Coach Murray Satterfield, 1926-2013

“S—A—T—T—E-R-F-I-E-L-D.  Cooooooach Satterfield!”  At some point during a Borah basketball game in the first half of the decade of the 60’s, the Lion cheerleaders would lead the Pep Club in that cheer.  I remember that because I was kind of a Borah sports nerd at that time.  And, of course, my sister was a sophomore cheerleader during Coach Satterfield’s last year at Borah, and I remember her practicing her cheers at home.

I began following Borah sports competition seriously when I was in the 6^th grade, aka, the 1962-1963 school year.  The year before, the 1961-1962 Borah basketball team had a great run. I remember most a 5-8 guard named Dick Powell (brother of Gary Powell, class of’67) and 6-6 center Bill Farley.  In those days, the state tournament alternated between Pocatello and Boise.   I remember listening on the radio to the Lions, who had the best record in the Treasure Valley, lose in the semi-finals and I was heart broken.  In the 62-63 season, the Lions appeared to be the best in the valley again.

1961-62 Borah Lions

The Lions played well during the early regular season with a team with so much talent it was hard to figure who should be the starters.  Halfway through the season Coach Satterfield kicked several players off the team for shop lifting.  I don’t remember all the details, but only one of the regular starting five was left.  He filled the empty spots with players from the sophomore and JV teams, and the team finished the season respectably, including two wins over the rival Boise Braves.  Needless to say, it took a lot of character to dismiss some top athletes, including his own son, and hold them accountable for their actions.  The Lions did not make it to the state tournament.

1963-64 Borah Lions

The next season the Lions were in top form.  Led by Ron Imel, who was voted the #1 player in the state by the sportswriters, the Lions were 22-1 heading into state and were heavily favored to win it all. But for the second time in three years the Lions lost in the semi-finals – to Twin Falls – after blowing a big lead.

1964-65 Borah Lions

In '65 they were 22-1 going into state again, but this time they came from behind in the semi-finals and beat Couer d Alene.  After the game, Coach Satterfield excitedly told the Statesman reporter, “We broke the semi-finals jinx!”  The next night they got some revenge by overcoming Twin Falls, and Borah had its 1st state basketball title, 48 years ago. Coach Satterfield was hired to coach Boise Junior College – which was preparing to become a four year institution – after that season.  Borah won its second state championship again the next year without him.  

I found this last picture very interesting.  This is a picture of Coach Satterfield in the fall of 1965, the year he took the basketball head coaching job at Boise Junior College. with head coach Lyle Smith and the football staff.  Yes, the football staff.  He got the head basketball job, but in those days you did double, or triple, duty.  And notice the size of the staff.  Four coaches.

Coach Satterfield coached his son Bob, who was on the team that lost in the semi-finals at state in 1964.  His son Jay was on the 1968 Borah team that lost in the semi-finals at state.  But the coach lead Borah to its first state title before going on to a successful college coaching career, including 134-77 record at Boise Junior College, Boise College, Boise State College, and Boise State University.

The Gift Through Death

The Gift Through Death

With His friends He dined that dark, lonely night;

Soon his soul would enter the ultimate fight-

An hour of darkness, beyond all thought,

A greater battle no man has ever fought.

The hour would come when His sweat would be red,

And then to the cross by men He’d be led.

Offering Himself, He’d be nailed to a tree,

Purchasing for His people the gift so free.

But first He must pray for His friends, so dear,

And for those who’d believe, both far and near;

So He prayed to His Father up above,

And asked Him to keep them by His love.

Our Lord knew He’d be taken by force that night

And His friends would experience incredible fright.

So He asked His Father to protect them all,

That despite their fears, they would not fall.

He spoke of how long before time began,

Before God formed the first woman and man,

The Father had purposed to have for all time

A people to enjoy His love sublime.

“Those you’ve given me” Jesus prayed that night

That we’d be forever kept in His sight.

He prays we’ll be His, so wherever we walk

Our lives will be built on the solid rock.

“Sanctify them,” He cries to His Father,

That neither storms nor fire will be a bother

To hinder or hold us in any way,

As His truth protects us every day.

What hope that gives to those on the earth

Who by His grace have received new birth.

