A few months ago, Clemson Athletics came to me in the hopes to find a new way to share the successes of those being inducted into 2012 Hall of Fame. They wanted to find stories that would allow the audience to see these individuals in a new way, from a new perspective.
Here was the challenge, three of the ten individuals were no longer alive and one of the individuals was currently living overseas. Yet, we were still in search of special stories of each person. It was a two and half month journey that yielded ten stories that shared more than accolades and impressive statistics, it shared their path to success.
It was a pleasure to work with John Seketa of Clemson Athletics who had the vision to make these stories the focus of this years Hall of Fame Ceremony at the Brooks Theater on Clemson’s Campus.
The videos above are in the following order…I hope you take time to enjoy!
Gaines Adams
His high school football coach was Steve Taneyhill, former quarterback for South Carolina. Coach Taneyhill tells the story of their close relationship.
Deliah Arrington
She was part of the team that won the first ACC Championship for Women’s Soccer *and* her father was on the 1981 National Championship Football Team. They shared their story of a championship legacy including pictures of Deliah as a child with her father when he was in his football uniform back in 1981.
Julie Coin
Her story is pretty simple, as an amateur she beat the #1 player in the world during the quarterfinals of the 2008 US Open. We found the NYTimes writer who witnessed the defeat and shared his perspective of this tremendous upset.
Sarah Cooper
Sarah was not a rower until she came to Clemson. She was recruited out of West Oak High School where she played basketball and volleyball. She went on to lead her the rowing team to break numerous records. She takes us on the water to recount those memories.
Karen Ann Jenkins
Karen Ann could not afford to go to college, but her talents attracted the heart of Coach Annie Tribble who brought her to Clemson to lead a Women’s Basketball Team. What they found was similar to a mother/daughter relationship, one they shared with us together.
Wojtek Krakowiak
Here is a guy who was on the St. Johns National Championship Soccer Team and chose to come to Clemson. When he came, he won the Herman Trophy (soccer’s version of the Hsisman Trophy) and went on to the coaching profession. We get to witness a camp as he shares his tricks of the trade.
Billy McMillon
Billy was from a small town in South Carolina who was supposed to go play baseball at Presbyterian College. Coach Bill Wilhelm found him, brought him to Clemson where he WOW’d the professional scouts, then went on to play for the Florida Marlins. He pays tribute to his coach who he is being inducted alongside.
Stacey Seegars
Stacy was an All-American Offensive Lineman who could of played in the NFL. His heart led him back home to carry on his father’s profession in small town South Carolina. He literally took us on the water to share his passion.
Coach Bill Wilhelm
The legend lives on and we get to share thoughts from his former players including his 1958 team that went to the College World Series. We also hear from Billy McMillon who was humbled to be inducted along side the coach that recruited him to Clemson.
Warren Wilson
Warren was a boxer who came to Clemson in the late 1930’s to box for Clemson. We hear his story, tales of a match where a Virginia Tech boxer forfeits because of fear to meet him in the ring, and how Jack Dempsy wrote him a letter about his talents.
I hope you enjoy these stories of these accomplished Clemson Athletes.