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Show ' viewpoint... Tracksters acclaim 'Robby' at retirement ' v., ' ' "C, .. v." ' v, fyS S N S By JACK HILL Clarence Robision. My wife called him the "Great White Stag." For hundreds of BYU ?. (j.ack and field athletes, he will always be known as "Coach Rob-' Rob-' bic " More than 300 former athletes, wives and friends gathered i Saturday night in the Wilkinson Center to pay tribute to the "Coach" who is retiring after 40 J years of leading the BYU track v program. i Organized under the leadership of I Ron Mickle and Dave Reeves, the evening featured a list of speakers that reads like a "Who's Who" of BYU track. "Because so many people wanted t to speak tonight, we had to set a t qualifying standard," said Mickle fas he introduced the first speaker. 'That qualifying standard was that iyou had to be an AU-American or a member of the Olympic team. ''Mickle was an Ail-American discus I -thrower in 1962 who said that in his day the entrance requirements to (get into BYU and be on the track 'team were simple. "Just two J words," said Mickle, "BEAT . UTAH." i Ralph Mann, NCAA Champion and former world record holder in 'the 400 meter hurdles, termed himself as "one who got away without being converted." Mann paid tribute to his coach as one of the great men in his life. On a recruiting trip, Coach Robison took Mann and his mother out to lunch. Mann told the story. "Coach Robison has a great sense of humor," Mann said. "During lunch I spilled my cup of tea on Robbie's lap. Robbie looked at his pants, looked at me and said;" 'I guess we won't have to worry about a basketball coach stealing you from us.' " Other former athletes who spoke included Ed Eyestone, Doug Padilla, Paul Cummings, Richard George and Henry Marsh. Mark Robison, a mbmer of the BYU coaching staff and Robbie's son, spoke, representing the family. Marv Roberson, who was a shot putter and later a trainer for the BYU Athletic Department, paid tribute to his coach and boss as did Rod Kimball. "I was chosen to speak tonight to represent the elderly," Kimball said, with a sparkling smile that has been his trademark during his years of service as a Cougar trainer. Assistant Coach, Sherald James was very emotional as he spoke of his association with Coach Robison but new head Coach, Willard Hir-schi Hir-schi chose to highlight his years with "Robbie" in a humorous vein. Everyone who participated sounded one major theme, 'Coach Robbie is a humble, good man who helped me as a coach and a friend and who genuinely cared about me as a person.' To further express their appreciation, ap-preciation, the former athletes raised money to send Coach Robison, his six sons and three sons-in-law to Alaska for a weeks fishing. An additional trip for Robbie and his wife to Orlando, Florida, was presented by the group. Earlier in the day, the BYU track team had won the Western Athletic Conference Track Championship with the highest point total in the history of the league. Robbie, an Olympian himself, called the day, track meet and evening program, "one of the highlights of my life." In June of 1989, Coach Robbie will be the meet director in the NCAA Championships held in Provo. It will be a fitting climax to a long, honorable and successful career. Many coaches are successful in the won-lost column. A smaller number are successful in building personal relationships. Fewer yet are successful in both. Coach Robison was one who did both. He is a legend in his own time and will occupy a special place in the hearts of thousands. Jon Jenkins returns this shot in a recent tennis match. Jenkins and the tennis team continue play this week in the Region Eight Meet that was snowed out last Friday. (Photo by Tiffany VVardle ) TI , A !! - , 1 . ii " " ; Ms"- S wmm imi -nnii me xmmmmmitmmmmm Chess Club champions at Central School are, L-R, Doug Smith, Robbie Jensen, Aaron Hilton, Ryan Roberts, Joshua Marsigli and Dustin Mower. |