Icon, Legend and a Land Line: Remembering Leo LaRocca

The world bid farewell to a living legend, a icon of the St. Ignatius community—Leo LaRocca '53. The black and white photo posted front and center of a tribute email from SI President, Father Eddie Reese says it all. Sitting with a phone in hand—a secure land line if you will—Leo gifted SI with his presence and the ability to "make things happen." This sentiment is confirmed in Spiritus Magis—a chronicle of the first 150 years of St. Ignatius College Preparatory.

Paul Totah writes,

Leo La Rocca, who served as SI’s Athletic Director for 34 years, first came to SI as a teacher in 1965 and quickly became known as “The Godfather.” It’s not just because this towering man’s grandparents came from Sicily. Leo is the least threatening man you could meet. He was, however, the man to go to if you wanted a favor done. He gained a reputation as someone who could provide help with just one phone call, whether it was finding a donor for a scholarship for a senior whose father had just died or finding a job around campus for a freshman who had a hard time fitting in.

Although I never officially worked with Leo—I came to SI two year after he retired—I got to know him because of that gift of presence. He never missed the end of the year coaching banquets at the House of Prime Rib. Why should he? He hired so many of the men and women in that room. He attended his granddaughter's regattas at Lake Merced and did not fail to greet me: "Good morning Coach." I loved that he was in attendance throughout the winter break basketball tourney named in his honor: The Leo LaRocca Sand Dune Classic. He was forever respectful in his acknowledgment of me as a teacher and coach of his alma mater. Thank you, Leo.

I will never forget sitting one row behind him for a varsity boys' basketball game. We were both watching one of my favorite high school players, #22 Paul Toboni warm up. A great shooter, I said to Leo, "as they say, practice makes perfect." He remained quiet. He nodded and said "no, perfect practice makes perfect." I took note.

I know there are many, but my favorite Leo LaRocca story took place at a crab feed on campus for faculty and staff. This San Francisco tradition was gifted to us by A. LaRocca Seaford, founded by Leo's grandparents in 1906. The crab feast took place in the faculty dining room on a Friday—because back in the day, we ended school at 1:10 p.m. TGIF! 

Teachers were sitting at tables with their bibs on tight, buckets for crab shells were out and filling up. The sourdough was plentiful and the volume in the room was getting louder by the minute. I turned to see Leo walk in. He pointed two fingers to someone on the kitchen staff and the next thing I know, a bottle of red found its way to every table. No words were exchanged. He did put some teacher/coach into a headlock hug before he sat down to eat. I felt like I was living  what I had seen in "A Bronx Tale." Amazing.

Long before John Lynch made things happen for the Niners, Leo was doing that for SI. And reading that he was the fourth AD, and SI has only had six to this day—makes me think SI:WCAL :: the Pittsburgh Steelers: NFL (they have had four head coaches). The biggest difference however is the bottom line Leo chose to meet. Spiritus Magis says.

LaRocca never judged his success by whether his teams won or lost. “Driving home after a basketball game, I couldn’t tell you the final score. I get the most satisfaction not from watching a team win, but from watching kids play as hard as they could, win or lose. Championships are nice, but it’s far more gratifying watching kids grow into men and women, have families, be happy and do well professionally. I only hope that I’ve been a little part of their success.”

I am certain the tributes to will be plentiful—Jim Dekker's citation in Genesis is a must read. In remembering Leo, celebrating his life and sharing stories, I can only hope we will reflect on Leo's legacy and model his values, dedication and service. 

I would like his family to know how grateful for what I learned from their father/ grandfather/etc from his presence and sure example. When we meet again, I expect him to point two fingers. Can we get a bottle of white the heavenly banquet? Please and thank you.

Eternal rest grant unto him oh Lord—and may perpetual light shine upon him.

Photo Credits
A. LaRocca Seafood

Remembering Father Tony Sauer, SJ: Hope, Humanity and Holiness

The familiar sights and sounds of Advent greeted the faithful at Mass today. "O Come O Come Emanuel" was the entrance antiphon as we lit the first candle on the Advent wreath. This purple candle, sometimes called the “Prophecy Candle” symbolizes hope. Hope is the theme we are called to pray with this week.

