Around this time of year, kindly spirits tap my thoughts with gentle reminders. The message is always the same; love, gratitude and lucky to have grown up in a wonderful family framework of tradition and warmth that makes Thanksgiving my favorite holiday.
I once wrote, it’s the people, always the people, who are continuously building the sturdy foundations we all stand on. Ultimately, life’s trajectory is about; meaningful, impactful, thoughtful people who shape our lives knowingly and sometimes unknowingly.
A short time ago, after I turned 70 years old, an early childhood friend from the old Ott Street days and living in Florida sent me a Morning Call article. It was about the passing of my high school basketball coach Terry German. My friend, Tony Conticelli, was the fullback for Allentown Central Catholic’s 1972 undefeated football team. I played tailback for Parkland and Central was our only loss that year. He wanted to share a story about coach German.
“Johnny, you probably knew him better than I did but I remember him as a very classy man,” my friend wrote, “He came to Central Catholic once to talk to us about how to dress and comport oneself and I remember him admitting then we were already doing pretty well. Because we were all sitting and listening dressed in coat and tie in the bleachers of Rockne Hall.”
I told him I read Keith Groller’s article about the coach. “Tony, he was everything Keith spoke to in the piece. Just a wonderful man who had a lot to do with my trajectory into adult life. Played for him, worked at Camp Olympic for him and laughed at his jokes. Plus, I could imitate him a little. He liked it, I think.” I’m not sure why he spoke at Rockne Hall, but Tony remembered.
Meaningful.
I shared this connection with two other members of the Ott Street gang, Billy Numbers and Mark Wolf. Billy’s uncle, Lee Coker, was the founder of Camp Olympic in the early 1960s and made it one of the first successful day camp and basketball camps in the East. Mr. Coker hired local coaches and young guest speakers including University of North Carolina coach Dean Smith, to help teach basketball fundamentals and much more. As a basketball camper in 1971, it was Eddie Biedenbach from North Carolina State who wowed us with his shooting skills.
Bill responded immediately when I told him about coach German, “Thanks so much for reaching out. I saw him a few years ago at a Camp Olympic reunion. He was so happy sharing stories with everybody. Gotta get together and swap some TG stories. I have some from my teenage years and early 1980s. I know a little about how much he supported you and mentored you. That type of relationship is the essence of life.”
He added, “I ran a camp for special needs kids every summer in the late 1970s and early 1980s out in the Parkway near the Fish Hatchery. TG used to secretly support our program with equipment from Camp Olympic. He never wanted anyone to know.”
Impactful.
A few years later, our Northwestern Lehigh team made it to the 1991 AA District 11 Final in Martz Hall. We lost to Mt, Carmel that night but ironically, it was in the same gym, same locker room where I played in a District 11 game for coach German while at Parkland 20-years earlier. The next day, he called to congratulate me on a fine season and to encourage me to keep it going in the PIAA State tournament.
Thoughtful.
My dad would always say when he respected someone, “They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.” And so, as the holiday season approaches, kindly spirits tap to remind and remember: Thank the people, always the people, who have made a difference in shaping and impacting our lives in a positive and supportive manner— just like coach.
Happy Thanksgiving.
This is a contributed opinion column. John Schmoyer is a retired U.S. history/American government teacher and department chair at Northwestern Lehigh School District. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author, and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication. Do you have a perspective to share? Learn more about how we handle guest opinion submissions at themorningcall.com/opinions.
