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Show 1 SporfstaculorCmdhs across he Gomtimy are foowored - I ' f i Page 2 October 11.1979 Friday, October fifth, was set aside as National Coaches Day, and coaches at all levels of competition were honored for their efforts, not only in winning ball games, but in molding character in the lives of young men and women. Coaching can be a thankless job, laced with insecurity and emotional stress. In little league circles, coaches are strictly on a volunteer basis, with no monetary compensation. Most little league .coaches are there because they have a son or daughter on the team, and want to help out. They have a working knowledge of the sport, and are willing to share it with youngsters. A lot of coaches cut their teeth in junior high school up from there they can move to an assistant job in high school, and after finding a head coach job, go on to assist in college, and continue into the professional ranks. Coaching skill determines, to some extent, how fast a person climbs the ladder of success, but plays a big role in how far and how fast he goes. If he happens onto the scene when a budding or is making his debut in school, the coach is most fortunate, and may leap-fro- g ahead of the rest of the field. If, on into the lime-ligthe other hand, he has little or no talent to work with, he may never get his coaching career off the ground. We fans want and expect instant success. Coaches come in every shape, size, color and disposition. Winning is of prime concern to each of them, and their methods of doing just that vary with each coach. Fiery individuals like Bobby Knight of Kentucky, Frank Kush of Arizona State, Woody Hayes of Ohio State, Billy Martin of the New York Yankees, and the late Vince Lombardi of The Green Bay Packers achieved great success in their emotional All-Stat- er ht If : them. Morning quarterbacks like to second-gues- s I applaud the coach who will chastise a player who chased a bad pitch though he got a hit, or will praise him for going down swinging on a good pitch. I honor the coach who will praise good effort, even in defeat, but who wont forget all the mistakes, just because his team won the game. I abhor the coach who takes out the frustration of defeat on his team and would take personal credit for victory. approach to the game. Some of them physically abused players to wring out every ounce of effort and it worked. Some athletes rebelled but others defended this type of treatment, because for them it was good. 1 knew a little league coach who literally scared his boys into giving their all on every play, nd he was very successful, but some kids refused to play for him. Those who stuck it out usually came out near the top in league standings, for he demanded discipline. Im not sure a youngster of eight, nine or ten, should be subjected to such pressure, but for some it was good. Clearfields Roger Reid was known for his strict discipline. He got a lot of mileage out of his high schoolers, but gathered a few enemies along the way. still sing praises of Most of his players of yester-yea- r winning with, Roger Reid and call him the greatest coach they ever knew. He convinced each athlete that there was no way they could lose, but when the inevitable did happen, it was hard for them to handle. I would want my son to be coached by the likes of Coach Roger Reid. Ive seen some coaches publicly chastise and dress down players in front of parents, fans, and teammates at a ball game. This type of action at any level-littl- e league, high school or college is cruel. Every athlete in time will make errors and do things for which he should be chewed out thats part of coaching but I respect the coach who can keep his cool, and not embarrass an athlete, who is already suffering for what he did or didnt do. Coaches are a rare breed of man. They often take a lot of lip from the fans. They are Damned if They Do, and Damned if They dont. They are heroes one week, and goats the next for doing the same thing. It all depends on whether we won or lost. We Monday- - season tickets now reported sold-o- Profanity in Sports Traditions develop out of athletics. Chewing tobacco in major league baseball as is cigaris common-plac- e smoking in professional boxing. Profanity has become coming in all stages of football. High School locker rooms are notorious for foul language. Coaches seem to think they can speak with more authority by using Gutter Language, but I think it cheapens them. Ive seen great men yield to profanity, men, whom young athletes look up to, and endeavor to follow. Kids from eight to eighteen are influenced by the coach, whom they worship. I submit that coaches should be the first to clean up their act. Even in little league, some coaches use foul language and influence the kids. My idea of the perfect coach is one who is low key who maintains tight discipline, but makes his players want to go by the rules. He is a man who can delegate authority, and will let assistants do their jobs. He is a person who is a gentleman (or lady) on or off the field, and will earn the