This article was written for the September, 2007 issue of The Pinnacle.
by Mickey Seward
Midian Roofing has come a long way since owner T.K. Hamilton began running the business 11 years ago. One of the early changes was to the company’s name, which Hamilton has now used for the past seven years.
Now, people all over Greater Rome are getting used to seeing the Midian Roofing name and logo throughout the region. For a company that started small – “Just me and Jesus,” Hamilton said – a small fleet of trucks and a growing employee base is proof that Midian is growing and thriving.
There’s also a new home facility in Midian’s in future, which will allow it to continue to grow and better serve its customers.
Hamilton said about 90 percent of those customers come from inside Rome and Floyd County, “but we have been as far north as St. Louis and as far south as Florida.”
That reputation that has carried across state lines comes in large part from the work done with its local customers. Some of those customers include Chamber members such as Harbin Clinic, The Well at West Rome Baptist Church, Bojangles, the new United States Post Office located on Martha Berry Highway, Martin Realty and many others. In addition, Midian also installed the roof at the new River City Bank headquarters building that is nearing completion on the corner of Second Avenue and West Third Street.
Along with work on commercial properties, Midian also builds and repairs roofs on residential and industrial properties, as well.
Midian offers a wide variety of products that help keep it at the forefront of the roofing industry. “We offer top-of-the-line, high end products all the way down to standard materials, including commercial, industrial and residential metal, metal shingles, slate, copper, pvc, epdm and built-up,” Hamilton said.
However, Hamilton noted that it’s his company’s level of customer service that puts it high on the list of local businesses.
“If there happened to be any problems due to workmanship or a manufacturer’s defect, we’ll deal with it,” he said. “We are licensed, insured and have worker’s compensation insurance, so if any accidents to the home owner’s property or bodily injury to a worker or someone else were to occur, the property owner is protected.”
Still, even with the extensive product selection and high level of customer service, Hamilton makes it clear that there is one factor above all others that makes Midian Roofing successful.
“Sometimes when people ask me the secret of my success, I do hesitate for a minute,” he said. “Then I say anything good in my life is because God, through Jesus Christ, gives me wisdom to do the right thing.”
Hamilton pointed out Midian Roofing only employs legal United States citizens and is a certified Drug Free Workplace, which allows it to save 7.5% off its workers compensation insurance as a part of the Greater Rome Chamber’s Drugs Don’t Work program.
Drugs Don’t Work is just one Chamber benefit that helps Midian’s business. “It helps us generate leads and be a part of the community,” Hamilton said.
Midian Roofing really has come a long way during its existence. When you look back, it’s pretty easy to believe that the future looks even brighter.
Midian Roofing can be reached at 706.232.3085 or 1.888.643.4262. Its website address is www.midianroofing.com.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Sunday, July 29, 2007
West Rome Baptist Thanks Pastor, Looks to Future
Officials at West Rome Baptist Church in Rome, Ga., recently asked me to write a press release regarding the calling of its pastor to a new position at a church in Texas and the future of West Rome Baptist. The following is the text from the release.
ROME, Ga....After Pastor Glynn N. Stone, Jr., told his congregation at West Rome Baptist Church Sunday that he had been called to a new post in Texas, Stone and others at WRBC spoke about the bonds created during Stone's six years in Rome and looked toward the future with their eyes set on God's plan.
Stone announced he has accepted the position as senior pastor at Mobberly Baptist Church in Longview, Texas. He, his wife, Angie, and sons Trey and Luke will move to Texas following his last sermon at West Rome Baptist on July 22.
"The bond of Christian love that unites Christians is so strong," Stone said. "I care for West Rome Baptist so much and it cares for us so deeply because of the trials, joy, blessings and struggles which we have gone through together. You can only have this kind of love if you truly have gotten to know each other."
"Without a doubt, I know that God's will for my life and my family is to follow His call to Mobberly Baptist Church," Stone said. "The will of God is the most exciting thing that is possible to ever know."
Ken Oates, WRBC's Associate Pastor of Pastoral Care who has been involved with the church either as a church member or staff member since 1975, said he knows Stone will continue to follow God's lead.
"Glynn and I have worked together for six years and we've had a great relationship in ministry and become really good friends," Oates said. "I know as he steps out in faith into a new chapter in his life, he will give it his best and trust God for his leadership."
While Stone's departure creates a void, those at WRBC have echoed his comments that God's will is the key element in the 114 year-old church's strength.
"It's tough to lose a pastor like Glynn Stone," said Associate Pastor Jarrod Roberts. "It's been a great privilege to serve in his ministry. We will be praying for him and his family, and are looking forward to what God has planned for them in their new place of service.
"God has done great things during his ministry here," Roberts said. "But we know that God has a great future planned for him, and we know that God has great things in store for West Rome Baptist Church.
"West Rome will continue to move forward in trying to reach people for Jesus Christ and to grow God's Kingdom," Roberts continued. "This is a huge opportunity for God to show how powerful He is, and we are looking forward to what He has planned. We will not back up and we will not take time off. We are going to keep on going strong."
Glenn Getchell, past chairman of West Rome Baptist's deacons committee, said Stone has continually challenged the church to share its love for Christ with others, and the church will continue to respond to that challenge.
"Pastor Stone has taken us to new levels and I anticipate only building on his success," Getchell said. "We are poised to now take the next step and have a greater impact on this community through our love for Jesus Christ. I will forever be grateful for the challenge Glynn Stone put before us - that the church is not the building or a location, but the people that make up the Body of Christ, and that the church member's purpose is to be the hands and feet of Christ to a world that does no know or trust in Him no matter where that church member is." The love for Stone and his family and the trust in God's will was made clear by longtime church member Jeanne Bryant.
"We are thankful for God for allowing Glynn and Angie to come to Rome," Bryant said. "We have been blessed by their ministry and friendships, and we're excited for them as they follow God's leadership.
"Our church is not built on ministers, but on God Himself," Bryant continued. "He is still in control of our church and our lives, and we trust Him and thank Him for His mercy, grace and love. We welcome all the new families that have come to West Rome Baptist and invite others to visit and see if this might be where God wants them to serve."
West Rome Baptist Church will begin its search for a new pastor immediately.
###
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Small Business Spotlight: Hometown Headlines
This was the small business spotlight article in the April, 2007 issue of The Pinnacle.
by Mickey Seward
For someone who has been in the business since he was 10 years old, John Druckenmiller isn’t one who can be easily accused of being “old school.” In fact, Druckenmiller’s internet news site, Hometown Headlines, has been a major catalyst for the growth of local news websites that many in the younger demographic segments prefer.
But Druckenmiller is far from the stereotypical fly-by-night internet blogger. He owns a journalism degree from the University of Florida and spent his entire career at traditional newspapers before moving to the electronic world. His writing career really goes back much further than his college days.
“I’ve been ‘reporting’ since the fourth grade at “my” St. Mary’s School in Rockledge, Fla.,” Druckenmiller said. “I wrote for student newspapers in all phases of my education.”
He said that upon registering at UF, he planned on majoring in political science and minoring in journalism, but the requirement of adding Latin as a language concentration to a political science major helped him realize that journalism may indeed be his calling.
Thirty years later, Druckenmiller is still following that call, which has taken him to newspapers in Lakeland, Fort Myers and Cocoa, Fla.; Fresno, Calif.; as well as the USA TODAY, not to mention in-state publications such as The Times in Gainesville, The Daily Report in Fulton County and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, before coming to Rome.
Druckenmiller, his wife Jean and their son Jack moved to Rome in 2002, when he went to work with the Rome News-Tribune. He also worked at former Rome radio station K98.
Now, he’s the owner and operator of Hometown Headlines, focusing on bringing Greater Rome important news and information as accurately and quickly as possible. Its success has spawned other web sites competing for a piece of the local news pie, and Druckenmiller is fine with that.
“Some would say all the competition in town is a challenge,” Druckemiller said. “It is, but in a good way. Competition keeps us focused.”
In fact, Druckenmiller often offers praise to his competitors – by name – on his own site. That sense of community has made Druckenmiller and Hometown Headlines a favorite for advertisers and readers.
“We wouldn’t be doing this today with a very generous group of advertisers and very involved readership,” Druckemiller said. “From news tips to taking a gamble on an upstart media concept, we’ve been supported, bolstered, fortified – whatever you wish to call it – we’ve had a lot of support along the way.”
The biggest scoops usually come from casual conversations at local retail establishments. The Rome Braves and State Mutual Stadium have also been major players.
“We did more business – news tips, ad sales, etc. – at the stadium in 2004 than anywhere else,” Druckenmiller said. “If you’re looking for the neighborhoods of yesteryear, go sit in section 206 at a game this year. You’ll find it there, and just about anywhere else in the stadium.
“Without the community’s help, we would have unplugged two years ago. As it stands, we’ve recorded nearly 14 million hits in 39 months. We have web sites featuring Floyd, Bartow and Gordon Counties. Our niche sites, Hometown Kids and The Dining Guide, are doing great. Now we’re bringing a hard-news magazine, The Druck Report, into play. The web sites and the magazine will be total synergy.”
The Druck Report, a monthly publication focusing on local business, health, politics media and trends, premieres in May. Druckenmiller credits his Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce membership for part of Hometown Headlines’ success.
“Contacts, networking, exposure and solid people” associated with the Chamber all add to his business, Druckemiller said. “A lot of that business starts at the corner of Broad Street and Riverside Drive. “We’ve made good friends and good contacts thanks to the Chamber.”
by Mickey Seward
For someone who has been in the business since he was 10 years old, John Druckenmiller isn’t one who can be easily accused of being “old school.” In fact, Druckenmiller’s internet news site, Hometown Headlines, has been a major catalyst for the growth of local news websites that many in the younger demographic segments prefer.
But Druckenmiller is far from the stereotypical fly-by-night internet blogger. He owns a journalism degree from the University of Florida and spent his entire career at traditional newspapers before moving to the electronic world. His writing career really goes back much further than his college days.
“I’ve been ‘reporting’ since the fourth grade at “my” St. Mary’s School in Rockledge, Fla.,” Druckenmiller said. “I wrote for student newspapers in all phases of my education.”
He said that upon registering at UF, he planned on majoring in political science and minoring in journalism, but the requirement of adding Latin as a language concentration to a political science major helped him realize that journalism may indeed be his calling.
Thirty years later, Druckenmiller is still following that call, which has taken him to newspapers in Lakeland, Fort Myers and Cocoa, Fla.; Fresno, Calif.; as well as the USA TODAY, not to mention in-state publications such as The Times in Gainesville, The Daily Report in Fulton County and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, before coming to Rome.
Druckenmiller, his wife Jean and their son Jack moved to Rome in 2002, when he went to work with the Rome News-Tribune. He also worked at former Rome radio station K98.
Now, he’s the owner and operator of Hometown Headlines, focusing on bringing Greater Rome important news and information as accurately and quickly as possible. Its success has spawned other web sites competing for a piece of the local news pie, and Druckenmiller is fine with that.
“Some would say all the competition in town is a challenge,” Druckemiller said. “It is, but in a good way. Competition keeps us focused.”
In fact, Druckenmiller often offers praise to his competitors – by name – on his own site. That sense of community has made Druckenmiller and Hometown Headlines a favorite for advertisers and readers.
