The Art of War

In “The Art of War” Sun –tzu talks about the important traits of the leader of an army. I am convinced that they fit what traits a good coach should have as well. These are especially true for system coaches.

Wisdom

Knowledge

Credibility

Benevolence

Courage

Unconcern for fame

Places Army (Players) First

Tranquility

Obscurity

Upright

Self Discipline

Clever

Inventive

Sun-tzu said” In general, commanding a large number is like commanding a few. It is a question of dividing up the numbers. Fighting with a large number is like fighting with a few. It is a question of configuration and designation.” If that doesn’t sound system I do not know what is.

Peace

“Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ''tomorrow'' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again. ''Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.”

Og Mandino

My Outfit

There is a wonderful song by Danny Schmit Called “Company of Friends”. In that song he talks about his beliefs.It got me thinking about my company of friends and my values as well. Here are my core beliefs. Do not hesitate to listen to the song and make comments about your beliefs in my comments.

I believe in the system
I believe in defense
I believe in the three
I believe in the next one in

I believe in the solitude of the river road
I believe the Wapsipinicon river valley is paradise
I believe in the quiet of the timber
I believe in the grace of the chicken hawk

I believe in my school
I believe in my students
I believe in my ability to educate them
I believe in my student’s great humor

I believe in golf
I believe in the challenge it provides
I believe in the sportsmanship it asks you to have
I believe in my nine iron

I believe in my friends
I believe friends can let you down
I believe friends can pick you up
I believe hate is a terrible thing

I believe in a higher power
I believe in prayer
I believe in the value of religion
I believe in being positive

I believe in private demons
I believe in love of friends
I believe in being motivated
I believe in motivating

I believe what my parents taught me was right
I believe family is life
I believe you can have family that is not a blood relative
I believe in love

I believe in old people
I believe in poor people
I believe in handicapped people
I believe in others

I believe that when my body no longer walks this earth my soul will in the memory of my friends and family. I believe it isn’t necessary to understand things in order to believe in them.

The Battlefields of My Youth

I grew up in the greatest neighborhood any child could ask for. One block from my high school, and two blocks from my middle school; it meant gyms, baseball fields, and football fields, but generally we just played in Balks lot or in each other’s yard. My neighborhood was filled with large Catholic families. This was great for an only child, because I could go in any direction and get a brother or sister of my choice in two minutes or less. The 1960-70’s were wonderful in a large Catholic town because you had endless groups of playmates and we did play, this was long before the PC, cable TV or cell phones.

We had the McCarville’s with seven kids, the Sill’s with eight kids, one Murray family with four kids, another Murray family with two kids, the Sirs with seven, the Bruns with four, the Buntrock’s with four, the Larson’s with four, the Skoda’s with three, the Bouska’s with two, the Endicott’s with three, the Hall’s with three, the Galvin’s with three, and the Houdek’s with two. I know am leaving people out but this was my sanctuary. I learned about girls’ here when I would watch an older sister beat up a younger brother it scared me. One day I watched as an older brother put his younger brothers in the streets on their tricycles and run in and tell his mom that they were out in the street and they were spanked. I can still see the grin on the older brother’s face. There were so many times I wished I had a younger brother or sister to blame things on.

My neighborhood had Cheaty Hall she was so cool. I hung around her brother Troy. I was just another annoying little kid like her brother. There was Barb Sill I had such a crush on her. Like Cheaty; she had long strait hair that was in fashion during the time. We had Tracy Hall he always drove cool cars. He drove a jeep into our yard one day and my mom almost killed him. We had Connor Galvin, he drove race cars. We had the intellect Danny Larson who became a lawyer and also climbed Everest.

It seemed as though,I always ended up with the McCarvilles. I was just another mouth to feed when I walked in the door, but their mother Carol always fed this growing sparrow. Their dad Bud gave me my first job, working for his auction company. Their oldest boy Steve allowed me and his younger brothers to milk cows with him when he did chores for a farmer. I doubt if I could have been around better people in my youth then the McCarvilles and the other families in my neighborhood.

The Colonel's Wife

In August of 2005 I took a high school basketball team to play in a tournament in Ireland. While I was there my mother had a stroke. When I was in a layover in Boston on my flight home my mom passed away. I wrote this eulogy for her when I returned.

Eulogy For Berniece Gillespie
By Jim Gillespie
August 18, 2005


Mom, it is almost impossible to speak of you in past tense. I cannot accept that all of us are standing here beside your casket. I cannot accept that the terrible disease of diabetes put an end to your life’s work, and cut short your energy and strength. You were an exemplary role model for how people should handle adversity in their life, through courage, determination, and competitive spirit.

