Answered Prayers

Yesterday was the 48th Annual Jacksonville high school cross country invitational meet hence forth to be called the 'Dan Moy Invitational Cross Country Meet.'  Long time, but now retired JHS cross country Coach Moy was the architect of that event. Dan and I were Crimsons' coaching colleagues for the 21-years I served as basketball coach and athletic director. Our relationship goes back to 1970, when I was the Basketball/cross country coach at Edwardsville high school. My Edwardsville cross country teams participated in the JHS Moy coached meet and my Tigers' basketball teams participated in the Jacksonville mid-January basketball 4-team tournament where Dan was at the officials' table operating the game clock.

In 1977, the Jacksonville basketball coaching position opened, which tweaked my interest. Dan Moy was the first person I telephoned to inquire about the circumstances leading to that vacancy. The rest is history. I became the Crimsons' basketball coach and Dan Moy became a good friend and remained at that scorers table during my tenure.

In 1998, my wife and I moved to Decatur where I assumed basketball coaching duties for three more seasons and after a final coaching retirement continue to serve the Decatur School District in Sports advisory position. It's been many years since I last visited with Moy. However, a few years ago, I did attend the JHS Cross Country Invitational Meet in anticipation of 'seeing' Dan. That would not happened as I sadly discorevered that Dan was very ill with a form of cancer.

My son, Steve's Granite City cross country team was competing in the meet this past Saturday with some forty teams. I was hoping to attend the event but felt a stronger need to be nearby my wife who is recovering from hip replacement surgery.

I received a phone call from an individual who attended the meet who shared this: "Coach Mel, I was at the JHS CC Invitational Meet today and want to tell you that your son hit a home run. Before the meet began, the administrators brought the 40-coaches together to inform them that the meet hence forth would be called 'The Dan Moy Invitational Meet.' Coaches were offered an opportunity to speak. Steve was one of two coaches to offer words and I paraphrase: 'I'm a 1980 JHS graduate, who was blessed to know Coach Moy as both a student and later in the coaching world. Coach Moy was an incredible Christian mentor to many young students/athletes as he sponsored the FCA. I was richly blessed by that experience. Coach Moy, I love you and thank you.' Well said, Steve. Well said!

Today, Dan Moy is cancer-free...Praise God. Dan added, "I'm humbled by having this meet named in my honor...I'm so grateful it is not the Dan Moy 'Memorial' Invitational."
Answered Prayer...Thank you, Lord
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What a Friend!