“We wouldn’t be doing this today with a very generous group of advertisers and very involved readership,” Druckemiller said. “From news tips to taking a gamble on an upstart media concept, we’ve been supported, bolstered, fortified – whatever you wish to call it – we’ve had a lot of support along the way.”
The biggest scoops usually come from casual conversations at local retail establishments. The Rome Braves and State Mutual Stadium have also been major players.
“We did more business – news tips, ad sales, etc. – at the stadium in 2004 than anywhere else,” Druckenmiller said. “If you’re looking for the neighborhoods of yesteryear, go sit in section 206 at a game this year. You’ll find it there, and just about anywhere else in the stadium.
“Without the community’s help, we would have unplugged two years ago. As it stands, we’ve recorded nearly 14 million hits in 39 months. We have web sites featuring Floyd, Bartow and Gordon Counties. Our niche sites, Hometown Kids and The Dining Guide, are doing great. Now we’re bringing a hard-news magazine, The Druck Report, into play. The web sites and the magazine will be total synergy.”
The Druck Report, a monthly publication focusing on local business, health, politics media and trends, premieres in May. Druckenmiller credits his Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce membership for part of Hometown Headlines’ success.
“Contacts, networking, exposure and solid people” associated with the Chamber all add to his business, Druckemiller said. “A lot of that business starts at the corner of Broad Street and Riverside Drive. “We’ve made good friends and good contacts thanks to the Chamber.”
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Jon Byrd Piloting CVTC's New Aviation Programs
The following article was written for the July/August 2007 issue of Directions Magazine. I took our usual newcomer feature and turned it into a story that not only introduced a new professional to the community, but also a new program with incredible economic development potential.
by Mickey Seward
For Jon Byrd, who recently moved to Rome to become the Director of Aviation Programs at Coosa Valley Technical College, a passion has become his life.
“It was a hobby at first,” Byrd said of how he became involved in the aviation industry. “I learned to fly in 1991, and have been hooked on the industry ever since.
“After spending 12 years in a previous career field, I would always have my mind in the clouds,” he said. “So, when I decided to change careers, it was a no-brainer for me; aviatio
n was the direction I needed to travel. It’s been an extremely rewarding and educational journey so far. I look forward to what the future will deliver.”
So does Coosa Valley Tech, which is preparing to begin its aviation programs in late 2007 or 2008.
Serving as the program’s architect is an exciting proposition for Byrd, who was introduced as the first aviation programs director at Coosa Valley Tech by the college’s president, Dr. Craig McDaniel this past September.
“I’ve always liked creating things, and this was definitely an opportunity to create something from virtually nothing,” Byrd said. “Dr. McDaniel and the staff at Coosa Valley Technical College did a great job preparing for the aviation programs, so I have a good, solid budget to start with to get equipment and supplies we need ordered, and to purchase furniture and materials we will need to stock the new facility being constructed at the Richard B. Russell Regional Airport.
“We’ve also had some generous donations of aircraft, ground support equipment and various equipment we’ll need for our labs and classrooms,” Byrd said. “Everyone I have met is excited and extremely supportive of us building and launching our aviation programs. We’re ready, and it’s obvious that Northwest Georgia has been ready, too.”
According to Dr. McDaniel, Byrd is just as ready for this professional opportunity as CVTC and Northwest Georgia is for the new program.
“Jon has the experience and attitude that we need to get these programs started,” McDaniel said when he introduced Byrd.
That experience comes from an extensive aviation and teaching background. Byrd worked in general and corporate aviation for companies including Kenn-Air, TIMCO, and Raytheon Aircraft. He has FAA aviation certifications in FAA (Federal Aviation Association) Inspection Authorization (IA); FAA Airframe and Powerplant Certificate (A&P); FAA Fixed-Wing Pilot; as well as memberships in the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA) and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA).
He comes to Coosa Valley Tech after serving as the program chairperson of the aviation maintenance technology program at Middle Georgia Technical College in Warner Robins, a CVTC sister school.
When he learned that Coosa Valley Tech was ready to start moving forward with plans for the aviation program, Byrd was immediately interested.
“The opportunity to start programs from scratch, play a significant role in the facility design and construction, and become a member of the Coosa Valley Technical College family was just too attractive for me to not pass up,” Byrd said. “I learned a long time ago to never let opportunities go by; they may never come around again. We’re not guaranteed a second chance at anything.”
Since coming to Rome, Byrd has busied himself with the responsibilities that come along with starting the program. It takes a lot more than just getting potential students to enroll. CVTC is building a 30,000 square foot building at the airport, so funding and construction issues have taken much of his time. Working with local, state and federal government can lead to some tedious tasks, but as Byrd points out, “We’re getting closer and closer to completion every day.”
Once construction is complete, Byrd has lofty goals for the program. One is to rise to the level of the rest of Coosa Valley Tech’s programs.
“We hope to be the college that people think of when it comes to aviation training,” Byrd said.
“Coosa Valley Technical College does everything with class and professionalism and I plan on continuing that with our aviation programs. Our students will be exposed to what’s happening in the industry right now, so they can be well-trained and ready for their career following their time with us. Seeing a student succeed in the aviation industry following their training with Coosa Valley Technical College is a success story in my book.”
Along with the development and possible job placement of the students, Byrd also sees a bright future for the economic development in and around Rome, Floyd County and the Richard B. Russell Regional Airport, thanks partly to the new aviation programs. According to Byrd, the potential for new aviation-related industry in the community could bring with it a strong positive economic impact.
“We believe that since we will have an FAA-certified aviation training program presence at the airport producing a well-trained work force, aircraft manufacturers and repair facilities will want to have a facility here,” Byrd said. “It’s all about ‘location-location-location,’ and we’re in a perfect location regionally for aviation-related businesses to want to set up shop here. They would not have to worry about the hassle of getting in and out of Atlanta where the busiest air traffic in the world exists.
“New business equates to new jobs, and new jobs equal new opportunities for residents in and around Floyd County.”
Byrd and Coosa Valley Technical College are doing their part to provide a quality workforce for an industry in which job opportunities should be in large supply in the next few years. Byrd mentioned that twice as many aircraft technicians today are over the age of 60 than are under the age of 30, and that 25 percent of aircraft technicians today are at retirement age.
“There just aren’t enough new, well-trained workers available to fill those vacancies,” Byrd said.
Thanks to his role at CVTC and in the future of the area’s workforce, Byrd has already become an integral part of the community. But he’s enjoyed his short time here for reasons that reach beyond his vocation.
“I quickly learned that I had made the right decision (to come to Rome) within the first couple weeks following my move here,” Byrd said. “The city is great, the area is beautiful, and everyone I have met so far is extremely nice, helpful, and polite.”
An accomplished song writer and musician, he’s performed at some of Rome’s local nightspots, and has also found the community to be a great place to enjoy some of his other hobbies, such as photography, bowling and “the occasional round of golf.”
But it all seems to come back to one thing for Byrd, even when talking about his hobbies. It’s his passion for flying and maintaining aircraft that brought him here, and ultimately what will allow him to help make Dr. Craig McDaniel’s and other leaders’ vision of the new aviation maintenance program take flight. That’s his love, and a love he is excited to pass along to others.
Byrd invites anyone interested in a career in aviation to give him a call at 706.802.5086. Coosa Valley Technical College’s website is located at http://www.coosavalleytech.edu/.
by Mickey Seward
For Jon Byrd, who recently moved to Rome to become the Director of Aviation Programs at Coosa Valley Technical College, a passion has become his life.
“It was a hobby at first,” Byrd said of how he became involved in the aviation industry. “I learned to fly in 1991, and have been hooked on the industry ever since.
“After spending 12 years in a previous career field, I would always have my mind in the clouds,” he said. “So, when I decided to change careers, it was a no-brainer for me; aviatio
n was the direction I needed to travel. It’s been an extremely rewarding and educational journey so far. I look forward to what the future will deliver.”So does Coosa Valley Tech, which is preparing to begin its aviation programs in late 2007 or 2008.
Serving as the program’s architect is an exciting proposition for Byrd, who was introduced as the first aviation programs director at Coosa Valley Tech by the college’s president, Dr. Craig McDaniel this past September.
“I’ve always liked creating things, and this was definitely an opportunity to create something from virtually nothing,” Byrd said. “Dr. McDaniel and the staff at Coosa Valley Technical College did a great job preparing for the aviation programs, so I have a good, solid budget to start with to get equipment and supplies we need ordered, and to purchase furniture and materials we will need to stock the new facility being constructed at the Richard B. Russell Regional Airport.
“We’ve also had some generous donations of aircraft, ground support equipment and various equipment we’ll need for our labs and classrooms,” Byrd said. “Everyone I have met is excited and extremely supportive of us building and launching our aviation programs. We’re ready, and it’s obvious that Northwest Georgia has been ready, too.”
According to Dr. McDaniel, Byrd is just as ready for this professional opportunity as CVTC and Northwest Georgia is for the new program.
“Jon has the experience and attitude that we need to get these programs started,” McDaniel said when he introduced Byrd.
That experience comes from an extensive aviation and teaching background. Byrd worked in general and corporate aviation for companies including Kenn-Air, TIMCO, and Raytheon Aircraft. He has FAA aviation certifications in FAA (Federal Aviation Association) Inspection Authorization (IA); FAA Airframe and Powerplant Certificate (A&P); FAA Fixed-Wing Pilot; as well as memberships in the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA) and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA).
He comes to Coosa Valley Tech after serving as the program chairperson of the aviation maintenance technology program at Middle Georgia Technical College in Warner Robins, a CVTC sister school.
When he learned that Coosa Valley Tech was ready to start moving forward with plans for the aviation program, Byrd was immediately interested.
“The opportunity to start programs from scratch, play a significant role in the facility design and construction, and become a member of the Coosa Valley Technical College family was just too attractive for me to not pass up,” Byrd said. “I learned a long time ago to never let opportunities go by; they may never come around again. We’re not guaranteed a second chance at anything.”
Since coming to Rome, Byrd has busied himself with the responsibilities that come along with starting the program. It takes a lot more than just getting potential students to enroll. CVTC is building a 30,000 square foot building at the airport, so funding and construction issues have taken much of his time. Working with local, state and federal government can lead to some tedious tasks, but as Byrd points out, “We’re getting closer and closer to completion every day.”
Once construction is complete, Byrd has lofty goals for the program. One is to rise to the level of the rest of Coosa Valley Tech’s programs.
“We hope to be the college that people think of when it comes to aviation training,” Byrd said.
“Coosa Valley Technical College does everything with class and professionalism and I plan on continuing that with our aviation programs. Our students will be exposed to what’s happening in the industry right now, so they can be well-trained and ready for their career following their time with us. Seeing a student succeed in the aviation industry following their training with Coosa Valley Technical College is a success story in my book.”
Along with the development and possible job placement of the students, Byrd also sees a bright future for the economic development in and around Rome, Floyd County and the Richard B. Russell Regional Airport, thanks partly to the new aviation programs. According to Byrd, the potential for new aviation-related industry in the community could bring with it a strong positive economic impact.
“We believe that since we will have an FAA-certified aviation training program presence at the airport producing a well-trained work force, aircraft manufacturers and repair facilities will want to have a facility here,” Byrd said. “It’s all about ‘location-location-location,’ and we’re in a perfect location regionally for aviation-related businesses to want to set up shop here. They would not have to worry about the hassle of getting in and out of Atlanta where the busiest air traffic in the world exists.
