I remember Dean Smith’s retirement press conference like it was yesterday. I cried. He was the only coach I had known growing up. His retirement meant that I would now look upon Carolina basketball a little differently. Not that I was less invested as a fan, but there was an immediate sense of nostalgia. Just like Grandfather Mountain, the Hatteras Lighthouse, Billy Graham, John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, Doc Watson, Ava Gardner, and the Biltmore House, Coach Smith was a beacon that directed the world to our great state. I felt it only fitting to incorporate a little of his teachings into today’s foray into the gloomy-gloom.
Warmup jog into the ballfield
-Mountain Climber x 25
-Imperial Walker x 15
-Good Morning x 10
-Decliner x 20
Mosey up to the tennis courts for 4 Corners of Tabata. Count off by 4s and head to your designated corner of the tennis courts. 40 seconds AMRAP exercise, 20 seconds sprint counterclockwise to the next corner and rest. The faster you get to the next station, the more of a breather you get. Rotate through for 8 minutes.
-Corner 1: Hand release merkins
-Corner 2: 180 degree squat jumps
-Corner 3: Burpees
-Corner 4: 8 point manmakers
Mosey down to the picnic shelter
-Alt L/R step up x 20
-Decline Spider Man merkin x 15
-Incline merkin x 20
*Repeat but with 10 decline Spider Man merkins
Mosey down to the ballfield and divide up odds/evens. Odds on the first base side of home, evens on the third base side.
-Bear crawl to the edge of the infield, broad jump to the foul pole, sprint back to home and plank it out.
-Gorilla crawl to the edge of the infield, alternating single leg broad jump to the foul pole, spring back to home and plank it out.
Mosey to the end of the parking lot nearest the outfield.
-Evens Usain Bolt to the gate and back
-Odds balls to the wall
Flapjack
-Evens Usain Bolt to the gate and back
-Odds flutter kick
Flapjack
-Evens Usain Bolt to the gate and back
-Odds balls to the wall
Flapjack
Mary
Plankorama-Regular>Putin>regular>Sarkozy>regular>Chilcutt>regular>low plank hold>regular>Peter Chilcutt x 20
*No break. Continuous hold
Thanks for the opportunity to lead this morning. YHC shared an exerpt of John Feinstein’s obituary of Dean Smith with the pax as a reflection of the kind of person he was and also to give us some good perspective going into the week. Feinstein had interviewed Smith’s minister at Binkley Baptist Church in Chapel Hill for a book he was writing on ACC basketball. Back in 1958 Chapel Hill, along with most of the south, was segregated. Smith, still an assistant coach under Frank McGuire, took his minister and an African American theology student to dinner. Ordinarily, this wouldn’t have been allowed, but the restaurant owners obliged Coach Smith. He effectively integrated Chapel Hill at a time when it was taboo in the majority of the state. So Feinstein is interviewing Dean and brings this story up. Here’s the excerpt I read to the pax:
“When I asked Smith to fill in details of that night, he said, “Who told you that story?” I told him it had been Seymour(his minister). He shook his head and said, “I wish he hadn’t done that.” Surprised, I said, “Dean, you should be proud of doing something like that.” He looked me in the eye and said, “John, you should never be proud of doing the right thing. You should just do the right thing.” Talk about a teaching moment.”
Indeed!
-3rd anniversary convergence
-Mud Run
-KK challenge
-Custom GoRuck later in the year
Thanks to all of you! Aye!
