You're Part of Bigger Picture

A couple of incidences occurred over the last couple of days, one personally and one on a larger scale, that prompted me to write this blog.

First case: I was changing after a workout the other day at the rec center, and this guy comes in to get ready for his workout. Picture one of the jack-asses from Jersey Shore (no idea if this guy was Italian, and he definitely wasn't on steriods, but otherwise - you get the picture). Anyway, he puts himself at the end of the bench, then proceeds to change smack dab in front of the mirror, watching himself the whole time. To make matters worse, he pauses frequently to pose and flex.

Now, to be clear: we all know that we've done it (and don't you deny it). BUT: we do it in the privacy of our home, in front of our favorite mirror - not in public, flexing and making kissy faces at ourselves.

The second case is the one where a 19 year old whelp by the name of Brittney Simpson ran out and knocked down the Olympic torchbearer as part of her protest. Quite frankly, I'm getting sick of all the different special interest groups using the the Olympics as their own personal soapbox to grandstand some sort of (real or imagined) slight by the government, or society as a whole. In fact, people like Ms. Simpson take any sort of credibility and sympathy away from their cause - as of this writing, I have no idea what part of the Olympics she's protesting, nor do I care. I just hope they lock her ass up in jail for a couple of weeks for assualt.

The truth is, in both cases listed above the person forgot that they are part of a bigger picture, and in the end both wound up looking like morons.

To both parties, I would like to offer a little reminder: it's not all about you.

~Guy

P.S. Happy new year to everyone - wishing you all the best for 2010!!!

.short & sweet.

This time of year we are all in a hustle and bustle of the season. From Christmas party to a shopping spree we are commonly losing our minds and sometimes not even making it to our appointments.

We must slow down and take responsibility for our actions.
Eg. As simple as sending thank you notes…take the time to get them done. Something short and sweet will be enough and this will always go a long long way.

Remember, some of the best things in life are the little things…they are the things that sometimes mean the most…

Interestingly enough, it’s the little things that differentiates us from the rest!

What's Next.

With 2010 just literally around the corner, are you planning, goal setting and evaluating what is next to come in 2010 and are you taking the time to reflect what has happened in 2009. In our last week of 2009, have you achieve and accomplish what you set out to do this time last year?

I think it is important to remember that whatever you have done or will do, that your events, accomplishments, and goals are all building blocks to where you want to be (professionally ) and who you want to be. Not to long ago, a customer said to me that life is one big jigsaw puzzle and the things you do in life are all pieces of this puzzle that will eventually lead you to the finishing picture. At the time, you may not know why and where this piece of the puzzle fits but it will all come together and everything you have done will lead you to this.

Happy New Year, and may your dreams and aspirations be continued to be filled for 2010.

As I sit at my parents house in Calgary, staring at the Christmas tree, presents and stockings (which my wife stubbornly insists on calling "socks"... I mean seriously...), my thoughts drift forward to the few hours after Christmas finishes. It's in that time that, inevitably, we tend to feel that melancholic depression that sets in once the presents are unwrapped, the food is eaten, the toys are played with.

Why?

It's because, as a society, we look at this time of year as the ONLY time that we focus on "being good", showing "forgiveness", and open generosity. But why? Why do we limit ourselves and those around us this way?

I offer all of us, myself included, a challenge. Don't let this one time of year be the point where you think about others before yourself, where you make a point of seeing family, where you touch base with old friends. Don't wait for a time that's been corporately engrained in your head as "the right time".

On December 26th, continue to spread joy and happiness to all those around you the same as the day before. Do a random act of kindness, make a donation, call an old friend - and now keep that momentum going for 364 more days.

Merry Christmas, and happy holidays everyone.

~Guy

The Gleeson Family

An experience written by one of West Vancouvers newer coaches Natalie Anderson, a story about challenges, adversities, victories and how doing the little things in our rewarding job can go along way in changing peoples lives.
Thank you Natalie for sharing.

