Link: Womack: 'Coach' to many.
Paul Womack was buried Sunday, and the occasion of his memorial service reminded me of people we don't acknowledge often enough:
The coaches in our lives.
I did a little Google search after my grandpa's brother passed away and was amazed by the support given him and our family. Here's another article about his style...
I don't have many memories of Uncle Paul (as my dad called him). But, I do remember spending time with his children. "Somehow" related (we spent a LOT of dinners trying to figure out who was who, and what to call them..."ok, is she, like, a second cousin removed or something???") I spent time with Liz Womack.
Once, she brought me to a (?) university. I remember there was a field, and we walked across it to a gymnasium. And there, for the first time in my life, I saw a muscle/fitness competition. I know I had seen "fit" bodies before, but this was totally different...they were not on the covers of magazines or on TV!
Over the years, my dad told me several stories about Uncle Paul. As I understand it, he helped my dad a few times (when I was much, much younger) when my dad really needed it. Paul and he were so close, in fact, that in Paul's notes he had written down that if his brother (my grandpa) was not able to speak at his funeral he wanted my dad to say a few words.
Well, my grandpa was there, and was able to say his piece (and peace), and we're all moving along...slowly but surely.
I know as a teacher, and a coach, Paul will be happy knowing that he helped so, so many along the way.
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