Rain, Rain Go Away - For Now

Earlier in the year I discussed in one of my blogs about our timetable for the completion of our new track facility. Now as we are days away from the start of the school year, we are disappointed that we have not reached the goal of having the track completed. There are various reasons for the delays, but the bottom line is that we will not have the track finished until late October. I know that Coach Smith and his athletes are frustrated; however, we will do the best we can with what resources are available to us. And we know that once this project is completed, it will play a major role in transforming the athletic facilities at Grape Street. While I am annoyed by the delays, I am still amazed at what we have been able to do at Grape Street over the last six years. What was once home to red ants and tumbleweeds has become a great facility with an even greater future.

One of the reasons for the delay for the track facility is the rain, which this week has also caused numerous logistical headaches for our football and soccer programs. Trying to balance a practice schedule, while worrying about the upkeep of our fields, is not a dilemma that any coach relishes. At this time of year all of our coaches have bookmarked the weather.com website so they can check the hourly forecast for rain and potential lightning. Fortunately we have not had to delay any practices because of lightning this week. Our cross country teams have been able to avoid much of the bad weather, which is the least Mother Nature could do for them since they are practicing at six a.m. Longtime Abilene residents will remember that we could always count on the rain to hit during the West Texas Fair and Rodeo in September. Now as we have had rain for the third time in the last four years during New Student Orientation, we might have a new traditional forecast for rain each year.

The rain also caused issues for the new students who were moving into the dorms today. I saw many parents and students struggling with numerous boxes and suitcases as they attempted to move in during one of our many showers today. The rain will add to the many memories that this week will bring for both parents and students. And I am sure that in the case of our male students, today will likely be the cleanest that their dorm room will be for the rest of the semester.

Welcome To HSU

He can tell you stories about Shaquille O’Neal. He can tell you about coaching basketball in the Philippines. He can tell you numerous yarns about the “Preacher Man”, Dale Brown. Coaching basketball for over thirty years all across the world gives you a chance to have as many stories as last month’s issue of Readers Digest.

But it is not the stories or the Division I background that led us to choose Craig Carse as our next men’s basketball coach. What makes us believe that he is the right person for HSU is his desire to work with the Division III student-athlete. In both the telephone interview and the on-campus interview, Craig demonstrated that he wants the chance to recruit for Hardin-Simmons and continue to build this program where it can stay competitive in the American Southwest Conference. Did we question him on could he adjust to Division III after being at the Division II level the last 13 years? Only about 75 times. Did we ask him would he be willing to work with a relatively young staff in a league that is just eleven years old? Sure we did. Did we ask him if he would be willing to drive a van to all parts of Texas? Yes. That is just standard operating procedure for life in the American Southwest Conference, where the road trips have none of the glamour that the Southeastern Conference provides. And we stressed to Craig that to be successful at Hardin-Simmons, you need to work well with everyone. Not just the athletic department, but the entire campus community. He understands that this is a special place, where all of us need to support each program and all of us are recruiters.

I hope you get the chance to meet Coach Carse at our reception/ press conference on Monday, August 11 at 3:00 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room of the Johnson Building. I think you will sense the energy and excitement that he has for HSU and to coach at the collegiate level. It is our sincere hope that this will be a place for him to create many more stories for his collection.