Goodbye...

No matter how many times I have had to say goodbye, it never gets any easier.

I met Shaun and Emma Gleeson in August of 2009, a lovely couple from England who I had the pleasure of training individually once a week.

They seemed like your 'average run of the mill' suburban family and I got along with them like a house on fire from the minute I put them on the bikes to warm up.

The first clue I had of their selflessness was when they sponsored me for the my very first adventure race in September. I was delighted and followed up with the token email and photograph.

Now I don't know what happened in October but there seemed to be a turning point in Shaun's thinking. It was Nutrition Challenge month and I encouraged both Shaun and Emma to enter. Shaun's ultimate goal was weight loss as this was directly correlated to his high blood pressure and for Emma, more about education and accountability, as she had done the challenge so many times before. However, this was Shaun's first and final experience. The nutrition challenge involved writing daily logs about food consumption, completing weekly fitness challenges and participating in events. Initially, Shaun was sceptical as he had to travel a lot during this time, but along with fellow trainers Richard and Dave we convinced both of them to do their best.

So week 1 down, 14 excellent food logs later and 7 delightful yet useless facts from Shaun - made reading and analysing every one of them tolerable!

Week 2: Emma was impecable with her logs, even calculating calories burned during each workout. Shaun on the otherhand was traveling in England, socializing with friends and working... in that order! I received a few late night emails... and to my surprise he was still sticking to the guidelines of the challenge. Shaun required very little motivation, he was so tuned in to succeeding he even ordered a salad in front of his mates.

Week 3: Shaun is back, he has booked in extra sessions to make up for his time away and is coming in on his 'off' days to do an hours cardio! This week both Shaun and Emma completed the 24th hill fitness challenge! A credit to them both, who suffer from back and knee injuries respectively.

Week 4: By this time Shaun is focussed, his eyes are on the prize. This man is getting super fit... In fact I think during the month of October he spen more time at IF then he did with his family. Everything was going so well for them both, it was falling into place.
I was training with Emma one night and I noticed she wasn't her usual bubbly, chatty self, I felt close enough to ask if everything was ok... and with a glazed look in her eyes, she replied, "Shaun's work wants him to move back to England in December." At this point I must admit I was very selfish - thinking, but I will miss you, who will I laugh and joke with? Not even thinking how hard it must be to uproot your family to another country. I put on a brave face and thought a lot can change in three months.

This weekend was the 10km Turkey Trot. Shaun and I were registered and I decided our game plan was a walk run combo as he had not run that far in 2 years since his injury.
Its race day and I let Shaun set the pace, '5 minute run 1 minute walk,' I say, trying to convince him it is a jog, not a sprint. We set off dodging and weaving fellow runners (thank goodness for those agility exercises). 5 minutes into the run and Shaun has set a steady pace and with dignity says "I don't need to walk, let's keep going!" So with no ultimate goal, other then to finish the race, I agree. At this point fitness was not the issue, it was weather his back and knees would hold up. 1 hr and 8 minutes later we crossed the finished line having jogged the whole way around without stopping. I was so proud of him.

Weigh in day of the Nutrition Challenge: Now neither Shaun nor Emma won, as it was based on a cumulation of points. As cheesy as it sounds though, Shaun did win his own challenge. Neither one of them missed a log and Shaun lost the most amount of weight during the 4 weeks out of everyone that entered the challenge at West Vancouver IF.

And so I think, 'that's the end of that, back to reality now,' but I was wrong! Shaun continued to come in to the facility during every day 'off' and always made up sessions that he missed. We even decided to do the Chief Hike as it was one of his goals before he left for England, we unfortunatly had to pull out due to poor weather.

Richard and I continued to 'up' the intensity during each session, challenging him more and more. Shaun proved to be an excellent workout buddy, and I spent many a session working out beside him, while he danced his way through a squat press or reverse lunge bicep curl. Emma called it his midlife crisis music. We even had a few of our own 'Ashes' matches, Australia VS England in cricket with our makeshift half blue foam roller cricket bat!