But a few hours later, I got word that Father Anthony P. Sauer, SJ president at St. Ignatius College Prep from 1979 to 2006, died this morning. Though deeply saddened, I found peace in thinking how fitting. There is no better theme to describe who Father Sauer was and what he brought to students, families, colleagues and me. With Tony, hope sprang eternal.

I would like to say that I would take a bullet for Tony, but that just wouldn't be necessary. Why? I am sincere when I write I know no less than 100 people who would. Literally. Tony was a scholar, "so human and so holy" (to use the description that fellow Jesuit, James Martin has written to describe Thomas Merton).

In the days and weeks to come, much will be said and written about "Tone Babes." I would like to offer but a few recollections and remembrances of a man who changed me life (I am certain no less than 10,000 people would say that). What you see here is what I learned from his example and his leadership. 

The Power and Example of "Yes."
As many people have written about the power of "yes," it's quite possible there is more out there about the power of "no." For example, a friend said  to me recently, "my 20s was all about saying yes to invitations and opportunities. As I got into my 30s, I realized how important it was to say no."  I understand and yet, Tony did not live his life that way.

Tony always carried a small booklet—a pocket calendar—in his left breast pocket with pen or pencil in tow. This was his point of reference for where he needed to be and whom he needed to serve. 

Tony availed himself to sacramental ministry willingly and generously. He did this at St. Stephen's parish and at St. Ignatius College Prep. He was at hundreds of athletic contests, fundraisers and Friday Morning Liturgies. 

I remember countless times, Tony would encourage students to receive the Blood of Christ as well as the Eucharist. Many times when he was giving the Body of Christ he would tell a student he saw their grandparent over the weekend or at Bingo.

I will never forget a friend who found himself in a harried situation. The Godparents of his first born child flew into San Francisco for the baptism. With priests in short supply and high demand, the pastor asked if they could simply baptize the baby the next day and cancel the vigil service. Knowing how his wife had planned carefully for the christening, my friend went to Tony desperate to hear the word "yes." 

When he asked Tony if he could pinch hit, Tony pulled the calendar out of his pocket, looked at his schedule and wrote it down. He said, "See you at St. Agnes at what time? Got it." 

That story has stayed with me because we might not know the impact of a simple "yes." So many times, I fall into the temptation of protecting my schedule and organizing my day. Tony's generosity, availability and willingness to serve is just one reason he is beloved.

The Ministry of Letter Writing
Tony must have learned penmanship from his father, Kearney Sauer who was a medical doctor in Los Angeles. Although that  chicken scratch was tough to read, Tony Sauer hand wrote letters to every student and faculty member who went on a Kairos retreat. That = THOUSANDS of cookies.

He wrote thank you notes and kept regular correspondence with alumni, benefactors and friends, offering words of congratulations, condolence and more. His stationery featured a poem and his words were no different. 

To receive a letter from Tony was a gift for his words were heartfelt and sincere. I wouldn't be surprised if he taught this importance of that virtue—sincerity—in his AP English class (or in any FML homily!). I have a feeling Jack London and Tony are enjoying a malt Scotch right now.

One the More Powerful Messages
What do you get when you combine sincerity and the power of the pen? A message you will never forget.

Like many people, Tony struggled with his relationship to alcohol. I know this because he told the SI faculty himself. He wrote an email to us that said,  "I am leaving for an indefinite period of time to live at a rehab facility to work on my relationship with alcohol. I humbly ask for your prayers." His words were poignant, direct and sincere. So human. So holy.

In a world where people often deny or struggle to face this disease, Tony modeled for all of us the beauty of honesty and humility. He is one of the few people who named his plight without an excuse, recourse or blame. The unintended consequences of his message is that it left all of those who care about him with understanding, with compassion and with hope. The truth really does set us free. 

Don't Lose Hope, Don't Ever Lose Hope
I swear he wasn't quoting Jim Valvano....or maybe he was. 

For the purpose of context, I came to SI by way of athletics! I coached novice crew while I was still teaching at Moreau Catholic. I was so drawn to the community that I applied for a teaching position, as the academic dean anticipated two openings in the Religious Studies department. A series of events changed the numbers and still I found myself waiting for an official "yes" or "no." The holding pattern was fairly grueling.

