A memorable story about school or growing up in Montclair.
I'll never forget the dances at the Neighborhood Center on Maple Avenue, the Washington Street YMCA, and the YWCA. The basketball games at the Washington Street "Y" were really something. One of the highlights was the time, young, Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberland, still in high school, played there with a team from Philadelphia. And, I have fond memories of the talent shows at Glenfield, the football games we played at Glenfield Park, the Junior High "Weight Relays" and Track meets held at Woodman Field, the great football teams I played on at MHS, and throwing the key block on the kick-off that allowed my brother, Gilbert, to go all the way for a T.D. in a game against Clifton, and winning the high jump with a state indoor record, 6'6 3/4", at a meet at the Jersey City Armory, and walking across the Amphitheater Bridge to receive my diploma, June 1960.
(update) Happy and proud to say at the time of this posting, New Years Day 2014, both of my granddaughters are attending college. Asia is a sophomore at Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, N.C., and Skylar is a freshman at the University of Florida in Gainesville. FL, on a track scholarship. Sky runs the 100 meter hurdles and on the sprint relays. My son, Richard, is a sous chef at the Doubletree Hotel in Dallas, and my daughter, Stephanie, is Dean of DeVry University in Sugarland, TX. I published my first book, "Sprint and Hurdle Training Methods", in August, 2013. The book is selling at the rate of about 9 copies a month which means if sales don't pick-up big time I'll be long gone by the time it makes the Best Seller List. (LOL) I've been working with junior level (ages 11 through 18) sprinters and hurdlers (Speed Coach International), since I retired from working in secondary education (teaching/coaching/administration) in 1999. I'm glad I got to coach my son (high jump), daughter (heptathlon) and granddaughter (sprints and hurdles) along the way. I also paint in oils and water colors when the mood hits me. We haven't traveled much, but travel is on our bucket list. We're planning to get some travel in following Skylar around the country watching her compete in track meets for the University of Florida, Gators. Retirement is great!
