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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2015
DOCKERY l Former student athlete and 2014 graduate
Jeramey Dockery returns to campus to coach defensive linemen.
The unofficial
games of TSU
By Sam Stewart
Staff Reporter
Trevor Stark/Index
Assistant coach Jeramey Dockery talks with defensive linemen during stretch
before practice Tuesday. Dockery played defensive tackle for the Bulldogs, earning
All-Conference honors in the MIAA and GLVC prior to his coaching career.
Continued from page 11
Reichert, echoing Nesbitt’s enthusiasm about Dockery joining the staff, said
Dockery was a “master technician” during the 2013 season.
“From day one he brought intensity,” Reichert said. “From the first meeting of
the year he was very strict and stern — it was going to be this way and there was
going to be no other way around it.”
Reichert said Dockery joined the coaching staff not to be friends with the players, but with a coach’s mentality and goal of making the team better. Reichert said
Dockery always wants the best out of what he’s doing, and he wants the best for
his players. Reichert said he’s the same type of guy he was as a player, and thinks
Dockery gives the team a little more energy since he is so young.
Kellen Nesbitt said relatively few players stuck around when Gregg Nesbitt took
the permanent position from Vlcko, and that contributed to what made Dockery so
special as a player.
“We lost a lot,” Kellen Nesbitt said. “A lot of guys transferred out, a lot of guys
left when the coaching change happened, and he was one of the ones that decided
to give us a shot. They were a fun group to coach, and there are just some really
great memories with those first two classes we inherited.”
Dockery played eight games as a true freshman, and redshirted his sophomore
year when the coaching change went into effect. By the time he was a senior during
the 2013 season, he was a familiar face for the Bulldog defense and the stat sheet.
Dockery was responsible for 70 total tackles during that season, 17 of which were
unassisted. He made 7.5 tackles for loss that year, and throughout three years with
Nesbitt at the helm, Dockery made 162 tackles.
Kellen Nesbitt said she has no doubt the Bulldogs brought in the right guy since
hiring Dockery.
“From a coaching standpoint, the players we bring in are pretty easy to coach if
you can help them make plays on Saturday,” Kellen Nesbitt said. “Dockery’s going
to help our defensive line play better, that’s the bottom line.”
While Truman Athletics has not had an
official sporting event
yet this year, I wanted
to talk about the unofficial games on campus
— intramural sports.
Soon sand volleyball,
flag football and many
other intramural events
will test the mental
toughness and skills
of individuals from
Greek organizations,
groups of friends, students whose days as a
varsity Bulldog have
ended and everyone in
between.
So what makes intramural sports enticing
for so many? Is it the
thrill of competition, or
is it the appeal of hanging out with friends
while playing sports?
Sophomore Cadence
Klatt said she enjoys
intramural sports because they give her a
chance to play sports
she already likes while
still getting a chance to
try new ones. Klatt said
the main reason she is
involved in intramurals is for the fun of it
and the chance to win
a championship T-shirt.
Who doesn’t want
to show off around
campus and bask in
intramural championship glory with a free
T-shirt? For many students on campus, intramurals bring much
more to the table than
just a few games here
and there.
Senior Anthony Pangan, who competes for
Sigma Epsilon, said having his fraternity cheering for him reminds him
of the brotherhood he
has with his fellow fraternity members.
“[Playing in front of
fans] just shows that
effort and competition
brings out the best in
you,” Pangan said.
Rick McGill, Director of Intramural Recreational Sports, said
there are usually 100
teams for indoor volleyball. He said indoor
soccer and sand volleyball are also popular
sports on campus, with
about 125 teams combined on average.
“Playing intramurals
gives everyone a chance
to play organized sports
without being on a college sports team or club
teams,” said Bryan
O’Leary, who plays club
volleyball. “Spending
time with friends while
playing at a competitive
level makes intramurals
so much fun.”
At the end of the day,
grab some friends, go
out and try something
new. Come up with
a new and fun team
name, create some team
uniforms, and get out
there. Here at Truman,
you don’t have to play
on an official sports
team or club team to be
an athlete. Intramurals
create an opportunity
for everyone to go out,
relive the glory days and
create lasting memories
with friends and teammates. At the Student
Recreation Center, at
Stokes Stadium and all
across campus students
are forming teams and
strapping up their cleats
for rounds of friendly
competition,
waiting
to be named champions, and rewarded with
T-shirts and bragging
rights for another year.
So don’t be a stranger to
the games, go out and
try something new with
friends, and become an
intramural legend.
VOLLEYBALL l Truman State volleyball hosted its intersquad scrimmage and youth clinic Aug. 28 in Pershing Arena.
Continued from page 11
the two programs have been played with
the intensity to build a notable rivalry.
“They’ve got a great program, and it’s
a fun atmosphere down there,” Briney
said. “Because it’s a big rivalry, it’ll be a
game where we play in front of probably
a thousand people. It’s a great opportunity to see how we work in that kind of
environment.”
Along with giving back to the community, Briney said the ‘Dogs used the Purple
vs. White scrimmage as an opportunity to
prepare for the regular season. The team
makes its official debut this weekend in
Warrensburg, Missouri, against the University of Mary. The Bulldogs will open
the season with two tournaments on the
road before returning to Pershing Arena
for their home opener on Sept. 18.
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