They Played through the Echo of the Whistle: The story of how Valdosta State became a basketball dynasty

Product Description

The story of how Valdosta State became a basketball dynasty, winning the Georgia Interscholastic Athletic Conference (GIAC) 11 times in 12 years between 1960-72.

Review

Being a part of the Valdosta State Basketball program changed my life. They Played Through the Echo of the Whistle is a great description of how the coaches and staff at VSC developed the perfect environment for players, like me, to grow as a leader. The book will stay in my library and I will share with family and friends forever.
Jim Springfield VSC Basketball 1970-74

They Played Through the Echo fo the Whistle captures a magical era of Valdosta State basketball from 1954-1972. I am thankful I had the chance to read this inspiring tale of teams that played “through the echo of the whistle” and won 11 GIAC Championships in 12 years. As a former head coach, I was intrigued by their ability to dominate their competition consistently, under three different head coaches within those 12 years. This book’s fascinating perspective piqued my interest, and I soon discovered the Valdosta State Rebels were not only successful but were a dynasty in that era; and the writer provides insights into the reasons they were successful year after year.
The further I read, the more amazed I became with the stories and insights into the coaches, players, and each season, as the book traced the development of the program from a club team to perennial conference champions. Having competed against Valdosta State in the early years of this dynasty, the book ignited memories long ago shelved away in my mind of the rabid nature of the fans in Valdosta, and the amount of noise they created in a 2,500-seat gym. I vividly remembered the level of extraordinary intensity with which those teams played the game from beginning to end. The book’s title, They Played Through the Echo of the Whistle, reminded me of what it was like playing against the likes of Jim Nichols and Chuck Bonovitch under the backboards! As the pages unfurled, the stories of the players the coaches recruited were informative in that character mattered as much or more than talent to the head coaches. The coaches had a name for that character, the Rebel Spirit, which contributed to their sustained success as a team.
This inspiring story tells how players with character and talent were transformed by the head coaches who knew how to create a championship culture that shows the effects of great leadership from beginning to end! At heart, all of these men, Valdosta State coaches, staff, and players were united in their commitment to pursue perfection and experience excellence!
Bradford, former CEO of the Atlanata Tip-Off Club and the Naismith Awards

”Looking back now and viewing the string of GIAC Championships, with every other conference team trying to knock us off, is quite an accomplishment. That Colson, Melvin, and Dominey were able to take an assortment of talent and mold it into championship teams-says a lot about their leadership talent and skills.” Jim Nichols, VSC Basketball 1960-63

About the Author

Fred Gibbons is a polio survivor from the Polio Epidemic of the 1930-1950’s. Having contracted polio in the fall of 1953 at 5 years of age Fred was paralyzed below the waist. After extensive surgeries over 4 summers, he regained 60% of the function in his right leg and wore a full length brace on his left leg. Fred credits his Physical Therapists with teaching him life lessons over those 4-5 years like setting goals and how to get up off the ground after falling (by himself), he became the essence of resilience and determination. He never lost his love and passion for athletics becoming a manager for the football team in junior high school and a student trainer in high school at Southwest Miami High School. While Athletic Training opened doors to Valdosta State, it was Fred’s infectious positive attitude, along with his resilience and ‘never give in’ spirit that Coach Jim Melvin want