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Posted by BlueBeard
on 7/30/2011, 2:13 pm, in reply to "Re: More to Coaching than just Coaching"
Early on, and before any climb to our 'comeback' status, I sent email to Dr. Bradley and several Board Members expressing the philosophy that Sports are the 'face' of a University, and your institution is viewed in the light that your Athletics shines upon it. There are three or four articles routinely on collegiate athletics, good or bad, and the articles about academic excellence and successes are few and far between. I did this in hopes that they would support Ron Prettyman and his vision for our building 'excellence' in our programs.
Expecting rebuttal and to be told it was not my business, I was pleasantly surprised to get replies that were in unison in agreement. They all understood it and all pledged to support it. Now that time has passed we've seen the sincerity of their belief. We have an air conditioned, refurbished Arena, site of this year's Varsity Club Banquet. We have new or reconditioned locker rooms for Football and Soccer. We have a new baseball field and host a good Wooden Bat League Team in the Rex. Erica True, Women's Soccer Coach, says she's getting recruits who were to be enticed by Big Ten schools simply by a tour through the new facility. Jake Kitchell, basketball recruit, was on a tour of schoools (plural) to decide on where he would play, but went home after signing with ISU after his campus visit here.
The sense of Family among all ISU Athletics is strengthening, and as said above, extending out to the community. Prettyman's vision is being realized. We've not shot to the top quickly and briefly as could be done; rather, we've taken our time to build it right for the long haul. Now that Trent Miles's first class of recruits are going to be Seniors this season, for example, we can see the effect of that patience in the Football program, and less obviously it exists elsewhere.
As a long-suffering, but loyal fan, how fun it was to stay in St. Louis to the end. Now we almost 'expect' Lansing to repeat that kind of season, and he's recruited well and should meet those expectations.
FUN to be a FAN !!!! Join up bandwogoneers, one and all. You who follow winners only are welcome -- We're WINNING now.
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