Tag Archives: Mead High School

You Call That Unhealthy?!

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News dropped last week that Lunchables will no longer be part of the USDA National School Lunch Program. Kraft Heinz faced major backlash earlier in 2024 for the questionable nutritional value of Lunchables and the brand never recovered.

I can take or leave Lunchables. They are clutch when I don’t have time to pack my kids’ lunches and I personally think they taste okay myself. But the high sodium content just doesn’t fly in school cafeterias these days.

With that said, I kind of have to laugh. Back in the day at my high school, “high sodium content” would have been the least of the USDA’s concerns.

Back in 2016, I visited Sidney for lunch at the elementary school she taught at. This meal was more nutritious than the ones I was eating 11 years earlier in high school.

We were well-fed at Mead High School. And by “well-fed” I mean we were served all the greasy, fatty foods our digestive systems could handle.

For those of us who took hot lunch, there was plenty to choose from. A specialty item was offered each day but if you weren’t feeling adventurous you could opt for the standard lineup of classics: pizza slice, pizza pocket, corn dog, hamburger, or chicken burger.

You chose whatever calorie-laden American classic you wanted and the kitchen staff placed it in a large paper serving boat. You then took your boat down the line to choose your “potato item.” This was the euphemism our school district used for whatever fried side you wanted—french fries, tater tots, hash brown wedges, etc. And when you selected your “potato item,” you weren’t going to go hungry. The staff would fill your boat with a serving size similar to the fry quantity you receive at Five Guys (I am talking filled to the brim, almost overflowing). You would then choose a piece of fruit, help yourself to whatever dessert was offered that day, and then top it off with a couple cartons of chocolate milk.

Our school also had a period mid-morning called BIP which was short for Break In Program. It was basically 10 minutes for students and staff to take a moment after second period to re-charge. It was also a time to re-fuel as well. Greasy breakfast sandwiches and giant baked cookies were top-sellers. The student store sold candy, soda, popcorn, and more. We also had a coffee shop (the Panther Perk) that offered all the sugary drinks any high school student could possibly desire.

It is incredible that my entire high school class hasn’t died from obesity.

Farewell, Lunchables. Back in my day you would have been considered a health food. Don’t Blink.

Angel Thursday Rundown

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If you read one of my blog posts from earlier this week, you know how much I love October! So far, just three days into the month, it is living up to its billing. Hopefully this latest Thursday Rundown will live up to its billing as well. Here we go…

Angels – Once a month, our parish hosts Family Faith Night. These events revolve around a single topic and include lessons, food, games, and fellowship. This past Saturday, our Director of Religious Education Marie Bricher presented “Angel Flight Academy,” an evening all about angels. It was so enlightening to learn about these spiritual beings and how they help and protect us every single day. Although the content was superb, Beau’s favorite part was decorating the homemade angel food cake that was cut into—you guessed it—angels.

Beau and Sloan having a great time at St. Mary’s angel-themed Family Faith Night.

Mr. McMahon – Even for someone who doesn’t typically binge shows like myself, it took me very little time to rip through the six episodes in the Netflix documentary series “Mr. McMahon.” The episodes resonated with me because throughout my childhood I was a big professional wrestling fan so it packed a lot of nostalgia. Besides learning about some of the truly despicable things done by Vince McMahon, I was also surprised by how obsessed he was with success and the lengths he would go to “win.” It was really interesting hearing insight from Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, Dwayne Johnson, The Undertaker, and more. Also, all of the footage incorporated into the documentary will have you traveling down memory lane. If you are/were a pro wrestling fan or if business interests you, I recommend “Mr. McMahon.”

Vince McMahon is a complex and win-at-all-costs person.

Friday Night Lights – This past Friday I had the thrill of attending my first high school football game of the fall. And it wasn’t just any football game, it was the Battle of the Bell rivalry game between the two high schools in the Mead School District—Mead High School and Mt. Spokane High School. As an alumnus of both Mead High School and its football program, I naturally cheered for my Panthers. In front of 6,000+ people on a beautiful evening, Mead defeated Mt. Spokane, 27-7. The victory nudged Mead ahead in the overall head-to-head record as the Panthers now lead the Wildcats 14-13 in the rivalry.

