It is with great sadness that I report that the world has lost another great one. Art Stockin, the long time coach of SUNY New Paltz, passed away last night. Anyone who has or spends time up in New Paltz has likely met Coach. He was an annual participant of the SOS Tri, swam for a long time on the Gunks masters team and was always a part of the community.
I do not have the grammatical skills to write something that captures how many lives he touched and who he was as a person. From personal experience as one of his swimmers I can say that he saw the potential in everyone, not just as a swimmer, but as a person, and knew how to draw out the best in you. I think the post one of my fellow alumni captures the character and class Coach embodied…be well:
From Kim Hoerz Smith: I would like to share an e-mail that Coach wrote to my husband, Scott Smith, as he was battling brain cancer. This is the reason this man had such an impact on all of you...safe journey, Coach.
Scott,
There are people who say they are warriors. There are people who think they are warriors. Then there are WARRIORS!! That's what you are, A WARRIOR! No bravado: no pretenses: just living your day to day as a warrior. It is sad, but not that many people have gotten to know your true character, other than your friends and your family and really when its all reduced to its simplist terms, that is the whole nut of what living a good and full life is all about. In truth, that respect and admiration of your friends and family is all that is important. With it, we have everything and without it, we have nothing.
And once you achieve that truth, you have done all that you can expect of yourself in a lifetime. It is never measured in years. there are warriors who have died at age 19 as US Marines while defending their country's freedom. And there are those still alive at age 88 who are not really alive. They are taking up time and space and feeling sorry for the lot that they have been delt.
You and I have many things in common. We both have been delt a major hit to the side. We didn't ask for this turn of events, but who are we to think that we should be spared our handicap. It's so easy to say,"why not somebody else." It takes spirit to reach down each day when you are hurting, and accept the challenges of the day ahead. It seems that it would be so much easier to quit or feel sorry for ourselves.
The hardest part is working hard each day to do what used to be such trivial tasks. I know I have lost that fight to drive on from time to time, but fortunately have gotten it back. No one can really feel what you are experiencing, but I think I have an idea what that might be.
Be kind to yourself and be amazed each day at the beauty surrounding you: your wife, the children you have produced, your friends and nature's pure beauty. You can only be who you are.
Live on proud warrior!, knowing you and coaching you was a God given blessing that I truly treasure. It was a blessing that I am not sure I ever deserved. I was lucky.
Live the life of the warrior you are to the end, whenever that may come. You have my most sincere admiration.
Love Coach
I do not have the grammatical skills to write something that captures how many lives he touched and who he was as a person. From personal experience as one of his swimmers I can say that he saw the potential in everyone, not just as a swimmer, but as a person, and knew how to draw out the best in you. I think the post one of my fellow alumni captures the character and class Coach embodied…be well:
From Kim Hoerz Smith: I would like to share an e-mail that Coach wrote to my husband, Scott Smith, as he was battling brain cancer. This is the reason this man had such an impact on all of you...safe journey, Coach.
Scott,
There are people who say they are warriors. There are people who think they are warriors. Then there are WARRIORS!! That's what you are, A WARRIOR! No bravado: no pretenses: just living your day to day as a warrior. It is sad, but not that many people have gotten to know your true character, other than your friends and your family and really when its all reduced to its simplist terms, that is the whole nut of what living a good and full life is all about. In truth, that respect and admiration of your friends and family is all that is important. With it, we have everything and without it, we have nothing.
And once you achieve that truth, you have done all that you can expect of yourself in a lifetime. It is never measured in years. there are warriors who have died at age 19 as US Marines while defending their country's freedom. And there are those still alive at age 88 who are not really alive. They are taking up time and space and feeling sorry for the lot that they have been delt.
You and I have many things in common. We both have been delt a major hit to the side. We didn't ask for this turn of events, but who are we to think that we should be spared our handicap. It's so easy to say,"why not somebody else." It takes spirit to reach down each day when you are hurting, and accept the challenges of the day ahead. It seems that it would be so much easier to quit or feel sorry for ourselves.
The hardest part is working hard each day to do what used to be such trivial tasks. I know I have lost that fight to drive on from time to time, but fortunately have gotten it back. No one can really feel what you are experiencing, but I think I have an idea what that might be.
Be kind to yourself and be amazed each day at the beauty surrounding you: your wife, the children you have produced, your friends and nature's pure beauty. You can only be who you are.
Live on proud warrior!, knowing you and coaching you was a God given blessing that I truly treasure. It was a blessing that I am not sure I ever deserved. I was lucky.
Live the life of the warrior you are to the end, whenever that may come. You have my most sincere admiration.
Love Coach