The Son prays to the Father that we’ll be blessed,

In each  joyous moment, in every hard test.

“ Keep through your name,” the Savior prayed.

These words bring peace when we’re afraid,

For His name is called a strong, strong tower,

And that name protects in temptation’s hour.

Can we doubt, beloved, that the Father would hear

These glorious words from His Son, so dear?

Surely He answered, “I will, my Son,

When you offer yourself, the promise is won.”

Much more I could say about that eve,

But for now that subject I will leave.

To other thoughts I will now turn;

From these few verses there is more to learn.

What love the Father has for his Son;

It was first for Him that the giving was done.

The nature of love is to give, we know;

Yes, giving is loving, it has always been so.

“You gave them to me,” the Son cried out;

A most perfect gift, there is no doubt.

No, we’re not perfect, that is true;

Yet He wouldn’t give Him less than His due.

So a people He gave Him, a people with sin,

But His Spirit would come to change them within.

A new heart to desire those things from above,

Taught by God’s word, embraced by His love.

He guards His sweet gift, so precious, yet weak;

He still prays to His Father, this One so meek.

He intercedes always, for all of His own;

Could greater love by anyone be shown?

So let us rest in the One who freely gives;

Would He ever let go of the gift that His?

Would He let us go or set us aside?

Was it not for us that He suffered and died?

Would He snub His Father by despising us now?

Could He break His promise, His commitment, His vow?

No, never, this One who is Faithful and True;

This One who said, “I’ll never leave you.”

So this Lord’s day  let’s thank the one who gave

Himself for us, our souls to save.

“He who believes on me will never die;”

Could there be a better promise for you and I?

Thank you, dear Father, for the gift to your Son;

For our eternal life, the victory is won.

And one day we know He will give back to You

His sanctified people, unspotted, brand new.

The gift that you gave Him, He’ll bring to your throne.

And celebration will begin, as never was known

We’ll rejoice in the Lord forever and ever,

And ever and ever, and ever and ever.

Thoughts from John 17 and I Corinthians 15

McKinley School, 2nd Grade, Mrs Baldwin

Row 1:  Jim Kiser, Mike Sweeney, Robin Sherwood, Donald Barbour

Row 2:  Kathy Sheets, ?, Diane Steckman, Wilma, Tia Gabica, Ruth Young, Marsha Quinn, Judy Peer.

Row 3:  Craig Morgan, Steve Rodda, Rick Clemons, Eddy Sargent, Jill or Geraldine?, Monica?, Judy Worthen

Row 4: Mrs Baldwin, Susie Barnett, Dave Ulrich, Kenny Morrison, Danny Colson, Cecil Coupe, Kristi?

Mrs Eshelman, 3rd Grade, Mckinley

Row 1: Tim Ethridge, Donald Barbour, Donnie Taylor, Ron Munger, Jim Kiser, Danny, Dick Cleveland

Row 2: Kathy Sheets, Judy Peer, Diane Steckman, Marsha Quinn, Kay, Tia Gabica, Ruth Young, Carole Johnson, Kristie

Row 3: Christine, Eddy Sargent, Steven, Cathy, John Sandmeyer, Craig Morgan, Kit Fisk, Mary Lee Whiteside

Row 4: Mrs. Eshelman, Peggy Barron, Mark Hurst, Larry Angel, Robin Sherwood, Bobby Rutledge, Cecil Coupe, Larry Stokes

Class of '69 from Jackson Elementary, 4th grade

Row 1: Donnie Taylor, Gary Padgett, Randy Johnson, Mike Twitchell

Row 2: Catherine Provolt, Alice Sterns, Patty Wood, Diane Overall, Debbie Gibson, Ruth Young, Kathy Sheets

Row 3: Mrs. Yates, Kerry Mooseman, Brent Pfleger, Roger Smith, Gifford Childs, Mike Swanningson, Betty Drake, Darlene Robinson

Row 4: Mike Sivey, Donald Barbour, Tony Wallace, Larry Szurgot, John Simmons, Randy Martin, Dick Stuppy

Some of the class of '69 from Jackson Elementary

Jackson Elementary, 5th Grade, Mrs. Decker's class, 1961-1962.

