I learned I was privileged with the opportunity to be a part of something much bigger.
“When I first started, I thought I was ‘training athletes’.
Since then, I’ve watched kid’s find their purpose.
I’ve seen broken relationships mended.
I’ve watched kid’s no longer want to hurt themselves.
I’ve even seen ‘em give their lives to The Lord, too.
This ain’t about sports.”
-Ray Zingler on Twitter
I remember when I first started my entrepreneurial journey in the Private Sector Strength & Conditioning world at the ripe old age of 19, I was hyper-focused on becoming the best Coach I could possibly be.
In the beginning, the only thing I cared about was my client’s progress. If it didn’t have to do with strength and speed enhancement, I wanted nothing to do with it.
Fast forward a couple years later, I got a phone call from a parent.
A mother informed me that her son told her that he no longer needed to see his therapist because his confidence was growing and he no longer felt the anxiety that riddled him in the past.
“Oh, that’s great, I’ll see him Thursday for legs?”
That or something like it was likely the immature response I gave, fully missing the depth of what she was telling me.
A short time after that, I got a call from a parent informing me that in a family therapy meeting, her son informed his therapist that he no longer felt the desire to take his life because he found purpose within the walls of my gym.
Woah.
That one hit me.
Hold up, is this really about squat maxes and running speeds?
Then a couple years later, a boy came up to me in my office and asked me about Jesus.
He wasn’t sure of his Salvation and wanted to learn more. He wanted to be sure he was going to Heaven.
After meeting weekly in a freezing cold garage with no heat source in the thick of winter, knelt over a 0-90 chalk covered Elitefts adjustable bench, he repeated after me the prayer of acceptance. He was saved forever, right there on the turf.
We were both shaking like leaves that morning and it wasn’t because we were cold.
After these experiences, I learned that while I thought I was “training athletes” I was actually blessed with the opportunity to be a part of PEOPLE’S stories.
This is why I’ll forever pride myself on coaching people first and athletes second.
I will work my face off to help all of our kids in their sports and activities.
But I assure you, I fully understand it’s about much more than the “game”.
