Monday, May 27, 2013

Sports Banquet, Regents School, Austin TX

Memorial Day: Monday, May 27th, 2013
I had the wonderful pleasure of speaking at the “Regents School” in Austin, Tx. On May 11, 2013. There were 500 people present celebrating 14 sports team at the spring sports banquet.
Mr. Jim Ross, former professional baseball teammate of mine in Billings, Montana (1972), and we were playing for the Kansas City Royals minor league affiliate, ask if I would come to Austin to speak at the Regents School where his son and daughter attend. After I agreed to speak, I received news that one of my former UNC-Chapel Hill student/athletes, Chris Knepp, was a teacher at the school. Chris played on the USA college baseball team in 1975, went on to receive his law degree and practiced law, was a member of the United States Baseball Olympic Committee, but chose about 2005 to stop practicing law and become a high school teacher.
It was terrific to see Jim and Chris again after so many years. Jim hosted me in his home and was wonderful to get to know his beautiful family. Jim and his family will be visiting Cape Cod this summer July 6-13 and I look forward to hosting them and enjoying Cotuit Kettleers Baseball at the what ESPN's David Albright dubbed the Real Field of Dreams in Cotuit, Elizabeth Lowell Park.
My topics for the evening were “Caring about others first each day; Being an Unselfish Teammate; and Finishing Strong what we start!” I shared about Dr. Randy Pausch (The Last Lecture) and how Dr. Pausch had a terminal illness but gave his “Last Lecture” at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh just months before he died and encouraged everyone to do things “Right, Cherish each day, and finish strong!”
I talked about the movies “Radio and Rudy” and how each of us can be that “One” caring and positive friend that may be the key to helping improve another person’s life. In the movie “Radio” Coach Jones cared about a young man who was a slow learner but just needed help and encouragement. Coach Jones and his family loved “Radio” and helped him have a much improved life through their friendship, encouragement, and involvement with the local football team. In the movie “Rudy” there were two friends in Rudy’s life, on in high school and one at college, that made a tremendous difference in him trying to go to college and eventually graduating and playing football at Notre Dame.
Finally, I showed a short video of athletes who had overcome adversity/injury to go on and accomplish more than anyone imagined they could do. They “Finished Strong!”
I hope we will all awaken each day and ask “Who can we help today?” We will not only improve someone else’s life but we will improve our own lives and lay our heads down each evening and say “It has been a good day.”