[…Coach Dan Fitzgerald is a legendary figure and one of the funniest people I have ever met. He brings his wealth of knowledge and irrepressible Irish personality to the field at every training session. He talks a lot, even while driving... and while driving, he keeps looking into the back seat. , making gestures instead of looking at the road. I think the coach drove by Braille, using his ears to listen to the horn and the bumps in the road to keep the car in the lane... When I first entered the school, I heard one of the "Fitz Quotes" on the practice field: "Freshman year The best thing about freshmen is they become sophomores!" That's not what Fitz said when Gan walked onto the practice field for the first time. 】
——Excerpts from John Stockton's autobiography "Assisted" published in 2012.
On July 5, Dan Fitzgerald, the head coach of the Gonzaga University basketball team and the school's athletic director, led the team's assistant coach, nurse, psychologist, bus driver, carpenter and mechanic, Steve Jeff DeLong, G-Prep (Gonzaga Preparatory School) legendary star Terry Kelly, and two staff members from the Board of Education visited Gan's Restaurant in the Tenderloin District.
Accompanying him was "English teacher" Karp Lavine, who was the matchmaker.
In March of this year, after the NCAA League officially came to an end in the 1981-1982 season, the University of San Francisco announced the closure of its basketball department.
As a strong team in the Bay Area, the University of San Francisco became a "clearance sale grocery store" for a while, and many universities on the West Coast came to San Francisco to recruit people.
Dan Fitzgerald was born in San Francisco, studied and played basketball at San Francisco State University, and later transferred to UCLA where he graduated.
After he learned from his ULCA classmates that the Chinese player named Gan rejected the invitation from the Golden Bears, he immediately contacted LaVine and asked him to arrange a meeting.
These West Coast basketball figures are inextricably linked, and Cap LaVine is much more than just an English teacher.
When Gan Guoyang met Dan Fitzgerald for the first time, he was deeply impressed by his Irish-born broad chin, raised nose, and hearty laugh.
Gan Youwei cooked a large table of dishes and entertained a group of people in the restaurant. Everyone was full of praise for Gan Youwei's cooking. Fitzgerald said: "We should invite Gan's father to be the chef in the school cafeteria. This may greatly increase its appeal to students, hahahaha!”
After dinner, getting down to business, Fitzgerald offered Gan Guoyang quite generous conditions, including: full scholarship, living allowance, core commitment to the team, and care for his family, etc.
"However, our school's funds are limited, and the Discipline Committee's inspections this year are very strict. We may be restricted on certain expenses."
Fitzgerald also told the truth. The University of San Francisco and UCLA are immediate examples. (More than 10 years later, Gonzaga was indeed suspended due to financial problems, and Fitzgerald was responsible for it.)
Gan Guoyang felt the sincerity of Gonzaga University. After dinner, they went to the YMCA gym together. Steve Deron and Terry Kelly conducted a simple trial training for Gan Guoyang.
The content includes basic skills tests, physical strength, speed, explosive power, coordination and balance tests.
DeLong is a white coach with a mustache and a lean appearance that looks like a retired Marine Corps officer.
Unlike Fitzgerald, who was talkative, Deron had a cold expression and seldom spoke, and his expression did not change from beginning to end.
The first thing he said when he came to the gym and met Gan Guoyang was, "I heard that your strength is excellent. This is great. Many people don't value strength."
Gan Guoyang nodded and said: "Strength is the basis of technology and can reduce injuries."
Delong's eyes showed surprise for the first time. He didn't expect Gan Guoyang to have such awareness.
In the basketball world at that time, many players shunned strength training, believing that increased muscle mass would affect hand feel and body flexibility.
Steve DeLong was one of the first coaches in college basketball to conduct professional strength training for his players.
However, Gonzaga University is an unknown basketball school in the United States, and their coach naturally does not have much influence.
In the subsequent test, Steve Deron and Kelly worked together to set some movement requirements for Gan Guoyang and conducted physical tests. Then Kelly had a one-on-one offensive and defensive confrontation with Gan Guoyang.
Twenty minutes later, Steve DeLong walked up to Fitzgerald with the form, and Fitzgerald asked in a low voice: "How was the test? It looks good."
Deron said softly: "We got a big deal, those people at UCLA must be idiots."
"Don't say that, I also graduated from UCLA. But they are indeed a bit stupid now."
Fitzgerald took the scale handed over by Deron, glanced at it, his eyes immediately widened, and said: "Is this a fucking high school student? With his data, it's not a big problem to play in the NBA."
"It's enough. Moreover, his skills are quite solid and he has plenty of physical fitness. And I am sure that he is a strong-willed guy."
"How are you sure?"
"The feeling of the same kind of people. You don't have that in you."
"It's none of my business, why are you kidding me?"
Fitzgerald and others were quite satisfied with the test results, but Gan Guoyang was still not sure whether he should go to this unknown school in a small northwest town.
Fitzgerald's recruiting work did not end here. He then invited Gan Guoyang and Gan Youwei to visit Gonzaga University to experience the school's environment first-hand to determine whether they want to come here to study and play.
Gan Guoyang thought to himself that since he came to the United States, he has never taken his father on a trip. He has been busy in the store, dealing with oil fumes all day long, and never had a day off.
Maybe I should take this opportunity to take Gan Youwei out for a walk and check out Gonzaga University by myself.
Gan Youwei didn't want to go at first, but thinking that this would determine his son's future, he decided to go together to have a look.
So, after a little preparation, Fitzgerald and others took Gan Guoyang and his son by plane to Spokane, a small town on the border of Washington State and Idaho, where Gonzaga University is located.
What Gan Guoyang didn't expect was that when the plane landed at Spokane International Airport and walked out of the airport, he saw his own welcoming team.
The team, made up of representatives from the school's athletic department and Spokane city officials, as well as Gonzaga students dressed in blue and gray, held a large banner that read "Welcome to Spokane Gonzaga" in yellow letters on a red background. University, Gan.”
The enthusiasm and grandness of the scene made both Gan Guoyang and Gan Youwei feel flattered.
Gan Youwei even said directly: "Son, just study here. It would be so embarrassing if you didn't come."
In the huge welcoming team, a familiar face of Gan Guoyang appeared. He walked towards him and held Gan Guoyang's hand tightly.
"Welcome to Spokane, Gan."
Gan Guoyang looked surprised. Isn't this Coach Bellman?
How did you end up at Gonzaga University in Spokane?
"Bobby, have you rebelled again?"
"What the hell are you talking about? I only signed a one-year contract with Beiqiao High School. Gonzaga University invited me to serve as the team coach."
Only then did Gan Guoyang understand how much preparation Gonzaga University and even the city of Spokane had done to get him.
A Spokane city official even read out an official proclamation declaring the day of Gan's arrival as "Sonny Gan Day."
At this moment, Gan Guoyang decided to stay in Spokane and bring victory here.
[Next to the library, a statue of Bing Crosby stands forever. For decades, Gonzaga’s most famous student has appropriately represented this tree-lined community on the north bank of the Spokane River. Within the essence of a Jesuit school. But next to the school's gymnasium, the sculpture of Forrest lifting the championship trophy better represents the spirit of Gonzaga University today. 】
————Published in 2004, excerpt from Dave Bolin's book "Tales from the Gonzaga hardwood".
