Coach's-Corner
Two weeks ago, I wrote about “Volunteering,” and I asked for your help by volunteering to work at the Class A Duals Wrestling Tournament that we hosted this past weekend. This week, my focus is on “Gratitude,” because I am so grateful to all of the people in our community who stepped up and did so much to make the wrestling tournament such a huge success.
Below, you will see a long list of people and groups who I want to thank for all they did to help out at the tournament. Over twenty years ago, when I was an English teacher, there was a poem or an essay or some other type of document that I remember reading and teaching to my class. I wish I could remember it exactly and who wrote it because the message is perfect for what I want to say right now.
The message was something along the lines of the writer saying he would like to individually and specifically thank everyone who helped out at whatever he received the help for. However, he decided not to list them out individually because he feared that he would forget someone. By forgetting someone who had helped, he would feel terrible. Forgetting to mention someone by name does not mean that that person’s contribution was not important. It just means that the person who forgot is a human being, and human beings sometimes forget things.
I know EXACTLY how that writer felt. I want to thank so many different people individually for their hard work and their commitment to make this tournament run the way it did. But I’m afraid that if I forget someone, I will hurt their feelings or make them feel like I didn’t appreciate what they did or that I don’t value them or their contribution to our tournament.
On top of that, I’m 64 years old now. I FORGET THINGS ALL THE TIME!! So I’m hesitant to single out people specifically to thank them.
However, I have decided to go ahead and mention some people individually. I am not going to single out EVERYONE who helped out because I simply don’t have enough room to do so, and I’m sure I wouldn’t remember everyone.
Having said all that, and at the risk of hurting someone’s feelings, I would like to thank the following people and groups of people for all they did to make the tournament a huge success.
Thank you to:
The entire Livingston community, the Livingston Little Guy Wrestling program and families, and the high school wrestling program, coaches, athletes, and families for all that they did to make it such a huge success. From setting up on Thursday night to all their work during the tournament on Friday and Saturday to all they did to clean up on Saturday night, they went above and beyond the call of duty. I would like to specifically thank Dorothy Jett from the Livingston Little Guy Wrestling program for all that she did in so many facets and to be point person for the Little Guy wrestling group of parents that did so much work to make this tournament happen.
Sean Dellwo, the AD at Polson High School, for setting up and running the entire tournament. He was instrumental to the tournament running so smoothly.
Ben Hahn, Winans Grade School Dean, for running the girls’ tournament at SGMS and making it go so smoothly both days.
The trainers from Carroll College – Kris & Hunter; the trainer from Hardin – Don D; the EMT – Isabelle; and the PT – Andrea for all the work they did keeping all of the athletes healthy and safe.
The Livingston School District IT Department – Harley, Sarah, & Peter – for all the tech needs that they took care of. We had laptops and TVs at each mat working together, and three TVs showing the matches in the PHS Main Gym and RecPlex (auxiliary gym), among other things.
The Custodial Staffs at PHS & SGMS for taking care of problems (toilets, heat, snow & ice on sidewalks, etc.) that occurred during the tournament, as well as the setup and cleanup of both places.
Our PHS Booster Club for the outstanding job they did with concessions (just like they do for every home contest).
Vicki Petry and her crew at Mountain Air for the extremely popular t-shirts & hoodies that looked so cool!
Sierra Nardella for making the signs for the parking lots & doors and Brent Bealey, PHS AG teacher, for putting them onto pallets and getting them ready for posting on such short notice.
Adria Rodgers, PHS Attendance Secretary, for putting all of the rosters together for programs, as well as getting the lanyards for tournament workers and for getting the ticket takers’ cash boxes set up.
Steph at the Main Print Shop for taking the rosters that Adria put together and creating the programs from them. Also, for creating the brackets that each of the girls’ champions received for taking 1st place in their weight class.
All of the families and restaurants that provided the outstanding food for the Hospitality Rooms. I apologize if I forget any of you in the following list: Albertson’s, Domino’s Pizza, Engine Room Pizza, Fiesta en Jalisco, Foodworks, Lehrkind’s Coca-Cola, Matt’s Butcher Shop, Perk on Park Coffee, Pizza Hut, Rx Coffee, and Town & Country Food Store.
Finally, thanks to all of the people who volunteered and worked so hard, from set-up, to table workers, to ticket-takers, to hospitality room monitors, and everyone else who helped make this tournament such a huge success. I have heard nothing but compliments from so many people, and it sounds like people would like to see this tournament back in Livingston at some point in the future. It has bounced between a couple of communities through the years, but with the job that our people did this weekend, I think there is a good chance that we will have a shot at getting it back here in a few years.
I am so grateful to all of you who stepped up and helped us put on a great tournament. What a great community we live in!
