Diaco Spreads His Message At Banquet
Diaco Spreads His Message At Director's Club Banquet
Southington, CT, USA
10:18 p.m. EST, February 27, 2014
SOUTHINGTON — Jim and Geno have done it.
So have the likes of Bobby Valentine, Mike Schmidt and Dan Duquette from the baseball world and Bill Raftery, Frank Layden Jazz and Digger Phelps from the basketball world.
And on Thursday night, UConn football coach Bob Diaco joined that prestigious group as the featured speaker at the 20th Director's Club Banquet, at the Aqua Turf Club, the kickoff fundraiser for the Nutmeg State Games.
Diaco certainly enjoyed talking about his team and engaging fans and potential fans.
"We're at the end of Week 6 of our strength and conditioning program and it has been a grueling piece for the team," Diaco said. "The team needs an incredible amount of work … not only physically but also mentally, but I will say this: I'm so excited to be working with these guys. They are a great bunch of guys to work with and when we get this thing accomplished there are enough players there to have a real good team ... It's an exciting group."
A lot of interest was lost on the Huskies after a 3-9 finish in 2013 but the Diaco, 41, has livened things up.
"I think it's critically important that the people in the state and in the general area understand really how hard the team is working and how good they want to be," Diaco said.
UConn's first spring practice under Diaco begins March 10 and culminates with the annual Blue-White Spring Game April 12 at Rentschler Field at 3 p.m.
Diaco told a packed house about a couple of traditions he was going to change in order to create more energy on game days including the Husky Walk, which will now see the players enter the building through the student section to fire them up. The team will stay on campus on Friday nights when there's a Saturday home game to help create excitement on campus. He said there will be music between the third and fourth quarters to fire fans up, whether it's from his collection or not.
"We're going to engage the student body and our fans," Diaco said.
The Nutmeg State Games are about the kids, and on the 26th anniversary of the Olympic-style event some 6,500 athletes are expected to descend on New Britain July 12-27.
Diaco, who comes across as a motivator, spent much of his time addressing the young crowd on choices.
"Making great decisions is not that easy," Diaco said. "Most of the time, things are grand. You're operating with the choices and it's an ebb and flow. This guy is upsetting me. Should I swing or should I walk away? I'd really like to swing. I'd like to go – but I can't. I got to walk away. Should I be faithful to my significant other? Or, should I not? I'm interested in this, seems good, I'm excited. Nope. You know what? I'm going to do the right thing here and choose love and respect."
He also told the youngsters in the group to be on a mission.
"Just reshape in your mind what you're doing and why," Diaco said. "Do I coach because it's a job? Do I coach because I want to make money? Do I coach because I want to be on TV? Or do I coach because I want to try and develop young men into men, better businessmen, better football players, better husbands, better fathers. That's the mission I'm on. What mission are you on?"
Copyright © 2014, The Hartford Courant
