Oct. 25, 2007
Basketball players John Gilbert ('88) and Teresa (Watwood) Gilbert ('88), and the 1978 women's volleyball team were inducted into the LSSU Sports Hall of Fame on Oct. 20. The following are excerpts from the speeches given during the induction luncheon at the Cisler Center.
Former LSSU assistant men's and women's basketball coach Troy Mattson (who is the current head women's basketball coach at Northern Michigan University) introduced the Gilberts. Here's what he had to say...
My story is not as much about John and Teresa, but how I met them. I was teaching in Calumet, and my wife and I were engaged at the time. Lake Superior State was playing at home against Wayne State, which was the best team in league. I told my wife, "I'd really like to get into college coaching if had the opportunity"...I decided to drive over here that Saturday morning. Lake State was an up-and-coming team. They had Mike West, Tony Avant and John Gilbert coming off bench, and Mike Brennan. Lake State socked it to them, won by 30 pts. I talked to Bob (LSSU coach Bob Eldridge) after game. He knew me from when played against him and his teams. He said, "My assistant might be leaving at the end of the year. Do you want the job?" I said, "I'd love it."
They had me come over in the summer, and Bud (Cooper) was still the A.D. My interview was: me and Bud sitting down for five minutes in stands. I spent 17 years at NMU and it took them three months to hire me (as the head women's coach in 2006). When I was hired by LSSU, I was set up to be the men's and women's assistant coach and assistant pool director. I had to go off to get my WSI (Water Safety Instructor) certification -- all for $13,000 a year. Since I worked with both basketball teams, I coached two games in row, sitting on bench for both games. I never knew what was said in the lockerroom before the men's games. Jim Fallis was the A.D. when I got here, and I also got the assistant building manager's job. I had to teach a load of classes and lifeguard for 20 hours a week. Then Jim calls me in and says, "Troy, I want you to be the men's golf coach."
"I'm not mature enough to be any type of head coach."
"Well, you're the men's golf coach."
"How much am I getting paid?"
"You're getting $13,000."
...the team takes care of Mattson
I remember the day the secretary came running in to practice saying, "Troy, do you live at 911 Young St.? Your house is burning down." I take off running. I don't have a lot of money. I don't have lot of clothes. I lost everything. I was like a lost puppy, and John (Gilbert) and Dave (Jokisch) took me in. Where they took me in was the Laker House. I don't know if it's an NCAA violation if the assistant coach lives with their players. I know it would be if the situation was vice versa. I was living in Laker House, sleeping on floor for a couple months. They'd sneak me into the Cisler Center to eat dinner.
...reflecting on Teresa (Watwood) Gilbert's career
When I saw Teresa practice, I wondered what's going on at Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan that she would drive from the top of the hill in Hancock right past Tech and right through Marquette to play here?...Teresa has a work ethic that is second to none. She was the center of everything on her team. At her size, she was not the fastest. She was not a great-looking shooter, but she finished every shot, got every rebound, it seemed to me, even when she was around bigger people. Defensively, she was blocking shots constantly, making plays. There was never a time with her that I would say she was a problem. She just wanted to win more than anybody else. John, too -- their will to win is second to none.
I don't remember the games. I remember some of the places we went, but I don't remember the games specifically. But Teresa was the ultimate warrior, and I can say same thing about John. If I was recruiting Teresa Watwood today, she probably wouldn't have gotten past Kevin (Borseth) at MTU. Lake State was very fortunate to have such a great player.
...on John Gilbert
You always hear these success stories. Bob and I knew we were going to have good team that year (1986-87)...When John walked on at Lake State, he was very lean and he couldn't shoot. And I mean lean. The roster said he was 6-3, 170, but he was lucky to be 150 pounds. Again, nobody checked what was inside of him. He had the largest ticker of anyone I have ever dealt with. And he went on to finish second in league in rebounding next to Marcus Kennedy, who went on to play in the MAC and was drafted by NBA...His senior year, we were starting to play some freshmen. Bob and I had to move him over to point guard.
