My Memories and Life Lessons

I am certain that if you are reading this "blog" (where did they ever get that word!) at some point you must have had contact with Mr. Meddock and more than likely have as many memories and stories about your relationship with him as I do. (It was great to find out that my brother, Bill Kouvolo, had received a couple of "whacks" from him, I never knew that!) Well here are a few "snippet's" of mine. Where do you start, early on I guess.

The "old" guys will remember the gym shows at B-E. Great entertainment! Especially when Dale would paint the best "gymnasts" (this was prior to formalized teams he would later coach) with metallic silver paint, turn out the lights in the gym and then turn on the spotlight while they came out for "posing". Also part of the extravaganza, the best guys would work on the "flying rings". Not being capable of such fetes (to be totally honest, I was so weak that I couldn't do a chin up and fell off the high bar trying to do a "kip up", Dale blessedly advised that I should end my gymnastic career right there) he directed that I was to be a spotter. Great I thought. Such confidence he has in me to be placed in such a position to protect other athletes. I asked what I should do if anyone might slip and fall from the flying rings. He said " just lay down between them and the floor and break their fall". OK, so I was a "mat" boy.

At lunch at B-E, I kind of got into a scrap with one of the "Baden" guys. On my way to the Principal's office alone, you would never guess who I ran into. Well you know he was going to ask what I was up to and to even think to lie would have been far worse than dealing with it later on when you knew he would find out. Too bad teachers today can't use the physical "touching" that Dale used on me that day (just a little hand pressure up under the throat , up against the lockers, you get the idea). After the quiet, subtle talking to that I surely deserved, I was more fearful that he would have a talk with my parents who he knew quit well, about the incident. He never did.

"Women are the ruination of good athletes." He told me that in the ninth grade! After what I thought was a very successful social life in junior high (great parties and dances), I then became "celibate". No parties, no dances, no dates. This lasted through my sophomore and junior years. Not until the middle of my senior year did I stray from his advice. I was on Student Council and we were putting up the Christmas Tree in the lobby and this great looking girl kept grabbing at me while we were both up on a ladder decorating the tree. It was then that I realized that maybe, just maybe, his advice didn't need to be followed all the time. Not long after that, I started to date a young lady who has been my wife for 35 years, after dating all through college. Could it be that Dale's advice kept from me from meeting others to insure I met my future wife??? Nah! No way!

Well maybe.

Fast forward to help building his house. Ray Mushinski and I were drywalling an upstairs room. After completing part of the room, we wrote "this ceiling was done by Two State Champions". The next day showing up for work we read what was written underneath, "Humility is becoming of the great". He said Dave Repp had written that, but I still think it was him.

I could go on with others, such as eating sandwiches made of his home grown hot peppers while Wilma chastised him for it, but let me relate one more that truly represents what this man means to me. As my brother posts, Mr. Meddock was always taking us to track meets during the summer to compete. It was after my junior year in college and I had set Pitt's record in the javelin, won the ICC4A's, 5 th at nationals and ranked in the top 10 in the country. I felt that I had arrived as a top flight thrower. He still graciously took us to a meet in Erie, Pa at which I had won but did not throw near what I had during the year. Showing disgust for my performance, after the meet I kind of "pouted" by picking up my gear and throwing stuff down near my bag, telling those that were congratulating me on my throwing that it was nowhere near my best and that I was much better than what they had just seen. Pretty much acting like an ass. Well on the way home riding shotgun the front seat next to him, he quietly began to relate that some athletes really work hard, are totally dedicated, but sometimes just don't have the God given skills and talents to allow them to succeed. What does this have to do with me I thought. He continued, but they keep trying even though they don't succeed and look up to those who have and wish they could be them. Except the ones they are looking up to, they really shouldn't be. "Humility is becoming of the great" and it certainly wasn't me. I cried then and am crying now as I am typing this. Other than my own father, here was the man whose approval and caring I valued utmost in my life, was letting me know that I was being a complete disappointment to him. Nothing to do with being an athlete but with being a decent human being.

There are many other times and events that I need to thank him for (being at the State meet, being at my wedding, taking us young guys to our first state track meet to watch, letting us use B-E facilities after we graduated, going to Cleveland during the race riots, etc, etc..) But more than any of that, I want to thank him for setting an example of type of person I aspired to be in raising my children, being a husband, a business associate, and even as crazy masters athlete who realizes it is far more important how we treat people than what we accomplish.

Dale, thanks! You truly are a God's gift to this world and I am a better person because of you.

Dan Kouvolo