Melanie Lyn: Coach Gardner

Coach Gardner was by far the best coach ever! He coached XCountry and Track. He always ran with us, and had a smile on his face the whole time he was running.

I had coach for PE. Every other Friday we ran the mile. Coach Gardner told me one day that I should do track. I didn't really know if I wanted to or not but I decided I wanted to. He made it look fun. A lot of my friends, my dad, and some of my family were telling me that I was crazy. I have always been told that running is a punishment (by my Tennis coach) and that running isn't fun. Well, I actually didn't know running could be fun. I was about ready to quit my sophomore year because it was sooo HARD. I puked soo many times at practice because it was so hard. Gardner wouldn't let me quit. Coach believed in me. I didn't quit and I learned that running was fun. Coach Gardner made it fun. I'm so glad that I got to have him as a PE teacher and a coach.

Gardner was also my Social Dance teacher. That was by far the best class ever. It was the class I looked forward to going to the most. It was a way fun class. Who made it fun? Coach Gardner made it fun. I don't think that anybody could ever teach that class as well as he taught it. I loved dancing with him. Most of the guys in the class didn't know how to lead, so it was such a relief to get to dance with him. D'Lee, his daughter, was also in my dance class. I could sit there and watch them dance the whole time and never get bored. They dance so WELL. I love the relationship that Gardner and D'Lee had. They had an awesome relationship.

At our last performance he told the seniors to get in the front and do the last line dance because it would be our last performance. Little did he know that it would be his last performance, also. I am so glad that I got to share our "last performance" with such an amazing person.

Coach Gardner passed away May 31st, 2010. I was so devistated to come home from work to find out that he had died. At first I didn't believe it, but as time went on reality started hitting. I'm so glad that I got to have as wonderful of a man as Coach Gardner in my life. I will miss him so much, but I know that God needed him. We may not know why he had to go, but got knows why and that's what's most important. We just need to trust in God that he knows what he's doing.

Gardner's funeral was VERY good. One of my favorite quotes that Gardner always says is "Pain is temporary, pride is forever. So shut up and run!" My new favorite quote was said that his funeral "Pain is temporary, life is eternal. So shut up and live" It's so true. We don't need to worry about our trials or deaths because life is eternal. We just need to live our life they way we know we need to live it so we can return to live with our heavenly father and our family again. I'm so glad to be a part of this gospel and to know that.

I got a chance to talk to D'Lee after the funeral and she told me that she was at peace the whole time. I know that it was because the spirit was there. :)

Coach Gardner has blessed so many lives. He did a lot for the school. XCountry, Track, Promenade, PE, History... and probably more things that I can't think of. I know that we weren't prepared for this. He cared so much about our school. He will definitely be missed by everybody.