It was a beautiful scene at Union Stadium as Mead High School defeated Mt. Spokane High School in the 2024 Battle of the Bell.

Social Circle – One thing I miss from earlier in my career was the chance to work on a campus television show. This month marks 10 years since we launched Coastal Now, the revamped campus show at Coastal Carolina University. When we debuted the fresh version a decade ago, it was a breath of fresh air as we used a digital-first blueprint that was popular in pop culture at the time. The launch of Coastal Now included a segment that was written and delivered by me. Called the Social Circle, I was able to highlight the cool stuff our social media program was doing. To see that first Social Circle segment, tap here.

Me on set of Coastal Now.

Reading Rainbow – It is always ideal when I can end with something fun and wholesome. My niece, Olivia, was born last May. Not even six months yet, she is already starting to follow in the footsteps of her niece when it comes to reading prowess. Last Sunday when everyone was over at my parents’ house for Sunday dinner, I had the pleasure of reading “Five Little Pumpkins” to her. She was engaged the entire time and my brother (Olivia’s dad) managed to take this special candid shot.

I read a book to Olivia while her Aunt Sidney holds her and cousin John looks on.

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Thanks for taking time to read Don’t Blink. Hope your enjoy your first October weekend. Don’t Blink.

Cash Thursday Rundown

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Good evening, esteemed readers. After last week’s emergence of extreme winter weather across the country, things have seemed to settle down this week. In fact, the roads were decent enough that I was able to drive to Pullman today and work from campus. Let’s get started with tonight’s Thursday Rundown…

Pizza Pocket – Tell me you had an elementary school cafeteria moment without telling me you had an elementary school cafeteria moment. This past Saturday I had a pizza pocket, a delicacy I loved as a kid but can’t seem to really find in 2024. But thanks to the Rosauers deli, I was able to enjoy some nostalgia as I sunk my teeth into a fresh, flaky, slightly spicy pizza pocket. Although Sloan doesn’t look too impressed in the photo below, it was my top lunch of the year so far.

I was thrilled to eat a pizza pocket but I don’t think Sloan shared my enthusiasm.

Wrestling Match – Sloan recently brought home a flyer that advertised a youth wrestling program offered by the Catholic high school. She placed it in front of me and said she wanted to participate. That motivated me to take her to a prep wrestling match so she could see first-hand what the sport is all about. But I didn’t just take her to your typical high school wrestling match—I took her to the wrestling match where a legend was honored. Sloan, Beau, and I traveled to my alma matter for last Thursday’s Mead High School Hall of Fame match that honored Cash Stone. The man built the wrestling scene in Spokane and even though he had retired long before I arrived as a student at Mead, his energy seemed to still echo through the halls. It was a cool moment to see his induction and watch the defending state champion Panther steamroll Ridgeline High School.

Cash Stone is honored at the Mead High School wrestling match on Jan. 18, 2024.

Netflix Reports – I have a documentary and a movie to offer for your viewing pleasure. The documentary I watched this week is brand new and is called “American Nightmare.” The three-part series is about a boyfriend who falls under suspicion when his girlfriend is kidnapped. When the girlfriend returns a few days later, both are suspected of a master hoax. Wait until you find out what really happened! I also watched “Queenpins,” a 2021 film based on true events about two women who hatch a coupon racket. It is a comedy with some star power and some of the coupon tactics remind me of something I might do. I don’t think you can go wrong on either option.

You can watch both “American Nightmare” and “Queenpins” on Netflix.

Sunshine State Day – Today is National Florida Day. When it comes to the state, I have spent time in Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami, and the Florida Keys. My favorite out of the four? The Florida Keys! We went there for my sister-in-law’s destination wedding and had the opportunity to be tourists in Key West. Fun fact: While there, we stood at the southernmost spot in the continental United States, just a mere 90 miles from Cuba.