Your competitive drive came out as you would join your brothers and sister in games of cards such as yukor, five hundred, and pepper. Your drive to be successful would break out in small arguments with them, but your true love for them would come out as you and they would break down in tears as you and they would say farewell for a short time or for years. Few people knew of your love to dance and go to dances. Be it to a local place to hear a polka band or when you were young and you went to Davis Corners to dance to Guy Lombardo and his Orchestra.

As my mother you taught me how to face adversity with a strength and determination matched by few. As bad health started affecting you, the ways you found to battle continued to amaze me. One way was your love to work outside in the yard. As you got older and faced your first stroke you had me purchase a riding lawn mower so you could continue to care for the yard. Although several people would beg to differ, you always said you had the best looking lawn in Jesup.

It is difficult to put my feelings into words, but I will try to tell you what mom meant to me. She was a loving mother who showed unconditional love. She was a loving wife who ran a household while dad was gone one night or one weak while he was driving truck. I will always remember her grace during adversity, her elegance, her generosity, her sky blue eyes, and as a woman that displayed true sincerity. She was always honest and down to earth with all that she met.

I know mom would want me to tell you how she loved you dearly. She relished her role as aunt, and as all of her brothers and her sister passed away she understood and fulfilled her role as matriarch of the Benson family. Although she was unable to always come and see you she loved when many of her nieces and nephews would come and see her.

She was not limited to blood family either, as every Wednesday and every Sunday she would scour the Waterloo box scores to see how her ‘boy’s’ teams were doing. She always were looking for Rogers score at Ed-Co, Virgil’s score at Dunkerton, Tim’s score at Jesup, or Steve’s score at Fredericksburg. If any of them would call, Mom would always ask me how they thought things were going for them, and if any of them took things to seriously she would always remind me that we would all face tougher challenges in their life then a loss in a basketball game.

If it were not for mom I would not have achieved what I have in this life. She pushed me to go farther in education and she seen that I not only graduated from high school but college as well, denying her-self things so I could get that degree. I can thank mom for my strong passion to succeed and to see that others around me succeed as well.

We have lost a very dear woman. At this moment, the only thing that is left to us is to remember the nice moments in your life. You are no longer, but your spirit, your faith, your devotion, the devotion to the path, remain with us. Mom, I leave you with a tear and a hug. I loved you so very much, a woman, a great mother, a friend and a teacher like you--- I will no longer have.

In the words of Bach; "Don't be dismayed at good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are family and friends."

Sarg......

I gave this eulogy at a memorial for long time Jesup business teacher Pat Roths in April 2008. Cancer stold a wonderful woman.

I can hear Ms. Roths now;

“Standup straight Gillespie”

“Awe Gillespie don’t be a weenie and stop fidgeting”

“Get rid of your gum.”

“Make eye contact with your audience.”

“Speak slowly and annunciate so people can understand you.”

Well my dear friend Roths, do not worry, I will sing your praises.


Mr. Chamberlin and I talked to Ms. Roths shortly after she came back to New Hampton from Rochester and she told us she wanted to come back to Jesup one more time. Welcome home Pat.


Eulogy For Pat Roths
By Jim Gillespie
April 17, 2008

Our Dear Pat, It is almost impossible to speak of you in the past tense. I cannot accept that all of us – Family, friends, students, and faculty are standing here mourning you. I cannot accept the fact that an abominable plague called cancer put an end to your life’s work, and cut short your energy and your strength. You were a woman in whom the vision and values of education radiated from. I have known Pat for twenty-four years, in those years I have come to know her kindness and compassion. As I have been checking the caring bridge that was set up by her niece often the last few weeks, I have come to realize the tremendous impact Pat has had on 1000’s of peoples life’s as an educator and I know she would take great pride in knowing that.

One of Pat’s strengths and loves was the organization of school events and having a hand to help organize Prom or homecoming, making sure that all details were covered by her students. She did not want one thing to go unnoticed or unrecognized making sure that all in attendance were happy and taken care of equally. It is Ironic that Prom is this Saturday night. When a faculty member would retire or go to the hospital Pat would always organize a gift or flowers to see that all were remembered and good thoughts were conveyed to them. Most all of us on the faculty and in the student body were in someway touched by Pats thoughtfulness and love.

