Proud to have known you, Coach

Coach Don Simpson was a coach for the Thermopolis Boxing Club. I had two sons in the club and a 5-year-old daughter who never missed a practice. Thermopolis Boxing Club was hosting a smoker (boxing event). My oldest son was matched up with a much more experienced boxer and he is taking quite a whip-n. I, the mother, am yelling “throw in the towel”, which would stop the fight. And you could hear me yelling clear into Washakie County. But Coach knew my son wasn’t a quitter and knew if he threw in the towel it would just embarrass my son. My son mad made me proud, tears ran down my cheeks and dripped off my chin. Both my sons did well in the boxing program.

Now my daughter is going into the sixth grade and she just knows mom can talk to Coach and he will let her play football. But he said, “I think you should play volleyball.” “But Coach I don’t know anything about volleyball.” Coach assured her she would learn and do just fine, and she did. My daughter made me proud, the tears ran down my cheeks and dripped off my chin.

Eighth grade awards assembly, Coach introduced my daughter with the Most Valuable Player award. My daughter made me proud and again tears ran down my cheeks and dripped off my chin.

Thanks to Coach Don Simpson, my children achieved their goals.

Thanks to Lois for all the many, many hours, days, months and years that Coach spent with all the kids in this community.

And I have to mention the Easter Sunday Coach sang “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?”. It was so touching agin tears ran down my cheeks and dripped off my chin.

I’ve been so blesses and proud to have known Coach Don Simpson, when I first heard of his passing, again, tears ran down my cheeks and dripped off my chin.

Sis Mead