Wednesday

Dr. Jim Kraby - 20 Wins Or Else!

I was working in my office today when the sound of a familar voice made me get out of my chair and walk out into the hallway where I immediately saw Dr. Jim Kraby, the former President of UCC who hired me several years ago. Dr. Kraby retired eight years ago and even though he is now living in Arizona with his wife Pat, his heart is evidently still in the UCC gym.

We walked back into my office and the first thing Dr. Kraby said to me was, "What happened in the Skagit Valley game? You played so well all year but then couldn't make a shot those first six minutes!" He knew our record, all the players names, important stats, etc. and was truly disappointed that we didn't get that one more win. Dr. Kraby walked straight over to a picture of one of our championship teams, the one where he is standing in the front holding the championship trophy with a big smile on his face, and said, " I have this picture hanging in my house in Arizona!"

I couldn't help but thinking back at the first time we met; when he interviewed me right before he offered me the coaching position that I still have today. "All you have to do to keep your job," Kraby told me, "is to win 20 games a year and make sure your players stay out of trouble!" (Of course I told him that my goals were much higher than just 20 a year.) To this day I still don't know if he was dead serious or not, but every year, on the morning after our 20th win, I would get a call or an email telling me that I could sign another contract and stay on for one more year.

Even though he's been in Arizona for eight years, I STILL get an email each season the morning after our 20th win telling me I deserve to stay on one more year. I'm already looking forward to the next one!!

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