Surround Yourself With Good People

He was my assistant basketball coach at Edwardsville and Jacksonville totaling twenty-five seasons. He and his wife were loyal to the basketball program, Coach Roustio and the Roustio family. He taught driver's education and taught all three of our children behind-the-wheel. He is Ken Hickman and he and his wife, Sharon are moving back home to Indiana after being Illinois residence for forty-something years. The Hickman's have two adult sons, Jason and Kyle, aka, 'Carl' who are both married with children. The move put Ken & Sharon Hickman closer to their sons, grandchildren and other family folks. Good for them and God Bless.

My wife and I helped them move a few items this past Monday and of course, we staked out the travel route for future reference. I suppose that I have had two dozen or more assistant coaches during my coaching career...none worked any harder for the 'cause' and made me laugh more than Coach Hickman.

Check it out: During a varsity basketball contest (1979), I heard someone yelling at me from behind the bench, "Get him out of there," was the repeated-screaming comment directed at me and the player they wanted off the floor was my son. I said to Hickman, after a time out, "Who the hell is yelling to take him out?" Hickman answered, "It's your wife." I smiled and told Hickman to go into the bleachers and tell my wife to shut up." He sat down next to me and said, "As soon as pigs fly, I'll get right on that, Coach!"

While coaching at Edwardsville 1975, Hickman noticed our players' individual gym bags were unusually 'stuffed.' He followed some players after a game and discovered a sleep-over-drinking party...the players from then on called Hickman, "Barney Fife."  Also during those Edwardsville years, I had an administration that could be a tad bit pissy. For example, one season the coaches did NOT have keys to the gym but had to check out a master key the day of a contest. Well, I forgot one night and upon returning from out of town, I discovered I did not have the key. A sophomore kid said, "I'll get us into the gym, Coach." He took a coat hanger out of a nearby trash can and manipulated the panic bar trough  the door-crack and 'bingo!' The dry comment coming from Hickman was, "Hey, Coach don't you have two-Master's degrees? Well buddy-boy, learn from the street kid!"

One player we coached was suspected of smoking pot but never caught. One night in practice the player uncharacteristically picked up a 'charging foul' and immediately jumped to his feet screaming in celebration. Hickman said, "Don't give me that. Your blurry eyes saw two (2) figures coming towards you and you guessed wrong trying to get out of the way!!"

One winter, Hickman was proud of a new snow-blower he purchased. After cleaning off his walks, drive ways and those of his neighbors he had his wife hold a ladder while he lugged the snow-blower atop his roof to clean off the roof; a first I am sure!

The last year he coached for me he said, "Mel, it's time to quit this gig; I have been asking the same question of players while taping ankles for twenty-five years."> question..."If you had a choice between the team winning 20 games or you averaging 20-points this season, which would you choose?" He continued saying to me, "Today's players are beginning to hesitate with their answer."
Point well-taken.

Thanks for the loyalty, friendship and laughter.  Good luck and stay off the roof even though you are back in the State of 'Hoosiers.'