your swimmers where the photos youre taking will end up before you take them. If you have an active social media presence or post pictures on your club website, you may wish to consult with an attorney, who might recommend that swimmers sign media waivers when they join your program.

There are multiple learning stylessome people absorb information visually, some take it in through conversation, and kinesthetic learners have to feel it. You might ask swimmers to join you on the pool deck to go through the motions of proper technique with them, and you might need to manipulate their arms or shoulders for them to get a feel for the proper technique. Before doing so, always ask for permission to touch their arm, hand, shoulder, etc. When you ask, you open up the lines of communication about anything you might need to be aware of, such as an old injury or where they might have had surgery.

Get to know the ins and outs of our sport. Its important to know what is and isnt permissible in competition so you know how to use your swimmers strengths to their advantage and to dispel any misunderstandings. For example, how many of you know that you can go past the 15-meter mark in breaststroke races?

Learn whats going on in your area. Your Local Masters Swimming Committee meeting is made up of volunteers who aim to provide U.S. Masters Swimming services and resources to its members, clubs, and coaches. Meetings are a great way to find out about what kind of support, such as scholarships or grants, may be available to you. Its also a great place to advertise your meets and events, get help with questions or problems, and network with other coaches.

Youre an important part of your swimmers lives and that comes with significant responsibility. Consider attending some self-improvement seminars. Learning how to improve yourself will not only help you become a better coach but will also give you valuable communication tools youll need to interact with different people. Remember, youre coaching a person, not a product.

Get to know your swimmers partners and kids names. Follow up with them after the surgery, vacation, or work trip where they visited another club. Take attendance and check in on the people who have missed some practices. Chances are youll be working with the same people for several years, and the quality of your relationships with your swimmers determines the quality of your work environment.

Being a Masters swim coach requires a lot more than just knowing how to write a workout. It requires great social skills and awareness, administrative and technical skills, leadership, and emotional investment. Set yourself up for success by setting healthy boundaries and practice habits that guarantee a long and happy career.

See more here:
Healthy Habits for Long-Term Success as a Masters Swimming Coach - U.S. Masters Swimming

I used to joke with fellow reporters years ago that I didnt look forward to interviewing coach John Messinger after South Charleston football games because he was such a talker that it put me in a deadline pinch.

But that was all in jest. There was never a bad time to talk with Messinger, a larger-than-life figure and one of the friendliest, most likable coaches Ive come across in 40-plus years of covering high school sports.

I couldnt believe it when I heard the news Wednesday morning that Messinger, a two-time Class AAA championship coach, had passed away suddenly at the age of 66. Even now, I feel like I can drive over to the Holley Strength System gym that he ran off Corridor G and chew the fat with him about sports, especially West Virginia high school football.

Id done that a lot the last four years, especially when my son Dan was working out there at Coach Mess gym, which is what most people called it. Id stop in two or three times a week and wed go on and on, chatting about all manner of sports and lifes lessons.

Guess he thought I might have the inside scoop on what was happening around the Kanawha Valley and the rest of the state, but truth is he probably told me more new information than I told him. Because he was always talking with someone, always in good humor, always willing to help someone with any sort of task, large or small, inside the gym or out. He was a great supporter of the Wounded Warrior Project.

As a coach and teacher, he helped hundreds of athletes reach their potential at SC High School, and after he retired from coaching in 2012, he helped dozens more athletes and regular Joes and Janes alike reach their potential in the world of weight training, an area in which he was a wealth of information, having been a 28-time state champion and five-time national champion powerlifter.

Even though Messinger had been out of coaching for several years, hardly a month went by where someone didnt try to lure him back in. Maybe it was a head coach in or near Kanawha County, looking for a good man and a good teacher to help whip his guys into shape. Or maybe it was a parent or booster hed see around town, begging him to come back to coaching and bring that championship aura with him. But he always smiled and politely reminded them that, no thank you, he was done with coaching.

But he wasnt done with football. No way. Hed show up for an area high school or college game now and then and religiously watched a lot of football on television, especially those midweek MAC games on ESPN that hardly anyone watches. He was always telling me about some little-known team or player whod impressed him, usually a lineman. Because thats what he was back in the day at George Washington High School and Marshall University.

This season, after months of trying, GW coach Steve Edwards Jr. finally convinced Messinger to come back to The Hill and be inducted into the schools Football Hall of Fame, which Messinger did during GWs home game with Huntington on Sept. 13. Messinger was a captain on the 1973 Patriots team.

Messinger was always proud of what his old schools had accomplished GW, Marshall and SC and always had his eyes and ears on them.

And he had the biggest heart of anyone you knew. If someone at the gym had a chore that required help moving heavy equipment, some odd job on the farm John was among the first to step up and volunteer, even if it meant driving a long distance. He maintained a special relationship with former state pro boxing champion Tommy Franco Thomas of Clarksburg, who in recent years has battled health issues. Clarksburg was Coach Mess hometown he was born there and spent much of his early years there before moving to Kanawha County.

Messinger had never met my mother, who at age 94 still gets around pretty well for someone with bad knees and two broken hips in her lifetime, but without fail, every time I showed up at the gym, he wanted to know how she was doing and always ended the inquiry by saying, Bless her heart.

