#264 POWER PLAY - LATE-LIFE FATHERHOOD AND NURTURING A FUTURE HERO

Baseball hero and color barrier-breaker Jackie Robinson once said, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." As coaches, we make impacts on others' lives every day, sometimes in large ways and at other times in very low-key ways. This year I have had one standout opportunity to do so. When Nate, a young man I coached, was in need of a place to live when he would turn 18 years old in March, I didn't hesitate to jump in to help. The original plan was to find a temporary home until he would enter the Army in July. But an unexpected turn of events led to me offering Nate a room in my basement, which would be a safe and more positive place for him to spend the next 3½ months. From there we got him back on his school's track team so he could finish his senior year on a positive note. He overcame being born with fetal alcohol syndrome by graduating from high school, which is achieved by only a small percentage of those who start life with it. Nate impacted me profoundly as well as I have never been a "father" before, and he taught me a lot about patience, dedication, and how to better understand how the brain of someone of his generation works. It was a challenge to be his chauffeur, stay on my toes with his changing plans, and do my best to ensure that he would have the greatest possible chance to succeed in his future military life and beyond. But despite the setback I incurred from helping him, it was all well worth it, and I don't regret for a second helping out this young man. Best of luck to Nate, who is now entering Army basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

This experience also made me realize something. I have coached for more than three decades and have had so many interesting, unpredictable, and entertaining episodes occur that I would like to share with others. So I have begun writing these stories that I'll add to a blog that will someday become a book I've wanted to write. I'll share the blog address once I have figured out how to set one up!

Bill Stahl
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