Etheridge books provide nice summer reading
To my knowledge, Emile Etheridge has never written a sports column, and he may have delivered a sermon or two in his lifetime. But he does a good combination of both in a pair of books that he has written, and which provided some thoughtful reading while sitting on the front porch. The former Uniontown High School athlete has recently published “The Spotlight and the Magnifying Glass,” in which he outlines a winning formula for young people, and “Good Coach? Bad Coach?” in which he reflects on his career and some of the men who played major parts in his efforts.
His “Spotlight” book is a reminder to young athletes, or those who want to become athletes, that if they decide to do so, then from that time on they are “being observed. The spotlight and magnifying glass are on you – by your coach, family, teammates, peers, and the general public.”
A reminder that whatever they do from that day on, they will be watched by others, who will judge them accordingly, and they, in turn, “have an opportunity to shape and mold your image and work very hard to be a positive role model for our youth.”
Some good thoughts and reminders to those who want to go into athletics, and hope to have a future in their chosen sport(s).
We hear coaches, banquet speakers, commencement addresses, etc., who remind us, especially if we are athletes, that the eyes of the world are always on us, and sometimes we tend to just brush them off.
But in the case of Emile, who has “been there and done that” as both an athlete and coach, his words have a more emphatic meaning.
Emile’s book on “…Coach” is reflective on his career, and is a sincere narrative on some of those who helped him along the way. Men like his brother, Mike, Bob Genovese, coaches-teachers Robert Fee Sr. and Abe Everhart, and the latter’s assistant, Dave Shuck.
Especially interesting is the advice given by Coach-Teacher Fee to Emile and his teammates, and how he passed the same on to those who he would coach a generation later. Those who remember Mr. Fee will get added enjoyment from his advice.
As we all remember, Abe Everhart was not a vocal coach during a game, but he did have a fine sense of humor, as Emile recalls. He also reminds that Shuck could make his moves known, and at 6-8, the ex-West Virginia Mountaineer was big enough to make them that much more emphatic.
From high school, Emile continues on to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, where he meets other coaches who would have a bearing on his life, Neuman Benson, and his assistant Joe Acotta.
He continues through college, marriage to his junior high sweetheart, Melinda, and then into the start of his coaching career that started in Minnesota, and has wound up back in Uniontown.
Along the way, he has had solid advice to his athletes, including the old reminder that “the first priority at school is academics, and basketball is second,” with the added reminder that they now represent their school district in whatever they do. And always the reminder that whatever they do, they are “class” and should represent themselves accordingly.
There are little anecdotes and reminders along the way, pointers that young people often hear, but which they seem to brush off when voiced by someone outside of coaching or active sports.
Emile’s books are interesting, meaningful reading, not just because they are associated with sports, but because of the good, wholesome advice he has for young people. Actually, some of us “oldsters” could very well heed the same advice.
Especially, his reminder that “The Winning Formula – Faith, plus hard work, plus a positive attitude, equals success.”
Emile’s books make for a relaxing evening of reading. For copies, contact him by phone at 724-438-0240 or by mail at 18 Feathers Ave., Uniontown, Pa., 15401.
Jim Kriek is a correspondent for the Herald-Standard