...On John's career-high scoring night at Grand Rapids Baptist
John is bullheaded, stubborn. He will tell you what he thinks. And John loves pizza. We stopped at an all-you-can-eat pizza place for a pre-game meal, and Bob told the guys, "Eat just a few pieces. You have a game tonight."
"I'm going to eat as much as I want," John said.
John wouldn't leave the table, and Coach E was furious, but he went out and had 47 points that night.
...When John and Troy coached together briefly at NMU
Even after I was out of school for five years, John made me best basketball player I could be, and he made me even a better coach.
Bob Eldridge was the LSSU men's basketball coach from 1982-89. He also spoke on behalf of the Gilberts.
...on Teresa
I remember when Teresa was a freshman, and she was in my office. Erica Ledy and Mike Brennan (my first recruit) were in there, and we were talking basketball. Here comes this young lady into my office. She was looking for Erica. She was a tall, gangly girl - a good wind would have blown her right away. She introduced herself, "I'm Teresa Watwood. I go to school here." I'm thinking, "You're the Teresa Watwood that Bob Taylor told me about?" Bob Taylor told me about how fundamentally-sound she was. I was thinking, "Really?" But when I first saw her in practice, during the first couple days, my jaw dropped. I grabbed Smitty (who was a 6-10 kid). I said, "Come here. You sit down and watch what she does." She showed me and everybody -- teammates, opponents, people in community - what a fierce competitor she was. She was fundamentally-sound. She did all those little things that the average person wouldn't see. She just got it done. That's why I always admired her as a player. I remember when we were down at Ferris State. It was Teresa's junior year. We were watching the women's game, and the team was coming off the court at halftime. They were behind and shouldn't have been...Teresa grabbed Erica, Gwen and Dawn (Cady), and said, "What is wrong with us? We didn't have to worry in second half. Her competitiveness, desire and tenacity rubbed off on her teammates. She was that way every single day. I never got the opportunity to coach her, but it was a joy to watch her play.
...On John Gilbert
I was a high school coach when first got the Lake Superior State job in 1982. I was surrounded by really good players, and Lake State was starting to compete. I remember getting a video tape from a dad - on a kid from Fenton. He was 6-3, and it said 170 pounds. He was probably more like 150 to 160 pounds. I watched the tape. I didn't see him shoot from outside of three feet. I had all these guys on scholarship, so I told him "If you want to try to walk on, you can." And when I first started watching him, I thought "You know, he does a lot of things right. He seems to know what he's doing."
Every time John wanted to talk to me, he'd yell, "Hey Coach!"
"John, you're standing right next to me."
So, during his freshman year, out of 28 games, he played 28 total minutes, give or take a few -- probably take. At the end of his freshman year, he sat down with me and said, "I don't want to sit the bench. I want to be a player."
"OK, here's what you need to do," Eldridge said to Gilbert. He got up at 6 to 7 a.m. every day. We gave him a list of things he needed to work on to make himself a better player. I figured this would last three days, but he was there for one week, two weeks, three weeks -- every single day. He became a pain in neck, but he kept at it. During his sophomore year, he was our sixth man and played two or three different positions. His junior year, he's now 190 pounds, and I knew he was one of the best players on our team, maybe the best all-around player. But I didn't know what to do with him. We were pretty good, but we had to find a place for him. I asked him, "How about the `5' spot?"
"Piece of cake," Gilbert said. "No one will defend me.
We won 10 in a row and John was all-conference. We beat Saginaw Valley for the first time in 10 years.
His senior year, John was our point guard. He knew how to play game better than anyone else. John and Dave (Jokisch) - they really knew the game and made their teammates better.
