WEBVTT

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Hi Coach, hi.

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Hi Coach Johnson.

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Hi Coach.

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Happy retirement Coach Johnson.

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Hey Coach, we wanted to call and congratulate you on retirement.

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And to say thank you from all of us, for everything you've done for us.

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Coach Johnson has this unique ability to 

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to see what you're capable of before you do.

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The bar he sets for his athletes appears 

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to them to be really high at first.

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But to him it's just realistic.

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And he's nearly always right. 

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I've learned so much from Coach Johnson over the years.

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And those lessons continue to resonate today.

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Coach, I am forever grateful for all you've done

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for me in the course of my collegiate running career

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and my live to follow. 

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I'm thankful for your

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guidance, for you caring and for your wisdom.

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And I wish you all the best of luck in the next chapter. 

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I just wanted to send this message and say 

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thank you so much for invaluable opportunity and experience

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and experience that you gave me at Western Oregon University

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working alongside you for the cross country and track & field program. 

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I, and many others in the community, would like to thank you for 

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everything you've given to the program,

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everything you've given to the university,  

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everything you've given to the overall community.

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You've had a huge effect on Western Oregon

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in the last 48 years in coaching in general

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and in our entire sport. 

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I know you'll still be working in some fashion related to the sport

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of cross county and track & field and giving back to 

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Western Oregon University. Thanks Coach.

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You taught us a lot of different lessons throughout our time

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on the track and off the track. 

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I thank you for teaching me to approach life without fear.

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At one point, you told me to not let my fear of failure

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get in the way of my success. 

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And that is something that has stuck with me

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in my professional career as well as in cross country, so thank you.

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Ah Coach, I often think of you during my work day

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when things get hard because you used to always tell me

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to not get so flustered and that I could tackle anything that

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comes across my way and I just really appreciate

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your wisdom that transfers to everything in life. 

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You really gave me the confidence to move away from home

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even though I was so far I always felt comfortable at Western

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because I knew your office was such a short walk away

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and you'd listen to my problems

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regardless if they were track related or not.  

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You gave me that confidence that transferred over into my adult life,

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helping me to move even further away

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to pursue more education in my career. 

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Thank you for everything you've done for us and Western Oregon.

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The passion you had for coaching and the ability to coach

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lead us to the highest level of athletics and beyond.

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We'll miss you but we know we can always reach out.

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Thank you for everything. 

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You have taught me so much over the years

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from how to hurdle to track & field meet management.

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The sport of cross country and track & field owe a debt to you.

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You have dedicated your whole career to excellence on the track,

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in the field and on the cross country course.

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Coaching, committee service, mentorship and committment 

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to excellence in the classroom sets you apart from your peers.

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I can't wait to see what the next phase of life has for you.  

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You're the best. 

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Over the last 4 years, you've been more than a track coach to me.

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We've have a great time joking together.  

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You've been a great thought partner.

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And really have been a positive voice in my head

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when a lot of my internal dialogue was doubting or negative

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and without that I would not have found  

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a lot of the success that I did here. 

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So, thank you, thank you, thank you.

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Thank you for taking a chance on me. 

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Thank you so much for everything you'e done. 

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