Statistics From “The Manager’s Room”

Being a manager for the Taylor County Lady Vikings was really a great honor. A manager had lots of responsibilities and duties. One of those was to help transport players to and from away games. In 1971, we traveled in cars to all our away games. Coach Carter usually asked one of the managers to drive his wife's “Ford Galaxy 500” and he drove his “bright green Ford Maverick”, both filled with players. Parents drove the rest of the team. A caravan of fans followed.

One incident that stands out in my mind was after a game in Manchester. I, as senior manager, was driving the “Ford Galaxy 500” and had a carload of hungry ball players. We left the gym before Coach Carter and as we passed the Dairy Queen it was like it was calling us to stop. We took a vote and decided it would be ok to stop and get a quick snack for the trip back to Butler. We pulled in, jumped out of the car, and lined up at the window to order (this was so long ago that most fast foods were walk ups.) I had my hot fudge sundae (which is still my favorite) and was in the car ready to go. The others were in various stages of getting their orders, loading the car, or still in line waiting to place their order. All of a sudden, the “Green Ford Maverick” pulls into the Dairy Queen parking lot.
Coach Carter jumps out, and opens the passenger side of the car, leans down and spoke these words. "Get out, and throw those ice creams away, throw it ALL away." Of course we followed Coach Carter’s directions. I couldn’t believe I had just thrown away my untouched hot fudge sundae in a trashcan. He snapped to the others in line, "Load up, and stay right behind my car, I mean right behind me, the rest of the way to Butler." We did as instructed - those with ice cream found the trashcan to stuff their treats and those who were waiting jumped in the car. Off we went back to Butler staying right behind that “green Ford Maverick”. If it passed a car, I passed a car. The tension in our car was so thick you could cut it with a knife. We worried over what was going to happen to us and if Coach Carter would tell our parents. But most of all we were upset because we had displeased our Coach.
There were a lots of tears shed that night.

We pulled up at the gym right behind Coach. He came over to the driver's side this time and simply said, "What would have happened if you had a flat tire out in the middle of nowhere tonight? How would I have explained to your parents if you'd been kidnapped or worse? I had no idea where your carload was, whether it was ahead or behind me, or that you had stopped. I hope you've learned a lesson."

I know I learned my lesson. I have used this story many times - with my own daughters and with students in my job as attendance officer in the school system. I tell them that someone should always know where they are. They should use some common sense, they should think before doing things.

Coach Carter made a lasting impression on me that night in Manchester in 1971. I still enjoy telling this story now, many years later!