The 10km Fall Classic was coming up and I challenged Shaun to complee it in under an hour, if he did I would buy him a vivianno from Starbucks, which he had religiously after his workouts at IF. And so one afternoon after his workout I had to buy him his viviano - he did it in 56 minutes. Good on you Shaun, it must have been those new running tights.

3 weeks out from their expected departure date and Shaun is booking extra sessions and Emma is rescheduling every session with me to fit it into their moving plans - Quote 'I can't miss my IF workouts!' Ironperson of December: Shaun Gleeson for his dedication, hard work and commitment.

Next challenge for Shaun was the 5km Santa Shuffle in under 25min! It was a fun event and I dropped a hint that Emma should bring the kids down for the 1km Elf walk. To my surprise, she did, 3 years at IF and this was her first and last event!

Donned with Reindeer antlers, I met the Gleeson's at the start line, we took some photos, complained about the cold weather and Shaun and I were off. Again I said, 'you set the pace.' And at the time I wish I could have taken it back!

So apparently this one was a sprint! It was an icy morning and Shaun sprinted off overtaking the social runners, his technique and form resembled a Kenyan completing a marathon. I grinned and ran along side him, thinking - he won't be able to keep this up. 2.5km into the run and we are still sprinting like we are being chased by the cops. In between breaths I manage to gasp, "your getting fast!" 27 minutes later we crossed the finished line - disappointed but not defeated. We spent too much time at the beginning trying to get past the pack.

As 1 of many send offs, Shaun, Emma, their two children Oliver and Ruby, Kate, Richard, Kati and myself went out to lunch after the Sanata Shuffle and relived their fond memories at IF. A couple of stories that stuck in my head:

Emma:
Quote: 'After I got home from my first session I cried, I said to Shaun, 'What have I got myself in to?' Now I can't miss a session, I love it. I asked for a medball for Christmas so I can still do my woodchops when I leave.'

Shaun:
Quote: 'I was sceptical, I didn't think I needed another person to push me, my first few sessions I had to go home and have a sleep on the couch!'

Dave, Richard and myself decided that we would make the last few weeks of the Gleeson's IF experience a blast. Dave did an awesome whiteboard workout for Emma which involved traveling around the world, en route to England - rowing to Australia, hiking up Ayres Rock with a backpack, just to name a few. I also had my first cardio core workout with Emma, while Oliver and Ruby played DS and drew in the corner of the facility. I lost count after 180 crunches, but chuckled very loudly when during a 30 second hold of a back extension on the floor, Ruby kindly slid a drawing right under Emma's nose, so that she didn't have to look up. I loved training Emma's cardio core hours, I use to do hours of research for new and challenging core exercises. My favourites were the worm, where your legs and arms are extened, lieing on the floor you must roll yourself from your stomach to your back without using your arms of legs, reverse v-sit on the lat pull down with leg drops (she hated this one) and V-sit kettle bell crunches - I had a killer ab combo for this one!

Emma got her revenge at Train the Trainer. She had written down every exercie I was to do and had all the equipment prepared, all while hollering at Shaun to 'watch the kids!' - who might be asking for a treadmill for Christmas this year! Shaun was much more leaniant, all I had to do was give him a nasty look and he asked, 'are you ok?' - he is much too nice to be a trainer.
By the last two weeks Shaun was dialled in to burning calories. So Rich and I did the 1000kcal challenge. In my attempt to have Shaun burn 100kcal, I worked out with him and had him on the treadmill at the highest level he has ever done... NICE. But I came in short at 987kcal. Not to worry, Rich had a crack at him 2 days later with 1000 and something kcal, nice workout both of them.