“New business equates to new jobs, and new jobs equal new opportunities for residents in and around Floyd County.”
Byrd and Coosa Valley Technical College are doing their part to provide a quality workforce for an industry in which job opportunities should be in large supply in the next few years. Byrd mentioned that twice as many aircraft technicians today are over the age of 60 than are under the age of 30, and that 25 percent of aircraft technicians today are at retirement age.
“There just aren’t enough new, well-trained workers available to fill those vacancies,” Byrd said.
Thanks to his role at CVTC and in the future of the area’s workforce, Byrd has already become an integral part of the community. But he’s enjoyed his short time here for reasons that reach beyond his vocation.
“I quickly learned that I had made the right decision (to come to Rome) within the first couple weeks following my move here,” Byrd said. “The city is great, the area is beautiful, and everyone I have met so far is extremely nice, helpful, and polite.”
An accomplished song writer and musician, he’s performed at some of Rome’s local nightspots, and has also found the community to be a great place to enjoy some of his other hobbies, such as photography, bowling and “the occasional round of golf.”
But it all seems to come back to one thing for Byrd, even when talking about his hobbies. It’s his passion for flying and maintaining aircraft that brought him here, and ultimately what will allow him to help make Dr. Craig McDaniel’s and other leaders’ vision of the new aviation maintenance program take flight. That’s his love, and a love he is excited to pass along to others.
Byrd invites anyone interested in a career in aviation to give him a call at 706.802.5086. Coosa Valley Technical College’s website is located at http://www.coosavalleytech.edu/.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Tyler Coats Hits Home Run in Life
This article appeared in Berry Magazine, the official alumni magazine of Berry College in Rome, Ga., in 2004.
by Mickey Seward
Just over four years ago, Tyler Coats was planning on fulfilling a life-long dream of attending the Georgia Institute of Technology. He had already been accepted by Georgia Tech, and it was the only school to which he applied for admission.
However, just months before Coats was to begin classes in Atlanta, he tagged along with a friend who was going to try out for the baseball team at nearby Berry College. Coats decided to give it a shot, too.
“I didn’t even know Berry had a baseball team,” Coats said. “At the tryout, Coach (David) Beasley told me they could use me if I could get into Berry. So I applied, and got in. I thought I was through with baseball, but God had a different plan. It worked out for Him and definitely for me. It was one of the best things that ever happened to me.”
And a lot of other people, too.
Coats went on to become one of the best ballplayers ever to wear a Berry uniform, finishing his baseball career ranked among Berry’s all-time top five in batting average, home runs, runs batted in, hits and bases on balls. As a senior in 2004, he helped lead Berry to a 39-23 overall record and into the semifinals of the NAIA Region XI Tournament. He earned a pair of Academic All-American honors and one Athletic All-American award. The guy who four years ago didn’t even know Berry had a baseball team was doing his part to make sure everyone across the Southeast knew about Viking baseball.
But Coats, who earned a Bachelor’s degree in physics this past spring, was recognized for much more than his abilities on the diamond and in the classroom during his years at Berry. In 2003, he was a finalist for the Top Male Amateur Athlete Role Model award, presented to a student-athlete who competes for a college or university in Georgia, or who resides in the state, by the Boy Scouts of America’s Atlanta Area Chapter. In 2004, he won the award, joining the likes of former Florida State University Heisman Trophy winner and National Basketball Association guard Charlie Ward, former University of Georgia and Chicago Bears kicker Kevin Butler and former Georgia Tech guard and NBA All-Star Mark Price as honorees.
Months after learning he had been honored by the Boy Scouts, Coats learned he had earned a national honor that was awarded to just one student-athlete in the entire National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Coats was named the NAIA recipient of the Coca-Cola Community Service All-American award by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
“It means a lot to me personally to win that award, but I’m mostly glad that Berry is recognized because of it,” Coats said of the Community Service All-American honor. “Our reputation is growing, but it means a lot to represent Berry on a national level and share what Martha Berry stood for, and what Berry is intended to be for its students.”
Along with the honor, Coca-Cola and NACDA donated five thousand dollars to Coats’ charity of choice, Habitat For Humanity.
“That kind of money means more than you can imagine,” Bill Harrison of Habitat For Humanity of Rome said. “We do not often see donations that large. We feel pretty good when someone sends us a one hundred dollar check.
"This donation comes at a time when we are below our reserve threshold for construction," Harrison continued. "With this amount, we will easily be able to cover our material expenses, and it allows us time to improve our financial position.”
Coats became involved with Habitat For Humanity while working with Berry’s Athletes Bettering the Community organization, a group of nearly all of the 200-plus Berry student-athletes which also works at various after-school programs, Boys and Girls Clubs, retirement homes, homeless shelters and many other programs to serve those in need. Coats was the group’s president in 2003-04.
“I’m so proud of how ABC has developed and come along,” said Coats, who was one of the organization’s co-founders as a freshman. “The thing about ABC is it is so in line with the school’s beliefs – service above self.”
“Every team on campus is very well represented in ABC, and everyone has really stepped up,” he continued. “There’s always been that commitment from the student-athletes, and as long as they are committed, ABC will be here as long as the college itself is here.”
According to Dr. Janna Johnson, Berry’s associate athletics director who is also an instructor and advisor at the college and serves as ABC’s faculty advisor, Coats is a prime example of the very commitment that he described.
“Tyler epitomizes the head, heart, and hands philosophy at Berry,” Johnson said. “He has succeeded academically and athletically. He also has a strong work ethic and a commitment to helping others. I believe he will always follow Berry's motto, ‘Not to be ministered unto, but to minister.’”
While he was at Berry, Coats also spent time mentoring an elementary school student, and shared his experiences with other Berry student-athletes to encourage others to serve as mentors.
“He let others know how meaningful it is to mentor a young person by sharing his experience with mentoring,” Johnson said. “Tyler is such a great example for me and his peers. He balances school, work, athletics, and community service with patience and a smile on his face. No matter how much pressure he is under, he is kind and respectful of others. “
For Coats, enrolling at Berry allowed him to fulfill two dreams. First, he was able to continue his baseball career. Second, because he came to Berry as part of the college’s dual-degree program with the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech, not only was he working toward a physics degree at Berry, but also toward a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Georgia Tech at the same time.
“The only question coming in was would I need four years at Berry and two at Tech, or three at Berry and two at Tech?” Coats said. “Baseball commitments answered that for me,” said the four-year letter winner. “It turned out that the fourth year was the best year we had as a team.”
Coats began taking classes at Georgia Tech in August, and will need approximately two years to finish his civil engineering degree.
Stepping onto the 400 acre Georgia Tech campus with roughly 16,00 students after spending four years at a school with 70 times more land but 14,000 fewer students might make others somewhat fearful, but Coats is getting along just fine.
“In a way it’s like starting over,” Coats said. “I’m meeting new people and learning about them and how we can help each other, but there’s no way you can meet everybody and grow relationships very quickly.
“But there are a lot of similarities between Berry and Georgia Tech,” he continued. “You still have to wake up and go to class, and there are a lot of opportunities at Berry like there are on other larger campuses.”
Coats has already plugged in with Georgia Tech’s Campus Christian Fellowship, hoping to continue another chapter in a life built on service.
“My belief in God is the main reason I like to get involved,” Coats said. “A huge foundation of the Christian faith is that Jesus commands us to serve others. We are supposed to show people a lifestyle that is pleasing to God and lead by example, not just in what we say but what we do and how we do it.
“One look on the face of a child in a struggling family when you give him a Christmas present, or on a senior citizen at a retirement home when you and your friends sing Christmas carols, and it’s more than worth it,” he continued. “It’s not a huge commitment, but it makes a big difference in their life, and in mine.”
Making a difference seems to be what Coats’ four years at Berry were all about. Not just for him, but for a lot of other folks, too.
“Those were the best four years of my life so far,” Coats said. “I met tons of new people and made lifelong friends. There are a lot of opportunities at Berry that I might not have had at a larger school. You can develop deeper relationships, and I often think about the people I’ve been in contact with who have impacted my life. Hopefully, I’ve impacted their lives in a small way, too.”
When he finishes school, Coats wants to become a builder. If whatever he builds is built on a foundation as solid as Coats’, it just might last forever.
by Mickey Seward
Just over four years ago, Tyler Coats was planning on fulfilling a life-long dream of attending the Georgia Institute of Technology. He had already been accepted by Georgia Tech, and it was the only school to which he applied for admission.
However, just months before Coats was to begin classes in Atlanta, he tagged along with a friend who was going to try out for the baseball team at nearby Berry College. Coats decided to give it a shot, too.
“I didn’t even know Berry had a baseball team,” Coats said. “At the tryout, Coach (David) Beasley told me they could use me if I could get into Berry. So I applied, and got in. I thought I was through with baseball, but God had a different plan. It worked out for Him and definitely for me. It was one of the best things that ever happened to me.”
And a lot of other people, too.
Coats went on to become one of the best ballplayers ever to wear a Berry uniform, finishing his baseball career ranked among Berry’s all-time top five in batting average, home runs, runs batted in, hits and bases on balls. As a senior in 2004, he helped lead Berry to a 39-23 overall record and into the semifinals of the NAIA Region XI Tournament. He earned a pair of Academic All-American honors and one Athletic All-American award. The guy who four years ago didn’t even know Berry had a baseball team was doing his part to make sure everyone across the Southeast knew about Viking baseball.
But Coats, who earned a Bachelor’s degree in physics this past spring, was recognized for much more than his abilities on the diamond and in the classroom during his years at Berry. In 2003, he was a finalist for the Top Male Amateur Athlete Role Model award, presented to a student-athlete who competes for a college or university in Georgia, or who resides in the state, by the Boy Scouts of America’s Atlanta Area Chapter. In 2004, he won the award, joining the likes of former Florida State University Heisman Trophy winner and National Basketball Association guard Charlie Ward, former University of Georgia and Chicago Bears kicker Kevin Butler and former Georgia Tech guard and NBA All-Star Mark Price as honorees.
Months after learning he had been honored by the Boy Scouts, Coats learned he had earned a national honor that was awarded to just one student-athlete in the entire National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Coats was named the NAIA recipient of the Coca-Cola Community Service All-American award by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
“It means a lot to me personally to win that award, but I’m mostly glad that Berry is recognized because of it,” Coats said of the Community Service All-American honor. “Our reputation is growing, but it means a lot to represent Berry on a national level and share what Martha Berry stood for, and what Berry is intended to be for its students.”
Along with the honor, Coca-Cola and NACDA donated five thousand dollars to Coats’ charity of choice, Habitat For Humanity.
“That kind of money means more than you can imagine,” Bill Harrison of Habitat For Humanity of Rome said. “We do not often see donations that large. We feel pretty good when someone sends us a one hundred dollar check.
"This donation comes at a time when we are below our reserve threshold for construction," Harrison continued. "With this amount, we will easily be able to cover our material expenses, and it allows us time to improve our financial position.”
Coats became involved with Habitat For Humanity while working with Berry’s Athletes Bettering the Community organization, a group of nearly all of the 200-plus Berry student-athletes which also works at various after-school programs, Boys and Girls Clubs, retirement homes, homeless shelters and many other programs to serve those in need. Coats was the group’s president in 2003-04.
“I’m so proud of how ABC has developed and come along,” said Coats, who was one of the organization’s co-founders as a freshman. “The thing about ABC is it is so in line with the school’s beliefs – service above self.”
