Good Sportsmen

Monday, 06 August 2012 14:33

Enjoyment, inspiration, family and friendship were the keys to motivating these athletes to greatness and a life of giving back to their community.  From left:  James Banks, Wayne Swinford, Dick Hudson, Kent Lawrence and Ron Wetherbee were all outstanding athletes as young men, in basketball, football, baseball and soccer, at the college level and for some, the pros.

In a panel discussion led by Hudson, the men talked about their earliest influences and reflected on a time in their lives when they knew they could be an outstanding athlete. Then they switched the discussion to volunteering.  They agreed in one way or another with Hudson's saying, "if you spread sunshine around, you're bound to get some on yourself." Wetherbee commented that he began to volunteer as a boy, when his coach insisted that team members start giving back to their communities.

Banks, who works with kids in sports both professionally at Athens Academy and as a volunteer at neighborhood centers, said he tries to give young athletes encouragement and influence them to make good decisions.

One audience member asked "How do you balance a busy career life and volunteerism with family life?" Swinford, who had an outstanding career in football at UGA, and later played for the San Fransisco 49ers, explained how he once turned down a coaching opportunity that would have kept him on the road because he valued being near his family as his children grew up.

CLICK HERE to listen to this interesting and heartwarming discussion.  Please pardon the static produced by the air conditioner.  It doesn't last long, and happens only once.  Keep listening past the static for an enjoyable experience.

 

Life in the Tate Family

Tuesday, 24 July 2012 10:53

Jeff Tate was born, raised and still lives in this historic Barrow - Tate house on Dearing Street, Athens, GA.  The house, no longer covered in vines as in this 1909 photo, is full of Jeff's memories growing up in Athens when "it was a different time."

Jeff spins some amusing stories as he tells about being in "cahoots" with his nannies in the days of segregation. He describes a safer time when children could do "fabulous" things by themselves, like go to the movies and take music lessons without an adult to accompany them.

As a house-husband he also raised his children in this house, teaching them to read while watching Fellini movies with subtitles.

Stories of his father, the legendary Dean William Tate of the University of Georgia, describe the "frightening" days of threats to his father and family because of Dean Tate's determination to have the University of Georgia peacefully integrated.

On the lighter side he tells an amusing story of how Dean Tate helped Coach Wally Butts recruit for the football team in competition with Georgia Tech's coach Bobby Dodd.

FOLLOW THIS LINK to hear and enjoy the entire interview of Jeff Tate by Mary Kay Mitchell.