Three Dog Night

I'm really not sure where to begin this post about my latest trip to Terre Haute, IN.  I guess I'll start with some feelings I have experienced today:

Gratitude - an extreme amount

Wholeness 

Fear

Sadness

Joy

Peace 

I can't thank the folks of Terre Haute and of Indiana State enough for allowing me the access I've had the last few days.  Indiana has always had a special place in my heart because of my many trips here, the people I've met, the friends I've made and the experiences I've had.  Every time I come here (and I really mean every time) I am blown away by the people, and this trip was no different.  I met more people and made more friends than any trip I've ever taken.  I can't thank each and everyone enough for accepting me and helping me to feel welcome over the past four days.  

The experiences I had were nothing short of incredible.  Here's a rundown:

1.  I got to see my first Indiana high school game Thursday night (Carmel at Lawrence North)

2.  I got to deal with some work challenges Friday morning from a distance and was reminded of how thankful I am for the job I have and the admin team as well as the coaches I get to work with. 

3.  I got to spend time around the Indiana State Athletics Offices Friday morning.  I can't explain in words how special everyone is that I've gotten to meet over the last two years.  More to come on this crew later. 

4.  I got to watch ISU Men's Basketball practice and sit in on their film sessions.  For a guy that loves the inner workings of basketball programs and athletics programs at large, I was in absolute heaven.  

5.  I got to spend time with boosters and friends of the ISU Athletic Dept. on multiple occasions and got treated as one of the guys the entire weekend.  I'd be hard pressed to find a more welcoming, fun loving and honest group of folks.   Picture Cheers, only in real life.  What a great crew.  

6.  I got to see ISU play in Saturday's afternoon.  Unfortunately the score didn't end in the Sycamores favor vs. Drake.  Winning games at that level is hard.....incredibly hard.  Coach Greg Lansing and his staff absolutely work their tails off.  I've been around high level programs, coaches and players and I'm telling you that this staff "gets it" and does things the right way.  Seeing the inner workings of film sessions, practices, etc. shows me that ISU has the right group in place.  More on these guys later.  

7.  I got to have real, authentic, open, honest and vulnerable conversation all throughout the weekend.  I can't tell you how much I enjoy conversations such as these. 

I want to talk more about the people I spent time with this weekend. 

Brett Carey is one of the all time great guys in this world.  Literally.  No seriously.  I've had the great pleasure of knowing him for close to 15 years.  I made the decision years ago to go visit him at least once per year to watch his teams play.  He allows me access to his life in a way that I couldn't be more appreciative of.  BC and I can share openly about what's really going on in daily life.  I never experience judgement and always trust him to be honest with me.  He's also a blast to be around.  Brett has never met a stranger and has an uncanny ability to be serious, funny, joking and flat out fun all at the same time.  He has a real gift with people and is one of the most genuine people I've ever known.  AND he's a heck of a basketball coach.  He has played and coached at a high level and coached and recruited NBA players.  Yes, and his two coaching stops have been UNC Asheville and ISU.  So, yes, he's an incredible recruiter.  And he's an incredible recruiter, in my opinion, because of his ability to connect with people.  There are no walls with BC.  I'm extraordinarily proud and thankful to call him a dear friend.  

Greg Towne is the Women's Golf Coach at Indiana State University.  I met Greg last year during my first trip to Terre Haute last year.  Upon meeting him, he immediately asked what books I was reading, what I did to develop my coaches and asked me tons of very pointed questions.  I loved every minute of it.  Over the past year I have read many of the books he recommended so I was READY to sit with Greg this time around.  I am thankful to have spent time with him on Friday at different points in time  throughout the day to catch up and bounce ideas off of each other.  I am a better and more complete person because of my interactions and knowing Greg Towne.  And talking with his wife Vickie again was a hoot.  She has an extreme amount of personality and is one fun woman to be around.  More to come on that and the choice of title later. 

Greg Lansing is the Men's Basketball Coach at Indiana State University.  Coach Lansing has always welcomed me with open arms around his program and I can't thank him enough for this.  It's an absolute pleasure to watch him work, lead his program and prepare his guys for games.  Coach is an extremely caring, thoughtful and attentive person AND is an incredibly high level thinker when it comes to basketball, motivation and life.  I appreciate his willingness to talk with me and allow me to bounce things off of him and just think out loud about kids and the way they play the game.  His wife, Kristi, welcomed me like I was a Terre Haute local on Saturday.  I had a blast meeting and hanging out with more ISU fans and experiencing game day build up with them.  What a blast.  

Julie Hanley is the Indiana State Women's Soccer Coach.  I got to see Julie on Friday around the offices and watch her interact with Brett and quickly noticed a vibrancy that I know makes her an awesome head coach (which if you're wondering my expectations for head coaches:  1.  Work to be over qualified in your sport.  2.  Build relationships with kids   3.  Be tight with logistics.  4.  Give great effort with every kid, every practice, every workout, every game.  5.  Be mission and vision focused......and yes.  Julie checks all of these boxes in a big way).  Julie has been around high level all of her life playing at Kansas and coaching at several schools including Iowa.  Her energy is completely contagious.  She is always looking for ways to improve herself, a quality that I both admire and respect.  She is also one of the most quick-witted women I have ever been around.  I fully enjoyed my time around Julie this weekend.  