A photo of Sidney and Sloan during our vacation in the Florida Keys.

Cinnamon Churro Ice Cream – When I went out late last Friday night to pick up some ice cream, my wife wasn’t too impressed with what I brought home. But what is not to like about cinnamon churro ice cream infused with a honey bun swirl and churro pieces? And the fact that it was deeply discounted made it even better (or perhaps worse?). Anyway, although Sid rolled her eyes when she saw Safeway’s Signature Select Cinnamon Churro ice cream in our freezer, she changed her tune when she actually tried it. Although I will admit that the frozen churro pieces are a little weird, it has great flavor and the swirl is on-point.

The Safeway Signature Select Cinnamon Churro Ice Cream was a little eccentric but actually pretty good.

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That is a wrap for my latest Thursday Rundown. It is a special weekend for my sweet wife so I look forward to celebrating her. Thanks be to God! Don’t Blink.

Mary Reser: A Mead High School Legend

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When I entered my freshman year at Mead High School, my sister was a senior. It was nice to know that I had a sibling with top dog status keeping an eye out for me. After that initial 2001-02 school year, I looked forward to when I became a senior and could return the favor by watching over my brother who would be a freshman during the 2004-05 school year.

Of course this meant I would have to navigate the halls of Mead as the sole Reser for two years…or so I thought. Instead, in what I am convinced was one of the best hires in the storied history of the school, another person of Reser blood joined the Mead ranks for the 2002-03 school year.

Mary Reser was hired by Mead High School in the summer of 2002 to serve as a paraeducator in its Developmental Learning Center (DLC). My mom had made herself known to the Mead School District by subbing in various classes in different schools over the course of a couple years. Craving consistent, full time work, she applied for the high school position and was thrilled to land it.

When my mom applied for her job almost 22 years ago, I don’t know if she imagined that it would lead to such a long and fruitful career. This photo of my mom and dad was taken today (June 16, 2023).

So, on that first day of school more than 21 years ago, it wasn’t just my brother and I standing at the bottom of the stairs gazing into the video camera with our predictions for the upcoming year. My mom also took her turn in front of the camera. In words that are now legendary in our family, she said the following:

“After 15 years, I am going back to school.”

My mom’s yearbook photo from her first school year at Mead High School (2002-03).

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My mom worked in the DLC program her entire 21 years at Mead. The students she served were teens and young adults with disabilities such as down syndrome, severe autism, and other documented handicaps. Others were non-verbal and many were confined to wheelchairs. Whatever tough hand these students had been dealt, my mom was going to be there for them. From that first day in 2002 to when she walked out the door for the final time just hours ago, Mary Reser offered unceasing compassion and patience to every student she worked with.

My mom retired on June 16, 2023. Her co-workers recently threw her a party.

Where did these saintly attributes come from? To be honest, I think to a degree they were just innate. My grandmother birthed a person who entered this world with a kind heart. But I think my mom’s educational background and early professional experience as a substance abuse counselor for veterans proved to serve her well down the road. I don’t think it is a stretch to assume that if you are compassionate and patient enough to make strides with people battling addiction, chances are you can also reach a younger population dealing with a different type of mental struggle.

But back to Mead High School and back to those students she cared for so much. I think a lot of us might say we champion students with disabilities. We treat them kindly to their faces and maybe even volunteer a couple hours per week in an adaptive classroom or center. However, many of us have neither the desire nor skill to work with them on a daily basis. My mom willingly reported to that same classroom every day for over 20 years to put in long hours to make the lives of these deserving and inspiring students better. That takes a heart of gold.

My mom was a great asset for Mead High School and was always happy to proudly represent the Panthers.

As I mentioned at the beginning, my mom was a paraeducator, which can be essentially described as a teacher’s aide. But who am I kidding? It can also be described as the person who is 100% hands on with the students, does every dirty job possible, doesn’t get paid nearly enough, and exerts more physical/mental energy than you can imagine. The people who stay at the job—like my mom—do it because they know their work matters and are driven to do good.

