Game Plan
Well I guess I will start with the elephant in the room….yep on October 19th I received the dreaded call. A biopsy of a small mole on my temple revealed a malignant melanoma. I know…..just that word “MALIGNANT” scares the heck out of you and me both….but as a retired football coach….I started putting together a GAME PLAN….and I can tell you….that sounded easy but it wasn’t the reality. Who do you call? Where do you start? Who do you tell? And with doctors and insurance…it’s always “Hurry and Wait”……So I decided to write this Blog about my daily journey…..
I’m also going to include stories about my 35 years of being a High School head football coach, stories of retirement, my family and my friends.
I’m going to hopefully give the lighter side of all the above…..even the lighter side of Melanoma if that’s possible….I’m hoping this blog will be good therapy for me and for others. I’ve never entertained the idea of a blog or even how to start one….so bear with me as I begin this task of love…..I’m sure many of my former boosters are hoping I’m a better blogger than I was a coach, as am I.
As I sit hear typing this early draft, I realize there are so many directions I can go. So many topics I can discuss. So the plan will vary day to day with no set outline. I’m sure I will start with my Melanoma Melodrama or “MM” as I’ll call it. But then it’s no holds barred.
So here we Go…..
Coach, there are thousands of Terriers behind you with love and support, and I am one of them. You’ve faced adversity all of your life, and you’ve taught young men to do the same. You’ve entered another season coach, and this year we’re going undefeated. 14 and believe. Love you coach, you’ve got this.
JH
Your a fighter coach. Remember you’ll always be a Terrier…….
I love you coach. Ill never forget get when you came to my house and yanked me out the shitter. ONLY to go back to the field and change my moms flat tire infront of the whole squad as my punishment for ditching practice. To me it was out of love because we our a family “long blue line” class of 99
No one has a larger cheering squad than you, Jim! Go! Fight! Win!
Coach, you are in my prayers. I want to thank you, for helping Josh to become such a good citizen. His years as a Terrier are some of my favorite memories, because of you and the other coaches.
Sharing comments for you from my facebook post. Lots of love and prayers coming from St. Paul and Redlands.
Love you Jim, – lupe
From:
Cory Crist -prayers
From:
Veronica Meneses -Sending prayers
From:
David Ortega -Jim, so sorry to hear about this!! My prayers and thoughts are with you!! Much love!
From:
Janie Linder Haughn -Jim Walker is THE Best!!
From:
Debra Krogman Engers -Praying for you and thinking positively that you can win this fight with melanoma and we can sing “Hail to The Victor!”
From:
Bob Umeck -Jim, our thoughts and prayers are with you.
From:
Teresa Cook James
🙏🏈💙
From:
Michelle Hernandez King -Thank you so much for sharing, Lupe! The King family will be keeping Coach Walker in our thoughts and prayers. Neither John or Paul use Facebook so I’ll be sure to share this info with them. Have a blessed day!!!
From:
Chuck Willig -Please send my best Thoughts and prayers.
Coach Walker — from one of your original Terriers, I’m sorry to hear about this diagnosis but I’m sure you will get through this challenge just like you have with everything else: with strength and grace. We are all behind you — One Heartbeat!!
Glotz
Jimmy or Coach Walker –
Jimmy, you will always be my cousin at the family reunions who seems so much bigger than life itself. I just wanted to join your blog and let you know that you are loved from North Dakota! I can barely believe that you are beginning this journey that many in our family have taken over the years. It is a road well traveled and I know there are many angels lifting you up in prayer and walking beside you each and every day.
There will be peaks and there will be valleys but the one thing I know is that our precious Lord and Savior will be beside you all the way.
I will be reading your blog and thinking of you continuously. Loves and Hugs…your cousin Annie
I’m very fortunate to have played for you coach! Thank you for giving me an opportunity and believing in me when nobody else did. I wouldn’t be the man I am today if it wasn’t for you. – #11
P.S. “throw the god damn flat”
Cousin Jim (aka Coach Walker),
I’m so heartened to read the comments of support for you from family, students, friends, and more. Thanks for setting up this blog. It’s a generous thing to do, and I want you to know that you’re being loved and appreciated here in Minnesota, too. I’m so sorry that it’s your time to face adversity, but I know how important a game plan can be to helping us keep calm and prepared in times like these. Bless you and good luck as you work through this, and thanks for keeping the rest of us in the loop.
Keep fighting coach. You will always be a very special part of my life. Just like everything you do in life, attack this head on and fight like hell. There is so many people in “dawg town” who have your back. Please keep us updated with every detail. Much love and prayers from the Mauger family. Go dawgs