“Every team on campus is very well represented in ABC, and everyone has really stepped up,” he continued. “There’s always been that commitment from the student-athletes, and as long as they are committed, ABC will be here as long as the college itself is here.”
According to Dr. Janna Johnson, Berry’s associate athletics director who is also an instructor and advisor at the college and serves as ABC’s faculty advisor, Coats is a prime example of the very commitment that he described.
“Tyler epitomizes the head, heart, and hands philosophy at Berry,” Johnson said. “He has succeeded academically and athletically. He also has a strong work ethic and a commitment to helping others. I believe he will always follow Berry's motto, ‘Not to be ministered unto, but to minister.’”
While he was at Berry, Coats also spent time mentoring an elementary school student, and shared his experiences with other Berry student-athletes to encourage others to serve as mentors.
“He let others know how meaningful it is to mentor a young person by sharing his experience with mentoring,” Johnson said. “Tyler is such a great example for me and his peers. He balances school, work, athletics, and community service with patience and a smile on his face. No matter how much pressure he is under, he is kind and respectful of others. “
For Coats, enrolling at Berry allowed him to fulfill two dreams. First, he was able to continue his baseball career. Second, because he came to Berry as part of the college’s dual-degree program with the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech, not only was he working toward a physics degree at Berry, but also toward a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Georgia Tech at the same time.
“The only question coming in was would I need four years at Berry and two at Tech, or three at Berry and two at Tech?” Coats said. “Baseball commitments answered that for me,” said the four-year letter winner. “It turned out that the fourth year was the best year we had as a team.”
Coats began taking classes at Georgia Tech in August, and will need approximately two years to finish his civil engineering degree.
Stepping onto the 400 acre Georgia Tech campus with roughly 16,00 students after spending four years at a school with 70 times more land but 14,000 fewer students might make others somewhat fearful, but Coats is getting along just fine.
“In a way it’s like starting over,” Coats said. “I’m meeting new people and learning about them and how we can help each other, but there’s no way you can meet everybody and grow relationships very quickly.
“But there are a lot of similarities between Berry and Georgia Tech,” he continued. “You still have to wake up and go to class, and there are a lot of opportunities at Berry like there are on other larger campuses.”
Coats has already plugged in with Georgia Tech’s Campus Christian Fellowship, hoping to continue another chapter in a life built on service.
“My belief in God is the main reason I like to get involved,” Coats said. “A huge foundation of the Christian faith is that Jesus commands us to serve others. We are supposed to show people a lifestyle that is pleasing to God and lead by example, not just in what we say but what we do and how we do it.
“One look on the face of a child in a struggling family when you give him a Christmas present, or on a senior citizen at a retirement home when you and your friends sing Christmas carols, and it’s more than worth it,” he continued. “It’s not a huge commitment, but it makes a big difference in their life, and in mine.”
Making a difference seems to be what Coats’ four years at Berry were all about. Not just for him, but for a lot of other folks, too.
“Those were the best four years of my life so far,” Coats said. “I met tons of new people and made lifelong friends. There are a lot of opportunities at Berry that I might not have had at a larger school. You can develop deeper relationships, and I often think about the people I’ve been in contact with who have impacted my life. Hopefully, I’ve impacted their lives in a small way, too.”
When he finishes school, Coats wants to become a builder. If whatever he builds is built on a foundation as solid as Coats’, it just might last forever.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Why Not Me?
This might be my favorite story I've written. It first appeared in a magazine called Texas Baseball News and you can still find it on UTAMavs.com, which is the official website of the University of Texas at Arlington's athletics department. It was written shortly after Gould's death in June, 2001. I hope you enjoy this article about a friend of mine.
by Mickey Seward
It was at a small press briefing early in the spring of 2000 that Clay Gould, then just 28 years old, showed why he would become a role model, even a hero, to so many people, including some much older than him. Gould had just learned that he had cancer, and in a small meeting room in
the athletic department offices at The University of Texas at Arlington, was speaking publicly about the disease for the first time.
"Do you ever ask yourself the question, 'Why me?'" a local newspaper reporter wanted to know.
What followed was so much more than a three-word answer from the Mavericks' head baseball coach. With three words - eight letters - Gould expressed more than any author could in an entire multi-volume set of feel-good best sellers. With three words, Gould expressed his faith in God and a thankfulness for the blessings in his life; his love for his wife Julie and their soon-to-be born daughter Logan; his appreciation and devotion to his family and friends. With three words, Gould told the players who played for him that he was proud of them, and how much he looked forward to the future, no matter how long the future was going to be. And with those same three words, Gould asked a question we all should ask ourselves during our times of struggle.
"Why not me?"
Gould was blessed, and he knew it. He had grown up to be one of the best ballplayers in the history of his hometown university, before moving on to become an all-star outfielder for the Tyler Wildcatters of the independent Texas-Louisiana League. He was on the fast track as a major college coach, taking over at his beloved alma mater at the tender age of 27 years old, just a few weeks shy of 28. He had fallen in love with a model and the two were recently married. A child was on the way. Cancer, Gould reasoned, was just one bad thing that couldn't compare with all the good things in his life.
"That's just how he was," said Jeff Curtis, Gould's assistant coach for two years, and the man who was named to replace Gould as head coach on July 12. "That just shows how strong he was and how he understood what was going on. That's an amazing quote. How could a 28 year old make a comment like that? It's amazing. He's amazing."
That statement, those three words, demonstrated the strength and character that Gould displayed until 1:08 p.m. this past June 23, when he passed away at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas after a 16-month battle with colon cancer. Never once during that time did the second word of Gould's now-familiar three-word reply disappear from his own rhetorical question.
Ironically, while the Texas-Arlington skipper was enduring his worst times in the hospital that he never left after checking in late in April, his team was on its way to a Southland Conference Tournament championship, and ultimately to its first-ever win in an NCAA Regional game. The Mavericks came out of the loser's bracket and swept SLC Tournament host Lamar to hoist the tourney trophy for the first time in team history, as K.J. Hendricks, nicknamed "The Pest" by Gould during fall practice for his pesky play on the field, earned tournament MVP honors.
Less than a week later, senior second baseman Craig Martin, UTA's all-time hits leader who signed with the Evansville Otters of the independent Frontier League following the season, belted a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift UTA to a 7-6 win over the University of Houston in the regionals. Those close to the UTA baseball program call the win the greatest moment in the team's history. Some say it is the highlight of the school's entire athletic past.
"They had a dream season last year," said Butch McBroom, UTA's director of development for the athletic department, who served as the school's head baseball coach from 1974-1999 before handing over the reigns to Gould on June 11, 1999. "It was one of those years where everything fell into place for him, and it couldn't have come at a better time."
Although Gould missed the regionals this year, he's been there before. As a UTA player, he led the Mavericks to the 1990 and 1992 tournament, both held in Austin, Texas, the site of his first ever coaching victory. In fact, Gould is the only member of all three of UTA's NCAA regional teams.
Even though Gould was in a hospital bed at the end of the year, there never was a doubt that these Mavericks were his team, and won with his attitude. UTA won with toughness and determination.
The team made its mark early in the season, and developed a reputation from local and national media as giant killers. UTA defeated then-No. 4 Arizona State on Opening Day in Tempe, Ariz., then ruined No. 20 Texas' season lid-lifter for the second straight year a few days later. The Mavericks started the season 19-4 and finished the season with 39 victories, second most in school history. The team had captured the imagination of the Dallas-Fort Worth area media and the hearts of the Arlington community.
Nobody expected success so soon for a squad made up of 18 newcomers and picked to finish sixth in the SLC pre-season coaches poll. Of course, nobody expected success so early for Gould, either. It didn't come by accident.
"He knew baseball," said Darin Thomas, another of Gould's assistants at UTA who was promoted to associate head coach the same day Curtis was named head coach. "He was one of those people that, when he went to a game he didn't just go to shoot the bull. He didn't like to go around and shake hands and visit all the time. He liked to watch baseball. He was always saying, 'What would you do in this situation?'"
"There's a lot of people who are positive and energetic," Thomas continued. "But he coupled that with knowledge. His first year (when Thomas was still an assistant coach at Seward County Community College in Kansas), I can't tell you how many times he called and said, 'What would you do?' He wasn't afraid to get advice from people he trusted. He was constantly trying to get better in every aspect of his job, and in life."
Gould, it often seemed, enjoyed being underestimated by others and relished the opportunity to prove doubters' opinions of him wrong. He was too young and inexperienced to be successful, many said.
The Arlington native was able to successfully combat the criticism and the lack of head coaching experience with a tireless work ethic and a positive approach to coaching that utilized his proximity in age to his players. His excitement was evident and contagious.
"We didn't want to take four or five years to get it done, because everyone was looking at us," Curtis said. "He was one of the youngest coaches in the NCAA, and had two young guys coming in as assistants. There was a little bit of pressure involved, but he took that and ran with it and made it a motivational factor."
The motivation worked. In July, Gould and Florida International University coach Danny Price were named co-South Central Regional Coaches of the Year by Rawlings and American Baseball Coaches Association. Gould and Price will now have their names listed on the ballot for National Coach of the Year.
Gould is one of the few people to earn major awards as a coach and as a player on the collegiate level. He was the 1993 Southland Conference co-Player of the Year and a nominee for the Golden Spikes Award, presented to the nation's outstanding player, the same season. Yet it was the way he touched the hearts and made a difference in the lives of people that will be his lasting legacy.
"His players loved him," said McBroom. "He was a players' coach."
Gould's age made him close to his players, and he could relate to what they were going through. After all, he went through the same things himself just a few years before. When he became a man, however, he put childish ways behind him.
"He was the rebel," said McBroom. "He did a complete 180 degree change. He was always the kid that we had to make get his hair cut or take his earring out. Then he turned around and was just as hard on his kids in those areas as I was on him."
He cared for his players, and he made sure they were in good hands while they were away from home.
"He treated players the exact way that every parent would want their son to be treated," Curtis said. "He was honest with them and up front with them. He treated them like an adult, and wouldn't let them get away with things that their own parents wouldn't let them get away with. I think if parents could see how their sons were treated by Clay each day, they would have been very impressed."
Gould did more than just teach his players and his assistants. He taught those who had been his teacher.
Texas A&M head coach Mark Johnson, speaking to the nearly 1,500 people at Gould's funeral, said that whenever he visited Gould in the hospital, it was with the intent of cheering up his former graduate assistant coach and helping to keep Gould's Christian faith strong. However, the situation always seemed to reverse itself, Johnson said, and it was the pupil giving strength to the mentor.
Johnson was one of many that spoke about faith with Gould over the past few years. It was because of faith that Gould and Courtney Cash became friends. Cash had served as the team's chaplain since the mid 1990's and had known the young coach since Gould was McBroom's assistant. When Gould was promoted, Cash asked Gould if he could continue as the chaplain. Gould not only said yes, he asked Cash to do more than what he had been doing with the team previously. Cash became a regular in the team's dugout, not only at Allan Saxe Stadium, but also on the road.
"I think Clay understood that he wasn't a preacher," Cash said. "But he felt that it was important that the guys had access to God's word and to ministry. Being with the team was important for me, too, because I have been able to share Christ and build relationships that will last a lifetime. I would not have had that opportunity if Clay didn't open that door."
Cash spent a lot of time with Gould and his family while Gould was in his final days on earth. While a 29-year old father lay on his deathbed, it was he, Cash said, that gave strength to those surrounding him.
