Jack Bottinger

Jack Bottinger
Retired teacher and football coach

Emotion

Football and sport emotion stories

Emotion and Dopamine could be the secret to motivation! Last night I watched noted speaker Tony Robbins online, and he put a name to that dynamic substance that jumps into your heart and soul and tells you that you have what it takes to get the job done regardless of …

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Rebuilding Patriotism

When you coached at our high school, you were not assigned a homeroom, so in 1986 after retiring from head football coach, it was SOP that I was assigned an  11th-grade homeroom for the first time in 10 years. On the first day of school, usually the first activity  of …

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Jack Bottinger and Mike Gilligan

Grand Canyon

Joe Lannon at 74 is unbroken The big 737 touched down and we were in Phoenix Arizona! Seven of us, friends all, landed with the hope of once again attempting to conquer the hot and dry trails leading down into and out of nature’s perfect river carved structure the Grand …

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What Makes a Teacher or Coach Successful

Male Teacher in Classroom

The other day while attending my wife’s monthly sorority meeting, I met the husband of one of my wife’s classmates Ed Clark. Ed is a Naval Academy graduate and a retired submarine officer. He and his wife Sally traveled from Virginia to attend the meeting. While the wives chat and …

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It’s All in the State of Your Mind

Marathon of runners

I’ve never talked about this before. Doing so now is a result of my sister Lorraine reminding of these events that happened over 50 years ago. While running high school track during my sophomore year in the spring of 1955, I pulled up with a pulled hip muscle.

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1971 Paul VI High School Football Team: United by the Impossible Dream

This true sports story inspired by the 1971 Paul VI High School football team. _______________________________ Sometimes while sitting doing nothing in these retirement years, our minds wander, and at times, recall events from the past that make us all tingly inside. I had one of those moments yesterday. These moments …

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Good old fashioned football attitude

Football player sitting in locker room

Let’s go! Everyone on the bus!!! That was my command as I sat down behind the wheel of the 29 passenger school bus and proceeded to drive the Gloucester Catholic High School football team to a practice field about 5 miles from the school. Our camp before school began this …

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The Letter

When viewed from the Schuylkill Expressway In Philadelphia, Pa., heading west toward the Manayunk exit, St. John’s Church presents a magnificent picture of dignity and grace. This gray-stoned high-steepled beauty surrounded by a park made a wonderful setting for the wedding my wife and I attended in Manayunk. The ever-present …

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Rudy Ruettiger of Notre Dame and movie Rudy visits school

High school hallway

Rudy Ruettiger of Notre Dame fame and the movie “Rudy” to speak at our School — Why would he visit us? Read the story below to find out! A trip to the University of Notre Dame became a annual event after the 2001 homeroom of 201 did it in grand …

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Freshman Homeroom and the Notre Dame Trip of 2001

University of Notre Dame Stadium

It was the Christmas season, and everyone at school was in a sharing and giving mood. The school was running a clothing drive to benefit a school in South Africa. The project was organized by a longtime friend and fellow teacher. Each homeroom was asked to bring clothing from home …

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