Entry 5

Shannon Duncan                                                                                        FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
555-555-5555                                                                                              JANUARY 23, 1012
Shannon.duncan@sportsnews.net                   

 

Coach, Mentor, and Legend, Joe Paterno Dies at Age 85

              As a child I remember being in sports and looking up to my coaches. As I grew older, those coaches became people who I relied on for guidance and clarity not only on the field, but in my life. A coach is not merely a person who teaches a skill. Coaches are leaders to a group of children or adults who need to learn about teamwork, dealing with adversity, and overcoming obstacles. Joe Paterno was exactly this person. He not only led a team to victory, but he led college students into life.

              Paterno died, at age 85, Sunday after battling lung cancer. The loss of this legend was a hard hit for Pennsylvania State College, the fans, and of course the students. Once the news of his death spread, there was an impromptu vigil held at the football field. He was such an admired person in the area, the local creamery named and ice cream flavor after him, peachy Paterno. He created a team that became known by all, which in turn caused the stadium to grow to hold its new fans. He was a fixture at the college that no one believed would go away, as if they felt he was immortal.

              His name became even more famous by the controversy that some believe tarnished his legacy. In 2002, he was told by a then graduate student that Jerry Sandusky was sexually assaulting young boys in the locker room. Paterno did what he thought was best and handed the situation over to people he thought would take care of it correctly. In an article from the Washington Post, Paterno said “I backed away and turned it over to some other people, people I thought would have a little more expertise that I did. It didn’t work out that way.” His decision ultimately led to the end of his career in 2011 after an amazing 46 seasons and only three games before that season would end.

              There were a lot of different sides to this story. Some believed that this well-known coach had way too much power. While others thought he had done something and that was good enough. One long-time fan Steve Shaffer, who was there for Paterno’s first win as head coach, stated that when Paterno was fired due to his decision to not alert authorities, “the whole thing was like finding out there’s no Santa Clause.”

              Paterno was not only known for his stellar coaching record, but his generosity.  During his tenure, the Paterno family donated over $4 million dollars to the school to assist with buildings and scholarships. As a coach with a degree in English Literature, he had a unique lifestyle compared to his fellow collegiate coaches. In fact, his different ways of coaching is what many believe caused the team to be so different.               

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