ing on Team USA. "My dad's right side is paralyzed but he's writing on a yellow legal pad
what he wanted them to do at practice that
day,'' Johnson recounted.
"He's getting these guys all fired up for a
practice and I'm thinking, 'You gotta be kidding me? I've been worrying for the last 24
hours about him and I walked into that,''' said
Johnson, chuckling at a vintage recollection of
Badger Bob being Badger Bob.
Less than three months later, Bob Johnson
lost his battle. He was 60.
Not all emergencies are life and death. "But
we've always made it aware to our players,''
Johnson said, "whether it's at the beginning of
the season, the middle of the season, or end of
the season, if something comes up, we're flexible.''
Such personal ordeals can be instructive,
especially if they lead to positive introspection.
"Did I grow up?'' Rigsby posed rhetorically.
"The biggest thing overall is that you can't get
upset about little things in life. There are far
bigger things.''
Reflecting on Nancy Rigsby's determination
and courage, she said, "My mom was so positive throughout, she kept saying, 'I'm going to
beat this cancer.'''
So did she grow up? "It's been a long year,
and I'm definitely stronger,'' Alex Rigsby said
confidently. "You grow a lot from it and I'm
excited for what's ahead.''
56 ยป VARSITY
APR I L 18, 2013
DAVID STLUKA
"The biggest thing overall
is that you can't get upset about little things in
life. There are far bigger
things," Rigsby said. "It's
been a long year, and I'm
definitely stronger.You
grow a lot from it and I'm
excited for what's ahead.''