James Schmeits is the Director of Operations for Men's Basketball at Indiana State.  James is a classic College Basketball Guy.  Let me see if I can explain:  He is funny.  Warm.  Welcoming. Loves hoops.  Would do anything to help the program.  Cares deeply about the growth of his guys and the program.  AND he is the most incredible multitasker I've flat out ever seen.  Sitting courtside with him at practice Friday I got to see him juggle up to four things at a time while being engaged with practice.  It's a talent that truly has to be seen to be believed.  James is so chill with me and I can't thank him enough for welcoming me like he has over the past two years.  

Marcus Belcher and Terry Porter are the other two assistants with Indiana State Men's Basketball. One would be hard pressed to find a harder working pair of guys that know the game AND teach the game which (I absolutely love).  Being in on the film sessions this weekend gave me an even deeper appreciate for TP as this was his scout.  The scouting report put the reports I used to put together to shame.  Saying it was in depth would be an extreme understatement.  Marcus brings a calm presence to the staff and an extremely sharp basketball mind as well.  Both of these guys have, shocker alert, welcomed me with open arms over the years as well and I can't thank them enough for that.  

Sherard Clinkscales is the Athletic Director at Indiana State University.  How cool is it that Perry Parks and Sherard Clinkscales are related?  What a small world we live in and what a cool connection to the ISU Athletic Department I have.   Sherard runs a massive department with a level of professionalism that I rarely see.  He is focused, attentive and knows what he wants.  He has welcomed me warmly each time I've seen him over the years and is always gracious with his time and is honest with me when he can't spend time with me which I greatly respect.  He is a leader that I look up and admire.  I look forward to seeing him again soon. 

The Happy Hour Crew.  No real explanation here needed other than this a group of guys that get together everyday after work to talk life and hoops.  Yes. Everyday after work.  The big challenge for them now is that Copper is closing effective today so they'll need to find a new spot.  It was a hoot listening to them list the pros and cons of their choices around Terre Haute for their new landing spot.  These guys are first class and first rate all the way around.  They are extremely open, honest and FUNNY.  I'm thankful to have spent time with this selfless and giving group this weekend and look forward to joining them again soon.  

I titled this post Three Dog Night because, to me, Friday night at Bohanan's really sums up the people and experiences I've encountered during my two treks to Terre Haute, IN.  Friday night several folks mentioned above met up at Bohanan's to hang out. Bohanan's is not fancy.  It's a bar and grill.  Plain and simple.  It has tables, chairs and a jukebox. Friday night it also had Kyle, one of the funniest and easily the most attentive bartender I've ever seen.  What transpired Friday night, for me, was magical and yet, as I'm finding, just normal life in Terre Haute.  Friday night brought together a group of coaches, their families, fans, boosters and community members alike to enjoy each other and laugh with each other for hours.  It's just what happens in Terre Haute.  Just a loving, accepting, fun, caring, encouraging and incredible group of people doing life together in the Midwest.  Friday night also brought three dogs to Bohanan's because, you know, why not? Why not have three dogs join the group having a good time Friday night?  

Terre Haute, thank you.  Thank you for truly one of the most incredible weekends and experiences of my life.  

I'll be back soon. 

And if you made it this far, thank you too.  Writing is something that helps me process what's going on in my life and in my head and heart.  Writing this post has been nice.  It's been a challenge.  And if you're new here, the point of these posts are for me to remember my travels.  My memory really is not that great.  I also don't care about grammar. Which is why I have sentences like this:  

Writing helps me.   Writing locks in memories and feelings.  The good and the bad.  Even though I believe feelings aren't good or bad. 

Having my memories here also helps me remember all of the amazing experiences I've had over the years and the people I've met.  

That's my big takeaway from this trip.  It's the people that make the difference. Where ever I am.  It's the people.  I love being around people.  That's become apparent again after this trip.  I love connecting with people.  Talking with them. Laughing with them.  Finding out what makes them tick.  

I've been open about my beliefs about myself.  My default position about me is that I'm not good enough. Or I don't measure up.  Or that I'm not perfect.  And if I'm not perfect or don't perform well enough then you won't like me.  And I believe that if you don't like me then I'm not enough.  See the circle?

I'm thankful to have tools, like writing and other things that I've discovered over the years, that help me remember that the above paragraph is extremely distorted and erroneous thinking.  I'm thankful that I have the power to change the script in my head.  The script of things that I say about myself to myself.  I am amazed that when I show up believing that I belong, that I matter, and that I truly do have a place in this world then I have amazing experiences like I had this weekend.  The truth is: I can do that wherever I go if I show up and be me.  I'm thankful to have shown up in Terre Haute this weekend.