Front Row:  DeDe Overall, Diana Steckman, Jerry Martin, Patty McDonald, Danny Colson, Paula Clark, Kristine Swanson, Donnie Taylor, Steve Rodda.

Middle Row: Beth Wilson, Betty Drake, Mike Swanningson, Darlene Robinson, Denise Ball, Jeff Shoun, Larry Taylor, John Carberry

Back Row: Mrs. Decker, Vicki McClelland, Donald Barbour, Randy Martin, Carolyn Edes, Quinten Montague, Rick Clemons, Donna Ladd, Leanna Parker

Birthdays are for Giving

The word gift is in many titles, including songs, movies and television shows.  I cannot help but think about this word as my mother’s ninetieth birthday is only four days away.

I am pretty certain we all enjoy receiving gifts.  What are your favorite gifts?  Is a gift not something wrapped in paper that you rip open and enjoy for a while before you get bored and shove it away on a shelf somewhere?

Maybe some gifts are like that.

Would it be cold-hearted and un-feeling to think of a person as a gift?

Concerning my mother, I have a multitude of memories (yes, my memory still functions) that I speak and write about, such as good meals, comfort in sorrow, thoughtful conversation, decorating on holidays, unmatched potato salad and sugar cookies, opening the house to neighbor kids (if they watched their language), sports knowledge.  These and countless others are gifts that are stored on my memory shelf, though, to be honest, most of them I just took for granted for much of my life.

Mom and I both remember a story.  I was probably about twelve years old, just arriving home from school.  I opened the front door of the house on Hummel Drive, and I saw her sitting on the couch.  I told her she looked very tired, and she proceeded to tell me all the work she had done that day.  I looked at her and said – yes, I really said this – “Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?”  I don’t remember her response, but none of you would blame her if she had thought about smacking me.

I now realize that the blessing of my mother is not what she does, but who she is.  She is a precious gift. 

To say my mother is gift is not making less of her, not at all.  It is, rather, giving to the Creator the proper appreciation that He deserves.  Why?  Because the term gift demands a Giver.  My mother did not fall from the sky, and she is not the result of a cosmic accident.  The God of the universe who created the first man from dust decreed that it be so.  He not only possessed in Himself the idea of a mother, He appointed my mother especially for me.   To consider that and try to unpack it and grasp just a glimpse of His greatness is indeed to begin to see His beauty, majesty, wisdom, and love.

As a young man, nearly forty years ago, I wrote a Christmas card and sent it out to friends and family members.  Its title is from the well-known Bible verse John 3:16.  The gifts that we give and receive in this life are wonderful and worthy of appreciation.  However, the gift described below is incomparable.  I offer it to you with joy and reverence, and with a hopeful heart.  It was my attempt – my gift, one might say – to communicate the blessing of this wonderful gift of God with the hope that those who read it would see beyond my imperfect communication and instead  would see the worthiness of the One about whom it speaks.  To this day my prayer is that all my loved ones would by faith receive this gift that only God can give.   To God alone be the glory.

“God So Loved…He Gave…”

God gave the first Christmas gift

He gave no less than Heaven’s best

He gave to mankind His only begotten Son, Jesus

He gave not out of necessity or obligation

He gave for one reason…Love

Nearly 2000 years ago, the Son of God stepped

Out of eternity and into the pages of history

Angles spoke of the coming miracle to Joseph and Mary

A shining star proclaimed His birth in Bethlehem

Shepherds worshipped Him and welcomed Him into the World

All the hosts of Heaven rejoiced and praised the Father,

They thanked him for his immeasurable love

This king was not born in a palace

He was not born into a royal family

Nor did He sit on an earthly throne

He did not seek to gain glory, power, and honor

Because He came to give, not to take

For a third of a century He walked this earth as a man

He brought salvation to hearts hungry for life

He forgave the sins of the ungodly

He healed the sick and raised the dead

He showed compassion for the lost and forsaken

And He healed the hearts of the broken-hearted

He gave His life and love to all who would receive it

He gave His life on a cross

He died and earthly death that we might have a heavenly life

He died to mend our spirits and reunite us with God

Yet He lives today and His love continues

Jesus, the eternal Christ

The man whose life began in a manger

And ended on a cross

He gave Himself to us in life

He gave Himself for us in death

All this because “God so Loved