"I felt privileged to be a part of that time in Clay's life," Cash said. "To the world, it appeared that this was such a tragedy. But I was really able to see what kind of man he was during this time."
"I saw a strength among his family during the toughest time in Clay's life, and that came from him," Cash said. "They were beneficiaries of his strength."
The original question seemed to be so small, so simple. "Do you ever ask, 'Why me?' A yes or no question, really. Those that heard the question had no idea what it would come to be. The reporter probably had no idea that he had asked about Gould's faith and relationships, his accomplishments and his future.
Gould's answer was an ironically simple, yet profound, question of his own.
Those that knew Gould on a personal basis sometimes ask themselves the question he never did. "Why did it have to be Clay?" They don't know why he was chosen, they just know he was chosen and they miss him. In the weeks and months that passed following that press briefing, Clay Gould never stopped asking himself and anyone who asked him about his illness the question he posed that day.
"Why not me?"
Maybe the answer to their question is the very fact that Gould had the faith to ask his.
by Mickey Seward
It was at a small press briefing early in the spring of 2000 that Clay Gould, then just 28 years old, showed why he would become a role model, even a hero, to so many people, including some much older than him. Gould had just learned that he had cancer, and in a small meeting room in
the athletic department offices at The University of Texas at Arlington, was speaking publicly about the disease for the first time."Do you ever ask yourself the question, 'Why me?'" a local newspaper reporter wanted to know.
What followed was so much more than a three-word answer from the Mavericks' head baseball coach. With three words - eight letters - Gould expressed more than any author could in an entire multi-volume set of feel-good best sellers. With three words, Gould expressed his faith in God and a thankfulness for the blessings in his life; his love for his wife Julie and their soon-to-be born daughter Logan; his appreciation and devotion to his family and friends. With three words, Gould told the players who played for him that he was proud of them, and how much he looked forward to the future, no matter how long the future was going to be. And with those same three words, Gould asked a question we all should ask ourselves during our times of struggle.
"Why not me?"
Gould was blessed, and he knew it. He had grown up to be one of the best ballplayers in the history of his hometown university, before moving on to become an all-star outfielder for the Tyler Wildcatters of the independent Texas-Louisiana League. He was on the fast track as a major college coach, taking over at his beloved alma mater at the tender age of 27 years old, just a few weeks shy of 28. He had fallen in love with a model and the two were recently married. A child was on the way. Cancer, Gould reasoned, was just one bad thing that couldn't compare with all the good things in his life.
"That's just how he was," said Jeff Curtis, Gould's assistant coach for two years, and the man who was named to replace Gould as head coach on July 12. "That just shows how strong he was and how he understood what was going on. That's an amazing quote. How could a 28 year old make a comment like that? It's amazing. He's amazing."
That statement, those three words, demonstrated the strength and character that Gould displayed until 1:08 p.m. this past June 23, when he passed away at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas after a 16-month battle with colon cancer. Never once during that time did the second word of Gould's now-familiar three-word reply disappear from his own rhetorical question.
Ironically, while the Texas-Arlington skipper was enduring his worst times in the hospital that he never left after checking in late in April, his team was on its way to a Southland Conference Tournament championship, and ultimately to its first-ever win in an NCAA Regional game. The Mavericks came out of the loser's bracket and swept SLC Tournament host Lamar to hoist the tourney trophy for the first time in team history, as K.J. Hendricks, nicknamed "The Pest" by Gould during fall practice for his pesky play on the field, earned tournament MVP honors.
Less than a week later, senior second baseman Craig Martin, UTA's all-time hits leader who signed with the Evansville Otters of the independent Frontier League following the season, belted a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift UTA to a 7-6 win over the University of Houston in the regionals. Those close to the UTA baseball program call the win the greatest moment in the team's history. Some say it is the highlight of the school's entire athletic past.
"They had a dream season last year," said Butch McBroom, UTA's director of development for the athletic department, who served as the school's head baseball coach from 1974-1999 before handing over the reigns to Gould on June 11, 1999. "It was one of those years where everything fell into place for him, and it couldn't have come at a better time."
Although Gould missed the regionals this year, he's been there before. As a UTA player, he led the Mavericks to the 1990 and 1992 tournament, both held in Austin, Texas, the site of his first ever coaching victory. In fact, Gould is the only member of all three of UTA's NCAA regional teams.
Even though Gould was in a hospital bed at the end of the year, there never was a doubt that these Mavericks were his team, and won with his attitude. UTA won with toughness and determination.
The team made its mark early in the season, and developed a reputation from local and national media as giant killers. UTA defeated then-No. 4 Arizona State on Opening Day in Tempe, Ariz., then ruined No. 20 Texas' season lid-lifter for the second straight year a few days later. The Mavericks started the season 19-4 and finished the season with 39 victories, second most in school history. The team had captured the imagination of the Dallas-Fort Worth area media and the hearts of the Arlington community.
Nobody expected success so soon for a squad made up of 18 newcomers and picked to finish sixth in the SLC pre-season coaches poll. Of course, nobody expected success so early for Gould, either. It didn't come by accident.
"He knew baseball," said Darin Thomas, another of Gould's assistants at UTA who was promoted to associate head coach the same day Curtis was named head coach. "He was one of those people that, when he went to a game he didn't just go to shoot the bull. He didn't like to go around and shake hands and visit all the time. He liked to watch baseball. He was always saying, 'What would you do in this situation?'"
"There's a lot of people who are positive and energetic," Thomas continued. "But he coupled that with knowledge. His first year (when Thomas was still an assistant coach at Seward County Community College in Kansas), I can't tell you how many times he called and said, 'What would you do?' He wasn't afraid to get advice from people he trusted. He was constantly trying to get better in every aspect of his job, and in life."
Gould, it often seemed, enjoyed being underestimated by others and relished the opportunity to prove doubters' opinions of him wrong. He was too young and inexperienced to be successful, many said.
The Arlington native was able to successfully combat the criticism and the lack of head coaching experience with a tireless work ethic and a positive approach to coaching that utilized his proximity in age to his players. His excitement was evident and contagious.
"We didn't want to take four or five years to get it done, because everyone was looking at us," Curtis said. "He was one of the youngest coaches in the NCAA, and had two young guys coming in as assistants. There was a little bit of pressure involved, but he took that and ran with it and made it a motivational factor."
The motivation worked. In July, Gould and Florida International University coach Danny Price were named co-South Central Regional Coaches of the Year by Rawlings and American Baseball Coaches Association. Gould and Price will now have their names listed on the ballot for National Coach of the Year.
Gould is one of the few people to earn major awards as a coach and as a player on the collegiate level. He was the 1993 Southland Conference co-Player of the Year and a nominee for the Golden Spikes Award, presented to the nation's outstanding player, the same season. Yet it was the way he touched the hearts and made a difference in the lives of people that will be his lasting legacy.
"His players loved him," said McBroom. "He was a players' coach."
Gould's age made him close to his players, and he could relate to what they were going through. After all, he went through the same things himself just a few years before. When he became a man, however, he put childish ways behind him.
"He was the rebel," said McBroom. "He did a complete 180 degree change. He was always the kid that we had to make get his hair cut or take his earring out. Then he turned around and was just as hard on his kids in those areas as I was on him."
He cared for his players, and he made sure they were in good hands while they were away from home.
"He treated players the exact way that every parent would want their son to be treated," Curtis said. "He was honest with them and up front with them. He treated them like an adult, and wouldn't let them get away with things that their own parents wouldn't let them get away with. I think if parents could see how their sons were treated by Clay each day, they would have been very impressed."
Gould did more than just teach his players and his assistants. He taught those who had been his teacher.
Texas A&M head coach Mark Johnson, speaking to the nearly 1,500 people at Gould's funeral, said that whenever he visited Gould in the hospital, it was with the intent of cheering up his former graduate assistant coach and helping to keep Gould's Christian faith strong. However, the situation always seemed to reverse itself, Johnson said, and it was the pupil giving strength to the mentor.
Johnson was one of many that spoke about faith with Gould over the past few years. It was because of faith that Gould and Courtney Cash became friends. Cash had served as the team's chaplain since the mid 1990's and had known the young coach since Gould was McBroom's assistant. When Gould was promoted, Cash asked Gould if he could continue as the chaplain. Gould not only said yes, he asked Cash to do more than what he had been doing with the team previously. Cash became a regular in the team's dugout, not only at Allan Saxe Stadium, but also on the road.
"I think Clay understood that he wasn't a preacher," Cash said. "But he felt that it was important that the guys had access to God's word and to ministry. Being with the team was important for me, too, because I have been able to share Christ and build relationships that will last a lifetime. I would not have had that opportunity if Clay didn't open that door."
Cash spent a lot of time with Gould and his family while Gould was in his final days on earth. While a 29-year old father lay on his deathbed, it was he, Cash said, that gave strength to those surrounding him.
"I felt privileged to be a part of that time in Clay's life," Cash said. "To the world, it appeared that this was such a tragedy. But I was really able to see what kind of man he was during this time."
"I saw a strength among his family during the toughest time in Clay's life, and that came from him," Cash said. "They were beneficiaries of his strength."
The original question seemed to be so small, so simple. "Do you ever ask, 'Why me?' A yes or no question, really. Those that heard the question had no idea what it would come to be. The reporter probably had no idea that he had asked about Gould's faith and relationships, his accomplishments and his future.
Gould's answer was an ironically simple, yet profound, question of his own.
Those that knew Gould on a personal basis sometimes ask themselves the question he never did. "Why did it have to be Clay?" They don't know why he was chosen, they just know he was chosen and they miss him. In the weeks and months that passed following that press briefing, Clay Gould never stopped asking himself and anyone who asked him about his illness the question he posed that day.
"Why not me?"
Maybe the answer to their question is the very fact that Gould had the faith to ask his.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Finding God in Thailand
This is a piece I recently wrote for sportsmissions.com, the official website of the International Sports Federation. The first-person approach is a little different style of writing than what I'm used to.
by Mickey Seward
Sitting here, I can't help but to think about life. My life, anyway. I don't usually do this; I'm not the brooding type. I don't sit around and wonder why I'm here or spend time working on to-be-or-not-to-be theories.
I'm not a deep dude at all.
But, honestly, the last couple weeks, my confidence has been shaken. Not so coincidentally, I also seem to be spending a lot less time with God recently.
So, I'm here now armed with two things that I know will bring me back to Him; a Bible and a journal that I kept during my SportsPlus mission trip to Bangkok, Thailand in 2006.
It's amazing how God can use two weeks and four Americans in a foreign country. It might be even more amazing how he can use that experience nearly a year after it occurred.
I had plenty of fear going into that trip. I was a pretty fair athlete once, but that was a lot of years and a lot more pounds ago. The man going to Thailand was an older, much less athletic shell of my old self who wondered if he could even do anything athletic enough to do what SportsPlus specializes in -- using sports to build relationships with people in order to share the love of Jesus Christ.
The fear of physical limitations was just the tip of the iceberg. I don't like flying; Thailand is on the other side of the world from where I live in Rome, Ga. I don't like Asian food, and I really hated the thought of leaving my wife alone while I was on the other side of the world. Of course, the fear of the unknown scared me as much as anything.
But God has a habit of taking fears and turning them into yet another way for Him to show off.