My mom’s t-shirt says it all: superhero.

When I look back on my mom’s selfless career, some images come to mind. I see my mom accompanying students classroom to classroom as they picked up cans and bottles for their recycling program. I see her behind the wheel of a large Mead School District van as she transported the students on different community outings. I see her at a table teaching small groups. I see her compassionately helping students use the restroom. I see her calming down those individuals experiencing panic attacks or other anxiety-induced bouts. I see her celebrating the successes of her students and giving them the recognition they deserve.

Signs for my mom lined the walls in her classroom today.

I also call to mind examples of my mom going above and beyond her job description. These instances come in the form of her hosting an annual end-of-the-year BBQ at her house for all the students. Or her attending the funerals of her current and past pupils who passed away too soon. Or her giving support and an open ear to parents dealing with the stresses of raising a child with special needs.

With all that said, I think a big reason why my mom stood out in her position was just because of her humble nature. She showed up every day for work, stayed by the side of her students, didn’t complain, and did her job to the best of her ability. To put it simply, she was there solely for the kids.

My mom hung up her credential on June 16, 2023.

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This afternoon, my dad, sister, brother, and I showed up to walk my mom out of Mead High School on her last day. We wanted to give her a hero’s exit because that is simply what you become when you devote over two decades to helping some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in society.

We were able to surprise my mom before she walked out the doors for the last time. They called her out of the classroom, we snuck in, and when she returned she saw us (and proceeded to scold us 😂).

As we strolled out those doors, I thought about legacies. My sister, brother, and I all graduated from Mead High School where we each had some academic and athletic success. Perhaps you could say we each made a small mark at the school. But even if you took our so-called “accomplishments” and added them all together, multiplied that value by a large number, and added a couple zeros, our combined efforts would still fall dramatically short of what my mom achieved. There is no question about the Reser who did the most good as a Panther.

My mom with several of her current co-workers. Special shout out to my mom’s “work bestie,” Norma Stroeher (7th from the left with blue Mead Panthers shirt on) for being such a good friend and for doing so much to make sure my mom was recognized.

As my mom joins my dad in retirement, I hope she realizes the profound impact she made. Her service to Mead High School and to hundreds of DLC students is truly the stuff of legend. Don’t Blink.

Buggy Thursday Rundown

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Happy Mid-September everyone! I hope your first half of the month has been all you wanted it to be. If not, make the second half awesome. It is that time of the week for a Thursday Rundown so let’s get started with tonight’s five topics…

To Fair Or Not to Fair? – It is fair season around the United States and the Spokane County Interstate Fair is in full swing right here in our neck of the woods. In fact, our family plans to check it out this weekend. But packing everyone up and heading to the fair is no light decision. Last year I thoroughly investigated the pros and cons of taking the plunge. If you are on the fence about going to the fair, you will be glad that you read this.

Sloan got her face painted at the fair last year.

First-Time Dish – Last night we tried out a recipe that found us on Facebook. We whipped up taco stuffed shells although we made some modifications. The original recipe calls for jumbo shell pasta, ground beef, cream cheese, salsa, and taco seasoning. We axed the salsa and taco seasoning for pizza sauce. It turned out to be a good decision because the dish was delicious! I can’t wait for leftovers tonight.

Our shells before they were baked and after they were baked. It turned out awesome!

BUGS…YUCK! – Sloan now likes bugs, much to my chagrin. She has entered that little kid stage where she doesn’t think twice about picking them up or keeping them as “pets.” I sure hope this is an abbreviated stage. As I have mentioned before, I can tolerate snakes, spiders, and rats BUT I hate bugs. On the bright side, because I don’t live in the South anymore, at least I no longer have to co-exist with cockroaches.

Sloan now has a fascination with bugs. This is her holding a couple of her friends last week.

