Editor's Note:  This is the most recent piece in a series of stories shared by Gorillas to Gorillas as we all embark upon this new "season" in our lives. These certainly are unprecedented times, for young and old alike. Our hope is for Gorilla student-athletes, past and present, coaches and members of Gorilla Nation to read these pieces, awaken their Gorilla memories and then compose their own story to share with us. There is strength in numbers.
 
I have to admit, before 1993 I knew very little of Pittsburg, Kansas and Pittsburg State University.  I grew up in De Soto, Kansas and never had the opportunity to take the trip to Pittsburg. That all changed when I transferred to Pittsburg State University to play baseball for Steve Bever and the Gorillas.  I did so without a trip to see the facilities or anything. I had a high school buddy, Bryan Cronin, that played on the golf team and I was going to move into his house.

I went to the first day of fall practice and my thoughts were, "what have I gotten myself into?"  I almost turned around and left. We practiced on a dirt infield with a backstop no bigger than 10x10 and no fences. We had no clubhouse, no batting cages, and no lights on the practice field. We played our games at Jaycee Ballpark. The junior college I played at had nicer facilities. There was a wood ladder that I think ROTC and the HPER department would use for training and classes that sat in center field. This is where the Tech Center parking lot is now. Times have changed. 

When weather did not allow for outdoor practice, we would move into the mezzanine at the Weede Building, joining softball, basketball and track as they practiced. It was madness!  I would give anything for one more of those practices. The Weede has gone through a transition and that can no longer happen. I am sure Coach Davied, Coach Anderson and Coach Jewett are happy! Times have changed.

I found out quickly that what I got myself into was a tight knit team that went 30-20, made the MIAA Tournament (for the first time in program history) and was coached by a man who was just as much "a dad away from home" as he was the coach.  Over the years, many coaching staff fishing trips to Grand Lake to fish for crappie ensued. Nothing like sitting in a heated dock and watching Doc Grimaldi slowly fall asleep. This would allow one of us to pull his line out of the water and remove his bait, replace it in the water and wait to see how long it would take for him to notice. I think it was year three! Those fishing trips don't happen anymore. Times have changed!

We would go on road trips with two vans, both with 15 guys (it was legal then). Let me tell you, the road trips there smelled a lot better than the road trips back! They now travel in a charter bus, have artificial turf, lights and a clubhouse. Times have changed.

After completing my playing career, I was able to join the coaching staff with Coach Bever.  That allowed me to be a part of some unbelievable players and teams at Pitt State that set numerous school and national records. Players like Daryl Cronk, Brad Shorter, Daniel Esposito, Justin Annin, Keith Matlock, Jason Clemensen, Paul Sweeney, Tommy Myers and Brett Parsons. Too many to name…  the conference championship team in 1999… being able to tell the story that I got to sit next to Al Ortaloni in the dugout listening to his jokes can never be taken away. But times had changed and it was time to move on.

I got married to another Pitt State grad, Jenifer Clarkin.  We have a daughter, Hayden, who plays travel basketball. She loves the Team Camp at Pitt State. We also attend many of the basketball games and volleyball matches and the memories run through my head walking into the Weede. Times have changed.

So many people in those 10 years that will forever be part of my memories:  Steve Bever, Diana Polston, Jack Overman, Pete Hamilton (to hear him say, "Welcome to the Jungle" one more time with that little chuckle in the middle), Tom VanHoy calling whatever game he was covering and then Eddie Lomshek, Coach Iba and Coach High, the best sports information director in college anywhere Dan Wilkes, Coach Broyles, Al Ortolani, Tommy Riggs, Phil Carr and Brad Horky. Some are still with us and some have passed. Times have changed!

Now, PSU has many new coaches and new facilities with new student-athletes stepping onto one of the most beautiful campuses anywhere – all making their own memories.

I could have turned around that first day at practice and moved on to something else, and times for me would have changed. I am so glad I did not. But, one thing that does not change is:

Once a Gorilla, Always a Gorilla.

Brad Buckley
 
Brad Buckley set the Pittsburg State single season saves record as a relief pitcher for the Gorillas as a senior in 1994, earning second-team All-MIAA and second-team All-Central Region honors. The DeSoto, Kan., native served as an assistant coach in the Pitt State program from 1995-2003 as the Gorillas claimed the MIAA Championship in 1999 and made four trips to the NCAA Division II National Tournament (1997-99, 2002). Brad lives in Girard, Kan., with his wife, Jenifer, and his daughter, Hayden.

Please share your own personal stories/thoughts via email to dwilkes@pittstate.edu. We want to share them! (PSU Athletics reserves the right to edit content for space and appropriateness. We cannot promise to publish every submission, but we will do our best.) Thanks Gorilla Nation!

Through the Eyes of a Gorilla Archives
Vol. I - Dan Wilkes, Associate AD/Communications (Apr. 3)
Vol. II - Levi Wyrick, Football/Track & Field Athlete (Apr. 7)
Vol. III - Amanda Davied, Women's Basketball Coach (Apr. 10)
Vol. IV - Chris Hanna, PSU Alum/Football Athlete (Apr. 13)
Vol. V - Jeff Moreland, PSU Alum/Football Athlete (Apr. 15)
Vol. VI - Emily Hanenberg, Volleyball Athlete (Apr. 17)
Vol. VII - Ashley Balazs, Softball Coach (Apr. 20)
Vol. VIII - Peter Euler, PSU Alum/CC T&F Athlete (Apr. 22)
Vol. IX - Caitlin Demarest, PSU Alum/WBB Athlete (Apr. 24)
Vol. X - Tyson Cushman, Baseball Athlete (Apr. 27)
Vol. XI - Oscar Gonzalez, PSU Alum/Men's Basketball Athlete (Apr. 29)
Vol. XII - Russ Jewett, Cross Country/Track & Field Coach (May 1)
Vol. XIII - Ronald Moore, PSU Alum/Football Athlete (May 4)
Vol. XIV - Emily Regier, Volleyball Athlete (May 6)
Vol. XV - Wendi (Rickson) Horak, PSU Alum/Softball Athlete (May 8)
Vol. XVI - Josh Lattimer, PSU Alum/Football Coach (May 11)