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Post by wingtol on Jan 16, 2009 13:07:41 GMT -6
This thread is something I felt like I needed to share on here for some reason. I really don't expect any any discussion about the subject but feel free if you are moved to.
On Monday Jan 12 my wife and I lost our 5 months old daughter Jillian. She was our first and only child.
Through out the last few days my wife and I have been overwhelmed by the support and love and prayers we have been offered. Through out my career I have coached at local Catholic schools. I always felt there was a reason I stayed in the Catholic system and the last few days I have been shown why. The entire team and several former players came to see us during the viewing and one by one paid their respects to us then made their way over and offered prayers for Jillian. Many of the players knelt for several minutes. All the people we have talked to have said what a beautiful scene it was to see. I also had several guys I coached with in the past come and even rivals coaches pay their respects to us. The next day as we walked into the church for the mass we looked over and saw the entire team seated in the church I could see many of the players had tears in their eyes. I now know the impact I have had on so many young lives and know that coaching at schools where we could openly discuss our faith and belief in God has made a huge difference in my life the last few days.
I have thanked many players and former players and told them how special they are to me the last few days. All of them have responded that they would do anything they could for us and that we as coaches have been like another Father to many of them.
I know many teams, schools, and communities would have responded in this way. But to see our players, coaches and administration truly practice what they preach has been a great blessing to me.
I don't know if this should be posted or not or if people will question why I did. But I feel that in this time I need to share that we should never overlook the lives we can touch as coaches. I have coached on national ranked teams, won a state title, numerous district titles, had undefeated seasons, but those things have all become secondary to the true reason I now know why I do what I do.
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Post by schultbear74 on Jan 16, 2009 13:14:05 GMT -6
Touching lives is the great reward for coaching. In the final analysis, it is probably the great reward in any endeavor. It fills in a lot of spaces. God bless you and yours.
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Post by touchdownmaker on Jan 16, 2009 13:17:10 GMT -6
You now have a little angel watching over you and yours. Saddened for you loss for you and your family and community.
Find little ways to celebrate Jillians life. We lost a baby girl 9 years ago and put a new Christmas ornament on the tree every year, typically an angel.
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Post by coachjblair on Jan 16, 2009 13:22:54 GMT -6
That's a nice story and it is neat to see how your team responed in this situation.
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Post by tvt50 on Jan 16, 2009 14:32:55 GMT -6
Wingtol,
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
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lyons
Sophomore Member
Posts: 164
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Post by lyons on Jan 16, 2009 14:45:52 GMT -6
First of all, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Second, thanks for sharing because through it all that is the real reason we coach.
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Post by knighter on Jan 16, 2009 15:04:49 GMT -6
Wing- I echo the above. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, what a blow. I would not know what to do without my 2 little girls...
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Post by gpoulin76 on Jan 16, 2009 15:19:24 GMT -6
God Bless you, your family, and your daughter. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
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Post by jgordon1 on Jan 16, 2009 16:41:55 GMT -6
so so sorry for your loss. God Bless
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Post by bulldogoption on Jan 16, 2009 16:52:55 GMT -6
Thanks for sharing your story coach.
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Post by coachcathey on Jan 16, 2009 18:48:29 GMT -6
God Bless. I don't know what I do without my daughter.
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Post by coachtut on Jan 16, 2009 18:55:14 GMT -6
God Bless coach. Reading that made my heart sink. My thoughts are truely with you.
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Post by touchdowng on Jan 16, 2009 19:18:34 GMT -6
Wingtol
Your story sure puts perspective on what is truly important.
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Post by coryell2009 on Jan 16, 2009 20:05:45 GMT -6
I will pray for you.
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Post by tog on Jan 16, 2009 20:29:38 GMT -6
Wing,
1st
i am sorry for your loss
your spirit and work ethic that you have shown here will get you through
2nd--that made me tear up
3rd - and how i relate to and am moved by your post
my wife and I do not have kids and will not, for various reasons
we both are in education
we both choose to look at the kids we deal with daily as "our kids"
that is why i am in this biz
i want to see each and every one of the kids I work with go on to be outstanding citizens
when some of them don't/and/or make poor decisions--it really eats me up, it hurts, i try to learn from each experience and realize that I can't save them all but i am going to try
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moon
Junior Member
Posts: 324
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Post by moon on Jan 17, 2009 2:12:30 GMT -6
Coach, you and your family are in my prayers.
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Post by coachinghopeful on Jan 17, 2009 3:40:50 GMT -6
I'm sorry for your loss. I wish there was more that could be said and done in times like this to ease the pain you and your wife are going through. May God bless you and your family, as well as all those good people in your community who've come to you in this time.
I want to thank you so much for posting this. All too often it's easy to lose sight of what this all this stuff is really about. Your story is an inspiration for us all. I know I'll always remember it. Thank you for sharing it.
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Post by dc207 on Jan 18, 2009 12:48:34 GMT -6
...coach may God bless you and your wife and family by helping you deal with this tragedy. May he watch over you all as the years go by and the memories are still there.
