SUGGESTIONS & INPUT

I don't know if you are old enough to remember when we got the stadium named after Coach Varner. It was a very difficult thing to get done. I was very involved in the process. We had very heated discussions with the school board. Hundreds of people attended the meetings with them. Even Coach Richardson, of Clinton High School, came and spoke on behalf of the naming of the stadium for Coach. Richardson coached at Woodruff for several years before moving on to Clinton as head coach. And what a Coach he was! He won I know of at least six State Championships. We finally got the job done after many speeches to the school board. I tell you this as to what was done in order for the stadium to be named in honor of Coach.
 
I now would like to get to the point of my email. I hope you will read the entire email and read with an open mind.
 
Coach has something named after him. I think we need to look deeper into the reason why sports in general was and is so big a part of the town of Woodruff. Think about the thousands of players, coaches, and spectators that have participated in the sports programs at Woodruff High School. To give examples of my statement I would like to give the following examples to justify my statement. My wife and I had parents that never participated in any sports, but attended every game their kids participated in. They each had three children and all of the children played for Coach. Five of the children played in a state championship game. My wife's girls basketball team won two of the four state championship games Coach won. I played for the 1965 State Championship football team. Three of the six children are in the Football Hall of fame. There were other great athletes that participated in the sports program before Coach. Just to name a few, Sam Page, Elliot Mason and many of the Taylor boys. Some of these went on to Pro careers as well as played in college. If you want more names all you have to do is go look at the hall of fame boards in the gym. Another example of spectators would be Charles Stewart. He was a sponsor in the football program when I played and still is in it today. He never had a kid to play sports, but he was at every game for many years.
 
I guess what I'm trying to tell you, is there is a lot more about the Woodruff tradition than we sometimes remember. Coach had a maximum he always repeated to us. It is as follows: "NO CHAIN IS STRONGER THAN IT'S WEAKEST LINK". I would be stupid to believe that Coach wasn't the strongest link in the chain. He taught many of us to do our very best in sports or life. He was a great mentor to many kids. He especially tried very hard with the kids that was less fortunate and didn't have a complete family. In order to have a chain, there must be more than one link. This is what I'm trying to explain to you. Coach believed this also. The statement was made by him in order for us to understand that the chain was the team concept.
 
Now to get to my point. I think it would be very appropriate for the section of the road you are talking about to be named something to honor the players, coaches, and spectators of the past, present and future. Something like "Wolverine Alley". I am only giving this name as an example. I'm sure someone could come up with something better. I do like the idea of the Wolverine heads painted on the road for "ALL" State Championship teams.
 
Like I tried to state, this has nothing to do with disrespecting Coach Varner in any way. He does however have the stadium named after him. I think it's time to honor the Town of Woodruff and the great Wolverine family.