Fan remembers the kindness of legendary basketball coach Don

n-c-a-a championship. to commemorate that, abc-7 plans to air several stories about the team and coach don haskins. tonight’sfit feature is about haskins’ kinder side … something you might not expect, if all you saw was his gruff demeanor at games and practices. abc-7’s darren hunt has the story: “i told my dad that i wanted to go to the miner game … and he says well why don’t you write him a letter, tell him it’s your birthday, and see if he’ll let you sit on the bench with the team.” fifty-seven year-old hank flores was a sixth-grader in 1970 … he was just 12, when he wrote a letter to the 40-year old coach. “three, four days later he give me a call and i talk to him on the phone and he says it’ll be a pleasure to have you.” “you’re in sixth grade, you’r 12 years old and coach haskins calls you? what was that like? .” ” oh, i was all excited, i couldn’t believe it was happening.” “the special events center, which eventually would become the don haskins center, wasn’t even built in 1970 … the miners played many of their games back then in the old memorial gym, but this particular game was played here at the el paso county coliseum.” “memorial gym was small but the coliseum was a lot bigger and it was nice … he sends nevil shed over to be my chaperone and he says you stick to him, wherever he goes you go.” haskins made sure bigger and it was nice … he sends nevil shed over to be my chaperone and he says you stick to him, wherever he goes you go.” haskins made sur bigger and it was nice … he sends nevil shed over to be my chaperone and he says you stick to him, wherever he goes you go.” haskins made sure flores was introduced before the game, like he was part of the team. flores still has the program from that night. after the victory over eastern new mexico, he was invited into the locker room with the team. “they signed my program and the haskins sat down with me and talked to me … asked me where i went to school, what i played, like he was interested in what was going on.” flores took this priceless picture with the bear that night. five years before haskins’ death in 2008, flores had it signed by the coach. “we laughed about it … i said do you rember this? he said yeah he remembered it and he goes, we never change .” “hard to believe 45 years ago?” “yeah, and everybody was just s nice … ” darren hunt … “that’s memories that i’ll neve forget, i’ll never forget.” abc-7. and be sure to keep a look out for the 66 national champs — during tomorrow’s sun bowl thanksgiving parade. the team is serving as this year’s grand marshal. and speaking of the parade — go to kvia dot com for some helpful information about tomorrow’s event. we’ve posted the parade route … including a list of what streets will be closed. the parade begins at 10 in the morning. an nmsu football player