Like most coaches, I attended the end of the year banquet—once held at the iconic House of Prime Rib—not knowing what my future would be. I found myself sitting at a table across from then principal Charlie Dullea, and back to back from Father Tony. 

At the end of the night, Charlie spoke candidly about the likelihood of a position opening for me. He said, "There's maybe a 25% chance it will work out. Be sure to apply next year." I left the dinner deflated but appreciative of his practical approach. He too spoke the truth. 

But a few minutes later, Tony walked out of the restaurant and was waiting for the Jesuit community's Jetta to pull up from the valet. He asked me where things were in the process. I told him what the principal had relayed to me but moments earlier. 

He looked at me and said "Don't give up hope. Never give up hope." He gave me a hug, got into that car with its personalized license plates that read "We Are SI" and drove away. 

The next day, the academic dean called me and said she had an opening. Four sections of Ethics, Morality and Social Justice. I taught that same course for 16 years in a row.

What kind of person leaves another with words such as those: "Don't give up hope. Never give up hope?!" Tony Sauer, SJ is who. His legacy is characterized by it. Hope. Sincerity. Generosity.Poetry.

Well done, good and faithful servant. You truly are, truly were a man for and with others.

+ - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + -

I encourage you to share your own life lessons from Father Tony here.
There are innumerable outtakes as well. Those are to be shared at his wake and along San Francisco's own Sunset Blvd.

Photo Credits
Blessing of SI student
HOPE
Tony Sauer, SJ

Top Moments in Sports History are...MAGNIFICENT

This week, "Rocky"—the first of three sports movies to have earned the Academy Award for Film of the Year—turned 40. My dad was lucky enough to see it at the theater. Asking him about it at Thanksgiving, he said, "Rocky grew in popularity. I went and saw it solo, I guess because your sister was a newborn. As the training montage was unfolding, I realized I was seeing something very special. I remember exiting the theater and thinking—Wow, I just saw something great." 

Happy 40th

Perhaps you have had a similar realization. Sometimes, we are lucky enough to grasp that something remarkable is unfolding in the moment. Other times, we understand—after the fact—that we were a witness to excellence. Such events are why we are drawn to live performances—a concert, a play, a speech, or an athletic contest. We are hoping to get a taste of greatness. It is succulent....it's tremendously gratifying. It sustains us long after; its memory is sweet.

On Tuesday, November 22 sitting in McCullough Gymnasium at St. Ignatius College Prep, I felt as though I were a part of one of the top moments in SI sports history, both during the game itself and thereafter. The varsity girls volleyball team defeated Campolindo in the Nor-Cal semifinals on Drucker Court (3-1). Though these girls have played in many exciting games, the energy of this particular match-up was unlike others. I give credit to a loud and proud student section, the timing of the game—the night before a holiday break, the winter temperatures outside offset by the warmth of the gym and the SI family and most importantly: the sheer talent, raw athleticism, strength, power, agility and grace of the volleyball teams. The sum of these parts made for an incredible contest. 

I remember looking at the girls on the court and thinking St Irenaeus had it right:

The glory of God is the human person fully alive. 

Those athletes—using their gifts and talents, battling back from a deficit in the lynchpin game (#3), their coaches, their spirit, their hops—they are a manifestation of that great glory. They have never been so alive...and we were too as we witnessed their feat.

I believe the best word to describe such moments in sports, cinematic, theatrical or music history, is "magnificent."  I attribute that realization to Richard Gaillardetz who described what we see, feel and know in his essay "For the Love of the Game." In it, he writes:

The ability of the dedicated athletes to develop and pursue excellence through training and commitment is not unrelated to the larger call to growth as human persons. Let us return, to Thomas Aquinas who described the virtue of magnificence. Magnificence refers to the accomplishment of greatness. It is realized whenever a person makes the most of their God-given gifts. According to Thomas the opposite of magnificence is the vice of parvificence, often rendered in English as meanness. Meanness here does not convey the contemporary sense of the word, suggesting some malicious action, but rather it refers to one who makes too little use of their gifts or abilities. Through the pursuit of excellence in any and every sphere of life, we strive to become the person God invites us to be. Andrew Cooper reflects on the connection between the pursuit of excellence and the appreciation of sports as a craft:

By investing an activity with one's dedication, aspiration, discipline, skill and knowledge, one's identity is linked to it. In some indefinable way, part of one's self is in the work. Through craftsmanship, a sport becomes an expression of the athlete's total self and the means by which the self recognizes its own excellence.