It was profiling week and Emma convinced me she didn't need to do it. Actually no... she flat out refused! However I convinced Shaun we should take his girth measurements just for interest sake. He lost over 10lbs in 3 months, and 6 cms from his waist, and after an office medical was told he could come off his blood pressure medication. I was so excited for him, he had worked so hard, there was no better reward.

After what I though was his last workout with me I gave him the Gleeson Gladiator Gauntlet whiteboard workout. Shaun had to reschedule his last workout with Rich and ended up with me. Unfortunatly the night before was his going away party and Shaun was not up to the slaying I preppared - having to dash to the bathroom on numerous occasions. He left me standing with the dumb bells a few times looking bedazzled because I didn't know where he was.

TOP 5 GLEESON MOMENTS:
1. Working out with Shaun and he is spottng me on the chest press and a drop of sweat from his forehead onto my nose..eeww gross!
2. Dave giving Emma thunderclaps for the Santa Shuffle, or slow handclaps as they are known to the Gleeson's - she hates being made a fuss over!
3. Shaun shouting profanities during peak of the hour and sometimes during the warm up if we were lucky!
4. Shaun's dance moves - there is nothing more to say about this...
5. When Emma suggests that the exercises I have chosen are not real, they are made up exercises - how rude!

Leaving Day: The Gleeson powerpoint is showing on the big screen, a poster on the door read 'goodbye Gleeson's, we will miss you,' a card is signed by all the IF coaches, a collage of photos has been printed and framed, and the IF waterbottles and jersey are prepped.

I turned down the music, stood on the small box and declared what a loss for IF it was to lose not 1, but 2 of its most valuable - not customers, but friends. Emma compared finding new trainers, like finding a new hairdresser - which I totally understand, which is why we got along so well. Nowhere else will they find a gym where they yell your name when you arrive. Emma and I both joked that she will arrive at her new training facility and announce in her propper Brittish accent, 'Hello everyone, I am here!' I've also jokingly mentioned to Shaun, that when he is back in Vancouver for business he should come back for a session, he boldy stated that he would like 2 hours in a row!

All was said and done, gifts exchanged, I got through my whole speech without breaking down. It was definatly the team huddle with the 'Lets break on Gleesons in 3... 1, 2, 3, GLEESONS' followed by a round of thunderclaps that did it for me! The tears rolled down my face and with as much dignity and courage as I could muster, I said thankyou and goodbye.

Special appreciation to the team at IF West Vancouver for your support. Rich and Dave my co-coaches, Kati for looking after Ruby and Oliver, Justine for giving me the freedom and opportunity to work with the Gleesons, and Josh for your advice.

Find Your Own Voice

How many times have you been sitting in an audience, listening to a speaker, and thought to yourself "Hm. I think I've heard these words before...?". What was the impact of this realization? Did you lose just a tiny little bit of respect for the speaker, because they're grabbing someone else's lines? Do you tune them out a bit because it's the vocal equivelant of a television repeat?

I do. For right or wrong, hearing the exact same words coming out of someone's mouth does all of those things.

But note: I said the same "words" - not the same "message". The reason this is an important distinction is because hearing the same message in different words often has the opposite effect - it reinforces everything that you've heard already. It adds to the significance of what's being said, because it's not longer a single, solitary person standing on a soapbox. Furthermore, different deliveries are going to resonate with different people, so the more ways that the same message gets out there, the more people are going to absorb what's being said.

So - going forward, I offer you a challenge. Don't allow yourself to become a mimic - take the way you receive information one step farther. Listen to what's being said. Understand the core message. Then share that message - but do it in your own way, in your own style, in your own voice.

I guarantee that even if it doesn't resound with every member of the audience (or any, for that matter), at the very least your sincerity and therefore, your credibility, will come through.

Nothing can destroy the value of a message faster than lack of credibility in the messenger.

~Guy

train the trainer

On Dec 10^th we hosted our annual Train the Trainer fundraiser event benefiting both the www.canuckplace.org/ and www.friendsforzambia.org/ The common bond between the two are they are for the benefit for children.

