Reflections.......

Life is a forever documentary of people watching. Our brains, eyes, observe - then, it's within our given right to forget what we just saw, color it mundane....  Remember what we just saw, be incensed, enraged, indifferent, repulsed, etc.

My personal fav, is when we're amazed, that's where we write down what we've seen in indelible ink.  I am a biased sort, and don't fear stating so.  I have always easily been amazed by my sister.  She's gone now (since 1999), nonetheless, the memories are forever embedded.

She worked in day care. Started as a teacher, climbed the ranks.  After three or four promotions, pretty much spearheading the fourfold growth of this National Chain of Day Care - all eyes would be upon her, and she'd turn it around to where if it wasn't for so-and-so, and them-and-those, and this-and-that, it never woulda happened.  While we all knew the changes wouldn't have taken place without her, she was very convincing.  And wonderful.  Sorry, not sorry to say so.

Reflection:  "the throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it."...."the reflection of light"

So, we take all these 'notes' over the years, formulate our opines, and play teacher where we give out grades without actually giving out grades.

Liberty has long been a Community where hearing something has happened, spreads like wild fire. Yesterday afternoon, longtime William Jewell Basketball Coach Larry Holley passed away unexpectedly.  He was, and has been, one of Liberty's great lights.  News does travel fast, I've had 5 texts, four instant messages and a couple phone calls sharing the extremely sad news.

A very much so earned place of stature in our Community.  All of us have a story to tell about our dealings with Coach Holley, and one by one they're showing up on Facebook - proud all, to be able to share "how I knew Coach."

Mid 1960's.  I didn't know Coach, but I'll tellya what - he was an idol to me.  2nd only perhaps to Pistol Pete Marivich.  I grew up 200 paces from Brown Gymnasium at William Jewell.  I went to every WJC basketball game I could afford with my 'pop bottle route.'

While he certainly wasn't the only really good player on the team, he was by far the most dynamic, entertaining.  (Special kudos to Pee Wee Summers here.  Pee Wee could jump out of the gym, and in my years of people watching, he's in the top 5 as far as 'wonderful smiles'.)

Larry Holley wasn't built like a basketball player.  Please don't let him know that.  The 5'7"(?) guard, would throw up jump shots from darn near Daviess County where he grew up, and they would go in with a lot more frequency than missing. Unselfish, just when a defender thought "ha ha, you ain't shooting this one over me" he'd sling a nifty pass to Wence Cunningham, Homer Drew, or Pee Wee for an easy bucket.

Around our area, the biggies were, one Harry S. Truman (our family would drive to Independence just to try to find he and Bess out walking)... and then maybe by then Lamar Hunt.  As a punk teenager, Larry Holley, to me, clearly ranked ahead of those two.

My sister, the reflecting one, had graduated from Liberty, was now enrolled at WJC, and she was quite braggadocios when she told me "I know Larry Holley."  "DO NOT!".. ."DO TOO!".. "PROVE IT!"

A day or so later, a carload of Jewell kids pulled up in front of our house.  Came in.  Lo and behold, THERE... right there in MY living room... Larry Holley.  He had a smile on his face.  He always did.  Another one of my lifelong people deductions.  (Of course, as did my sister.)  So, I got to shake his hand, probably said something stupid, but dang it, my sister DID know Larry Holley.

Those.  Were.  Some.  Of. The. Funnest. Days. Of. My. Life. - watching WJC basketball with the wonderful, wonderful team they had back then. 

Over the years I got to know Larry a little bit better - but not like most of you.  He was a REFLECTOR.  Whenever you came in contact with Larry Holley, the urge came to tell him what a wonderful person, player, coach he was - BUT... BUT... he always turned the table and made it about you.

In the 70's, early 80's, I had a cup of coffee as the Women's Basketball Coach at Jewell.  Years later I'd be sitting in Rancho Grande in Liberty, and hear "COACH SCHULTZE!"..  Yep, Larry.  The wonderful smile, the upbeat conversation.  I was thankful to be probably one of over 10,000 names stored in his telephone

S'more people watching of Larry over the years.. he'd post a photo of his 1st team at Central Methodist....   The Senior Captains of one of his teams at Northwest Missouri State.  Pictures of him running into a former WJC player out and about.. .the player AND Coach, grinning ear to ear.

He always turned things around and made the reflection about whomever he was with.

Over the years, watching him post of Facebook has been fun.  Very fun.  His family. Numero Uno. (Another one of those things to check off as we people watch in our life.)  And we've mentioned all his students, players.  Former players turned coach - that was huge for him - and there have been many, and many good ones.. and guess why?  Uh huh, they learned from Larry Holley.  Of course the in's and outs of basketball... but also, how to be a good teammate, whatever your role may be.  How to be a good person. A good student.  It was all about giving your best.  So they did.  And have.  And benefited from him.

I'd be remiss if I didn't include humor.  "What would Larry do with all that time once Basketball ended?"  Thankfully, he uplifted us very often with a joke or a pun on Facebook.  He was a lover of levity from Liberty (via all those roads to Jameson.)  From people watching, that's simply another ingredient to add to the recipe of a remarkable person.

50 years ago, Title IX happened and Women's Sports grew at William Jewell.  First ever for many sports.  "Vic, call me."  I did.  The theme this year for William Jewell's Hall of Fame event is to be completely centered around Women's sports.  What's that got to do with Larry you may ask?   Lots.  #1, is love for WJC.  #2, his love for ALL WJC students.  I suspect, this might have even been his idea.

I was a gym rat (and WJC student) that first year of Women's Basketball in the 1972-73 school year.  So much so, the Director of Women's sports asked me to help coach the first team.  Which is fancy for, you live at the gym, you're not really good enough to play on the men's team, since you're always in the gym, you might as well put it to good use.  Hehe.  So I did.  Twas fun.  Lots.

"Vic, let me know as much as you can about that first year, who scored the first basket, first win against who/where at.."  We visited by phone.  Emailed back and forth.  Told him I'd go to the Clay County Archives and peek through old Liberty Tribunes to see what I could find.

Disappointment in that I only found two articles on the whole season. Ahm, 743 articles about the men's team...two about the women's team.  Hey, our uphill battle had just began.

So... I emailed Larry the two articles.. and one more.  I told him on the phone it was an article about a Jewell alum coming back to coach against his alma mater and spoiling WJC's day.  When I told him, there was a pause.. then a deep belly laugh because it was easy to figure the article was about him.  And then, reflection happened. "You know Vic, I think I was like 2 and 10 against Jewell in my career."  Coach, you can't fool me.  You were good.  Damn good. Not only as a coach, but as a person.

His unexpected death has been a total shock to us all.  We all, fall into one of life's beliefs "they'll be around forever."  Larry's death snuck up on us. He was SO full of life.

So very sad.

Upon life's people watching, Larry Holley had one of the best reflections ever.  Period.

It's a sad day, but Larry would reflect, "It's a great day to be a Cardinal."