Looking Back – I couldn’t help but reminisce about a couple of cool things that happened on September 15 in the past. Just last year, Sid and I went on a cool date night to the Davenport Grand Hotel to listen to Magic Johnson speak. What a fun evening that was! On Sept. 15, 2018, we found ourselves exploring the Jacksonville Zoo. Hurricane Florence had chased us away from Myrtle Beach so we evacuated to Florida. The day prior to the zoo, we actually visited Disney World!

Sid and I on our way to the AWB Policy Summit keynote address at the Davenport Grand. Magic Johnson delivered the address.

Latest Prep Football Stop – After Sloan, my dad, and I watched a high school football game at East Valley on Sept. 2, we went to a different stadium this past Friday. We visited University High School where we cheered for the visitors, aka my alma mater, Mead High School. Our trio more than doubled as Sidney, Beau, my mom, and my brother all joined us. It was another beautiful late summer/early autumn evening and Mead registered a convincing victory. We used the game as a training ground for Beau. If he could sit still and behave himself, Sid and I were going to consider taking our whole family to a WSU game later this fall. To put it mildly, we won’t be making that trip to Pullman 😊

Sidney and I pose for a photo during last week’s Mead vs. University high school football game.

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I appreciate your attention to tonight’s five topics. I will try to remember all my readers as I munch on a corn dog this weekend at the fair. Don’t Blink.

A Lesson On Cheating

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This past weekend, Sloan set up a game for me to play. She lined up three of her toy cups and placed a hair bow underneath one of them. She then had me guess which cup the bow was underneath. After a couple more rounds in that manner, we switched roles. I took a few turns hiding the bow while Sloan “looked away.”

I am sure you all know why I utilized the quotation marks in that last sentence. There were instances when Sloan tried to gain the upper hand by sneakily looking at me while I placed the bow. I debated whether to nicely remind her to stop cheating or take more drastic measures…

Sloan with the cups she used for the “bow” game.

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When I was a sophomore at Mead High School, I was in an honors humanities class. It was a challenging course and the students enrolled in it took the class seriously—including me.

One day there was a pop quiz on the previous night’s reading. We had two teachers in this class and the soft-spoken, reserved instructor of the pair, Mr. Hanson, was administering it. As he passed out the quiz he reminded us to put away all notes and packets.

As I mentioned, it was a surprise quiz and it had the chance to impact our overall grades. You could sense the anxiety and pressure in the classroom as we started on the assessment. Damn you, Mr. Hanson!

About halfway through the timed quiz, our world was rocked.

“One thing I won’t tolerate in this class is CHEATING,” Mr. Hanson bellowed. “Get out of here right now!”

The outburst had all of us stunned, and, quite frankly, a little scared. Our teacher was in a rage, a state we had never seen him close to reaching before. But what was even more shocking was who Mr. Hanson’s ire was directed at.

The student caught cheating, who I will call Glen, was even more soft-spoken than the teacher ripping into him. Small in stature and extremely quiet, no one would have ever expected Glen to have a dishonest bone in his body. What was he thinking?

As Glen hung his head and walked out the door, Mr. Hanson made a big display of crumpling up his paper and tossing it into the garbage can. If we thought it was tense in the classroom before this episode, there was no way to describe the terror in the air now. All of us kept our heads down and eyes locked on our papers as we finished the quiz.

When the time expired, Mr. Hanson tersely directed us to turn in our papers. Everyone was still on edge. We had no idea what was going to happen next. After a brief pause once he had all the quizzes, Mr. Hanson spoke.

“I am going to invite Glen back in,” Mr. Hanson said as his voice returned to its mild-mannered tenor although there was a sense of triumph mixed in.

Glen strolled back in with a wry smile on his face. Something was up.

It turned out that Glen wasn’t a cheater after all. Mr. Hanson announced that he had planned the whole charade with Glen prior to the class and that he would be receiving a 100% on his quiz. The whole demonstration was actually done to drive home a point from the previous night’s reading, I think it had something to do about ruling with fear, but to be honest I really can’t remember. Instead, I took away the general theme that cheating is bad and it can make even the calmest people erupt. I still think a lot about that moment to this day.

