coaching Archives • DAVIDPDX

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DO MORE? LIKE WHAT

March 13, 2026 by David Gillaspie

You need to do more to matter? That’s what you ask yourself when someone says, “You need to do more to matter.” Have you heard that? I still hear it and I’m not some spring chicken pecking my way around the pen. When is enough enough?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Army, big brother, classic, classic funny, coaching, college, confidence, deployed, do more, education, funny, graduated, judging, losses, opinion, sports, story, unmotivated, wins, writer, writers, writing

AWARD WINNING BLOGGER? SURE THING

June 27, 2025 by David Gillaspie

Award winning what? Since this is the only time I’ve seen my name in a headline, it covers everything. “Gillaspie Wins.” What more could anyone want? Instead of complaining for fifty-two years after the event reported, I fill in the missing parts. I like to think of it as an American Fable with universal appeal. […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: American, american fable, award, award winning, baby boomer, BOOMER, coaching, defeat, greco roman, greco roman champion, Greco-Roman wrestling, hopes and dreams, life lessons, mystery, Olympic moment, sports, universal appeal, victory, winning

FATHERS DAY AFTER CLASS IN SESSION

June 16, 2025 by David Gillaspie

My Fathers Day go-to family picture: A thirty year old man with three sons and a wife who looks like Jackie Kennedy taken in 1960. The old man has an expression asking, ‘What have I gotten myself into.’ It’s a father’s look, the same look over the gates. It never gets old. That’s me in […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: brothers, Class in session, coach, coaching, college degree, Dad, family, family picture, father's day, fathers day, give up, Middle Child, Mom, never stop, night class, old man, Oregon, sisters, Southern Oregon, teacher, teaching, walking away

SUNDAY WRESTLING DRIVE TO OREGON STATE

November 18, 2024 by David Gillaspie

I took a Sunday wrestling drive to Corvallis for a match. But it’s always more than a wrestling match at Oregon State. It always turns into a question of decisions made and paths taken. While it’s always a fun time, this time stood out.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Cael Sanderson, coaching, college wrestling, corvallis, cutting weight, David Taylor, high school, North Bend Bulldogs, Oklahoma State, old wrestlers, Oregon State, Oregon State Beavers, penn state, state championship, Sunday wrestling, wrestling room

ANGRY OLD MAN CHEWED ME OUT

October 31, 2024 by David Gillaspie

An angry old man is a dangerous man . . . to himself. Wind some guy up and they’ll do things they don’t ordinarily do. Why? Because they’re mad, they’re not happy, they are fuming. Most of the time they get over it unless someone lights their fuse.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: aged out, angry, angry old man, campaigner, chewed out, chewing out, coaching, fuse, green light, insurrection, mad, normal world, not happy, old, pissed off, real world, red flag, verbal barrage, vote, writing world

DIFFERENCE MAKER FOR OREGON FOOTBALL, PT.2

October 15, 2024 by David Gillaspie

A difference maker is a game changer on the football field. They run faster, throw further, hit harder. It all shows up in video review. “Look at him go.” But what if it’s not a player, but a coach?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: CHIP KELLY, coaching, college coach, college football national championship, dan lanning, difference maker, dynasty, football, game changer, lesson plan, Love, national championship, Ohio state, Oregon, oregon coach Dan Lanning, oregon fans, OREGON FOOTBALL, roots, situations, twelve men

CLEAR DOWN RANGE NEW MEANING

May 3, 2024 by David Gillaspie

The first time I heard the call of “CLEAR DOWN RANGE” I was laying in the dirt with the guys, Fort Ord dirt, and trying to fit three bullets inside the diameter of a quarter. The best I got was two in with a stray nearby. The rifle range targets were a head and shoulder […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: blog, blogger, boomerpdx, buffalo, clear down range, coaching, college, common sense, Death, down range, dream, education, event, fifty years, fort ord, fresh flowers, good life, hope, listening, march, new meaning, Portland, promise, protest, read more, rifle range, roses, shooting range, targets, teach, tulips, violent, writer, writers, writing

PEP TALK? MY BEST MEMORY BEFORE A BIG WRESTLING MATCH

April 25, 2024 by David Gillaspie

When does a pep talk make all the difference? You’re warmed up, ready to go, just as the coach gives last instructions. As a high school wrestler in my second year, I needed all the pep I could get. Ordinarily you wouldn’t put a second year guy out against a well known mauler, but . […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: best memory, coach, coaching, competition, crosstown rival, cruel, desperate, desperate move, desperate time, duel meet, football, high school, instructions, loser, memories, memory, pep talk, plan, remember, rival, smart guy, sports, sure loss, tactical, tactical plan, tough enough, wrestling, wrestling match

SPORTS DADS SAY, “PLAY MY KID IF YOU’RE SMART”

February 27, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Sports dads come in every flavor between sweet and sour. They come with vast experience, and none. What they know for sure is their kid is better than your kid and should play more than he does. With that attitude, what can go wrong?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: baby boomer, Baby Boomer blogger, basketball, blog, blogger, BOOMER, boomerpdx, coach whistle, coaching, education, family, football, history, kid sports, kids, Love, MARRIAGE, soccer, SPORT, sports, sports dad, sports dads, sports season, sports superstar, wrestling, wrestling mats, writer, writers, writing, youth coach, youth coaching, youth sports

ANOTHER HERO TAKES THE SPORTS WHEEL FOR A SPIN

April 4, 2021 by David Gillaspie

Another hero taking center stage is a reminder of who had been there before. Who doesn’t like a hero? No matter the time or place, when someone separates from the pack, give them their due. Last night the new hero was UCLA Bruin Johnny Juzang. What was heroic? He took a shot to tie the […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: coaches, coaching, college basketball, Final Four, gonzaga, hero, jalen suggs, Johnny juzang, mark few, OREGON FOOTBALL, sports hero, stepping stone, undefeated