Gym Cracks By Jim August 29, 2002 CARING COACHES Florida St. and the Lady Vols have coaches that went the extra mile for two special Husker fans By Jim (Babe) Berryman MissingNebraska.com Western Nebraska Major college coaches lead hectic and stress-filled lives. Some find time to communicate with the public more than others and two who make the time are nationally recognized coaches--Coach Pat Summitt of the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team and Coach Bobby Bowden of the Florida State Seminoles football team. These two coaches, despite hectic schedules, found time to make life more pleasant for a couple young people residing in far away states. One of these young people was Amanda Nicolls. Amanda touched many lives in her short existence on earth. She was only 19 when she died this past summer of Ewing's sarcoma, a disease diagnosed at 13 years of age. Amanda's two loves were basketball and horse racing, and she wasn't going to allow an illness to diminish her passion for either. She twice traveled to Knoxville, TN, to meet Coach Summitt and the Tennessee Lady Vols. Coach Summitt invited Amanda into the locker room. Amanda, her sister, and a nurse were given choice seats behind the Lady Vols bench for several home games. She truly got to know the Vols players. The Tennessee coach would even call Amanda's parents to check on her condition. A young man also was surprised at the response he received from a popular college football coach. Kyle McFall had undergone 20-plus surgeries. When his homebound teacher developed a rapport with Kyle, she learned of his team--Coach Bobby Bowden and the Florida State Seminoles. Kyle and his teacher drafted a letter to Coach Bowden. In a relatively short period of time, Kyle received not only a letter, but a package of Seminoles' paraphernalia. The package included posters, stickers, t-shirt, and a sweat-stained cap that Coach Bowden said he had worn in an Orange Bowl game. Did the Florida State coach package the items and walk to the post office? Probably not, but still he took time to direct a secretary to assemble and forward the package to Kyle. Marcia Berryman was the homebound teacher for Amanda and Kyle. After the Huskers, the Florida State football team and the Tennessee girls basketball teams are Marcia's and my favorite college teams. I've always like the Iowa State athletic teams, but this past Saturday night found me "rooting" for Florida State in their 38-31 win over neighboring Iowa State. We will also be pulling for the Lady Vols, unless the Vols cross paths wilth the Huskers. Coaches Summitt and Bowden probably do not realize the joy they gave to the lives of the two very sick young individuals located in obscure towns on the plains in remote states. Feedback Previous Gym Cracks: 08-22-02: Nebraska "Storm" Hits Colorado Gym Cracks 08-15-02: Cubs Win, Wallet Drained Gym Cracks 08-08-02: To Coors For Cubs Gym Cracks 07-25-02: Major League Madness Gym Cracks 07-18-02: Nebraskans In The Majors Gym Cracks 07-11-02: Kile Death Sheds Light Gym Cracks 07-04-02: Couch Potato Parking Gym Cracks 06-23-02: Top 10 Nebraska High School Nicknames Gym Cracks 06-06-02: Better In The 50s Gym Cracks 05-30-02: Dangerfield of Nebraska Gym Cracks 05-16-02: Baseball Sneak Aways Gym Cracks