I dare say, we need these moments, for they connect us to one another and something much larger...the source of it all. When we are a witness to magnificence, we can't hold it for ourselves. We have to share it. Excellence begets excellence....magnificence begets magnificence.

My favorite part of this past Thanksgiving was after the meal, my mom, dad, sister and I sat down to play a game called "Sequence." My sister put down a marker and I said "take it back." The next thing I know she sings "Take You Back" and without missing a beat I said "do-do-do-do Take You back." It's the ditty that some of Rocky's friends sing on a down and out street corner in South Philly. They are gathered around the fire, they have a great voices, it's got good beat...and it's why we started discussing my dad's experience of seeing the movie 40 years prior. 

It's just one small part of what makes "Rocky" great...the magnificence of the musical score by Bill Conti punctuated by do-wop on the street corner. During the volleyball game on Tuesday, I looked at the coach, standing alone...standing quietly as his athletes did all the work. It's noticing the big moments and the small ones along the way but make a good contest, much more than great....it's magnificent.

Photo Credits
Girls VB: Thank you Paul Totah!
Rocky and Adrian

What Every Teacher and Coach Must Do...Thank You Coach Kelly

The last day of class is always bittersweet. More sweet than bitter...bitter than sweet (thank you Big Head Todd). On the final day, I try to recall favorite moments from the past year, laughs, great stories, important lessons learned and I extend my gratitude to my students. This year, I discovered an important truth on that final day; a realization brought about from the words of Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly. 

In a speech I heard last week, Coach Kelly said "if you had asked me 15 years ago whether or not I like my athletes, I would have told you it doesn't matter. So long as you can run or score for me, I doesn't matter if I like you or not. But knowing what I am missing out on with my own family, I decided I had to like these guys." Upon hearing his remarks, I wondered how he did that. I thought to myself, How does that happen—did he put a fuss-ball table in his office? If I decide to like someone or something, will I? And what does it take to like a group of young people? What tips would he give? 

And then I realized as I prepared my final remarks for my Sports and Spirituality class, a rambunctious group of 20 boys and 5 girls—that I did what he did. I decided to like them. And guess what, it worked.

The Class of 2016, 5th Period

An important ritual on the final day of class is an all class sharing. Each student is asked to share the following:

1. A favorite story or passage from Scripture that we have studied this year. Why does it stand out for you? Why do you believe this is important? What is the lesson it offers?
2. Identify concept OR a person that you feel is important and has helped you gain a better understanding of yourself, of the world, of human nature, of your faith, etc. It might be Praydreaming, Theodicy, Compassion or Scripture as Scalpel: To harm or to heal. Maybe it’s Jacob, Jesus, the women at the tomb, etc.NB: There might be some overlap between #1 and #2
3. Identify one person in this class who has made a contribution with their personal sharing as a partner, as a positive presence, as a group member, overall in the class, etc. Please think creatively and thank them for their contribution.  Bottom line: this class is better because she/he is in it!

It is a wonderful way to conclude the year as I love to learn what stands out as important, what resonated with my kids and more often than not—those students who gave of themselves: to the course and to one another get some recognition. In turn, I summarize much of what they share and then I get to give my thanks. This year, I shared Coach Kelly's story. 

I tell them when I first heard this, "I didn't get it. But as I look around this room, I do." I told them "about a month into this semester, I decided I would like you. I had to if we were going to survive." 

It might seem like a given that a teacher would like their students...and that they should like their students. We do. But we'e also waged war against them and in those times both parties lose. It's no way to be.

As I share my story, I look at the one student who refused to button his collared shirt on a daily basis. Or I look at another who did everything in his power to come and go—in and out of class—as he pleased. I remember how they would clap for each other ad nasuseum: whether it be compelling or completely asinine. So many of these second semester seniors had a full blown case of senioritis....in January! I had been there before, but I hadn't always handled it this way.

