Prayers for Coach John McNichols
Nothing to report at this time on coaches condition. He showed no improvements today. Hopefully he can read this one day (he's too old school to read this) and wonder what all the fuss was about. I pray for that.
The support for coach continues to pour in over the last 24 hours both locally and nationally. The IndyStar had a piece on coach and the Tribune Star has had a couple of really nice pieces on him.
http://www.indystar.com/story/sport...na-state-track-coach-suffers-stroke/95608442/
http://www.tribstar.com/sports/loca...cle_c48ea350-879d-599f-b314-4c7381be3326.html
Coaches across the country have reached out via social media and to the current staff to check on him and offer support. Really speaks to the volume of work this man put in as not just a coach but a great person.
Over the last 24 hours I've spent a good deal of time reflecting on my own personal relationship with coach. I vividly recall our political conversation in late November about the recent election and the state of our Nation. Our viewpoints couldn't be further apart polticially, but he is the one guy I can have an educated conversation with and walk away feeling better about everything no matter. I've had many of political discussions with the guy - he's as intellegent as they come.
I will conclude with this (for now), sometimes the legacy of a person isn't quite thought about until they are gone. Though coach isn't gone he is fighting for his life and it's been weighing heavy on my heart since I found out. What this man has meant to his family, his athletes, Indiana State University, track & field/cross country is unmeasurable. 34 years a head coach at Indiana State, 9 XC MVC titles, 4 indoor MVC titles, 11 outdoor MVC titles (one of which I was a part of) and 37 men's and women's combined titles and yet those are not his greatest professional achievements.
*(Captured this photo in 2006 at MVC Championships @ Wichita State)
As a lifelong resident of Terre Haute I point toward his development of the greatest Cross Country course in all the land - LaVern Gibson doesn't happen without McNichols, his vision for what a Cross Country course should be set the standard for the sport in the United States (think about that for second)!
The Heritage Trail doesn't exsist without McNichols - perhaps his single biggest contribution to the city of Terre Haute. The trail is used by fitness enthusist and people just looking for a safe means of transportation on a daily basis - because of him a corner stone of our community.
Gibson Track & Filed Complex - in an economic climate where track programs at mid majors are more likely to be cut than see facility development McNichols won. The man told recruits for 15 years that a new track was going to be built, he won championships without it and finally he got his track built!
Wabashiki Trails/Parks & Riverscape has been a personal passion of coaches for years. He's sent his athletes out to the river bottoms for many years in search of soft ground to put milage in. That developed into something greater because of his work as a board member with Riverscape and his vision - the same vision that brought us LaVern Gibson, Heritage Trail, Gibson Track & Field Complex and Wabashiki.
I could go on but I will spare you. Please continue to pray!