The event is 12-13yrs old and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years..

In November, the TTT board goes up. 2hrs from 6-8pm are split into 24, 5min blocks and are sold for 50$. The purchaser gets 5min per block they buy to do whatever training they see fit. With some rules: no food or alcohol. As the event approaches, the anticipation builds and spots are filled up one by one.

This year, we started our warm up at 5:30 and continued to mentally prepare what was going to be happening within 30minuts. Meyrick Jones of IF Portmoody was our mc and our music supplied some extra ambiance.

For 5-10-15min we can be trained very hard. There are some mean people out there! But all in all the effort is only major for 2hrs and the results are massive. With 3 facilities hosting, we were able to raise close to 47,000$ which will assist many children and benefit those in need.

Another opportunity to do something positive and helpful for the universe. For every action there is a reaction…It’s important to embrace every opportunity and be your 100%

2hrs

2000 calories burned

$1750 raised

$500 of it for a shaved head…priceless

www.youtube.com/watch?v=70M8j9JbPM0

IN THE PRESENT

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly."
-Siddhartha Gautama

We spend so much of our lives focusing and stressing on the past and the future that we tend to forget about the present. How can we grow and become better individuals if we only focus on what happened yesterday, or if we direct all of attention on planning for the future?

Looking back at on all of the experiences and adventures we have encountered in our lives, we must feel fortunate for each and every one. They have helped mold and shape us into who we are today and the paths we inevitably follow. As much as it is helpful to have your past guide you to make decisions about the future, so many of us dwell on what has happened in our past. It can be difficult to let certain things, situations and moments go, however, it becomes be extremely difficult to move forward and live in the present.

Furthermore, this can also be said about focusing so much on the future. Planning is one the keys to success. Although, when there is so much of an emphasis and focus on looking down the road, the present and your surroundings is lost. We need to pay attention to how being aware and in the moment affects us now more than ever, but will also affect us down the road.

Next time you get caught up thinking about what you could have done, should have done, or what you need to do, and what you should do, take a deep breath in, and open your eyes because you don’t want life just pass you by.

- Nina Mathers

Think Before You Speak

Back in university, while I was earning my acting degree (which has, so far, definitely been worth the money invested), I worked with a theater company. As someone who enjoyed the idea of special FX make-up, I actually apprenticed under the company's head make-up artist, and was able to put it to great use for characters like Ebenezeer Scrooge as well as many, many Halloweens.

Now, the head make-up artist and his wife used to love going to all sorts of conventions, including the Star Trek ones, because they'd generally walk away with the first prize for their costumes (the attached picture? Not either of them - but I needed an appropriate visual). Were they big prizes? Frankly, I doubt it - in fact, I have no idea what they won. Maybe it was just for pride... but whatever floats your boat, I guess.

Anyway, during one of the tutorials, they were showing the pictures from the most recent convention, where they were done up as Klingons. As per usual, the costumes were astounding - with the make-up being absolutely flawless. So good, in fact, that as I was flipping the pages I asked about one part in particular - the stage teeth. The crooked and somewhat discolored look was perfect for a Klingon.

"Where did you get those unbelievable fake teeth?" I asked her without looking up.

Yes. For those of you that have an uncomfortable feeling that you know where this is going - you're right.

"... those are my own teeth..." was her quiet response.

"Oh," I said.

Brilliant recovery? No. But what would you do? I followed that up by carefully scrutinizing a few more pages as I turned through the album in painful silence, before asking about the Borg costumes that came later and pretending I hadn't just put my foot so deeply in my mouth I was choking on my mid-thigh.

Regardless, I learned a valuable lesson at that moment, and use it as a metaphor throughout life - I try to pause for one moment and take as much in around me as possible before I speak. Or, in the immortal words of a caution sign my mother once put on my wall:

"Be sure brain is engaged before putting mouth into gear".

