Heroes

I do not have many heroes, but yesterday I talked to two of my heroes. They are both coaches, but more important than that they are great people. They are Dr Joe Vigil who has been a professor and track coach for 50 plus years. He is in his mid seventies now and still coaching with a passion that that puts people one third his age to shame. When I called yesterday he was at the Olympic Training center in San Diego testing the group of distance runner he oversees. I said, Joe I thought you were going to retire, his answer was priceless, “no I am just going to step back a bit.” He has helped me in countless ways over the years. At out first Coaching Education Instructor training and curriculum development school he gave a three hour lecture on energy metabolism that blew us all away, no notes!

My other hero is Chet Diemedio. Chet is a retired Philadelphia police officer who started coaching at the rookie level with the White Sox in !987. That is when I first got to know him. He is the most positive uplifting person I have ever been around. He is also a patient and methodical teacher. There are many millionaire stars in the big leagues who were tutored by Chet at the rookie level. If you talk to him you would never know it, he is one of the most modest individuals I have ever been around. He certainly has every reason to toot his horn. He is in his mid to late 70’s now and still works six days a week. He is truly an inspiration.