...On the pizza buffet and game at Grand Rapids Baptist
Grand Rapids Baptist -- they thought they were pretty good. Their coach tells me we know this Gilbert kid is pretty good and how they are going to defend him. They're telling me this before game? After John wouldn't leave the restaurant, I was so mad at him. I thought, "Maybe I shouldn't play him." Well, I did, and we were so far ahead that I had to pull him with six minutes to go. Ron Sober's school record was 54 points, and John had 47. John wouldn't speak to me for 10 days.
...Final thoughts from Bob Eldridge
John was such complete player, probably the best player I have ever coached, and I've had opportunity to coach someone who played in the NBA. Another joy I had was going over to John and Teresa's wedding. When I was in the reception line, I said, "If I'm still coaching, I get the first born."
I'm humbled to present to John Gilbert and Teresa (Watwood) Gilbert their induction into the Lake Superior State Hall of Fame.
Teresa Gilbert expresses her appreciation...
Thank you, Troy. You said lot of nice things, and thanks to you, Coach Eldridge. We really appreciate it. I don't know if I was really what you guys said I was. I remember that I was not for sure going to school here. Coach Taylor came to recruit me and had to climb many stairs to get into my high school. He talked to me for 10 minutes and never looked at me once. Some of you who know Coach Taylor know his mannerisms. What I did know is he believed in me more than I believed in myself. He, along with Coach Troy, brought it out of me. I struggled with my free-throw shooting against Northern Michigan. I shot a lot of free throws in that game, and I swear I missed every one. The ball had changed (dimension) during that time. Going back to bench, Troy said to me, "You can do this." After that game, he worked with me for many hours, perfecting that shot.
...On meeting John Gilbert
There were seven of us who came on as freshmen who were somewhat recruited. I'll never forget seeing the men's team and all of us saying, "Who's that one guy?" I'd have to say I was the ring leader. "Who in world would date John Gilbert?" We didn't date for awhile, not until our junior year...John and I were highly competitive. After we got married, we were living in Marquette. When we were exercising, it was "How many situps could we do?" Air hockey games became very fierce. We had to throw away our backgammon game. The Pictionary game never got very far either. We had some maturing to go through together before we could think about having children. We have not always been great examples for kids. Croquet games are not very nice -- throwing the mallet. It gets very interesting. Our family has some issues, but they're very good issues.
John Gilbert recalls his days at LSSU...
My memory of those days is nothing like anyone else's...This is a very humbling experience. When you go to college, it's not like it's on your mind that you're going to get to the hall of fame. To the group sitting in back in the room (alumni award winner Kevin Borseth and his 1976 teammates), we used to see your names in the record books. I knew Kevin when he was coaching in the U.P. You guys were our window to what we could accomplish. And if I can get here, anybody can.
My first experience in college basketball was not a very good one. We used to do all these drills, and we were playing an exhibition game at a local high school. Everybody was lined up. We had been doing these drills a week. I came up to this chair and made my move, and the chair didn't go for the fake. I'm falling to get the ball. I finally catch up to ball, finish the play, take the jump shot, and it's an air ball. Everybody in line is laughing. And that was like the highlight of my freshman year. I was so bad, I won most-improved player two years in a row. During our coaches meeting at the end of my sophomore year, my intention was that "I'm done." Coach Eldridge said, "Before you talk, I've got something to say." I was offered a full ride.
...From John, to the LSSU athletes attending the LSSU Sports Hall of Fame induction
To get where I am from where I started...and to be in this position now is pretty amazing. All of you who have those desires, you can do them. It's almost overwhelming to be in this situation.
...Expressing thanks to his coaches
I tell my kids all time that you have to play a certain way and do certain things. I learned a ton from Troy. He was phenomenal coach. I was lucky Coach Eldridge let me stay a second year. Troy taught me how to play the game. (By 1987-88) Dave Jokisch and I were the only two upperclassmen. Troy could always see something in a game and exploit it. Troy would say, "You go here and here." And since I was the only senior, I got to take the shot - but it was always from close range.
The 1978 LSSU volleyball team was also inducted into the LSSU Sports Hall of Fame and was represented by coach Deb McPherson and four former players.
