craigdailypress.com

“I grew up on a dairy farm, in Ordway, Colo., graduated in 1968 and got a full ride scholarship to Colorado State University to play linebacker. I don’t think my dad ever missed one of my high school games.

I came to Craig as a schoolteacher and coach. I coached football, basketball and track and taught physical education until 1977.

The main reason I think most people become teachers is to work with the kids and build a good foundation for the kids to go out in life. I had a great experience teaching. I was just like any other kid. I admired my high school coach and kind of took after what he did.

The highlight of my coaching career was when our football team went 10-1, undefeated in the league. We went to state and got beat in the quarterfinals. That was my last season. I said, ‘God, I got to get out of here,’ even though we probably had a better team coming back next year.

I knew I was not a big city person. I had to talk my wife into coming over here just for a couple years. That was in 1969, and I’m still here. I kind of thought that I died and went to paradise.

To raise a family, you can’t beat a small town like Craig. When I came here it was only 3,500 people. You knew everybody and everybody knew you and took care of you. It was just a great experience for a kid out of college.

After I got out of teaching, I went into the carpet cleaning business for 28 years. The doctor told me to find something else to do because of my back issues, so I bought Loadout Liquors.

Craig is great. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. You can go out and walk onto the golf course without having to wait. You can walk down the river and toss in a line with your fishing pole. I hate winter, but once you get through those four months, why would you want to vacation anywhere else? You can’t get this anywhere else. Camping in Browns Park is the greatest vacation in the world.

I’ve been officiating basketball in the winter now for 32 years. I’ve seen a lot great athletes grow up. But what makes it better now is that I’m getting hard of hearing and I can’t hear the parents and the fans yell at me.