LeDuc, Lucas, Pat Weis, Jimmy Clayton, David Kristynik, and Ploetz,

Top of the Queue Volume VI Newsletter # 21 – 08/28/2021 (click on “View in Browser highlighted above if the newsletter is not to scale or no images are present. )

The Mid-August newsletter update link for cell phones is SquareSpace software was having scaling issues so the images were too large.

https://www.texaslsn.org/campaigns/view-campaign/GKDqFk29tC269aiQE0bG3uEZdQuBqfdcXtfIUrDKz_SnLanj5aRK6Y69xUuSfvZ9njt4wPHbTTT-PEtTLw4mNVWP3Wem60V2

The History of Longhorn Strength and Conditioning

Strength Coach Todd Wright said “The Will To Win Means Nothing Without The Will To Train.” Dana LeDuc understood that Tenet, and so did his athletes.

WEIGHT LIFTING PROTOCOLS AT TEXAS CHANGED FOREVER IN 1973

All SWC football player Jay Arnold says, “We were part of the ‘old school’ when it came to physical and strength training.” “We would lift and condition in the spring and off-season but put the weights away during the season. Oklahoma did it differently. They were working on weights all year long. We changed after that game (loss to O.U.) and never looked back. We were in an era of enlightened transition as far as that was concerned.”

“Celebrate the oral history of Longhorn sports as told through the eyes of Texas Dana LeDuc.”

In 1978 Longhorn National Champion shot-putter Dana LeDuc was hired by DKR to overhaul the Longhorn strength and conditioning programs.

Bryan Millard, The 1982 Longhorn football team captain and a nine-year player for the Seattle Seahawks says about Dana: “I cannot tell you how valuable Dana LeDuc was because of his strength training. I played with some outstanding offensive linemen who played not only at Texas but went on to have extended careers in the NFL, and a lot of that had to do with Dana LeDuc.”

Retired now, Dana’s spirit, words, and deeds still resonate with those he trained. As the strength coach for four high-power athletic programs, he understands that participation in sports builds character. In addition, discipline and work ethic is necessary, requiring athletes to overcome adversity as competitors. All four attributes are life skills learned and earned, and transferable to the business world. As a result, athletes make great leaders and employees for both the public and private sectors.

Good Deeds by Dana LeDuc and the “Horns”

Golf Coach Pat Weis

Pat Weis was hired in 1957 as a P.E. teacher, and in 1967 she was hired as the first women’s varsity golf coach. From 1967 -1973, Coach Weis was unsalaried and unbudgeted. Her salary primarily came from teaching as an associate professor in the physical education department.

After Title IX in 1973, she was hired as the part-time varsity golf coach; It was not until 1980 that Coach Weis became the full-time coach of the women’s University of Texas Golf team. Pat’s story is @

https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/history-5

Golf Coach Jimmy Clayton

Revisiting past articles on TLSN

• Bob Gamblin shares a story about David Kristynik in the 1960 Cotton Bowl game against Syracuse. The Orangemen won, but not without a few mental struggles, verbal exchanges, and some physical intimidation:

• Roy Bechtol talks about his father, the great Hub Bechtol and,

• As a former Longhorn football great and Sherman high school coach Tommy Lucas shares a story about the recruiting of Mike Dean and Greg Ploetz to Texas in 1967.

• Visit https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/hub-bechtol-mike-dean-greg-ploetz-david-krystynik-and-bobby-gamblin-t-ring-reflections to capture special moments in the history of Longhorn sports.

In the next TLSN newsletter, Larry Carlson interviews Super Bill Bradley and Longhorn National Champion track star Michelle Adamolekun.

Also, as a build-up to the O.U. game, In early October, TLSN will feature the oral history, text, and photos of Billy (sure shot) Schott and Peter ( the Great) Gardere.