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A
good
coach can change a game; a great coach can change a life.
Good evening!
It is with
extreme pleasure that I stand before you tonight to
introduce our first inductee. I feel overwhelmed trying to
encompass the positive... to reflect the impact that he has
had on so many people, including myself.
In attempting
to capture the true character of the man behind the name of
this inductee, my biggest challenge was to accurately
describe the many qualities of the man. In the end, the
best descriptor that I could find above all others, is:
respected.
We often hear
of how people are defined by their professions or careers,
but there the conversation stops, we never dig further to
see just what characteristics truly “make” the person behind
the title. Tonight, we need to “dig” deeper. Larry Ethier
was more than just a teacher, an administrator, and a coach.
He was a leader amongst leaders. A mentor to countless
students, athletes and teachers. He was inspirational and
influential.
Coach ‘E’ was
always able to get the most from his athletes. “The way you
practice is the way you play”. A practice was never just a
practice as we view them: opportunities to fail and work
through new plays. He was a visionary; using training
techniques that were obviously very effective and way before
his time. I fondly recall the medieval torture devices he
introduced us to, like the foot board, the rubber bands, and
the stairs. He’d work you until you thought you were going
to die, and then he’d reward you at the end by shutting off
the lights and having you lay on the floor, visualizing
every moment of the game - feeling the satisfaction of
having performed perfectly - before you even played.
Larry was as
much fun off the court as on. One thing, though, was always
assured: there would be music whether it was ‘E’ singing or
the soundtrack from Cocktail - not sure which one the teams
preferred the most. There was a lot of card playing and
joking around. If both the boys and girls teams won a
tournament, the coaches would attempt a little ditty that
Bill suggested you might like to sing a verse of later.
When the season was over, ‘E’ would host a Christmas wind
up - and you could always look forward to his special egg
nog recipe.
In looking
more closely at the job description of a coach, one
characteristic is truly exemplified by “E” - he was
committed to the cause. Whether he was teaching the boys to
dive for a ball or working through his own injuries. When
Scott Hucal hit his chin on the floor, in an attempt to dive
for the ball, he split it open. Larry proceeded to
demonstrate just how to execute this daring technique, and
hit his own chin on the floor. They went together to the
hospital for stitches. When he was our coach, E caught his
hand in a winch. His hand was wrapped up for the entire
season and even with limited use of the hand, he still
managed to coach us to success.
Being on one
of Larry’s teams meant more than just being a good player;
he encouraged regular attendance at school, working to your
academic potential, and being a good citizen. Larry’s
ability to inspire his players to reach their potential was
second to none. He taught skills that were not just
applicable on the court, he helped us become good players
and good people. He showed us how to be classy athletes,
good sports, and competitive players. He would always treat
you like a young adult, respect your opinions and decisions,
and could find humor in most situations.
Being coached
by “E” meant that you got to know Deb, Melanie, Neil and
Lucas very well. Because of the time that Larry spent away
with his teams, his family became a part of the team, and
the team a part of his family.
Larry’s
coaching and mentorship did not end with his retirement.
Players on his teams valued his opinions, advice, and
guidance enough on the court and in the school to keep in
touch to this day.
I am proud to
introduce someone who I believe to be one of the best
coaches in Alberta. Looking around the room this evening, I
see many people who share this same sentiment.
I am very
pleased to invite our first inductee into the Wetaskiwin and
County Sports Hall of Fame for this evening...Larry Ethier.
Return to
Larry Ethier Inductee Page
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