by David Flint
Who knew that Art Schmich was such a comedian? Selected as Commencement Speaker for Berlin’s graduation ceremonies, Berlin Central School’s Athletic Director for 26 years showed up with props. One was a brand new cell phone with which he proceeded to text his wife Donna to assure her he was safe and sound. – “She worries about me,” – Schmich said. The students always laughed at the ancient Nokia phone he used to carry which dated, he said, back to the 80s. [private]
Sadly, the Nokia had just bit the dust – “It was the only technology I ever knew.” – But now Schmich was anxious to show off his new gadget and its marvelous capabilities. “It even plays music, and I can get the weather report on it.”
Dan Bentley, named Most Improved Player in soccer this year, introduced the Speaker. Bentley noted that Schmich graduated from Berlin himself back in 1974 and was a proven athlete in soccer, basketball and baseball. With degrees from Hudson Valley Community College, Westfield State and Russell Sage, he has taught physical education at his alma mater for 36 years, and coached soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball. He won ten league titles in boys soccer and two in baseball. “You always knew the right words to get us back in the game and ready to go. You are the real MVP,” Bentley said.
Schmich said this was the first real speech he’d ever given. He was nervous and knew he had to come prepared. He brought a bottle of water to slake his thirst through a three-hour speech. And to remind him to relax behind the podium, as if he were in his regular domain on the soccer field, he brought an apron that had been given him, emblazoned with the warning, “No bitchin’ In Schmich’s Kitchen!”
“What makes me rich” Schmich said, “is all the fond memories I have of all of you. From gym classes, soccer and softball teams – our successes and failures. We’ve learned about life and how it is not always about wins and losses, but about friendships and working together for a common cause, being part of an extended family, supporting one another on and off the field.”
Schmich had a couple of messages for the graduates. The first has been posted for years in the boys soccer team locker room, “If it’s important to you, you’ll find a way – if not, you’ll find an excuse.” When they come upon the many challenges ahead, he advised finding ways to meet their goals, rather than finding excuses. “Too often we take the easy way out rather than putting in the time and effort,” he said. Schmich said he himself at their age tended to find excuses and was a poor student in high school, interested only in sports. He eventually, at Hudson Valley, got his act together and afterward did well in his education.
The second message was about the necessity of hard work.
He told a story of a bull who advised his turkey friend that if he ate enough cow manure, his wings would work better and he could achieve his goal of flying up to the top of the oak tree in their barnyard. The turkey took the advice, ate more and more helpings of manure as urged by the bull, and eventually was able to fly all the way up to the top of the oak tree. Whereupon the farmer came out of his house with a shotgun and shot the turkey right out of the tree. The moral being, Schmich said, “Bullxxxx may get you to the top but only dedication and hard work will keep you there.”
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