Now, if you aren’t a fan of Good Will Hunting, that reference won’t make a whole lot of sense. But the more I learn about the ties 👔 between our Principal and Softball Coach, the more I grow to appreciate the level of bond the pair have.
This part of the book 📖 is about relationships, including the ones between players and teammates, parents and friends, the team and the community as examples. A great deal of my attention is focused on the fact that a Principal and Athletic Director decided that the answer to their Softball program was to offer the Head Coaching job to a man that had a tough as nails 💅 reputation.
When Principal Thompson first offered the opportunity to Nester it happened during halftime of a Carroll County football game. When Nester talks about the moment, even now, he has his southern gentleman grin across his face because he just knew he was being punked by his Boss.
The second time around, Nester realized that Mr Thompson was being serious and while I envision Marty McFly being called Chicken 🐔 by Biff in Back to the Future, I believe that the line was, ” The Rick Nester that I know wouldn’t back down from a challenge”.
I have a ton of respect for both of these two men and its fun to learn more about how of all of this came about. When it comes to the trees 🌳 that surround Cavalier Park. I have to admit they are one of my favorite parts of our facility, Nester made sure to sneak in a fun dig at his lifelong friend.
” The trees in all of their beauty, the credit goes to Mr Thompson,” said Nester. ” Who would have thought that a New York Yankees fan would go out of his way to give us a Carroll County version of the Green Monster.”
A.S.P.N on The Hill 