Words to live by.

~Guy

What’s it going to be today?

On the heels of feedback, maybe we need to break down our approach to delivering. Maybe we need to focus on one topic per day to make it easy and to make it a habit in terms of just delivering.

I was thinking of a new way to convey feedback or just another way to hold team mates accountable. Was thinking that it could be easy to have each day a different theme…

Humm, maybe even post your intensions on your cubby. So what does that look like?

Well, first thing in the morning, post a note on your locker. ‘today will be all about the team doing towels’ then, all day, call on team mates for towels. Eg. Have you done a load of towels yet today? Or, do you know how many towels are in the bathroom? Or, how many towels have you rolled today?

This way, you have let your intensions known but posting a note for all to see and you are following up with your focus. The final piece of the puzzle is offering help or ideas to those who may need help or those who just aren’t regularly performing the IF towel service. ‘can I help you roll those towels?’ or, ‘lets unload this dryer and refill with those wet ones’ or, ‘lets both get some towels on the rack’

So, what else could we focus on during the week? Maybe it looks like this:
Mon: team energy
Tues: towels
Wed: hellos
Thurs: fitness challenge
Fri: cleanliness

The daily tasks can be switched each week and even switched completely or replaced with more pertinent topics (ie. Profiling, event promotion, etc.)

The funny thing is that there are tons of topics we as a team need to be aware of and too many to list that we as a team need to be holding each other accountable to..

So, what’s your daily focus?

Team bonding

What is bonding? Why is it necessary? Does it work?

The definition of Human bonding "is the development of a close, interpersonol relationship between family members or friends. Bonding is a mutual, interactive process, and is not the same as simple liking. Bonding typically refers to the process of attachment that develops between romantic partners, close friends, or parents and children. This bond is characterized by emotions such as affection and trust. Any two people that spend time together may form a bond. Male bonding refers to the establishment of relationships between men through shared activities that often exclude females. The term female bonding is less frequently used, but refers to the formation of close personal relationships between women"

Obviously, when you are bonding with co-workers this bond created is based on trust and respect. As our job is so personalized and hands on it is rare that we actually get to “bond” besides the work place.

However, when the opportunity arises, it is amazing what a difference it makes.

This past Saturday night, the West Van IF team had an ugly Christmas sweater gathering. We started off at Robson square by skating in our ugly sweaters around the rink and listing to live carolers.

We then made our way to Joshy J's place for a potluck dinner and games. The food was delicious, the setting was spectacular, charades was a lot of fun and the awards were classic.

It is great to be social with your co-workers that you spend every work day with. Even though we naturally have fun and change and challenge others every single hour, it is great to take that fun outside the work environment and get to know everyone a little better. We bonded, we laughed, we talked and we found out my about our co-workers.

Today, the team was energized, we reminisced about our Christmas gathering and we worked hard for one another. We are now even more that before a tight team that doesn't want to let each other down.

Team bonding works!

Consistency is Key

I had a great conversation with a client today about a recent adjustment to their training program. After experiencing back pain for the fourth year in a row this fall, the invididual decided to add an additional (third) training session in the facility about a month ago. Four weeks into the new approach, he hasn't felt this good with his back in years, and his general flexibility is also way up.

When he was most surprised that one extra session had such an immediate and effective impact, I told him that it was a matter of consistency and routine. By adding an additional session, not only was he burning more calories and improving fitness overall, he was bridging the time between the original sessions when his body would recede into negative habits and posture, as opposed to the increased strengthening we were now working on. The benefit was more than just adding 33% more during the week. It maximizes growth and continuity of progress so less time is spent undoing the damage of daily rigours and stress so we can spend more time and effort improving.

Many people underestimate the importance of consistancy and routine. I often think of one of my roommates on these situations. Though very aware of health and fitness, working in the bar industry leads her to drinking and partying a regular five to six days a week. The seventh day she eat and drinks very consiously and well, takes many many vitamins, and pats herself on the back generously for "balancing" her life. So where is the problem?