Coach Deb McPherson
There is a vast era of sport represented here today. Kevin (Borseth), congratulations on your fabulous alumni award. Teresa and John, I watched you as athletes and students. You are a wonderful couple and a real success story.
I had a chance to spend some time with some of our returning 1978 volleyball players yesterday evening. Some of them I haven't seen in 26 years. We went to the women's volleyball match and were discussing how much college volleyball had changed since we played in 1978. The libero position. Cheryl said, "What is that?" They thought maybe Roy Forrest was still around and did bad job washing uniforms. Maybe he had wrecked a uniform, and a player had to put on a different-colored shirt. And the game is so much faster now.
I'd like to say a little bit about this '78 team. I asked them, "What do you remember about the game?" It wasn't so much about individual games or what individual people did playing game. It was about the total experience, about LSSC, the travel, the social activities, the classes. You weren't just an athlete here. You grow, mature, and become very solid and well-respected professionals. This team had a 19-game winning streak, won the GLIAC title at 10-0.
I remember when we were playing in the state tournament at Spring Arbor. Jane Tatu said, "Coach, Mr. Cooper is here. This must be really important."
Jo Lake, who's won numerous state and national awards, believed in this little school by sending her daughter here. From there, eight players followed, and three of those are in the hall of fame: Shaun Lake, Dee Fischer and Teresa Shaheen. I want to express great appreciation to Jo for how she helped this program.
Talent was No. 1, and these girls had a very strong work ethic. They also had confidence in themselves. This is a team award, and they were friends. In our training, we brought in men's teams from Canada to scrimmage. I don't know if this is allowed anymore. We were playing tough competition in our practices. They were winners in 1978, but they are also winners today. They are all professionals. I was calling them kids. Oh my gosh, they're middle-aged women! I have great respect for this team. They brought some notoriety to LSSC. When we first got out of U.P. (to compete), nobody knew who we were. Eventually, we were invited to tournaments all over the state.
...During those days, most of the athletes were recruited to play more than one sport. I see Doreen (Archambault) Ingalls here. I think Doreen was probably the last of the multi-sport athletes (she went on to earn varsity letters in four sports).
Former A.D. Bud Cooper recalls LSSC's first bid to the AIAW Regional Tournament...
I called Dr. Shouldice and told him the volleyball team was in a tournament. If they won, they got to go to California. He said, "If we win, who pays?" But he was very disappointed that we didn't win.
From Cheryl Carlton...
I thank everybody for this honor too. This is a beautiful campus and it's getting better all the time. Bud said keep it short and sweet. Shaun said she's short, so I must be sweet. I don't know how I got on this team. I was a basketball player. My freshman year, I did not play volleyball. Shaun was living in my house. Basketball had a different work ethic, and we wanted to have little more fun. The game has really changed. (When watching the current Laker team play Grand Valley State) We wondered, "What is going on here?" But it was fun.
From Colleen (Shaheen) Cooper, filling in for her sister Theresa...
Theresa wishes she could be here. She deserves it, and she's someone I've always looked up to. I would like to say thank you on her behalf.
From Shaun (Lake) Antler...
On behalf of all of our teammates who couldn't be here, I'd just like to thank Bud and everyone for this honor. Thanks, Bud, for everything you continue to do for this university. Margaret (Olson-Pollard) was the original libero. She left more skin on that floor of anyone I ever knew. Theresa, she was the first of four sisters who came up here from Flint-Kearsley...My mom convinced my dad to let me come 300 miles to come to school. I didn't realize at the time that I could have gone to Marquette or Houghton. My mom's the reason I came here, and my husband is the reason I stayed...The game has changed so much. I can't believe you can serve, hit the net and get a point. Yes, the game has changed, but in 1978 we were at the top of the game and that's why we're here. To this year's (LSSU volleyball) team, every game you play, you get better and better. Mark, they're great players and I think you have great future here.