I can't remember the exact switch, but one of the days they were more engaged in the curriculum than not...they were feeling generous and maybe I was too. I let my guard down, I genuinely laughed with them, and at them (as they do). Something changed. I liked them not for who I thought they could be, but who they were right now. 

I told my sophomores I should quit now, I'm not sure I'll have a better group than this one...

Every class is different. I taught sophomores for the first time in 12 years. I didn't want anything to do with this course and I almost felt as though I were duped into teaching it. But God's grace was manifested in the group of 28 students. They were fantastic.  I never told them how much I appreciated them until today, the last day of class. I didn't want to jinx it. I told them I committed to liking my seniors...but I never had to do that with them.  I liked them from the start.

St. Paul says that "Love is an act of the will." As a teacher and a coach, our primary duty is to love those entrusted in our care. I think the ability to do that rests in a commitment to do so—again not for who they might be or who we want them to be...but who they actually are. Liking them along the way certainly helps. And what I found is there was a lot to like. There was plenty to not be thrilled about, but their wit, their zany personalities, their prayers, hopes and concerns, their work...that's just the start of it.

Photo Credits
Coach Kelly

The High of the 2014-2015 School Year: The Story of Liam— Something Beautiful for God

In my last posting, I shared 4 of the 5 highs for the 2014-2015 school year. Here's #1

The high of my year began with an introductory assignment in the senior Religious Studies elective, Sports and Spirituality. To set the tone of the course and for my students to get to know one another, we share a "Sports Moment of Grace." One of my "spiritual MVPs," Claire—who is now an alumna and a friend, told the story of a boy named Liam.

Claire met Liam while serving as a manager for the varsity football team. Working beside two other student-managers, she has contributed invaluably to the football team and has the respect of the athletes she assists. Many of those guys were in my class.

When Claire shared Liam's story: who he is, how he's involved with the team and why he's captured so many hearts, everyone in class understood we were let in on something special. The football players listened to Claire and added to her moment of grace. I realized his impact was too beautiful not to share beyond the gridrion and Room 202. The story you will read below was in the Spring issue of Genesis—the alumni magazine of St. Ignatius, but it will also stay with me as the high of this school year. 

It was an honor for me to have Claire as my student, to see the football players treat this young man with love and kindness and to interview him and his dad. Here's some insight into who he is.

From Genesis: Come to a varsity boys’ football game and it’s likely that you will notice an eighth-grade boy running along the sidelines, high-fiving the players and cheering on the Wildcats. He talks the ear off of the athletic directors, assists the managers, and wants to know why the school doesn’t have a pep band.

That redheaded boy, Liam Caraher is an extra needs kid—and the nephew of assistant coach Tim Caraher His father, Pete Caraher said, “ever since my brother started coaching at SI, all Liam ever wanted to do was go on the field and really experience football.”

Born with a motor-planning issue, Apraxia affects Liam’s speech and causes some cognitive delays. It hasn’t, however, dampened his love for SI football or his desire to be an unofficial member of the team.

Five years ago, Coach Caraher introduced Liam to players and brought him onto the field after games. His role however changed two years ago when a varsity captain and the quarterback went out of their way to include him and make him feel welcome. In doing so, Liam and the team have never been the same.

Pete said “these boys have been accepting and supportive of my son. They never treated him differently. Instead the realized he just does things differently.” According to senior captain Alex Griffith, “Liam is everyone's biggest fan and just one of the guys.”

Claire added, “I see the impact Liam has on the team at every game. It's the brotherly love he shares with all the players. Whether they be poking each other on the sidelines or giving each other a fist bump after a good play, it is easy for Liam to meet a new friend. He clearly idolizes each of the boys, but the entire football program idolizes his spirit for SI Football.”

It’s inspiring to learn about the symbiosis of this relationship. “These young men have made my son the happiest 12-year old boy in the Bay Area.” This year, the team honored Liam with two football jerseys. “I got #60 for home and #46 for away games!” said Liam.

“Liam's positive spirit and excitement each and every day had a huge impact on my life and motivated our team to grow closer together,” said quarterback Ryan Hagfelt.

