Growing up with the Coach

I figure it is better to be late than never and I have read many of these tributes and thank everyone for taking the time to pay tribute to my dad. I thought I would include a few of my memories growing up which might give everyone a different perspective:

I remember Shawn and I wanting to build a snowman and needing my dad's help, he had to get to practice but my mom, (who can be pretty persuasive) telling my dad that he needed to go build that snowman. I remember laughing as he built that snowman with us in about 3-1/2 minutes, he had to get to practice,

I remember in elementary school smarting off to a teacher and somehow being in trouble with him before I even got off the bus,

I remember my punishment, as a fifth grader going to that teacher the next morning and looking him in the eye and apologizing for being disrespectful,

I remember my Dad always being at practice, coming home after dark in the winter, practicing all summer long,

I remember the thousands of dinners my mom would put in the oven, covered with aluminum foil keeping them warm until he got home from practice,

I remember my Dad not being home until after I went to bed on Tuesday and Thursday nights because he was at Turners,

I remember how many times my mother would be upset with the amount of time my Dad spent with all of you, his gymnasts, instead of us;

I remember the one LOSS, my mother telling us to be quiet and not to wake up my Dad the Ambridge Gymnastic Team lost, which just did not happen. I remember how my Dad was not phased by the loss (at least he didn't let us see it). I remember how he taught us the importance of winning and losing with grace and dignity.

I remember the countless hours of my Dad giving me advice as I would stare out the window trying to ignore him as a teenager and despite how I tried to not to listen I am surprised how much of it stuck and how right he always was

I remember the joy of Jr. High when MY DAD was teaching sex ed and how many times someone came to to me and exclaimed, "Hey guess what YOUR DAD told me today in health."

I remember how many times that whenever I screwed up he somehow always seemed to be coming around the corner just in time to pin me against the lockers,

and I remember how it feels to have a locker handle jammed into your spine.

I remember a turning point in my Jr. High life came when some "punk" kid in 8th grade, upset at my Dad, started to publicly calling him names to my face. That was MY Dad your talking about and he is a good man and I great father, and that was not going to stand. I also remember how good it felt to jam his spine into a locker handle,

I remember how he would always take a couple "out of shape" kids under his wing in gym, kids who wanted to be better and would be willing to work at it and he had a way of about him that changed those kids. He would never give up on anyone who didn't give up on themselves.


I remember that my dad went to everyone of my HS football games and always had advice on what I could improve on.

I remember how simplistic his rules were growing up, I wasn't to embarrass him or the Meddock name, I can't stop you from drinking and things like that, but if I catch you I can stop you from driving my car. I also remember that I knew he meant it.

I remember as I got older how my pride in my father's accomplishments grew year by year, especially as I saw the respect that his gymnasts of my age had for him.

I remember how whenever I ever really needed my dad in my life, he was there to provide the support and guidance (not to mention a lot of unsolicited follow-up advice)

I remember that not matter what the circumstance my Dad always had the instinct and moral compass to evaluate any situation and always do what is right

I will always remember that on a Saturday in June a group of people will travel great distances to pay tribute to my Dad, who personally sacrificed a lot to take a bunch of kids, willing to work and made them better and not just on the field or floor of competition.

And to my Dad I want you to always remember that I could not be prouder for what you have accomplished in your life and what you have taught me from your examples.

Mike