respect of players and fans alike. He wants to win, but not at all costs. He realizes that he has to face his team, his fans and especially himself the next day. He is an honest man, and one who commands respect by his actions. BYU ut I In a move that was as as it was unprecedented, officials at BYU this week posted a sold out sign for season tickets to the Cougars 1979-8- 0 home basketball games. To the best of my knowledge,. reported Special Events Manager Scott Williams, this is the first time weve sold out the Marriott Center on a season ticket basis. Certainly this is the earliest weve had to hang out the 'sold out shingle." Since the Marriott Center seats 22,700, the advance sale means the Cougars should have a full house, at most house, or near-fu- ll of the IS home games on the BYU schedule this season. While this is bad news for those fans who may have waited too long to purchase season tickets, there is faint hope for the future. According to BYU Ticket Manager LaRae Hawkins, there will be a few games this year clubs when the visiting team like Baylor and Alaska wont be claiming their ticket allotments. These are the tickets, she said, that will be going on sale November l. In breaking down the ticket ' allotment, officials indicated are reserved for students, are designated for sale to faculty and staff, and approximately 300 are allocated to the visiting schools. Everything else is sold on a season basis. 6,700 3,000 . We moved 1,100 on what we call a , super season rate," pointed out Williams. But these are not renewable on a season basis. If the fans want to renew them, they will have to come in before the deadline next year and purchase from those seating they are renewable. In my way of thinking, said sections M4 (MM I tit where BYU Athletic Director Glen Tuckett, the early sellout is a compliment to the fine coaches and players ly" Publbhad wuukly by Stahl Publications, 53S8 South 1900 Watt, Itoy, Utah 04007. Artie la inquiries Phan 125-100- PUOUSHEJt AND EDITORS GIEN ADAMS brought a WAC championship to BYU last year. We want as many people as possible to have an opportunity to see their exciting brand of who basketball. Head Coach FYank Arnold had a similar reaction: Ive always felt BYU basketbal, fans were among the best if not the best- -in the country, and this confirms my feelings. We are really grateful for their enthusiasm and support. For Williams and Hawkins the sellout wasnt that much of a surprise. Last year when the Cougars were battling their way to the conference championship, BYU averaged 19,048 fans for 14 home games. The season average for 1978-7- 9 was second only to Kentucky in highest average per game in the nation. Kentucky led the nation with 23,403 per game, and New Mexico was third (16,641) behind BYU. NCAA figures also revealed thO Western Athletic Conference ranked third last year in overall attendance; an average of over 10.000 fans per game for the eight member schools. Overall, the WAC drew more than 1,000,000 fans for the fifth year in a row. As a state, Utah leads the nation in per capita attendance. Judged on a per capita ratio, the Beehive State is ranked first in the nation with an amazing 1.74 that is, 728,805 total attendance compared to its population of 1.288.000 (1977 census). In other words, a ratio of 1.74 to 1.00 between population and total basketball attendance. New Mexico was second among the states last year with a 2.34 per capita rating. MANACMG EDITOR J. HOWARD STAHLE KEITH DUNCAN ADVERTISING MAN AG HI BONNE STAHLE Phona 125-100- 0 THE FAMILY Larsem warned Weber State Athletic Director Gary Crompton has announced the selection of Brad Larsen as Sports Information Director of Weber State College. Larsen, a native of Logan, Utah, comes to Weber State from the University of Northern Iowa where he has been sports information director for the past year. He will assume his duties at Weber State on October 15 pending approval by the WSC Institutional Council. BIGGER Family Bank is growing Our new Roy office will be open in the Spring of 1 980, at 5200 South 1900 West. Right now were planning a beautiful new location for you. In the meantine, join our family at 5 points for banking family style. Prior to his employment at the University of Northern Iowa, Larsen spent four years as a student assistant in the sports information office at Utah State University while , While a student assistant at Utah State University, Larsen received a broad spectrum of experience in media relations ranging from broadcasting of Utah high school football and basketball games to being a stringer reporter for United Press International covering athletic events at Utah State and for the Logan Herald Journal. Larsen is a member of the College Sports Information Directors of America and a member of Sigma Gamma Chi ' Fraternity. Larsen and his wife Pauline, formerly of Clinton, are the parents of one child, Kristoffer. . MEMBER FEDERAL DEPOSIT FIVE POINTS t INSURANCE 21 HARRISVILLE ROAD TELEPHONE (801)621-811- CORPORATION OGDEN. UTAH 84404 attending school. He earned his B.S. degree in Journalism in 1978. |