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So as I watched Sloan attempt to slyly look over her shoulder as I hid the bow, I considered going full out Mr. Hanson on her. But I figured I should probably wait until she is at least in kindergarten to do that. Don’t Blink.

“The Book Hog” and Cory Lux

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Last night, Sloan and I got a little more than usual out of our nightly reading routine. We picked up our first book of the evening, a seemingly normal story titled “The Book Hog” by Greg Pizzoli.

We read “The Book Hog” last night. When we opened the book something caught our eye.

We opened to the inside cover and noticed something…

We noticed a sticker inside the book.

There was a Spokane County Library District sticker placed inside the book. Out of the hundreds of library books we have read together, we had never seen a sticker like it before. We zeroed in on what it said…

The sticker read “In memory of employee Cory Lux.”

In memory of employee Cory Lux. I read it aloud to Sloan and asked her what she thought it meant. Being the intelligent little girl that she is, it didn’t take her long to say, “I think he might have died.” Sidney, who was sitting right next to us, Googled Cory. In a couple seconds she had his obituary. Before we got to “The Book Hog,” we were going to do some different reading.

We learned that Cory was born in 1973 and died in 2009. I pointed out to Sloan that he was just a little older than me when he passed away. He was born in Montana and moved to Spokane a few years later. Things started to get interesting from there. He attended Farwell Elementary, the same grade school that I did. We were also both Mead High School Panthers. While at Mead, Cory was a sought after manager for the athletics teams, delivering not just water and towels but inspiration as well.

I know the photo is a little blurry but this was Cory Lux. We felt fortunate to learn about his impactful life last night.

He attended Spokane Falls Community College and, according to his obituary, received a standing ovation at his commencement ceremony when he was presented with his Associate’s Degree in Library Science. From there he started his career with the Spokane County Library District, making a positive impact on the customers and his co-workers until his death after a second battle with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

As I read the inspirational obituary I could tell Cory faced many challenges in his life. Learning about his special character coupled with the loss that we are currently dealing with made me tear up a bit as I finished the last couple paragraphs.

When we concluded the obituary I read her “The Book Hog.” It wasn’t a long book but by the time I had finished reading it she was asleep on my shoulder. That little girl sure has learned a lot about life over the past 10 days.

Tonight I am thinking about the Lux family and praying for Cory. I am glad that Sloan, Sid, and I got to learn about his life. Don’t Blink.

Re-United With My Letterman Jacket

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When I graduated high school I left the state. I went to college and then started my career. Fifteen years later I would move back to eastern Washington. Upon my return, my parents started to suggest—no, more like demand—that I take some of the stuff I left at their house as an 18-year-old teenager to my own home. We are talking about high school yearbooks, t-shirts, binders of schoolwork, etc.

This past weekend my parents “allowed me” to take off their hands another item that was literally collecting dust. I happened to drop by their neighborhood at the same time my dad was retrieving holiday decorations in the house’s crawl space. While he was deep inside he could hear me talking to my mom at the entrance to the crawl space. When my dad surfaced he was holding something other than Christmas lights.

In his hand was my yellow Mead High School letterman jacket. I had literally not seen it, let alone worn it, since a couple days before my high school graduation in 2005. I loved that coat. It was my Christmas present my sophomore year and I made sure to get plenty of wear out of it over the next 2.5 years. It fit like a glove, it screamed school spirit, and it made me feel like a stud.

I had to throw on my letterman jacket when my dad brought it out (and Sloan had to pose with me).

Of course the first thing I did was grab the jacket out of my dad’s hand and throw it on. It wasn’t as comfortable as I once remembered and it didn’t hang the same as it did in the early 2000s. But the moment that leather draped my shoulders I was transported back in time and could feel myself walking down the hallways of Mead. Ah, to be young again.

Sloan and I had just finished at the movie theater when we stopped by my parents’ house so it was just the two of us. To be funny, I wore my letterman jacket home and surprised Sid when I walked inside. She wasn’t as enthusiastic about the coat as I was.

