Thirteen years ago, I embarked on the journey of college at what was then named UMR and forever became a Miner. For five years, I diligently (ok, semi-diligently) attended classes, stayed active in the BSU, and was a member of the cheerleading team. I walked by “The Puck” on my way to class every day and cheered countless football games at Allgood-Bailey Stadium and basketball games on the Billy Key Court. But when I walked past The Puck, my head was usually down and I was going as fast as my feet would allow. And when I cheered those games, many times, I was concerned about what homework had to be finished or test studied for as soon as the game was over.
Now it’s different. This year, I began my 8th season as the head coach of the cheerleaders and dance teams at Missouri S&T (same great school, new name) and my second year as an academic adviser for the freshman engineering program. As I sit on those bleachers and walk across campus to my office where I advise 50+ students, my outlook has changed.
Monday morning at 6am as I watched the sun rise over the bleachers of Allgood-Bailey Stadium and observed my 22 athletes jogging around the track, getting ready for our first official practice of the season, I soaked it all in. I heard the football team chanting as they ran onto the practice field from their field house, watched the boys and girls soccer teams run laps alongside the cheerleaders and dancers, listened to the band in the parking lot as they marked their first field show. And I realized, I never really enjoyed this when I was a student.
A few hours later, I attended the freshmen convocation ceremony. I listened as Vice Provost Harvest Collier – a man I admire, as an educator, a Christian, and who has voice so smooth I could listen to him sing all day – explained the significance of the Joe Miner pin each of the students was given. He asked them to put it on and wear it proudly and to remember to wear it when they walked across that stage to receive their diplomas…then he ended his speech with the traditional chant…”Once a Miner, Always a Miner.”
Later that evening as my teams endured their second practice of the day (as they will every day this week) I closed my day by watching the sun go down over that same set of bleachers at Allgood-Bailey Stadium, watched as the volleyball team ran laps in the parking lot, the band rehearsed their field show…again, and students filed into the Rec Center for a game night. The weather had turned cool and as I drove through campus on my way home, I had the urge to park my car and walk out to The Puck and just sit there. I didn’t seize the opportunity that night, but maybe I will someday soon.
