This Is Why I Coach

With joy in my heart I’d like to share an email exchange I had this week with Ken Gandola, who played for me 50 years ago! November 1, 1966 was the first day of the season. I was 25 years old and was fired up about life. It was the start of my third season as assistant basketball coach at Muskingum College and Bob Stokes (mentioned below) was the head coach. I had no idea that in one year I would become head coach. Ken was a 6′ 7” freshman forward center from Cleveland.

Players like this are why I coach. Ken Gandola dunking circa 1966.

Email from Ken Gandola to Coach Burson
Date: Tue, Nov 1, 2016 at 9:59 AM
Subject: 50 YEARS AGO TODAY (11/1/66)

Coach,

I wanted you to see the email I sent to the guys this morning, exactly 50 years after our first day on the courts of John Glenn Gymnasium. That means, in one more year, you took over the helm as COACH. Milestones are pretty neat and meaningful.

Good times. Good people. Good thoughts.

Thanks for making it all happen, Coach.

Ken
Bridge Builder

Email from Ken to 1966-’67 Teammates
Date: Tue, Nov 1, 2016 at 9:53 AM
Subject: 50 YEARS AGO TODAY (11/1/66)

Gents,

As you will recall, back in the day, the NCAA first day of collegiate basketball season was always the 1st of November.

1960s Fighting Muskies logo

On Tuesday, 11/1/66, a group of us freshmen — the Class of ’66 — took to the hardwood in John Glenn Gymnasium to commence the tryout period for the Fighting Muskie Basketball team. 50 years ago today.  Hard to believe, isn’t it?

In recognition of the day, I recommend you

• do your normal wind sprints,
• shoot 50 foul shots,
• put on the 30# vest and stuff the ball over the backboard support pipes.

Of course, in keeping with the spirit of real uniforms, wear your short shorts and not today’s baggy/lengthy bottoms of today’s fashions.  For a short time to follow, we were allowed to dunk in practice (on non-breakaway rims), but never shoot (with our wrist bands on) from a three point range, because the arch was not yet in existence (nor would it be for decades.)

Remember, when caught for committing a foul, raise your hand or get a technical from the ref, while wearing either an even number jersey (for home games) or the odd number jersey (for away games).

Get your practice uniform and jock from “Ribsey” and his laundry tubs, spray the balls of your feet with TOUGHSKIN, jump in the community powder bath, strap on your two layers of wool socks and your Chuck Taylor high tops, and head upstairs for the festivities.  Remember, two-a-days on Saturdays and during holiday breaks.

Take a moment, gents, and enjoy the moment; the smell of the gym, the locker room, the burning lungs, sprinting and competitive teammates, the shared sweaty towels and the quest to play ball.

Above all, tip your hat to those that made this opportunity happen; our high school teachers & coaches and our parents who made college happen for all of us.

We all had a lengthy career by the time we hit campus, that’s a lot of the 1st of Novembers, a lot of coaches and league play from elementary recreational leagues on up.  We all wore a lot of uniforms in our basketball careers; every one of them contributed to our commitment and love of the game.

I hope on this special 1st of November you get a chance to pause and remember, to shoot some foul shots in between your sprints on the court, and do so every year at this time as the 1st of November rolls around, because we each lived and breathed basketball during our winter months.

You guys, each and every one of you, had basketball in your veins, and still do.  I remain thankful, 50 years later, that you stepped up and took to the court on that special day on 11/1/66 as a teammate, and a gamer.

Carpe Diem!

Gando
#32/#33

Email from Coach Burson to Ken Gandola
Date: Tue, Nov 1, 2016 at 10:59 AM
Subject: 50 YEARS AGO TODAY (11/1/66)

Ken,

I saw Bob Stokes this weekend and that always takes me back to those good old days at Muskingum. It doesn’t seem possible that 50 years have transpired. Some of the greatest moments came in those early years as an assistant and the head coach.

What makes the coaching experience the very best it can be are related to the players that you coached and the parents that you were involved with.

Thanks, Ken, for being such a model on the floor and off the floor and for helping me decide this was what I really wanted to do in my life.

It’s been a great way to live my life and thanks to all the guys that have been involved in the game with me.

Hope to see you soon. If you get back to Cleveland please come to New Concord. Many blessings to you! Go Indians!

Coach Burson

Email from Ken Gandola to Coach Burson
Date: Tue, Nov 1, 2016 at 1:24 PM
Subject: 50 YEARS AGO TODAY (11/1/66)

Coach,

Great to hear from you.

For me, the 1st of November shall always be what I call the “Commitment Renewal Day”.
It marked the commitment to the team, to teammates, the school, and the sport. Always was, always will be.

You made the right decision my friend.

Go Tribe!

Ken

Great Basketball Parents

A tribute to Frank and Mildred Gandola

Ken’s mom and dad epitomized great basketball parents and I remained friends with them for the rest of their lives. With Veteran’s Day coming up, please join me in honoring the memory of Frank Gandola, a Pearl Harbor veteran who would have been married 75 years this year and would have turned 100 this year! Frank is part of my basketball history lineage: he was born on basketball’s 25th anniversary; my birthday was the game’s 50th anniversary, my son Jay’s birthday was the 75th anniversary and his son Lee’s birthday was the 100th anniversary of this great game.

COMMITMENT RENEWAL DAY ON!

P.S. To all the diehard Cleveland Indian fans out there, including Ken Gandola: Even though I hate losing, it was ok to lose to the Cubs. 108 years!! Congratulations, Cubbies!

[box]Calling all basketball parents – current and former! Jennifer and I have a new project and we’d love your help. We are working on a digital resource for basketball parents and we’re reaching out to as many basketball parents at as many levels as possible to get feedback on what you need and want. If you are — or ever were — a basketball parent, we hope you’ll take a few minutes to answer the 8 questions on our survey. Please share the link with others as well. CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY[/box]