Many of my fears vanished in training camp, where I was introduced to my three teammates. Quickly, we went from being four individuals to one team with a mission to share Christ.
Training camp is a two day team-building time where we learned about each other and the culture we were about to encounter. I've never seen four people become so close so soon.
When we reached Bangkok, we hit the ground running. While we were there, we were to spend our time building relationships with university students on one campus. We spent our mornings in the "English room" just hanging out and helping Thai students with their English speaking skills. In the afternoons, we made our way to the university's gym to meet others while playing basketball, volleyball, badminton or soccer. At night, we would usually join our new college friends at the mall or movie theater.
A university student in Bangkok isn't much different than a university student in the United States. That was one reason Sarah Mitchell chose to take the trip.
"I loved the fact that it was on a college campus, so we could really get in there and impact students my age that I could relate to so easily," said the then-24 year old Mitchell, who is a middle school teacher near Houston, Texas.
"The non-Christian Thais mostly seemed like American college students," said team member Kristin Gassiott. "They are searching. Searching for something to cling to, for friends, for free time, for relationships. They were hungry for social interaction,and loved every second talking to us."
Gassiott is a high school coach who spent much of her time in Bangkok as the only woman on campus who would compete on the same soccer field with guys. Her competitiveness on the field was complemented by her love for Christ and for people off it. It made for a perfect combination.
"Sports have always been my passion," Gassiott said. "Sports are my career now, so it only made sense to me to be able to combine the reason I live, Jesus, with the talents and abilities He has gifted me with to further His kingdom."
Meeting people was hardly a problem. I imagine there are few places in the world with friendlier people. Thailand has earned its nickname as "The Land of Smiles." But underneath those smiles is a hurting nation with little knowledge of Jesus Christ. There isn't any Christian persecution in Bangkok, and sharing Christ's love isn't illegal in Thailand like in many Asian nations. But Thailand is undoubtadly a Buddhist nation in need of Christ.
As the educational and business center of its region, where many come to work, live and attend school before returning home, Bangkok is a great place to reach the lost in Southeast Asia.
Our team from SportsPlus realized that firsthand. As we built relationships, we felt God's encouragement. One night midway through our first week, the four of us sat in our room and shared our disappointment that we felt that we hadn't been sharing Christ as much as we were just "hanging out." The next day, we all were given opportunities to share in very specific ways. That's when we realized (remembered, really) that God was very much in charge of what was happening.
"I saw Thais ask questions about God and His word," Mitchell said. "He made teachable moments happen daily."
Those teachable moments brought project coordinator Mike Brown back to Bangkok for a third consecutive year. He's seen teachable moments change lives.
"I've been blessed to see the progression of a new Christian over the few years that I've traveled to Bangkok," Brown said. "The first year I saw this person begin to show interest in the gospel. After we left, we heard word that she had accepted Christ and wanted to learn more about being a Christian and learning His word.
"The second summer, I saw this same person help the American volunteers meet other Thai nationals, and translate many conversations," Brown continued. "After that summer, this person was baptized, along with at least half a dozen other new believers from Bankok.
"The third summer, she had graduated and moved into the corporate world in Bangkok; a light in such a spiritually dark place. From observing this, I learned that God is at work tranforming lives, and with every life changed, the presence of the gospel multiplies."
Over the course of our trip, we continued to compete athletically, laugh constantly and share Christ's love willingly, praying that teachable moments would continue to occur and leave a mark.
Our time in Bangkok was an experience that will impact each of our lives for a very long time. As I've said many times since that trip, I realized in Thailand that there is nothing more cool than seeing God do something and knowing at that exact moment that I was seeing God work. And I saw it over and over again.
Reliving the experience through my own words in the journal while going through this "crisis of confidence" remind me of something I recently read. Paul wrote in his letter to the Phillippians that, basically, you don't need to have confidence in yourself. In fact, it really doesn't matter. Instead, just be confident in Jesus Christ and make your goal His goal for you.
If you are wondering if He can make Himself known to you, try spending a couple weeks with SportsPlus in Thailand. You'll find Him there.
Check out the International Sports Federation and Sports Plus at www.sportsmissions.com.
by Mickey Seward
Sitting here, I can't help but to think about life. My life, anyway. I don't usually do this; I'm not the brooding type. I don't sit around and wonder why I'm here or spend time working on to-be-or-not-to-be theories.
I'm not a deep dude at all.
But, honestly, the last couple weeks, my confidence has been shaken. Not so coincidentally, I also seem to be spending a lot less time with God recently.
So, I'm here now armed with two things that I know will bring me back to Him; a Bible and a journal that I kept during my SportsPlus mission trip to Bangkok, Thailand in 2006.
It's amazing how God can use two weeks and four Americans in a foreign country. It might be even more amazing how he can use that experience nearly a year after it occurred.
I had plenty of fear going into that trip. I was a pretty fair athlete once, but that was a lot of years and a lot more pounds ago. The man going to Thailand was an older, much less athletic shell of my old self who wondered if he could even do anything athletic enough to do what SportsPlus specializes in -- using sports to build relationships with people in order to share the love of Jesus Christ.
The fear of physical limitations was just the tip of the iceberg. I don't like flying; Thailand is on the other side of the world from where I live in Rome, Ga. I don't like Asian food, and I really hated the thought of leaving my wife alone while I was on the other side of the world. Of course, the fear of the unknown scared me as much as anything.
But God has a habit of taking fears and turning them into yet another way for Him to show off.
Many of my fears vanished in training camp, where I was introduced to my three teammates. Quickly, we went from being four individuals to one team with a mission to share Christ.
Training camp is a two day team-building time where we learned about each other and the culture we were about to encounter. I've never seen four people become so close so soon.
When we reached Bangkok, we hit the ground running. While we were there, we were to spend our time building relationships with university students on one campus. We spent our mornings in the "English room" just hanging out and helping Thai students with their English speaking skills. In the afternoons, we made our way to the university's gym to meet others while playing basketball, volleyball, badminton or soccer. At night, we would usually join our new college friends at the mall or movie theater.
A university student in Bangkok isn't much different than a university student in the United States. That was one reason Sarah Mitchell chose to take the trip.
"I loved the fact that it was on a college campus, so we could really get in there and impact students my age that I could relate to so easily," said the then-24 year old Mitchell, who is a middle school teacher near Houston, Texas.
"The non-Christian Thais mostly seemed like American college students," said team member Kristin Gassiott. "They are searching. Searching for something to cling to, for friends, for free time, for relationships. They were hungry for social interaction,and loved every second talking to us."
Gassiott is a high school coach who spent much of her time in Bangkok as the only woman on campus who would compete on the same soccer field with guys. Her competitiveness on the field was complemented by her love for Christ and for people off it. It made for a perfect combination.
"Sports have always been my passion," Gassiott said. "Sports are my career now, so it only made sense to me to be able to combine the reason I live, Jesus, with the talents and abilities He has gifted me with to further His kingdom."
Meeting people was hardly a problem. I imagine there are few places in the world with friendlier people. Thailand has earned its nickname as "The Land of Smiles." But underneath those smiles is a hurting nation with little knowledge of Jesus Christ. There isn't any Christian persecution in Bangkok, and sharing Christ's love isn't illegal in Thailand like in many Asian nations. But Thailand is undoubtadly a Buddhist nation in need of Christ.
As the educational and business center of its region, where many come to work, live and attend school before returning home, Bangkok is a great place to reach the lost in Southeast Asia.
Our team from SportsPlus realized that firsthand. As we built relationships, we felt God's encouragement. One night midway through our first week, the four of us sat in our room and shared our disappointment that we felt that we hadn't been sharing Christ as much as we were just "hanging out." The next day, we all were given opportunities to share in very specific ways. That's when we realized (remembered, really) that God was very much in charge of what was happening.
"I saw Thais ask questions about God and His word," Mitchell said. "He made teachable moments happen daily."
Those teachable moments brought project coordinator Mike Brown back to Bangkok for a third consecutive year. He's seen teachable moments change lives.
"I've been blessed to see the progression of a new Christian over the few years that I've traveled to Bangkok," Brown said. "The first year I saw this person begin to show interest in the gospel. After we left, we heard word that she had accepted Christ and wanted to learn more about being a Christian and learning His word.
"The second summer, I saw this same person help the American volunteers meet other Thai nationals, and translate many conversations," Brown continued. "After that summer, this person was baptized, along with at least half a dozen other new believers from Bankok.
"The third summer, she had graduated and moved into the corporate world in Bangkok; a light in such a spiritually dark place. From observing this, I learned that God is at work tranforming lives, and with every life changed, the presence of the gospel multiplies."
Over the course of our trip, we continued to compete athletically, laugh constantly and share Christ's love willingly, praying that teachable moments would continue to occur and leave a mark.
Our time in Bangkok was an experience that will impact each of our lives for a very long time. As I've said many times since that trip, I realized in Thailand that there is nothing more cool than seeing God do something and knowing at that exact moment that I was seeing God work. And I saw it over and over again.
Reliving the experience through my own words in the journal while going through this "crisis of confidence" remind me of something I recently read. Paul wrote in his letter to the Phillippians that, basically, you don't need to have confidence in yourself. In fact, it really doesn't matter. Instead, just be confident in Jesus Christ and make your goal His goal for you.
If you are wondering if He can make Himself known to you, try spending a couple weeks with SportsPlus in Thailand. You'll find Him there.
Check out the International Sports Federation and Sports Plus at www.sportsmissions.com.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Tour de Georgia Fighting Cancer
The Tour de Georgia rolls through Rome April 17-18, so in honor of that, I'm posting a story I recently wrote that appeared in the March/April, 2007 issue of Directions. This article gives a little different insight into the race.
by Mickey Seward
For the fifth consecutive year the Tour de Georgia, North America’s premier cycling event, will roll through Floyd County this spring, giving residents and visitors a pair of opportunities to see many of the world’s greatest cyclists right here in our own backyard. Competitors will come into Rome, one of seven host cities, April 17 from Thomaston to finish off the second stage, then will start the third stage the following day, leaving Rome on their way to Chattanooga, Tenn.
“The Tour offers something to Rome that very few communities have the opportunity to host,” said Steve Kemp, CEO of United Community Bank, which serves a Founding Partner. “It’s a family event, and there is no cost to come out and watch.”
While the Tour de Georgia provides entertainment for cycling enthusiasts, general sports fans, residents and visitors alike, it also benefits the Georgia Cancer Coalition, which has been designated as the charitable beneficiary of the tour each year since the race’s inception in 2003. Funds raised during the Tour de Georgia go directly to the Georgia Cancer Coalition’s Research Fund.
“Cyclists have a lot in common with the Georgia Cancer Coalition,” said Bill Todd, Coalition President and CEO. “We both work with a team of professionals, setting our sights on an uphill battle, facing twists and turns, with confidence that we will succeed in our quest. The support of the Tour de Georgia and of the communities of fans around the state helps the Coalition on our path to improving cancer care in the state of Georgia, and we are very appreciative of those efforts.”
Rome’s Harbin Clinic is a leader in the treatment of cancer and is the largest, privately-owned, multi-specialty physician clinic in Georgia. Harbin Clinic Cancer Services focuses not only on diagnosis and treatment, cancer prevention and post-treatment care, but is also involved with clinical research. Harbin Clinic also works closely with the Georgia Cancer Coalition.
