From a fan, a student and a friend: Thanks, Coach Heathcote

Room 209, Jenison. Many Spartan alumni have a place on campus that is special to them based on their experiences while attending college. Mine is classroom No. 209 in Jenison Fieldhouse.

Why? That is where I met Jud Heathcote. It is also, where I said goodbye. 

The class

As an MSU undergrad student in the late 1980s, I was scouring the Winter Term Course Guide for an elective class (and hoping to avoid the infamous PIT during registration). I obviously wanted something not too challenging, but interesting. In the physical education section, I saw a class titled Basketball Coaching. 

It was located in Jenison 209, started at 8 a.m., with the instructor listed as "Heathcote." What?! Jud Heathcote? The national champion coach? No, I am sure he is just listed as instructor and someone else would be teaching it. Anyway, I was going into teaching and was definitely interested in coaching, so I knew I would enjoy the class.

The first day of class came, and myself being a morning person, arrived at about 7:30 a.m. Students began to slowly appear and at 7:55, there were fewer than 20 students in the room. We were all asking each other, "Do you think Heathcote will be here at all?" 

Our question was answered promptly at 8 a.m. when Coach himself walked in and said, "Good morning, class. My name is Jud Heathcote and we are going to talk about basketball." 

Wow. This was truly an OMG moment way before OMG was coined. This NCAA champion coach was really teaching me about basketball and our class size was only 18!

More:Remembering iconic MSU coach Jud Heathcote

I have never been so excited about getting to class. Coach would talk about offensive sets, defenses, including all the intricacies about his "match-up zone." This took place during the season, so several times he would come the morning after a game and share his thoughts on what worked and what he should have done differently.

The content was incredible, but unbelievably, it was not the best part. The best part was the stories. Can you imagine having a designated time every class period to ask Jud Heathcote any question you wanted? It was incredible, and he never disappointed.

I was 11 years old when MSU won the 1979 national championship. Most of my questions were about that season, and his stories were endless. He always talked about "E" when referring to Magic. I had never heard anyone refer to Earvin or "Magic" that way, so of course I asked him why. He explained that as he got famous, he could not call out to him as Earvin or Magic or he would be mobbed.

From that point on, everyone in the class referred to him as "E," since now we all were part of this inner circle of knowledge.

The game

During this same time, I was a proud member of the "Spartan Spirits" in the new Breslin Center. For the younger crowd, the "Spartan Spirits" was the student section under Jud. It was the real foundation of the Izzone. I wore my T-shirt until it literally disintegrated.

I was at a home MSU game with my brother. Of course I had been telling him about my class, and bragging to him that I "know Jud." As a typical brother would do, he said, "If you know him so well, go say, 'Hi' to him right now." This was during pre-game with about 10 minutes until tipoff. I told him "no problem" and brought him with me to walk behind the MSU bench.

As we walked closer, my heart began to race. I knew how great Coach was to talk with during class, but I also knew how intense he was on the court. And he was now on the court. Would he be angry if I talked to him before the game? Am I blowing my new relationship with Coach by bothering him before a game? With my brother closely following, I knew it was too late to turn back.

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As we walked behind the bench I quietly said, "Good luck, Coach" just loud enough for him to hear me. Coach turned around and we made eye contact. My heart was now pounding out of my chest. Coach looked at me and loudly said, "Mark, good to see you! Thanks for coming to the game." 

I glanced to my brother behind me with the proudest expression my face could make. I introduced my brother to him and then Jud promptly told him, "Mark is a pretty good student, but I think he sometimes sets the book on the top of his head and thinks he will learn by osmosis." 

We wished him luck again and went back to our seats. Jud had, in his special way, made both of us feel good. I walked away only thinking about how he said he was glad to see me. My brother’s takeaway was that Jud Heathcote said I needed to study harder. He was an expert in making you feel good about yourself, usually with a quick wit that could be considered rude if someone else said it, but never him. You always knew somehow that he truly cared, and he showed it every time you interacted with him.

The homeless benefit

During the spring of my senior year, I had pitched an idea to Jud about having a benefit sports card show at Jenison to raise money for the homeless of the Lansing area. Coach was on board 100% and said the basketball program would sponsor it. He promptly gave me a key to Jenison Fieldhouse. I thought, "Wow, this man trusts me with a key to the building that Magic made famous."

He also knew he wouldn’t have a lot of time to help with the event, so he assigned one of his assistants to help. This assistant was a young man from Mt. Pleasant who also collected sports cards and autographs like myself. One day, we actually brought our shoe boxes or cards and did some trading just like little kids would do. By the way, his name was Tom Crean.

The event went well and Jud, along with his players (Steve Smith the most notable), signed autographs. Ernie Harwell and several former Tigers also came to help the cause. With the support of Jud and coach Crean, this event was a huge success. Coach’s support helped brighten up the lives of people who really needed it.

Jud as a job reference

In the spring of 1990, I was completing my degree in teaching. While working on my resume, I decided to ask Coach if he would be a reference for me. When he agreed, I can remember telling my wife, "I’m pretty sure someone will hire me since I have the best reference an MSU graduate could possibly have." I was right. After kind words from Coach, I was hired by Fowler Schools and taught/coached there for four years.

In 1994, my family was growing and I knew it would be good for my career and family to try to make a move to a larger school. Coach agreed to be a reference for me again as I applied to St. Johns High School. When I got an interview, I gave him a call to let him know that he may be contacted. He did not wait and took it upon himself to call officials at St. Johns to put in a good word for me.

A few years later, I spoke to Coach and he asked me if I was still in St. Johns. When I told him I was, he replied in typical "Jud" fashion, “Good, because I can’t keep calling places and getting you jobs!”

Once again, always making me laugh and feeling good about myself. It is what he did.

Meeting Magic

In the early '90s, MSU put together an alumni basketball game, which they announced would feature Magic Johnson. I immediately offered Coach any "help" I could give with the event. He knew by my questions from class and our subsequent conversations that I was obviously a big fan of Magic. Coach asked me, "You want to meet him, don’t you?" Obviously, I did and he arranged it by giving me a locker room pass to the event, but he was clear that there were no guarantees I would meet him.

I arrived absurdly early to the game and proudly held up my pass to every usher as I made my way down to the locker room. I entered the locker room and it was completely empty. I waited patiently for about 10 minutes, and then the door opened. In walked Magic Johnson.

Just him and me. I so wanted to call him "E," but I went with "Hello, Mr. Johnson." He was very nice, but I could tell that he was confused as to why I was there. Once I told him that "Jud arranged for me to be here," he let down his guard.

We had an incredible five-minute conversation, talking mainly about what we both had in common: Jud Heathcote. Thanks Coach, once again you worked your "magic" to make me a very happy young man.

One regret

I will always smile when I think of Coach, but I do have one regret. I regret that it took his passing for me to feel all these emotions again and write down my memories. I know that he knew how much I appreciated everything that he did for me, but for not writing this before his passing, I will forever be hitting my forehead with the palms of my hand.

I went back to Room 209 in Jenison recently. Luckily, it was open and empty. Other than updated desks, it was the same as the day when I met him. I had a good cry and I knew he was there because I left the room with a big smile on my face, once again.

Rest in peace Coach, and thank you for everything.

Mark Horak is the assistant principal at St. Johns High School. He is a 1990 graduate of Michigan State and a former student of Jud Heathcote. 

Pick up a copy of this special poster of Jud Heathcote in the Sept. 23 edition of the Lansing State Journal: