ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND ATHLETIC
COACH OF EXETER HIGH SCHOOL,
WILLIAM BALL.
HEATHER, KIM,
L
AUREN, MR. AND
MRS. ARKELL, EXTENDED FAMILY OF
THE ARKELLS --
ACCEPT OUR CONDOLENCES ON
YOUR
GREAT LOSS.
WHEN JEFF CALLED ME LAST WEEK,
HE ASKED ME TO TALK ABOUT
COACHING AND STEVE'S IMPACT ON
COACHING.
I DID SOME RESEARCH.
NOT AN EASY TASK.
DAD, SON, BROTHER, OFFICER,
COACH, UNCLE, FRIEND, AND MANY,
MANY MORE.
THROUGHOUT ALL THESE
TITLES,
THERE REMAIN ONE CONSTANT.
A COMMON MAN WITH UNCOMMON
VALUES.
WHAT STEVE ARKELL
POSSESSED, YOU
CAN'T BUY IN A STORE.
THEY DON'T SELL INTEGRITY.
THEY DON'T SELL CHARACTER.
YOU JUST CAN'T PURCHASE SENSE OF
DUTY.
THIS IS WHY THIS SITUATION HAS
BROUGHT THE PROUD TOWN OF
BRENTWOOD, STATE OF NEW
HAMPSHIRE, AND FAR BEYOND
TO ITS
KNEES.
AS COACHES, WE CONSTANTLY
PREACHED -- FAMILY, SCHOOL, AND
ATHLETICS.
STEVE WAS WAY AHEAD OF US.
FAMILY, FAMILY, AND FAMILY.
IF YOU
FIGURE OUT THE FAMILY
PART OF IT, THE SCHOOL AND THE
ATHLETICS TAKE CARE OF ITSELF.
THAT WAS NEVER MORE EVIDENT THAN
IN HIS TWO LOVELY DAUGHTERS.
HE LIVED BY THESE WORDS.
THAT WAS NEVER MORE EVIDENT THAN
THIS PASSED BALL WHEN -- PAST
FALL WHEN
KIMMY SIGNED YOUR
LETTER OF INTENT TO PLAY
LACROSSE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
VERMONT.
HE WAS STOIC, HAPPY.
IT WAS
NOT ABOUT THE
SCHOLARSHIP.
YOU COULD SEE IT.
WHEN STEVE SPOKE, HE SPOKE FROM
THE HEART.
IT WAS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP.
MOM, DAD, SISTER,
AND KIM.
IT WAS A CONFIRMATION
AND IT WAS
IMPRESSIVE.
GREAT COACHES, GREAT PLAYERS,
GREAT PEOPLE HAVE
THE ABILITY TO
MAKE EVERYONE AROUND THEM
BETTER.
THAT WAS NEVER MORE EVIDENT
THAN
IN STEVE ARKELL.
HIS IMPACT ON THESE YOUNG PEOPLE
AND COMMUNITIES FAR BEYOND IS
IMMEASURABLE.
AS A POLICE OFFICER, HE WAS A
ROLE MODEL.
WANTING TO ASSIST.
TWO MONDAY NIGHTS AGO, I SAT IN
THE ARKELL LIVING ROOM AND I
LISTENED TO HEATHER
AND STEVE'S
MOM TALKED ABOUT HIS JOB WITH
THE POLICE.
AND ALL THE RESONATED WITH ME
WAS HE JUST WANTED TO HELP
PEOPLE.
THROUGHOUT THE LOCKER ROOMS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND TO MY
LEFT OVER HERE IN THIS LOCKER
ROOM, MANY PEOPLE USE THE MOTTO
"HOLD THE ROPE.
NEVER GIVE UP."
STEVE ARKELL HELD THAT ROPE FOR
SO MANY OF US. HE WOULD NEVER
GIVE UP.
HE HAS A
LEGACY THAT WILL CARRY
ON FOR IT DECADES AND FAR
BEYOND.
STEVE WAS A CHAMPION IN THE GAME
OF LIFE.
THE ARKELL FAMILY IS AN
INSPIRATION TO ALL OF US.
I SUGGEST TO YOU THEY ARE NOT A
FAMILY, BUT THEY ARE A TEAM.
TEAM 87.
THE ARKELL FAMILY IS STRONG.
THEY ARE RESILIENT.
AND THEY ARE BRENTWOOD PROUD.