“Right now we are working on two future projects with the Georgia Cancer Coalition,” said Dr. Kenneth F. Davis, Harbin Clinic CEO. “One is called the GCC Demonstration Exchange Project, in which the GCC is gathering data from different parts of Georgia, but mostly from here and Savannah. The different entities throughout the state feed information into the project to better understand the effects of smoking and its correlation to lung cancer. The main reason Harbin Clinic was chosen for this project was for our progress in using electronic medical records throughout the Clinic.
“We’re really excited about another project, also,” Dr. Davis continued. “The National Cancer Institute has several sites located throughout the United States, but there is not one in Georgia. These sites are on the cutting edge of cancer work. The NCI is setting up a pilot study to select six sites in the U.S. Harbin Clinic, along with the GCC, Savannah and Columbus, have applied for one of these six sites. This would allow us to offer NCI clinical trials here in Rome.
“It’s really pretty neat to think that a little town like Rome, Ga., can offer services that you can usually only obtain in the largest cities across the nation,” Dr. Davis said. “It serves as a validation that we are on the cutting edge when Bill Todd and the GCC continue to come back to us. It’s something you don’t see in towns this size.”
The NCI will make it’s decision on the site selection in April, according to Dr. Davis.
“We feel very good about our chances,” Dr. Davis said.
One cancer survivor is well aware of the Tour de Georgia’s competitiveness. In fact, cycling legend Lance Armstrong won the Tour de Georgia in 2004. The Tour’s winner has gone on to win the coveted Tour de France crown in two of the past three years.The event will again cover over 600 miles of racing and maintains its stature as a tune-up for the Tour de France on the international cycling calendar.
“This is such an exciting event,” Kemp said. “We’ve had the opportunity to see stars like Lance Armstrong along with the future stars of cycling. There has been a united effort from city and county officials and several other groups to keep Rome as a destination on the circuit, and it has paid off. This is a great community for cycling enthusiasts.”
More information, including up-to-the-minute news and a complete tour schedule, are available at the Tour de Georgia website, located at http://www.tourdegeorgia.com/.
by Mickey Seward
For the fifth consecutive year the Tour de Georgia, North America’s premier cycling event, will roll through Floyd County this spring, giving residents and visitors a pair of opportunities to see many of the world’s greatest cyclists right here in our own backyard. Competitors will come into Rome, one of seven host cities, April 17 from Thomaston to finish off the second stage, then will start the third stage the following day, leaving Rome on their way to Chattanooga, Tenn.
“The Tour offers something to Rome that very few communities have the opportunity to host,” said Steve Kemp, CEO of United Community Bank, which serves a Founding Partner. “It’s a family event, and there is no cost to come out and watch.”
While the Tour de Georgia provides entertainment for cycling enthusiasts, general sports fans, residents and visitors alike, it also benefits the Georgia Cancer Coalition, which has been designated as the charitable beneficiary of the tour each year since the race’s inception in 2003. Funds raised during the Tour de Georgia go directly to the Georgia Cancer Coalition’s Research Fund.
“Cyclists have a lot in common with the Georgia Cancer Coalition,” said Bill Todd, Coalition President and CEO. “We both work with a team of professionals, setting our sights on an uphill battle, facing twists and turns, with confidence that we will succeed in our quest. The support of the Tour de Georgia and of the communities of fans around the state helps the Coalition on our path to improving cancer care in the state of Georgia, and we are very appreciative of those efforts.”
Rome’s Harbin Clinic is a leader in the treatment of cancer and is the largest, privately-owned, multi-specialty physician clinic in Georgia. Harbin Clinic Cancer Services focuses not only on diagnosis and treatment, cancer prevention and post-treatment care, but is also involved with clinical research. Harbin Clinic also works closely with the Georgia Cancer Coalition.
“Right now we are working on two future projects with the Georgia Cancer Coalition,” said Dr. Kenneth F. Davis, Harbin Clinic CEO. “One is called the GCC Demonstration Exchange Project, in which the GCC is gathering data from different parts of Georgia, but mostly from here and Savannah. The different entities throughout the state feed information into the project to better understand the effects of smoking and its correlation to lung cancer. The main reason Harbin Clinic was chosen for this project was for our progress in using electronic medical records throughout the Clinic.
“We’re really excited about another project, also,” Dr. Davis continued. “The National Cancer Institute has several sites located throughout the United States, but there is not one in Georgia. These sites are on the cutting edge of cancer work. The NCI is setting up a pilot study to select six sites in the U.S. Harbin Clinic, along with the GCC, Savannah and Columbus, have applied for one of these six sites. This would allow us to offer NCI clinical trials here in Rome.
“It’s really pretty neat to think that a little town like Rome, Ga., can offer services that you can usually only obtain in the largest cities across the nation,” Dr. Davis said. “It serves as a validation that we are on the cutting edge when Bill Todd and the GCC continue to come back to us. It’s something you don’t see in towns this size.”
The NCI will make it’s decision on the site selection in April, according to Dr. Davis.
“We feel very good about our chances,” Dr. Davis said.
One cancer survivor is well aware of the Tour de Georgia’s competitiveness. In fact, cycling legend Lance Armstrong won the Tour de Georgia in 2004. The Tour’s winner has gone on to win the coveted Tour de France crown in two of the past three years.The event will again cover over 600 miles of racing and maintains its stature as a tune-up for the Tour de France on the international cycling calendar.
“This is such an exciting event,” Kemp said. “We’ve had the opportunity to see stars like Lance Armstrong along with the future stars of cycling. There has been a united effort from city and county officials and several other groups to keep Rome as a destination on the circuit, and it has paid off. This is a great community for cycling enthusiasts.”
More information, including up-to-the-minute news and a complete tour schedule, are available at the Tour de Georgia website, located at http://www.tourdegeorgia.com/.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Better Days...My Testimony At XL in 2006
Instead of posting a story today, I'm posting something a little different. Click this link to see the video from the first ever XL service in Rome, when I gave my testimony in May, 2006. The program that night was called "Better Days." My testimony is split into two parts, with Jarrod Roberts speaking in between. If you are interested in learning a little about me and who I am, take a look at the video.
Also, make sure to check out the rest of the XL website at www.xlwired.com.
Also, make sure to check out the rest of the XL website at www.xlwired.com.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
You Can Count on This Restaurant!
I write articles for a bi-monthly magazine in Rome called Directions, which publishes, among other things, an article about a restaurant each month. Usually, the articles are about restaurants that are more local to Rome or more "date-night" kind of establishments. But, just for fun, I decided to write about one of my favorite restaurants in the upcoming May/June, 2006 issue of Directions.
By Mickey Seward
It’s the staple of every city and town in the Southern portion of the United States, and one of the few things in life you can truly count on day-in and day-out. Friends and family members may come and go, the slugger on your favorite team may be traded, and your trusty vehicle – the one you named after your first girlfriend – may even break down.
But there is one thing you can always count on. There’s one thing you know will always be there for you.
Waffle House.
Open 24 hours a day, 365 days per year (plus a bonus day once every four years), Waffle House won’t let you down.
That expectation keeps bringing customers back. In fact, drop in sometime and you’ll notice that there are plenty of others enjoying signature items like the award-winning Waffle House Classic Blend Coffee, Alice’s Iced Tea, Walt’s Soup and Bert’s Chili; or any number of breakfast foods, melts and dinner items.
Of course, any place named Waffle House better do waffles right. And by the looks of the empty plates that once held original sweet cream, pecan, chocolate chip or buttermilk waffles, it’s not difficult to figure out how this place got its name.
But the food is just one slice of the Waffle House experience. The restaurant is somewhat reminiscent of a classic roadside diner, and when you take it all in, you’ll notice that there’s a lot going on. The waiters and waitresses are bopping from table to table, taking orders and sharing stories, dropping off food and making new friends. The classic jukebox belts out hits from all genres, including a few Waffle House originals such as “Waffle Do Wop,” “844,739 Ways To Eat A Hamburger,” and “I’m Going Back To The Waffle House.” Sure, it’s laid back, but it’s plenty active.
But after eating at Waffle House, a few questions are likely to enter your mind. Questions like, “Do they have locks on the doors at Waffle House?” and “What’s the difference between the people at the tables and the people at the counter?”
And, of course, “How much better would life be if everything was scattered, smothered and covered?”
Find out for yourself at the Waffle House located at 601 Turner McCall Blvd. in Rome, a valuable member of the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce. It’s open now, and they are waiting for you.
You can count on it.
By Mickey Seward
It’s the staple of every city and town in the Southern portion of the United States, and one of the few things in life you can truly count on day-in and day-out. Friends and family members may come and go, the slugger on your favorite team may be traded, and your trusty vehicle – the one you named after your first girlfriend – may even break down.
But there is one thing you can always count on. There’s one thing you know will always be there for you.
Waffle House.
Open 24 hours a day, 365 days per year (plus a bonus day once every four years), Waffle House won’t let you down.
That expectation keeps bringing customers back. In fact, drop in sometime and you’ll notice that there are plenty of others enjoying signature items like the award-winning Waffle House Classic Blend Coffee, Alice’s Iced Tea, Walt’s Soup and Bert’s Chili; or any number of breakfast foods, melts and dinner items.
Of course, any place named Waffle House better do waffles right. And by the looks of the empty plates that once held original sweet cream, pecan, chocolate chip or buttermilk waffles, it’s not difficult to figure out how this place got its name.
But the food is just one slice of the Waffle House experience. The restaurant is somewhat reminiscent of a classic roadside diner, and when you take it all in, you’ll notice that there’s a lot going on. The waiters and waitresses are bopping from table to table, taking orders and sharing stories, dropping off food and making new friends. The classic jukebox belts out hits from all genres, including a few Waffle House originals such as “Waffle Do Wop,” “844,739 Ways To Eat A Hamburger,” and “I’m Going Back To The Waffle House.” Sure, it’s laid back, but it’s plenty active.
But after eating at Waffle House, a few questions are likely to enter your mind. Questions like, “Do they have locks on the doors at Waffle House?” and “What’s the difference between the people at the tables and the people at the counter?”
And, of course, “How much better would life be if everything was scattered, smothered and covered?”
Find out for yourself at the Waffle House located at 601 Turner McCall Blvd. in Rome, a valuable member of the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce. It’s open now, and they are waiting for you.
You can count on it.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Playing Smart
The following article appeared in the winter, 2002 issue of UTA Magazine, the official magazine of The University of Texas at Arlington Alumni Association.
by Mickey Seward
No one doubted Donny Beacham could play basketball.Signed by UTA after leading Dallas' James Madison High School to the state finals in 2000, he knew how to electrify crowds with acrobatic dunks and intimidate opponents with his long arms and 37-inch vertical leap.
Turns out he also can think. And study. And he's not alone among UTA student-athletes, as 45 percent earned a spot last year on the University's honor roll.
Beacham owns a 3.67 grade average as an information systems sophomore. He was valedictorian of his high school class and finished first in the Math Olympiad as a member of the National Honor Society.
No question the term "student-athlete" applies.
"Basketball is how I got to UTA. But I'm here to do more than play basketball," said Beacham, who averaged six points and six rebounds in 22 games as a freshman. "I'm in college to become a positive person and a leader, to receive an education and make myself somebody my family will be proud of. Still, I want to be the best basketball player I can be, too."
A matter of priorities
Last season started off as a frustrating one for Beacham, who missed the first six games after injuring his knee in the initial practice. Once back in uniform, the 6-5 forward quickly gave head coach Eddie McCarter reason to rave.