That spirit was evidenced in the locker room after a disappointing loss. Alex Grifftih said, “everyone was either silent or had their head down in tears. When we began to talk about our memories of the season, Freddie reminded us that it was Liam's birthday that day. He came to the middle and we sang Happy Birthday to him. He began to cry out of happiness and excitement.

“It was very special for us to be included in that moment.” Pete said, “Every senior shared something. It was so obvious by what they said that teamwork, compassion and responsibility are core values of the program. I am confident my son will be a successful member of society knowing that these boys are watching out for him.”

Liam and SI Varsity Football Managers

He added, “Liam will probably never be able to attend SI, or play organized football or any other sport. That’s okay because he knows in his heart that he is a member of a team that accepts and welcomes him as a teammate.”

Talking to those involved in the SI football program about Liam Caraher reminded me of the words of Mother Teresa. She wrote, "What I can do, you cannot. What you can do, I cannot. But together we can do something beautiful for God." 

By some standards, there are many things that Liam cannot do. But to see Liam join the team in Wildcat jacks and stand in the locker room before, during and after games, you see much more than what he can do. You see something beaiutiful.

Claire said,  “When he sees the boys start to line up in the end zone, he drops everything and says, "I gotta go see my boys."

What could be more beautiful than that?

The High-Low Ritual: My Top 5

A great friend & colleague to share "high/low" with!

I have always believed that Commencement is a time to look back, before moving into the future. Even though I am not graduating, every year I make a point of reflecting upon the graces of the year. This exercise became a ritual with a former colleague over a pint after Baccalaureate Mass. He had us share our highs and lows for the year. In recognizing the joys and the challenges with a friend, I was able to see each year affords unique gifts. Even some burdens became blessings. Not all....but many did. This year was no exception. And I would like this posting to be a Top 5 list of the 2014-2015 school year's highs. 

We start with the lows—graduation is also a time for celebration, so we aim to get the hard stuff out of the way. The details of these will be sparse, as this might not be the appropriate venue for such sharing and each would require more and necessary context. They are in no particular order. 

They are: the death of a cross-country parent, at one point in the year seriously questioning if I was still able to reach students anymore, accepting that my ability to run has become compromised to the point that I should not run with the cross country team, and disillusionment with some folks I trust.

The lows are tough. Tragedy still hurts. But many of these challenges have served as a pathway to a new opportunity or understanding. For the grace in that, I am grateful. And the fact that my Top 5 moments of the year are all rooted in Sports and Spirituality affirms the grace in this discipline. Here goes!

5. The Great Pink Out.
Sometimes in life, things just come together in a way that screams: serendipity. On October 1, 2014, the Giants played the Pittsburgh Pirates in the single-game for the National League Wildcard spot. The Pirates had the winningest record at home in NL. This do-or-die game took place on the eve of WCAL I: a practice day that the SI girls cross country team designates as our spirit day.

Per tradition, the captains chose a theme. Orange and Black for our Giants was an easy choice, but October is also breast cancer awareness month. The girls called for a great "Pink Out" to be highlighted by Giants hats or gear. However, I just read of a great cause that combines awareness, education and charitable efforts for single mothers with breast cancer. I read about it in the San Francisco GIANTS magazine. The rest of the story is here.

4. My Golf Boys
Coming this Fall, I will have 10 "golf girls." I am really looking forward to serving as the head coach of the St. Ignatius girls junior varsity golf team. I have finally accepted that the way I run—which is now a very slow jog—and the pace our girls cross country team runs are not compatible. Ten years wit SI XC; It was a great run (pun intended!)

3 of the 6

This spring, the JV boys golf coach encouraged me to accompany him to practice. I played a few rounds with the guys, talked trash on the driving range and handed out a lot of encouragement (they did too!). In May, I had the opportunity to join the varsity boys coach for the California Central Coast Sectional Championship. I drove the van, we shared a practice round, broke bread together and I followed their final match of the year. We had a total blast; a former golf coach referred to a high school boys golf team as a bunch of "squids." Nothing could be further from the truth...and they became MY golf boys. You can read about them here.

3. Klay Thompson's 37 Points
I would like to thank this Splash Brother for his perfect timing. The shooting guard out of Washington State dropped 37 points in the third quarter in a game against the Sacramento Kings. In doing so, Mr. Thompson secured an NBA record: the most points by a player in a single quarter and he electrified my course, Sports and Spirituality. 

