The Final Blog of the 2013 19th Maccabiah for our Gold Medal Team

Well the Final Blog is finally here to write. I am having a tough time dealing with the fact that we are not still all together as a team. It is very hard trying to explain in words just how truly special this team is. You had to be with them in person to truly understand the magnitude of not only what they accomplished as a history making team, but just how incredibly special they were as people. I have had the good fortune of coaching some incredible players, teams and people over my long career, but I have never been with any group that made me as proud or as honored to coach them, as this team. There are no adjectives to describe my feelings for this team, other than to say Thank You for giving me the privilege to coach each of you. I will never forget this wonderful journey we all took together as a team. We had no best player or superstar, only a best team that was the Superstar.

Today, my wonderful wife Marie along with my great Assistant Coach, Greg Vinson, planned a Gold Medal Party at our college Hall of Fame Room. It was attended by family, friends, our college President and Vice Predident, staff and faculty, as well as current and former players.

It was an extremely nice affair, complete with lunch and slide show of our victories playing in the background. It was truly a highlight for me. And yes, I showed off the Gold Medal! I am enclosing some photos from the event above.

In summing us this wonderful journey, the only thing that could have made this even more special for me, was if my family had been here in Israel to be a part of this history making experience and shared it with me. That is my only regret about this experience.

In closing this incredible chapter of my coaching career, I must say how thankful I am for Maccabi USA giving me he opportunity to coach this outstanding team. It was and always will be the most important chapter and highlight of my long coaching career. To my team, you made my job so easy by just being who you were and believing in me as a person and as a coach. I can never begin to say, just how much each of you will always mean to me and I look forward to our first of many reunions together as a team! All I can say is simply, Thank You and I love you all very much.

Take care and stay well.

Coach G from home