By Garrett Whitt
Special to vincedadamo.blogspot.com
Editor’s note: Duke University head men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski has played
a key role in the Jimmy V Foundation for the past several decades as the organization
helps try to an end to cancer with research funding. This year’s V Foundation Wine
Celebration Aug. 2 - 5 raised over $18 million, all of which will go towards cancer
research. This is a Q and A with the legendary Coach K that originally published in the
St. Helena Star, which is a sister publication for Napa Valley Publishing.
a key role in the Jimmy V Foundation for the past several decades as the organization
helps try to an end to cancer with research funding. This year’s V Foundation Wine
Celebration Aug. 2 - 5 raised over $18 million, all of which will go towards cancer
research. This is a Q and A with the legendary Coach K that originally published in the
St. Helena Star, which is a sister publication for Napa Valley Publishing.
What are your recollections of Coach Valvano being that it’s the 25th anniversary
of The V Foundation?
of The V Foundation?
Coach Krzyzewski: Well, I think having the V Foundation, it gives us a chance not only
to keep his memory alive, but more importantly his spirit and his vision alive and the goal
of beating cancer. And although we’re able to celebrate that every day as being part of the
V Foundation there are certain days that you celebrate it more, like anniversary dates. And
obviously the Wine Celebration which was the 20th anniversary of The Wine Celebration
and it gives us a chance, in those dates, in those events, to share it together. And it helps
me when I see that speech (by Valvano at the 1993 ESPY Awards) and think about Jimmy,
just what incredible vision he had and he’d be really proud of what has happened over the
last 25 years to fight cancer. However, being proud, he would not be satisfied like we’ve
shown we can do all this; [but] we can do even more. And the fight’s not over.
to keep his memory alive, but more importantly his spirit and his vision alive and the goal
of beating cancer. And although we’re able to celebrate that every day as being part of the
V Foundation there are certain days that you celebrate it more, like anniversary dates. And
obviously the Wine Celebration which was the 20th anniversary of The Wine Celebration
and it gives us a chance, in those dates, in those events, to share it together. And it helps
me when I see that speech (by Valvano at the 1993 ESPY Awards) and think about Jimmy,
just what incredible vision he had and he’d be really proud of what has happened over the
last 25 years to fight cancer. However, being proud, he would not be satisfied like we’ve
shown we can do all this; [but] we can do even more. And the fight’s not over.
What do you see as your role as part of the V Foundation?
Coach Krzyzewski: One just to be passionately supportive of what we’re doing and give
not just time but give my mind and thoughts about it. And to listen, to think to react, but
also, I feel like I was one of Jimmy’s first recruits. I’m not sure I was the first one, but I
know I’m one of the first recruits because he recruited me at Duke Hospital where he was
being treated [during the final months of his life]. And I’d like to bring a coach’s
perspective. And try to think like Jimmy would think in those events, and just the event
but the board meetings and I think that’s one of the reasons he wanted me to be a part of it.
not just time but give my mind and thoughts about it. And to listen, to think to react, but
also, I feel like I was one of Jimmy’s first recruits. I’m not sure I was the first one, but I
know I’m one of the first recruits because he recruited me at Duke Hospital where he was
being treated [during the final months of his life]. And I’d like to bring a coach’s
perspective. And try to think like Jimmy would think in those events, and just the event
but the board meetings and I think that’s one of the reasons he wanted me to be a part of it.
Where do you think we are in the process of the fight against cancer?
Coach Krzyzewski: We haven’t won completely obviously, but we’re getting wins over
and over again, and I think one of the key things the V Foundation does is recruit young
scholars, young researchers. We’re like a farm system for the fight against cancer. And
then to provide grants and then to help people follow through and really leverage the grant
from tens of thousands of dollars or hundreds of thousands [of dollars] to millions [of
dollars]. And I think we have to remember our role, but also look to see if we can expand
our role in the fight against cancer.
and over again, and I think one of the key things the V Foundation does is recruit young
scholars, young researchers. We’re like a farm system for the fight against cancer. And
then to provide grants and then to help people follow through and really leverage the grant
from tens of thousands of dollars or hundreds of thousands [of dollars] to millions [of
dollars]. And I think we have to remember our role, but also look to see if we can expand
our role in the fight against cancer.
