It was with sadness that I read the obituary of former Edina and Edina West high school football coach and teacher Stav Canakes. When I was a student at Edina West High, class of 1977, Mr. Canakes coached me and taught a class I took dealing with outdoor sports such as hunting and fishing. In football, I was, shall we say, "wanting in talent." Coach Canakes, however, would take particular notice of my efforts, and did all that he could to encourage me to do my best and work my hardest. Quite simply, he made me feel good about myself in spite of my not-too-successful efforts to excel at football. Unlike football, I did have some talents and insights in the area of outdoorsmanship. Coach Canakes recognized that about me as well. He would frequently call me out in class, no hand raised, to give some thoughts and opinions on a particular issue. At those times, his actions encouraged me to excel at something I was in fact good at. He wanted me to share my insights with others. He made me feel respected, which was such a wonderful thing to feel as a teenage kid who was going through the normal and never-easy steps of growing up. Coach Canakes, quite simply, had a great talent for encouraging and fostering self-esteem in kids who needed just that sort of encouragement. The lessons that he taught me have stayed with me throughout my years. Here's to you, Coach Canakes. Here's to all of the things you taught me over the years. Things that reside not just in my head but, as well and especially, in my heart. ERIC HAUGEN, MINNEAPOLIS