I think Sidney could probably do without this Mead High School letterman jacket hanging around the house.

Even as my letterman jacket takes up valuable closet space at our house, I am glad to be reunited with it. I won’t be wearing it to the grocery store or anything but maybe my kids will appreciate it one of these days or ask about the pins on it. Do you still have your letterman jacket? Don’t Blink.

Gary Baskett: One-Of-A-Kind

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Do you have a high school teacher you will never forget? Oh boy, I sure do! Mine happened to be a brawny man with jet-black hair who wore neon jumpsuits, sported tinted glasses, and kept a well-manicured mustache. Crazy enough, the only thing that overshadowed the unique external appearance of this larger-than-life man was the massive heart that ticked underneath his signature 1980s-era windbreakers.

It is hard to adequately quantify the accomplishments and impact of Gary Baskett. Oh, the state championships (4) and league titles (18) are easy. So are the coach of the year honors he received (3 state, 2 league) and the state champions he produced (33). But I am talking more about the ordinary young men and women he took under his tutelage over the decades. Those students he molded, much with the same care as his beautiful pottery, to become adults with strong work ethic, unbreakable mental toughness, and solid faith. These are the “accomplishments” and “impact” I am most interested in. However, although I know the number of students he had a positive influence on reaches several times into the thousands, I couldn’t give you an exact number.

But I can give you this: I was one of them.

This photo is the image of Gary Baskett that I remember from my four years at Mead High School. Mr. Baskett was a talented, one-of-a-kind individual

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I started my freshman year at Mead High School in 2001. By this time, Mr. Baskett was already a hall-of-famer. He had cemented a rock-solid legacy and was a couple years removed from his wildly successful tenure as the head track and field coach. I suppose he could have just decided to focus solely on his pottery classes during the day while enjoying his evenings and summers to himself but that wasn’t B’s style. He rather be involved in the lives and development of young student-athletes, no matter the role.

As a Panther, I played football and competed in track and field all four years. It would be generous to label me as an average athlete. I lacked natural talent, I didn’t have size, and I wasn’t blessed with speed. But that didn’t matter to Mr. Baskett. The man who groomed All-Americans and state champions went out of his way to give me one-on-one coaching throughout my time at Mead.

I can’t begin to list all the ways Mr. Baskett helped me become a better athlete while maximizing the limited potential that I had. He worked me out in the weight room with incredible intensity. He met me before football practice to work on long snapping. He taught me to run properly. He would pull me out in the middle of class to work on my shot put glide in the hallway (no kidding!). Mr. Baskett was an extremely technical coach who instilled muscle memory. His insistence on doing things the right way coupled with his natural gift to motivate helped an athlete like myself level the playing field with those who were much more talented.

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But enough about me, let me focus just for a moment on how Mr. Baskett was revered by his teams. As I mentioned, he assisted with football during my time at Mead. He was the conditioning coach but also worked with the specialists and the offensive/defensive line. B was passionate, honest, and funny. He would lead stretches and you never knew what was going to come out of his mouth. His conditioning sessions were based around technique and heart rate management much more than length and exhaustion. His pep talks weren’t unlike his stretching and conditioning regimens—unorthodox and creative. He could be tough too. Mess around or not give 100% and he might make an example out of you. But if he did, Mr. Baskett would always track you down off the field to clear the air and offer a hug.

Yes, Mr. Baskett was old school. His coaching style was from the same era as his wardrobe but it still resonated with us simply because it was so genuine and passionate. There was a generational divide by the time he was coaching us in the 2000s but it was bridged by the respect we had for him. We truly did love him.

In fact, we loved him so much that we would try to emulate him. Mr. Baskett had a very distinctive voice and a colorful way of speaking that was fun to try and replicate. Many of us tried to master it and few succeeded…but I like to think I got pretty close. Over the past 16 years since I graduated high school, Gary Baskett is the first coach that is always brought up when I connect with my old teammates. When word got out that he passed, the Spokesman-Review article on his life was shared like wildfire among the Mead football alumni family.