In this Religious Studies elective, I teach about a "flow," a concept coined by a psychologist and author Mihály Csíkszentmihályi. As written in an outstanding article "Experiencing Life's Flow" by Patrick Kelly, 

Csíkszentmihályi criticized the discipline of psychology for attending too exclusively to the negative or dysfunctional aspects of human experience. His goal was to understand the phenomenology of human development and well-being in general. In the course of his research, he discovered a “common experiential state” that people described during their participation in sports and other activities. He refers to this as “flow” because the respondents themselves often used the word when asked about their experience. Flow, as he uses that word, “denotes the wholistic sensation present when we act with total involvement. It is the kind of feeling after which one nostalgically says: ‘That was fun,’ or ‘That was enjoyable.’”

And the beauty of the Flow channel is that age, race, creed, financial status is irrelevant. Anyone can enter into the flow when the appropriate challenge meets one's skill set. If you're interested, you can read more in Csíkszentmihályi's  book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience or you can simply watch highlights of Thompson's performance and see what it looks like. It's more than "fun." It's incredible.

2. The Day After the World Series
I don't think I ever realized just how special a 7-game World Series can be. I suppose those on the winning side of them know exactly what I am talking about. 

Travis Ishikawa's clutch hit in NLCS!

I don't think many San Francisco Giants fans ever would have thought that team would pull off their third World Series title in five years (see point #5 for more evidence). Although it may have felt as though the 2014 Sportsman of the Year singlehandedly brought home that beautiful trophy, it was the managing and coaching, it was the clutch hits by unlikely and likely heroes. 

The Giants beat the Royals in Kansas City on a Wednesday night. I will never forget the energy that filled the hallways at school the next morning. Everyone was smiling. The joy was palpable. The celebration that took place on the field at Kaufmann Stadium continued in our hallways that special day. Makes me smile thinking about it now.

1. A Boy Named Liam: Something Beautiful for God.
This story merits its own posting. The highest high. Read it here.

Photo Credits
Klay
Ishikawa

What You Say, What You Do AND How You Make People Feel

Maya Angelou once wrote, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." With all due respect to the late poet, I would like to politely disagree. 

“One of the potential spiritual lessons
of sports comes in its ability to connect 
people–to each other as well as to a
team of strangers.” —Dr. Michael Tino

As a teacher, I work very hard so that my students will remember what I say. Or rather, not what I said, but what great authors, theologians, poets and artists and in my course, athletes have spoken or written for us to hear. I also think it invaluable that they know—again—not only what I did, but what their peers, mentors, coaches and heroes have done. Feelings are not facts. They are important, but they can also be wrong. 

However, what I believe Ms. Angelou was pointing to is the power of an encounter. The ability for one person to connect to another should not be underestimated. When we treat the other with respect and kindness, when we listen and seek to understand, we can't help but appreciate and remember that action. 

In a recent project, I was struck my how many of my students recalled the importance of the Golden Rule. As Matthew 7:12 states, "Do unto others what you would have them do unto you. This is the law and the prophets." I was also moved by what they identified as important and memorable from our course readings. So here's a display of what people have said...what they have done...and from that, I guess you'll get a sense of how it makes them feel. Enjoy

“I said to coach, ‘I was a 7-foot high jumper in high school, why don’t I go over the top'?"—Bo Jackson (ESPN Films:  You Don't Know Bo)

We must recognize that narratives matter. —The National Catholic Review

“Soccer was the best way I knew to be a part of a community” —Nick Pugliese

The 2015 MVP

"During peak experiences,  one finds connectedness with the universe around us-sometimes one is overwhelmed with that sense of being part and parcel of a vast and wondrous creation....I thought of women's basketball."

Jesus said, "Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you. If with all your hearts, you truly seek me, you shall ever surely find me." If you commit yourself to the love of Christ, then that is how you run a straight race. –Eric Liddell

“We are part of a universe, that part has become conscious of itself,
wherin everything yearns for something beyond just itself." —Ron Rolheiser

Photo Credits
Thank you to my seniors, Class of 2015!