One of the things Ill always recall about Coach Mess with admiration was his handling of the legal fiasco that followed the forgettable fight and player suspensions at the end of SCs 2010 quarterfinal playoff game with Hurricane.

As the injunctions and appeals and legal red tape dragged on for two weeks, a lot of people involved on all sides of the issue cowered from media requests for updates and information, but not Messinger. He answered his phone and told you what he knew no B.S. From my perspective, he made a terrible situation almost tolerable.

But again, thats just one moment from a man whom Ill remember for a lot of reasons and all of them good. His was a life well lived.

Read the original here:
Rick Ryan: Remembering 'Coach Mess' and a life well lived - Charleston Gazette-Mail

In todays world, the history of these things isnt like the same as it used to be, you know what I mean? said BC coach Steve Addazio. So youve got to bring it back to life.

Addazio likened the revival of the Notre Dame rivalry to the way BC has reignited another longstanding series with Syracuse.

Weve really worked hard to bring that back to life again, Addazio said. It wasnt that long ago that that was so intense, right? Then that period that it really didnt play wasnt the same. It lost something. Things happen quick nowadays, I think.

The Eagles have experience to pull from on their coaching staff, and Addazio plans to use it this week. Running backs coach Brian White was a graduate assistant on the Irishs 1988 national championship team. Defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan was Notre Dames safeties and special teams coach in 2001. Receivers coach Rich Gunnell was a part of two BC wins over the Irish as a player. Special teams coach Ricky Brown and director of football initiatives Josh Beekman were on the roster for three wins over Notre Dame from 2002-04.

Weve been bringing it back to life and talking about it, Addazio said. And Im going to do some other things as the week goes on to try to make sure they understand the intensity of this game and what it means because, yes, these guys, they have not been there.

But we also deal with guys who are very bright guys, and they get it and understand it, and they feel it. You still are playing a national team, and they get that too, that this is still a grand stage, and if youre a competitor, youre playing a top 15 team on a grand stage, thats what you want to do.

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly grew up in Everett, but he never considered himself a BC fan. If he watched, it was for BCs rivalry games with Holy Cross. Otherwise, he said, he always followed Notre Dame.

Thats all we had on TV, he said. Boston College wasnt on the television set much growing up in Boston. It wasnt until I was gone from Boston that BC started to be played on radio and television.

By the time the Eagles program started to gain traction locally and nationally in the 1980s, Kelly was cutting his teeth as a coach at Grand Valley State in Michigan.

From afar, though, he watched the Eagles growth.

From a football standpoint, being in the ACC has obviously benefitted them greatly, Kelly said. They have, certainly, a reputation for being a physical football team. They have, obviously going back to coach Coughlin, theyve either churned out great defensive players or obviously their tight ends or quarterbacks.

Its always been a program that has turned out really fine players, year in year out, and an extremely competitive football team that can beat anybody on a given day.

For the Irish, ranked 15th and winners of 17 straight at home, this installment of the Holy War might not have the same gravity, especially considering the Eagles 1-15 record against ranked opponents since 2014.

But Kelly understands the magnitude of the matchup for a BC team fighting to become bowl-eligible.

When theyre playing Notre Dame, this is a big game, Kelly said. And we know that theyre playing for bowl eligibility.

For the Eagles, keeping their postseason chances alive is just as important as the rivalry.

Theyre well aware of that, Addazio said. Thats a goal. Its a stated goal early in the season. So for all those reasons.

I mean, theres a lot going on in this game. Stakes are high, and thats exciting.

(Notre Dame leads, 15-9)

Sept. 16, 2017 Notre Dame 49, BC 20

Nov. 21, 2015 Notre Dame 19, BC 16

Nov. 10, 2012 Notre Dame 21, BC 6

Nov. 19, 2011 Notre Dame 16, BC 14

Oct. 2, 2010 Notre Dame 31, BC 13

Oct. 24, 2009 Notre Dame 20, BC 16

Nov. 8, 2008 BC 17, Notre Dame 17

Oct. 13, 2007 BC 27, Notre Dame 14

Oct. 23, 2004 BC 24, Notre Dame 23

Oct. 25, 2003 BC 27, Notre Dame 25

Nov. 2, 2002 BC 14, Notre Dame 7

Oct. 27, 2001 BC 21, Notre Dame 17

Nov. 11, 2000 Notre Dame 28, BC 16

No.v 20, 1999 BC 31, Notre Dame 29

Nov. 7, 1998 Notre Dame 31, BC 26

Oct. 25, 1997 Notre Dame 52, BC 20

Nov. 9, 1996 Notre Dame 48, BC 21

Oct. 28, 1995 Notre Dame 20, BC 10

Oct. 8, 1994 BC 30, Notre Dame 11

Nov. 20, 1993 BC 41, Notre Dame 39

Nov. 7, 1992 Notre Dame 54, BC 7

Nov. 7, 1987 Notre Dame 32, BC 25

*Dec. 29, 1983 Notre Dame 19, BC 18

Sept. 15, 1975 Notre Dame 17, BC 3

*Liberty Bowl

Julian Benbow can be reached at jbenbow@globe.com.

Originally posted here:
For BC coach Steve Addazio, Notre Dame week is a time to wake up the echoes - The Boston Globe