Thank you for posting this, I wasn't sure what to expect as I clicked in but this truly was a blessing. Certainly puts everything (like you said state titles, district/regional championships) in the proper perspective. I, too, was in tears, envisioning this situation and some that our football team recently went through.
We lost our captain-to-be (starting center and MLB) and all-around great kid just two weeks before practice was to begin for the 2007 season. We saw the fortitude and love that many in our community had for this program and our kids, and it was amazing. Thank you for reminding us about why we do this.
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clloyd
Sophomore Member
Posts: 210
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Post by clloyd on Jan 18, 2009 13:48:41 GMT -6
I echo what everyone esle has said. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. God Bless
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Post by mariner42 on Jan 18, 2009 19:08:37 GMT -6
The more love you pour into your players, the more eventually is returned to you. Remember that you love because God loves and that by giving your love to your players, you give God's love in turn. Thank you for sharing with us, God bless.
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kakavian
Sophomore Member
Where's the ball, boy? Find the ball.
Posts: 175
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Post by kakavian on Jan 19, 2009 8:20:00 GMT -6
Coach-
We all appreciate your posting this. our family's prayers, like so many have stated before, go out to you and yours. I have seen so much of the other side of coaching lately, had so many that I was unable to save, that it is special to me to hear your story and help restore the hope that has been so dimmed in me of late.
I know in the midst of tragedy that receiving this comfort does help some, though nothing can replace what you have lost. Indeed many of these young men may have felt like they lost a sister. God watch over you and keep you and yours.
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Post by casec11 on Jan 19, 2009 10:57:07 GMT -6
Coach,
Sorry for your loss and my prayers are with you and your family
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Post by chadp56 on Jan 19, 2009 11:17:16 GMT -6
Coach,
Sorry to hear of your loss. As a dad of only a few years, I can't even imagine the pain you are going through.
When I was 20 my father passed away. One thing I will never forget is several of my high school football coaches walking in the door at the funeral. They never knew my dad as he always stayed way in the background. They were there because of the relationship we had. That is what is great about this game, the depth of the relationships you can develop.
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Post by lsrood on Jan 21, 2009 9:45:43 GMT -6
Coach,
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. May God bless you and comfort you and your wife in your time of grief.
Your story reflects why many of us coach, because of the bonds that develop between players and coaches, and the many lessons that are learned together on and off the field. The actions of your players speaks highly of how they feel about you and the impact you have had on them. Again God Bless.
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Post by bluecrazy on Jan 21, 2009 10:33:31 GMT -6
Coach, I'm so sorry for you and your wife.
Having lost a son, I know the pain that you feel.
The support my wife and I got from former players, and players on the team, as well as the coaching staff , administration, and fellow coaches in our league, meant a lot.
Some people don't really know what to say, but the actions, and the words from our youths, can mean so much.
Obviously you have touched the life's of the young men you have coached, and they feel your pain.
God bless you, and your wife.
Joe
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slimbo7722
Sophomore Member
Some days yoour the dog...some days you are the hydrant.
Posts: 139
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Post by slimbo7722 on Jan 31, 2009 12:07:20 GMT -6
No words can say what you have been through. I couldn't imagine going through it. God bless youand your wife.
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Post by coachiminime on Mar 15, 2009 16:02:54 GMT -6
Great Post coach, similar thing happenned to my brother, That is great that you impacted so many, continue the good work and good things will happen
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cline20
Probationary Member
Posts: 8
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Post by cline20 on Mar 24, 2009 10:55:22 GMT -6
Thats the beauty of coaching. You get to help kids grow as not only athletes but as young men. A football team is like a big Italian Family, you stick by one another and have each others backs. In my HS football years I grew up without a father, lived in the same town as me but never spoke to him, heck the man never even seen me play the sport we all love "Football". It bothered me alot, but i was able to pull through it due to the support that i got from my coaches. Some coaches really don't realize the impact we have on players, then again some players don't realize the impact they have on us, just like your situation. I'm sure them being there as a team touched you more than words can explain. God bless you and your family and best of luck to you in the future!
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Post by indyball on Apr 13, 2009 10:50:54 GMT -6
Wow, I am affected on many levels by your post coach. I lost my father at the age of 19 when he was hit head on by a drunk driver. I was a coach's son, and those of you who are coach's sons know the difference and magnitude of being one. My dad was a HS football, basketball and track coach and there were few sports I played growing up that he wasn't a part of. It wasn't my goal before the accident, but I decided to become a teacher and a coach to pick up where he left off after witnessing the outpouring of support, emails, and letters sent by players and coaches that knew him in his twenty years of coaching. Someone said in an earlier post, you treat the athletes as "your kids" and I completely agree. When they succeed, the pride we feel is on par with that of a parent. That is the reward that truely matters in coaching.
On another note, I just read this post today (4/13), but just over a month ago (3/10), my wife and I welcomed our first child, a little girl into our lives. Her name is Stephanie Jilian Orona. I can't begin to imagine how hard this is on you and your family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Coach.
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Post by oline644 on Apr 21, 2009 18:15:03 GMT -6
Thanks for sharing and God bless.
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