It has been nearly 30 consecutive years, on this weekend that I have played, coached and organized volleyball at the Bay State Games (Massachusetts State Olympics). This is the first year in its history that I have not participated and I do miss seeing some of the friends that I’ve made over the years, but it was kind of nice not be be in a gym on a beautiful summer day.

I have quite a few stories from this tournament as a player and a coach, but my favorite is from the perspective as an organizer.

For a few years in the 90′s I served as the tournament director for the event and part of my responsibility was to set up the nets and make sure everything was in place for the weekend’s competition. My contact at MIT was really excited when she told me that they had purchased brand new nets for us. So when I got there Friday evening to set up, they were new allright — new tennis nets! (Of course, they threw away the old nets.) After a mad scramble and a revised set up time on Saturday morning before the sun came up, the games came off without a hitch.

Another is the time I was hit in the face so hard by a spike that I saw stars. The team was celebrating at the facial so exuberantly, that they didn’t see the ball bounce off my face and drop on their side of the net for a point! Too bad I didn’t get to see the whole play!

Sometimes in sports (and life) everything can hinge on just one moment. For the Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals it was the late hit on Nathan Horton in game three  that knocked him out of the series and propelled the Bruins to win 4 out of the next five games as they rallied to win. It was truly amazing because the team had lost two gut wrenching games to start the series and were able to come back and pretty much crush the Canucks.  It all hinged on that one play–one moment.

Nathan Horton right after the late hit in game 3

I can remember a few other times watching and playing sports where there was a similar experience. OK, this is not nearly for the Stanley Cup, but the first year we had a team at Saint John’s we were able to make the state tournament and were matched up against the top seed, Xaverian High, in the first round.  We were down 2 games to 1 and were 4 points away from elimination, 11-5, and then something miraculous happened. To take that big lead, their big hitter blocked our middle rather savagely — straight down. He then proceeded to posture and dance around the court and gesture to the home crowd, which responded enthusiastically.  We did not appreciate that quite as much, and proceeded to win that game and the deciding 5th game to close it out. That act sparked the team and it all hinged on that one moment. Lesson: Be humble; don’t count your chickens before they hatch; let sleeping dogs lie, and so on…

I am not a huge hockey fan normally. I do follow the local sports here in Boston and I follow hockey more to hear the interviews with the coaches and players. I find them the most thoughtful, humble and toughest athletes out there. Compare and contrast an interview with any hockey player and just about any NBA hoop-god — no contest.

So congrats to the Bruins and for the lesson that life can hinge on that one moment.

A couple of weeks ago, I went to a local event where of our town’s youth sports teams had a table. Earlier that day, I had heard that John Wooden had died, so I asked: “Sad news about John Wooden, isn’t it?”

Huh? Neither of them had even heard of Coach, and they were leaders of coaches?

Anyone who has ever played for me, has been tortured by stories from John Wooden. He is one of my great heroes, and not to discount my own father’s role in my life, but Coach Wooden had a father-like impact in my life.

My father has been gone for a little over 10 years now and I do miss him. But on this father’s day, I’m also feeling the loss of Coach.

Below is a video from the Charlie Rose show, interviewing Coach, Bill Walton and Bill Russell. It’s worth it just to hear Russell’s laugh, IMO.