New Gym Shorts

It was either when I was a dorky 6th or 7th grader, and I lost my gym shorts. Remember that it had to be white gym shorts, and you had to dress out or you were like dead...at least I thought that was what I was told. I broke the news about the loss to my mom, hoping to get some new shorts and what does she do, she calls Coach Meddock. Yikes, now I knew the coach would think that I was a girl. No way. He made it painless and got me some John Edmondson size shorts from the lost and found box. I think I wore those shorts for three years.

I won't be one of the better known names to the fine athletes and gentlemen that post and celebrate and honor Coach Meddock, yet, he motivated me to get out of the weakling club and get serious about physical fitness. His love for the students, and his expertise and energy for fitness and sports kept me interested enough that I would enter college as a physical fitness major. I ultimately majored in Biology, but I took a PE class every semester as an undergraduate. Coach Meddock instilled that kind of appreciation for the energy, and motion, and strength, etc., and we didn't know it at the time, but he knew that it would help develop our character and confidence. Thanks, Coach!

What Coach instilled in me still bears fruit today. I wouldn't call myself a specimen of fitness at this point, but I'll jog in the arroyo (I live in the southwest) near my home today. The energy isn't the same, but the joy of the motion and the mood of the trail are still there. These captured my soul back in about 1963 when Coach Meddock opened doors that I will never close. God Bless You, Coach!