Why seniors are special for WSU, STC, and Gunga Galunga.

I had recently read this year was supposed to be colder than normal during the winter months and, if it’s true, we got an early dose of it in Wichita this weekend.

Some very chilly weather occurred during our weekly 6am Friday morning workout and with our weight room not available for another week or so (because of remodeling), we had an outdoor session.  It’s interesting how you can be cold and shivering when you start warming up but 30 minutes later be down to a t-shirt or tank top in 40 degree weather because you’re sweating so much.

I’ve had a few people ask me how our workouts are going and how the team looks.  My usual response is, “I think we’re pretty talented but we have a long way to go before we figure out if we’re any good.”

One of the reasons I say that is because we’re lacking in seniors.  This might be hard to believe but I have 28 athletes (men and women) in the sprint/hurdle group and only two seniors.  While this means we should have a heckuva group for the next few years, an area that I worry about is leadership.

Seniors bring a special kind of leadership to a team.  Seniors usually become less selfish and less interested in their own goals and more focused on the team than juniors and sophomores.  This type of thinking lends itself to terrific leadership over the course of their final year.  Those seniors become desperate to win championships and will do anything, including motivating their teammates, to win.

Don’t get me wrong, there are always great leaders from younger members of the team, but the desperation isn’t there because they know they still have at least another year remaining.  I was the same in college.  I was a captain at Kent State for my junior and senior years and I was a much better leader as a senior because all I wanted was to win a MAC title.

I’ve seen some of the younger members of my group show some early signs of good leadership but it is something I will be concerned about throughout the year.  It takes a lot more than putting together some talented athletes to win a Missouri Valley Conference track and field championship.

Shocker Track Club

I’m fortunate to be part of a non-profit organization called The Shocker Track Club (I’m the head coach of the Elite Team and on the board of directors).  This weekend the STC hosted their annual master’s and open meet at WSU’s Cessna Stadium.  There were almost 100 athletes in competition who were beyond their “prime athletic years” and it was awesome.

Athletes up to their 80’s from all around the country were there running, jumping and throwing on the same facility that hosts thousands of college and high school athletes each year.  I only had a small part in the hosting of the meet but it was definitely inspiring seeing how much spirit was in these tremendous athletes!  We had many of our new athletes work the meet as officials.  Hopefully they came away inspired as well!

For more information about our organization you can visit www.shockertrackclub.com.

“C” Movies

This is the third of a 24 part series (maybe) where I list movies I own by letter (I don’t have any movies that begin with Q, X or Z but I do have some that start with numbers).  I currently own a small collection of 150 movies (and growing most weeks) on DVD.

Most of the movies I own I had previously seen and enjoyed immensely.  Some are movies that I had not seen but was curious about.  Some were gifts from people with bad tastes in movies.

Here is the list of my 8 “C” movies from best to worst …..

Movie Name (year made, length, MPAA rating, IMDB rating, Box office)

Caddyshack (1980, 98 min, R, 7.4, $39.8m) – Most every male over the age of 30 has seen it and can recite at least a dozen quotes.  Chevy Chase, Bill Murray and Rodney Dangerfield are in the primes of their comedic lives, “so it’s got that going for it, which is nice.”

Coming to America (1988, 116 min, R, 6.9, $288.7m) – Seeing Eddie Murphy at his funniest when you’re in the eighth grade just isn’t fair.  I laughed the entire time and was amazed at the end when I realized he played an old, white Jewish man.  I know I’m the only person in Kansas who owns a Randy Watson World Tour T-shirt.

Clerks (1994, 92 min, R, 7.9, $3.1m) – The movie that made anyone think they could make a movie because Kevin Smith only spent $20k making it with a bunch of his friends.  You don’t watch this movie to see how well it was made; you watch it to be inspired about what can be done with so little.  And to laugh at crude jokes.

Crazy Heart (2009, 112 min, R, 7.3, $47.4m) – This is a terrific movie about the “over the hill” side of country music starring Jeff Bridges.  I’ve always been intrigued by what happens to talented people when their popularity is gone.  Colin Farrell is awesome as well.  Who knew an Irish guy could play a country music superstar?

CB4 (1993, 89 min, R 6.1, $17.9m) – Being from a totally white place growing up, I was intrigued with rap music in high school and this Chris Rock movie came out during my senior year.  It still holds up quite well and is one of Rock’s best movies.  So many funny quotes that can’t be spoken in this public forum.  Eddie Murphy’s brother Charlie was hilarious as Gusto!

 

Casa de mi Padre (2012, 84 min, R, 5.5, $8m) – Even though it didn’t really come off as successful, I am very proud of Will Ferrell for making a movie where he speaks Spanish the whole time and he knew wouldn’t make any money.  Most people won’t like this movie because they don’t realize it’s supposed to be bad.

The Campaign (2012, 85 min, R, 6.2, $104.9m) – Will Ferrell and Zach Galifinakis running against each other for public office.  I’m a sucker for good old fashioned dumb humor and this one is high in that category.  ”Because Filipino tilt-a-whirl operators are our nation’s backbone.”

Cold Mountain (2003, 154 min, R, 7.2, $173m) – One of those “gift” movies that I think I watched once when I got it.  It’s not really that bad of a story about the Civil War.  Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were at the height of their romance I believe. Easily forgettable.

Once again most of these (except the last one) earn high marks for me.  I own 15 “D” movies so next week look out for movies that start with Dazed, Death, and Django!

Go Shocks!