'A ..x"E EIGHT
TIDE MICHIGAN DAILY
THURSDAY, ll MARCH 1965
PAGE EIGHT THE MICHIGAN DAILY THURSDAY. 11 MARCH 1985
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ONLY HUMAN .,..
HE MUST BE KIDDING ... HE'S NOT
THE MANY MOODS .. .
DAVE STRACK, MICHIGAN'S BASKETBALL COACH, expounds ACTING AS A UNIT, as they often do, Michigan's trio of coaches, headed by Dave Strack rise to
a bit during a time out. Strack is one of the more experienced point out an open man. Following suit are Strack's two assistants, Jim Skala and Tom Jorgensen.
coaches in the business, having spent 17 years in the field, all but All three of these coaches are former Michigan basketball stars and all three were captains of their
one at Michigan. Strack recently celebrated his 42nd birthday respective teams. Jorgensen and Skala bear the brunt of the scouting and recruiting burden during,
by receiving a grand gift from his players-a second consecutive the basketball season.
Big Ten championship.
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Cage Fortunes Rise
"There's nothing easy about During this time, he also servedj
coaching. The better your team as an assistant to Wolverine ticket
gets, the rougher it is to coach." manager Don Weir.
Dave Strack speaks from expe- Then, in 1959 Strack was offer-
rience. His teams get better every ed the job as head coach at the
year. University of Idaho. "This was
. In 1961, the first year that the big break of my career," he
Strack was head basketball coach said, "I was delighted to finally
at Michigan, the Wolverines fin- become a head coach. I packed
ished last in the Big Ten with a up, sold my home, and left for
2-12 record. Idaho with the idea of never re-
Four years later, Michigan is turning to Michigan."
the nation's top-ranked team go- But Strack drew high praise for
ing into the regional round of the his first year's work in Mosrow,
NCAA tournament, and Strack Idaho. At the same time, 0ergo
has a"21-3 record to look back on, resigned, leaving the Michigan
as well as two Big Ten champion- position open, and only a year af-
ships and the honor of being se- ter he had left, Strack found Ihil-
lected coach of the year by the self back in Ann Arbor.
United Press International. Philosopher
What has been the main factor .The gum-chewing Strack, a
behind the basketball renaissance Wolverine standout himself from
at Michigan? Strack's answer is 1943-46, admits to a definite
jump on you," replied Strack, add-'
ing "if you should lose when they
(those responsible for the 'hang-
ing') think you're going to win,
they act in an immature manner."
He elaborated, "that's ci'e of
the really bad things about coach-
ing. It's terrible when a man likeI
Sharm Scheuerman (Iowa's 29-
year old coach who retired last
year because of "pressures") is
forced out. I have strong feelings
DO SOMETHING... ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
... OF DA VE STRACK
simple. "The players have done it philosophy of coaching. "A coach
... the Buntins, the Russells . . . should improve each year; he
all of them." must learn through observation.
But who is responsible for bring- Basketball changes, you have to 4
ing these players to Michigan, for change with it.
building these teams, for directing "Practices are designed to pre-f.
the players when they're on the pare your team for anything. Be-
court? The answer is also simple: fore the season I put more empha
Dave Strack. sis on fundamentals. During the
Strack refuses to take credit season, we drill with our specific
alone, however. "All of us-Jim opponents in mind.
Skala, Tom Jorgensen, myself-we "A strong mutual respect be
all worked diligently to build this tween player and coach is very
team. We just try to do the best important. I have complete re-=
job we can and I think we're do- spect for all my players, not just DAVE STRACK
ing it." two or three, and I know they feel
Among the players recruited by the same way about me. about that. Scheuerman was a
this prolific trio are former Mich- "It's true that when the team is fine young coach. The same with
igan stars John Harris, John bad, it's much easier for the coach. Ed Jucker (ex-Cincinnati coach)
Oosterbaan, Doug Herner, and There's far less pressure than who is quitting because of his
Bob Cantrell as well as present- when you're on top. But you health and his family."
day standouts Bill Buntin, Cazzie strive for a year like this." Family Man!
Russell, and Oliver Darden. And even in a good year 'like Strack concedes that he has to
The rocky road to success hY;;s this', Strack receives his share of "condition" his own family to ad-
had its ups and downs for the 42- criticism and has 'his ups and just to the pressure created by his
year old Strack. He spent 11 long downs. How does it feel to be profession. He credits his wife
years as an assistant coach at hung in effigy when your team is Ruth Ann with being "a great
Michigan, four under Ernie Mc- first in the nation? "The more help" in this area, The Stracks
Coy and seven with Bill Perigo. you're publicized, the quicker they are the parents of five children,,
ith Strack
four of them daughters. His only back and relax, my players will sit
son, Dave Jr., is a basketball play- back and relax."
er on a junior high school team, As far as his relationships with
and is already almost as tall as the-officials are concerned, Strack
his father. l admits that he often feels dis-
Asked if his son plans to star satisfied with specific calls. He is
for the Maize and Blue some day, up off the bench protesting an
Strack replied seriously. "I'm average of six times a game.
sure he would like to play for In spite of this, he feels that
Michigan. Growing up in an ath- "officiating does not win or lose
letic atmosphere, he's had an op- a ball game for you. I have never
portunity to play a lot and see and will never blame a loss on the
some great games." officials. An excuse like that is
Strack himself grew up in the poor."
court centered atmosphere of In- One question which the Mich-
dianapolis, Ind., and his uncle was igan mentor hears often enough,
a high school coach. To play bas- estconclayer his choice for the great-
ketball was "the thing to do" and T y he has ever coached.
Strack spent many hours "in th Though he doesn't like to dis-
alleys" learning the game which tinguish between All-Americans
was to become his life. Cazzie Russell and Bill Buntin,
wastobecmehislie.Strack goes along with Russell
Opportunity Knocks purely on theabasis of "all around
He starred at Shortridge High ability."
School before coming to Michigan Strack says that he plans to
and establishing a reputation as stay in coaching "as long as my
one of the finest defensive play- enthusiasm holds out." Asked
ers in -the Big Ten. He played for about the future of Michigan bas-
the Wolverines from 1942-44, en- ketball, Strack answered "I feel
tered the Marines for a year then that it's in good hands," then
returned to become captain of the blushed bright red as he realized
1945-46 squad u n d e r Bennie what he had said.
Oosterbaan. To provide a convenient con-
A year later, Strack received a clusion to his remarks, Strack was
telephone call from the newly ap- presented with one final question
pointed McCoy. "He asked me if that has become a controversial
I was interested in becoming a issue on campus lately. "Yes, I'm
coach. I said yes. That was it. all for girl cheerleaders," was his
Before then, I had no plans to en- reply.
ter coaching. I had received my
masters degree in Business Ad-
ministration."
Contrary to a popular myth, the
Wolverine head man is one coach Photography by
who does not have an ulcer. "I've
been pronounced physically fit af- J im Lines
ter a check-up at University Hos-
pital," he said with a grin. Text by
Strack, however, does not deny
that he is very high strung during Rick Stern
a game. "I like to get into the
game as best I can," he says.
"That's my job. I feel that if I sit
IF HE'D WALKED ANYMORE, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN CHICAGO
WORAMP, "71,1111 Mill
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