Miss Ya Dad

A year ago we were celebrating my dad's 81st birthday. We had just spent a super fun month with him and had made plans for him to come and spend 3 weeks with us in Sweden the following July. Three and a half weeks after his birthday, he was gone. 
It's still hard for me to embrace the reality that his life on earth ended so abruptly.

Of course, I am so thankful that he is not languishing in some horrible place, not really living but not yet dead. But the finality that death brings to our earthly relationships is just so hard to take sometimes. He would be LOVING watching our house transformation. Both Doug and I have laughed so many times about how excited he would be. He'd be up here every day watching things unfold. And we'd be gearing up to fill out brackets for March Madness and getting excited about baseball starting, and clearing our schedules to watch the Masters golf tournament together and eating delicious ribeye steaks at least once a week. We'd be engaged in the ultimate Cribbage tournament, the winner taking all of the bragging rights! All of these are things that I would love to be doing with him now that we are back in the US. But it's just the memories of doing these things together that remains.

We loved having him with us in Sweden and he loved the boat and hanging out with Tanner.

We were going to spread his ashes today but I'm just not ready to hold his remains in my hands and return them to the earth. Maybe by the anniversary of his death, April 4, I'll be ready to do this. For today, I'm content to be thankful for the 81 years of life he had and savor the memories of the shared life we enjoyed.
I'm so much like my father. I'm competitive, enjoy humor, love sports, feel passionate about stuff, love winning, am adventurous, love the underdog, and feel deeply about everything I love...and I got a lot of those from watching him be the same. I still miss him every single day. Peace to your memory pops. You were the best and all who knew you miss you too.

Accomplished Father, Proud Daughter

Through the years I've been a bit of a "bloggart" (one who brags in one's blog) regarding the accomplishments of my father.  Perhaps when we are small, many children think of their dads as the greatest man on earth, the one who could move mountains, the strongest and the bestest in whatever it is they do all day.  I was no different, but it turns out that I am not the only one who recognizes these virtues in my father.  He has been recognized as one of the premier football coaches in Orange County and indeed the entire southern section of California.  Coach Moon, as he is affectionately called, has won Coach of the Year, has led 2 different teams, from two different schools, to a championship, and played in the championship game 6 times.   His overall career winning percentage is 73%.  Over 17 seasons he went to the play-offs 14 times.  He won 72% of those games and never lost a game in the first round.
                                
But perhaps most impressive of all is the fact that he keeps in touch with countless men who were former players.  It takes a special person to maintain the kind of charisma and character it requires to keep boys from their high school years interested in keeping in touch with their high school football coach more than 35 years down the road.  I am always amazed by the number of boys who keep up with dad.  Several attended my mom's funeral.  Many call on a weekly if not daily basis.
He has been so much more than a coach to these guys...he has been friend, mentor, and even father at times for some.
The Southern Section of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the governing board for High School athletics has now also decided to recognize his fine achievements.  Last summer we learned that my father is going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame of the CIF.  This is a great achievement for him and I could not be prouder.  I am deeply inspired that at 80 years old, my dad is still winning awards and still being recognized for the amazing legacy he has left on high school athletics in southern California.  The induction ceremony is taking place next Thursday, 24 October.  I will not be able to be present as I will be on my way to India for a mission trip.  But he will be surrounded that day...by countless former players, the guys who benefited from his great leadership and rode the waves of success with him as members of his teams.  It will be the first time that the two championship teams have gotten together so this holds a special place for my dad.  Of course, the great sadness surrounding this event is that the marvelous and faithful Mrs. Moon will not be present to celebrate this moment.  As excited as my dad felt to be honored and recognized, he was quick to say, "Mom would've loved this."
So I just have to take another opportunity to brag on my dad.  I guess I have always been his biggest cheerleader since the year he won his first championship I was the high school mascot.But then again, he's easy to cheer for. He continues to inspire me in so many different ways.  Congratulations Dad.  You deserve every honor you receive.

Celebrating A Championship: Part II

Last Friday night a huge crowd gathered at our high school stadium to remember the championship that my high school won in football 35 years prior.  It ended up being a wonderful affair, filled with great emotion and joy.  Over 55 players from that team were present and it was a real treat for me to see them interact with one another and with my father.  At half time, all alumni were welcomed onto the field while a special presentation was made on behalf of the championship team.

The whole gang at half time, with the team picture and trophy.

As part of the ceremony, my father's record was recited.  Even I was impressed!  I knew he was good, but seriously, he was really good!  Here are some stats:
Coach Ted "Moon" Mullen
Overall Winning Percentage: 73%
2 CIF Championships
6 CIF Championship Game Appearances
14 Playoff Appearances in 17 Seasons (.823 Playoff Appearance win average over 17 seasons.)
Never eliminated in the first round.  (14-0)

The year his team, Villa Park (VP) won the C.I.F. championship in 1977, this was the team record:
1977 Won 12, Lost 1
(6-1) 2^nd Place Century League
CIF Southern Conference Champions
VP: 22 Katella 7 W
VP:36 Canyon 7 W
VP:19 Santa Ana* 8 W
VP:21 Tustin* 0 W
VP:7 Santa Ana Valley* 9 L
VP:31 El Modena* 29 W
VP:21 Estancia* 0 W
VP:25 Foothill* 8 W
VP:17 Orange* 0 W
PLAY-OFF GAMES:
VP:31 ARLINGTON 6 W
VP:28 SAVANNA 14 W
VP:14 RIVERSIDE POLY 6 W
VP:21 LOS ALAMITOS 6 W C.I.F. SS Championship Game

The wonderful moment after they read the stats from my dad's career and the entire stadium cheered and cheered!
That's him in the brown shirt.

So you can see, there was much to celebrate and much joy to share!  Many of us had not seen one another since high school or if we had seen one another, it had been at a reunion or two.  It was neat to see the team spirit that the players from this team still shared. There really is something magical about sharing something significant like a sport's championship. 
One of the neat things was that my dad's entire coaching staff was there, except for one man who has passed on.  

The coaching staff from a program in 1977.  Gotta love the short shorts!  All of them were present at this reunion, except for the man to the left of my father's right! Sadly, he passed away a few years ago.

One of the players confessed to my dad that he stole his helmet after the championship game!  He had it with him!
The local paper even found it suitable to cover this event!  Click this link for the story.  
I find that simply remarkably, that after 35 years, these guys still want to share in this special time.  For me, it was a great time in my life, both as a high school student, but of course, as my father's daughter.  I saw old friends, neighbors who journeyed through the games with us, and of course my former classmates.  While reuniting with friends from long ago certainly has its odd points, the one thing that is very cool is that all the boundaries that get set up in high school get torn down.  Everyone is so gracious now.  Status, popularity, and coolness have all gone by the wayside.  Some people are bigger.  Some are smaller.  Some are bald.  Some are gorgeous.  Some are wildly successful others struggle.  Some of the crazy ones have found God and settled into a different way of life. Others are still looking for a good party.  In the end it didn't matter.  It was just great to see everyone again and marvel at how 35 years had gone by.  All of us who go to be a part of that magical season will always savor that moment for our class will always be the CIF Champions of 1977 and nothing on earth will ever change that reality.