How do you think Coach Valvano would react to the growth of not only the V
Foundation, but events such as The Wine Celebration?
Foundation, but events such as The Wine Celebration?
Coach Krzyzewski: Yeah, he would them. He’d be jealous of me, that I have the
opportunity to host it. If he was here, he wouldn’t let me host it. He would host it, and that’s
why (laughs) one of the reasons I’ve chose to do it because somewhere up there he smiles
and laughs every Wine Celebration that I’m hosting and (he’s) a little bit envious of the
fact that I’m doing it. I know that because he loved to have a good time, obviously from
his speech he loved to laugh, think and cry and The Wine Celebration certainly gives us
an opportunity to be a family and to do all three of those things.
opportunity to host it. If he was here, he wouldn’t let me host it. He would host it, and that’s
why (laughs) one of the reasons I’ve chose to do it because somewhere up there he smiles
and laughs every Wine Celebration that I’m hosting and (he’s) a little bit envious of the
fact that I’m doing it. I know that because he loved to have a good time, obviously from
his speech he loved to laugh, think and cry and The Wine Celebration certainly gives us
an opportunity to be a family and to do all three of those things.
What did you want the people who attended The Wine Celebration to take away
from their experience?
from their experience?
Coach Krzyzewski: I think one, you want everyone to have a good time, and you want
everybody to be real and I think that’s what happens at [The Wine Celebration]. Everyone
feels like they’re family. The love and that togetherness that is shown at that Wine
Celebration by everyone is what we need going forward, with researchers, with
fundraisers and everyone where it’s coordinated and I think everyone went away proud
to be just not at the event but they were the event. They were the V Foundation during
that event and hopefully they went away being a member of our team.
everybody to be real and I think that’s what happens at [The Wine Celebration]. Everyone
feels like they’re family. The love and that togetherness that is shown at that Wine
Celebration by everyone is what we need going forward, with researchers, with
fundraisers and everyone where it’s coordinated and I think everyone went away proud
to be just not at the event but they were the event. They were the V Foundation during
that event and hopefully they went away being a member of our team.
I know you pride yourself on being the coach of your basketball team but also that
the team goes beyond basketball which is the title of your radio show. But one of
your players, Brennan Besser, did something very special this summer bicycling
across the country to raise money for people with disabilities. Can you speak about
what he did this summer?
the team goes beyond basketball which is the title of your radio show. But one of
your players, Brennan Besser, did something very special this summer bicycling
across the country to raise money for people with disabilities. Can you speak about
what he did this summer?
Coach Krzyzewski: Yeah Brennan Besser comes from a great family and his sister has a
life of disability but not a life without love and support and their family has really bonded
even greater as a result of his sister being part of that team. And Brennan did a great job
of biking of the United States and stopping in so many cities and not just raising money
but even more importantly raising awareness and bringing out people who are suffering
from disability and their caregivers the people who are with them. You are not just
celebrating (the people with disabilities) you are celebrating the team they have around
them. I think (Besser) wanted to show that his family is a team that surrounds and gives
support to his sister. And I think he did a great job of that.
life of disability but not a life without love and support and their family has really bonded
even greater as a result of his sister being part of that team. And Brennan did a great job
of biking of the United States and stopping in so many cities and not just raising money
but even more importantly raising awareness and bringing out people who are suffering
from disability and their caregivers the people who are with them. You are not just
celebrating (the people with disabilities) you are celebrating the team they have around
them. I think (Besser) wanted to show that his family is a team that surrounds and gives
support to his sister. And I think he did a great job of that.
What do you want the young men who play for you to take away from the experience?
Coach Krzyzewski: We don’t always have them for a full four years but just the fact that
one being a part of an outstanding team is the best way to go. And be part of something
that’s bigger than you and hopefully when they leave Duke they realize that they were part
of two things that were bigger than them: Duke University and our basketball program and
for them to understand that they will always be a part of those two families, and those are
two good things to be a part of.
one being a part of an outstanding team is the best way to go. And be part of something
that’s bigger than you and hopefully when they leave Duke they realize that they were part
of two things that were bigger than them: Duke University and our basketball program and
for them to understand that they will always be a part of those two families, and those are
two good things to be a part of.
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