"Donny's a great rebounder and a great defender," McCarter said. "He may not always be scoring, but he's always making something good happen.
"I wish I had 10 guys just like him who are going to be as successful as he will be."
Assistant coach Scott Cross has some experience at meeting goals himself, being named an Academic All-American by Verizon and the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America when he played for the Mavericks. He said Beacham excels because he puts in the effort.
"You have to be very disciplined to do what Donny is doing," Cross said. "He has his priorities in line, and that has made him very successful."
The fourth-year assistant told of how Beacham shows up at study hall even though he's not required to, and of how Beacham helped a teammate study for an exam that he had struggled with earlier. The teammate passed with points to spare.
"He didn't need that much help, really. I just gave him a few tips and showed him some strategies for passing the test," Beacham said. "Sometimes people need other people to motivate them. It's our responsibility to do well and to make sure our teammates are doing well."
A winning mix
Junior forward Mack Callier, a preseason All-Southland Conference pick this season and an Academic All-SLC selection in 2000-01, knows how difficult it is to mix athletics and academics.
"It's tough trying to study and play basketball as best you can all the time. It's a challenge," he said. "We know it's difficult for Donny to do that. What he does says a lot about him as a person and as an athlete."
Beacham, who plans on becoming a computer programmer, credits several coaches and teachers for his success. "I had a lot of teachers in high school who cared enough to put me in more difficult classes that would challenge my mind. A lot of coaches went out of their way to help me become a top-level player."
Now he's passing it on. He has strong opinions about what education has done for him and what it can do for others.
"Learning is a tool to use in life. If you succeed in school, you can use that to succeed in life. … If things get hard and you give up, you will be left in the cold."
Don't expect Beacham to feel the least bit chilly any time soon.
by Mickey Seward
No one doubted Donny Beacham could play basketball.Signed by UTA after leading Dallas' James Madison High School to the state finals in 2000, he knew how to electrify crowds with acrobatic dunks and intimidate opponents with his long arms and 37-inch vertical leap.
Turns out he also can think. And study. And he's not alone among UTA student-athletes, as 45 percent earned a spot last year on the University's honor roll.
Beacham owns a 3.67 grade average as an information systems sophomore. He was valedictorian of his high school class and finished first in the Math Olympiad as a member of the National Honor Society.
No question the term "student-athlete" applies.
"Basketball is how I got to UTA. But I'm here to do more than play basketball," said Beacham, who averaged six points and six rebounds in 22 games as a freshman. "I'm in college to become a positive person and a leader, to receive an education and make myself somebody my family will be proud of. Still, I want to be the best basketball player I can be, too."A matter of priorities
Last season started off as a frustrating one for Beacham, who missed the first six games after injuring his knee in the initial practice. Once back in uniform, the 6-5 forward quickly gave head coach Eddie McCarter reason to rave.
"Donny's a great rebounder and a great defender," McCarter said. "He may not always be scoring, but he's always making something good happen.
"I wish I had 10 guys just like him who are going to be as successful as he will be."
Assistant coach Scott Cross has some experience at meeting goals himself, being named an Academic All-American by Verizon and the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America when he played for the Mavericks. He said Beacham excels because he puts in the effort.
"You have to be very disciplined to do what Donny is doing," Cross said. "He has his priorities in line, and that has made him very successful."
The fourth-year assistant told of how Beacham shows up at study hall even though he's not required to, and of how Beacham helped a teammate study for an exam that he had struggled with earlier. The teammate passed with points to spare.
"He didn't need that much help, really. I just gave him a few tips and showed him some strategies for passing the test," Beacham said. "Sometimes people need other people to motivate them. It's our responsibility to do well and to make sure our teammates are doing well."
A winning mix
Junior forward Mack Callier, a preseason All-Southland Conference pick this season and an Academic All-SLC selection in 2000-01, knows how difficult it is to mix athletics and academics.
"It's tough trying to study and play basketball as best you can all the time. It's a challenge," he said. "We know it's difficult for Donny to do that. What he does says a lot about him as a person and as an athlete."
Beacham, who plans on becoming a computer programmer, credits several coaches and teachers for his success. "I had a lot of teachers in high school who cared enough to put me in more difficult classes that would challenge my mind. A lot of coaches went out of their way to help me become a top-level player."
Now he's passing it on. He has strong opinions about what education has done for him and what it can do for others.
"Learning is a tool to use in life. If you succeed in school, you can use that to succeed in life. … If things get hard and you give up, you will be left in the cold."
Don't expect Beacham to feel the least bit chilly any time soon.
A God Lesson in Africa
The following article first appeared on www.sportsmissions.com, the official website of the International Sports Federation, in Nov., 2006.
by Mickey Seward
Kelly Womack knows God’s word. But for Kelly, just knowing isn’t enough. And so, with that in mind, she made a decision.
“I know that we are called to go and make disciples of all the nations, but I’ve never actually gone to other nations,” Kelly said. “It was time to go.”
The adventure took root when her friend, Jennifer, told Kelly about a mission trip with SportsPlus to Burkina Faso the previous year. That got Kelly thinking. When Jennifer invited Kelly to go back to Burkina Faso with her this past summer, Kelly began to pray.
“The more I prayed about going, the more peace I felt about my decision to go,” Kelly said. “This adventure that God was inviting me to take part in was such a privilege and an honor. It was all in God’s timing. I also knew going in that I didn’t have to be a professional athlete to serve alongside the missionaries in Burkina. I just had to expect the unexpected and be willing.”
Going into the trip, Kelly wasn’t necessarily sure what she was supposed to be willing to do, but she found out that just being willing to serve was enough to build relationships.
And she learned a few other things along the way.
“I learned how to de-corn corncobs, plant cotton and corn, shop and bargain at the market, make African tea, communicate in an unwritten language, wash clothes with a ball of soap and three bowls of water, and pump water, to name a few of my learning experiences,” she said.
“I initiated a relationship by helping out where there was a need. Of course, I wasn’t good at most things I tried to help with, but it opened a door. They usually ended up laughing at my efforts, but I would laugh with them.”
Laughter turned out to be a big part of the trip for Kelly and her SportsPlus teammates. They spent much of their time with children, playing games and teaching them about Jesus. One game they played was similar to the popular American game “Duck, Duck, Goose.” Only when they played in Burkina Faso, the game became, “Baa, Baa, HEEHAW.”
Serving where there was a need, and being available to play with the children, allowed Kelly to share Christ’s love, despite cultural and language barriers.
“Every chance Jennifer and I got, we would sing songs of Jesus, or Jezi, as they knew Him from their Muslim beliefs,” Kelly said. “We drew pictures of Jesus on the Cross and acted out how He loves us. We really didn’t know how much they understood. The last day we were in the village we were making a cross with some magnetic trinkets we’d brought, and a young boy we’d been hanging out with pointed to the cross and said ‘Jezi.’ Wow!”
Kelly’s awe of God continued to grow throughout the trip. She remembers numerous examples of God showing Himself to her during her time in Burkina Faso. Months after returning home and to her life as a third grade teacher, Kelly remains inspired.
“The trip inspired me to live a missional life…to live on purpose for Christ,” she said. “It inspired me to pray for the advancement of His Kingdom overseas, and sparked an interest in international missions. It was a new challenge to me to not forget what He’s doing in West Africa and in the world outside my little bubble. There’s not a day that goes by that I’m not reminded somehow of my experience in Burkina.”
The blessing of that everyday reminder comes because Kelly understood that just knowing God’s Word wasn’t enough for her. She also knows it’s not enough for a lot of others, either.
Kelly states, “I just want to encourage my brothers and sisters to answer God’s call to go and make His name known to the ends of the earth.”
Kelly Womack knows from personal experience that answering the call changes lives. She just didn’t realize how much it would change her own.
by Mickey Seward
Kelly Womack knows God’s word. But for Kelly, just knowing isn’t enough. And so, with that in mind, she made a decision.
“I know that we are called to go and make disciples of all the nations, but I’ve never actually gone to other nations,” Kelly said. “It was time to go.”
The adventure took root when her friend, Jennifer, told Kelly about a mission trip with SportsPlus to Burkina Faso the previous year. That got Kelly thinking. When Jennifer invited Kelly to go back to Burkina Faso with her this past summer, Kelly began to pray.
“The more I prayed about going, the more peace I felt about my decision to go,” Kelly said. “This adventure that God was inviting me to take part in was such a privilege and an honor. It was all in God’s timing. I also knew going in that I didn’t have to be a professional athlete to serve alongside the missionaries in Burkina. I just had to expect the unexpected and be willing.”
Going into the trip, Kelly wasn’t necessarily sure what she was supposed to be willing to do, but she found out that just being willing to serve was enough to build relationships.
And she learned a few other things along the way.
“I learned how to de-corn corncobs, plant cotton and corn, shop and bargain at the market, make African tea, communicate in an unwritten language, wash clothes with a ball of soap and three bowls of water, and pump water, to name a few of my learning experiences,” she said.
“I initiated a relationship by helping out where there was a need. Of course, I wasn’t good at most things I tried to help with, but it opened a door. They usually ended up laughing at my efforts, but I would laugh with them.”
Laughter turned out to be a big part of the trip for Kelly and her SportsPlus teammates. They spent much of their time with children, playing games and teaching them about Jesus. One game they played was similar to the popular American game “Duck, Duck, Goose.” Only when they played in Burkina Faso, the game became, “Baa, Baa, HEEHAW.”
Serving where there was a need, and being available to play with the children, allowed Kelly to share Christ’s love, despite cultural and language barriers.“Every chance Jennifer and I got, we would sing songs of Jesus, or Jezi, as they knew Him from their Muslim beliefs,” Kelly said. “We drew pictures of Jesus on the Cross and acted out how He loves us. We really didn’t know how much they understood. The last day we were in the village we were making a cross with some magnetic trinkets we’d brought, and a young boy we’d been hanging out with pointed to the cross and said ‘Jezi.’ Wow!”
Kelly’s awe of God continued to grow throughout the trip. She remembers numerous examples of God showing Himself to her during her time in Burkina Faso. Months after returning home and to her life as a third grade teacher, Kelly remains inspired.
“The trip inspired me to live a missional life…to live on purpose for Christ,” she said. “It inspired me to pray for the advancement of His Kingdom overseas, and sparked an interest in international missions. It was a new challenge to me to not forget what He’s doing in West Africa and in the world outside my little bubble. There’s not a day that goes by that I’m not reminded somehow of my experience in Burkina.”
The blessing of that everyday reminder comes because Kelly understood that just knowing God’s Word wasn’t enough for her. She also knows it’s not enough for a lot of others, either.
Kelly states, “I just want to encourage my brothers and sisters to answer God’s call to go and make His name known to the ends of the earth.”
Kelly Womack knows from personal experience that answering the call changes lives. She just didn’t realize how much it would change her own.
Long Time Reader, First Time Blogger
All my friends are blogging now. Of course, they don't really have anything to say, but that's ok. Honestly, I really don't have much to say, either. I do love to write, though, and I want to have some of the articles I've written posted somewhere, if for no other reason than to know they are backed up somewhere. So, from time to time, I'll post another story that I've written.
I hope my friends will like to read my blog as much as I like to read their blogs.
Thanks for reading!
Mickey
I hope my friends will like to read my blog as much as I like to read their blogs.
Thanks for reading!
Mickey
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)