I spoke to many students Miss Roths had in class, and asked them about their thoughts about Ms. Roths; Erica Kite said “I will not forget Ms. Roths advice to enjoy every moment you have.” “Nick Kite said Ms. Roths found the good in the things that were bad,” Dontae Taylor said “Ms. Roths was always willing to give a helping hand.” Kelli Oliver said “Ms. Roths put the lives of others before her own.” Veronica Reece lamented “the upper hallway of the high school will never be the same.” Taylor Kraii wrote “today we celebrate your life, not saying goodbye, for we all know we will see you again.” Perhaps student Amber Haack said it best on the Caring Bridge. “Miss Roths was truly a blessing to the students of Jesup High School.” To continue quoting Amber she said “I can honestly say Miss Roths was one of my favorite teachers. She always had a smile on her face and loved to tease each and every one of her students. No matter how bad of a day I was having, Miss Roths could always help me see the bright side of everything. She cared for all her students and was always there when they needed her.” Another student, Caitlyn Borwig said “helping students succeed in life was her career and passion.” People those thoughts are hard to top.

Pat believed in the students of Jesup, she believed the majority wanted success and a bright future and she realized as one person she could influence many. The number of past and present students here today is a monument to that belief. I truly believe Pat most of all was proud to be a teacher. She had this apple on her desk for many years as a quiet monument to remind herself that first and foremost she was an educator. Dennis Hart retired teacher and dear friend to Pat called me Saturday and said “Gillespie he took our friend from us.” Dennis, I have had almost a week to think about it, and think perhaps God needs a close friend right now as well. Pat will be missed. Pat was a loving daughter, aunt, and sister. I will always remember her infectious laugh as she would meet students and faculty in the halls with a wit and humor that we all valued and loved. On more then one day she found a minute to needle Dave Steuben about his beloved Cyclones with that big grin on her face.

Pat was always willing to lend a hand, give some advice, listen, help someone in need, go the extra mile, give without expecting something in return, and maybe her most endearing quality was to standup for what she believed was right. She taught me how to understand the meaning of love, friendship, fun, devotion, commitment, success, and generosity. There is pain and sorrow to bear, but, in time, we will be comforted by the warmth of our memories of our dear friend Pat. Pat was a jewel on this earth, now that jewel brightens heaven. I wish the angels peace as Pat brings her great laugh and her great personality to their midst.

The Colonel

My father was a product of Cottageville, West Virginia. Raised there during the great depression, he was the youngest of four children, two boys and two girls. Dad’s father, Wallace, was a horse trader, his neighbors all raised tobacco. Dad felt all of his life like he had to support the tobacco farmers so he chewed Mail Pouch, smoked El Producto cigars, would role his own cigarettes, smoke a pipe now and again, and even put in a pinch of snuff. Dad’s first job was driving sanitized jars from the creamery to the guys that made their own whiskey in the hills around Cottageville, he called it paradise. I have attached John Prines song "Paradise" with this post. He also swept out the round house in Huntington allowing the tramps to sneak in after everyone left at night for a warm place to sleep, and seeing they were out before anyone arrived in the morning the next day.

My father loved horses and this lead him to a short career in the rodeo. He enjoyed riding the bulls and would have lasted longer had he not been bucked off and broke both of his arms ending that career. He told the story of when he was growing up and a horse bit him in the right bicep. The doctor was nine miles away and the vet was three miles away. The vet gave him twenty-one stitches. He had the scar to prove it.

Dad also drove semi for thirty years going over three million miles and entering 48 states, Canada, and Mexico. I will never forget a trip he had to make for a company he had to work for. A company out of Chicago had bought up a bunch of old, handicapped, and insane horses near Dubuque and dad had to run them into Chicago to the “glue factory”. Even though I was about ten years old I could see the stress on dad’s face as he watched them load the horses to the trailer. Dad knew what was going to happen to these horses and it bothered him. He also realized that these horses were going to rock his truck all the way to Chicago. I saw that stress on his face only about three other times in my life.

Dad never wandered far from his roots, he always wore cowboy boots, loved pork chops and my mom’s biscuits, loved a Sunday afternoon nap when he was home, and loved to tinker with steam engines in the garage. I can still picture him sitting in his recliner with a check full of tobacco watching Sanford and Sons or the Rockford Files on a summer Friday night.

Expensive possessions mean very little to me, so I do not have a lot, what I do have are memories and I have some things that allow me to rekindle them. One possession I have are my dad’s spurs. They hang in my home.