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For as good of a teacher and coach that Gary Baskett was, he really was an even better man. He cared so deeply about others. Many people might not know that he held a dedicated place in his heart for the special education students at Mead. Or that he was a regular at all of the school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes meetings. Or that he would volunteer his time to pull rope at JV track meets. Or that he would selflessly utilize his incredible artistic talents to beautify areas needing some colorful care. Or that he would gladly mock-up a creative t-shirt design for any cause you were looking to promote. The list is endless.

I do have one regret and it is that I never said “thank you” to Mr. Baskett after I graduated. I remember last year reaching out to my siblings and suggesting that we try to get lunch with B but it never materialized. Now it is too late to express my earthly gratitude to him face-to-face.

Although it doesn’t take the place of an in-person “thank you,” I guess this blog post might be the next best thing. On behalf of the countless Mead High School students who became better men and women because of Gary Baskett, we hope his family knows the immeasurable positive impact he had on us. His one-of-a-kind personality, epic storytelling skills, hilarious one-liners, and his deep devotion to others will be greatly missed. May God bless Gary’s soul and may his memory always shine bright at 302 W. Hastings Rd. Don’t Blink.

Stressful and Special Thursday Rundown

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Good evening, friends! Let me be one of the first ones to remind you that Daylight Saving Time will begin this Sunday (March 14) so remember to move your clocks ahead an hour. Another welcome reminder of spring! Let’s get started with the Thursday Rundown…

A Stressful Day – Overwhelmed. A year ago on this date, that was how I felt. A large moving truck pulled up to our house and emptied everything. It was a reality check that we really were moving and that my days in Myrtle Beach were numbered. Navigating a move is extremely stressful and working with the moving company was one of my least favorite parts. Now 12 months removed from that day, I can confidently say all that stress and anxiety was worth it!

On March 11, 2021, this moving truck pulled up at our house in Myrtle Beach and packed up all our belongings.

Heat Warmers – These bags are awesome to warm the hands of any Coug fan on cold winter nights but the story behind them is even better. My mom recently gave me these heat warmers. She is a paraeducator in one of the Developmental Learning Center (DLC) classrooms at Mead High School. Her students not only make these heat warmers but they are the ones marketing and selling them too! It is all part of the Business Opportunity School for Success (BOSS) program. The students make bags of varying sizes and prints. Let me know if you are interested in purchasing some of your own!

The DLC students at Mead High School are making and selling heat warmers. My mom bought this pair for me.

Sloan’s Special Day – Last Saturday, Uncle Glen and Aunt Carrie treated Sloan to a day that was all about her. They arrived at our house and presented Sloan with a rose. Aunt Carrie then took her to the salon where Sloan got her first pedicure. Next was dinner at Red Robin. They then took her back to their house for ice cream. Needless to say, Sloan loved having all the attention focused on her. So thankful to have family members who go out of their way to make our kids feel special!

Aunt Carrie and Uncle Glen treated Sloan to a special day.

Frutopia – I came across this meme the other day and found myself resonating with pretty much everything depicted (except for the Pizzarias…what the heck are those?). But what especially struck a chord with me were the bottles of Frutopia in the bottom right hand corner. Seeing the drink brought me right back to middle school and the Frutopia vending machine right outside of the gym. These were the cool things to drink and forget the fact that they were all sugar because if the first three letters were “fru” they had to have been healthy! Good times.

All this stuff brought a smile to my face…especially the Frutopia.

Pete the Cat – Sloan’s favorite children’s book series is Pete the Cat. She loves that adventurous feline! Naturally, when we went to the library we checked out several of Pete’s books. Do you or your children like Pete the Cat? If so, please let me know your favorite book in the series. I would love to get it for Sloan.

Sloan loves “Pete the Cat.” Do you have a favorite book in the series?

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I believe that is it for tonight. Hope you get the chance to watch some college basketball this weekend. Don’t Blink.