Journalism Club Features Athletics in Last Lecture Series

Staff Writer

   The Journalism Club features Athletic Director and Head Softball Coach Alvy Early in its fifth installment of the Last Lecture Series.

   The LLS provides faculty members the opportunity to give a lecture as if it were their last one; a lecture for everyone to remember them by. Past participants gave wise insight of their life experience and obstacles overcame. It gives everyone the opportunity to learn about faculty members outside of the classroom.

Courtesy of Media Services

Last Lecture - Coach Alvy Early plans to speak Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. during the Journalism Club's Last Lecture Series. Early's accomplishments include over 400 wins in basketball, 419 wins in softball and one win in volleyball.

   “This is a great opportunity for students, because they have a chance to learn a life lesson,” Journalism Club President Douglas Boultinghouse said.

   On the collegiate level, there are few coaches, if any, that can say they have at least 400 wins in two-sports and coached all but one sport at their college.

   The Director of Athletics and Head Softball Coach Alvy Early has accomplished that feat and continues to add to his Hall of Fame record each year. Early has over 400 wins in multiple sports: basketball with 426, his current softball program with 419 and he even has one win in volleyball.

   “Some people are just natural born winners,” said Professor of English Betty Matthews. “He is a natural born coach.”

   Early might come off as an intimidating and hard man to get along with, but once a person cracks the surface they may be surprised to find out he cares about the students and loves to compete.

   “He seems tough, but he is a very kind man,” Matthews said. “Students are what matters to him. When he has to teach a class, he is there everyday.”

   Players also talk highly of Early’s compassion and love for all students and the game.

   “A lot of people say he is really mean, but he is a very nice guy and really funny,” first-year student Michele Knott said. “He might be mad at me because he likes to maintain his tough-guy image.”

   “When I first got here I tried to avoid him, he seemed intimidating,” Sophomore Maurice Williams said. “After interacting with him, you can tell he really cares about the players and the success of all the athletic programs.”

   Besides being there for students, he always has the time to talk sports, especially softball.

  “Just schedule a time for an interview, Mike, and we can talk,” said Early. “Hey, but if you want to talk softball we can talk right now, I can do that all day,” he added jokingly.

   The event, open to the university local community, will take place Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Classroom Building Auditorium  with a $2 fee with a campus ID and a $3 fee without an ID.

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