She continuously frets about her appearance in a bikini (it's December, get over yourself) and body tone yet rarely (one or twice a month) finds her way to the gym, based on the idea that she does a lot of walking at work. And her diet? Frightful the majority of the time, and overcompensating the rest. Though by weeky total standards she may be close to fine, on a daily basis she's a complete mess. What good does it do to be the world's healthiest person one day a week when the other six days are spent eating greasy appetizers and boozing in excess? Further more, if she's still unhappy with herself and her health, why does she not change her routine?

The bottome line is this; What you do most of the time is what will affect you much more and last longer than what you do some of the time. Consistency is what makes the difference between constantly fighting to find balance in a hectic life and fine tuning a weekly routine
each day to maintain optimal levels of satisfaction and well being. When a routine fails to produce the desired results, a change is necessary. But that change must come in the form of positive habits as opposed to one time solutions or knee jerk reactions and instant crash diets. Think about it... would you rather build a healthy lifestyle based on positive habits, or fight hard for ten days every two months taking necessary risks to make up for poor choices. Everyone slips up once in a while, but its the routine that saves us from the exception. When the exception becomes the norm, there is no direction or order to bring the individual back on track, and efforts to make up lost ground are wasted spinning wheels in mud and undoing bad habits instead or moving forward and improving our health, allwoing us to do the things we want to do while feeling and performing the best we can.

Until the Buzzer Sounds...

November 26th, 1994, at a Region II semi-final for the local division II high school football championship. Plano High East High School Panthers are trailing behind John Tyler High with just under 3 minutes remaining. What follows is a summary of the last 180 seconds.

3:00 - Plano East scores a quick touchdown to bring the score to 41-23. They follow up with short onside kick, which John Tyler High fumbles - Plano East recovers on John Tyler's 44 yard line.

2:34 - A quick pass by Plano East quarterback to his receiver, and they gain 26 yards to be brought down at the John Tyler 18 yard line.

2:24 - John Tyler's defence blitzes Plano East... the Plano East quarterback scrambles, and dumps a pass off that is miraculously caught by his running back and run to within 11 yards of the end zone. John Tyler holds them back for the next two plays, and on the 4th down and with 5 yards to go... Plano East completes a pass for a touchdown. Conversion: good. Score: 41-31.

1:24 - Another onside kick, another fumble, another recovery. Plano East runs a screen pass, and takes it to the 12 yard line where the receiver steps out of bounds and stops the clock. Complete pass on the next play, but miss the two point conversion - score is now 41-37.

0:45 - Again, an onside kick by Plano East. And yes - John Tyler High fumbled it once more, allowing Plano East to gain possession at midfield. Miss the first pass, then on 2nd and 10 they complete another screen pass in the face of a hard blitz, and take the ball to John Tyler's 22 yard line.

0:24 - A 22 yard pass... complete. Into the endzone, make the conversion - score is now an unbelievable 44-41 for Plano East!!!

The crowd is on their feet!! This is possibly the most incredible comeback in football - with 3 minutes left, the team scores three touchdowns and two conversion to go up by 3 points!! John Tyler's coaching team and players are too shocked to be embarrassed or angry - what the hell happened? Special teams? How could you fumble the ball 3 freakin' times??!!! Plano East is jumping for joy - the "never give up" attitude paid off... their sideline is ecstatic! They know they've made history!!

Plano High's kickoff squad heads out - they are the heroes, having successfully completed not one, not two, but three onside kicks... they are going to be remembered forever, not only in their high school, but the town, the record books, on youTube... FOREVER.

With the last 11 seconds counting down, they finally kick the ball as far as they're capable. John Tyler receiver Roderick Dunn actually catches the ball cleanly at the John Tyler 3... and starts running it back. At the 20, he cuts sharply to the sideline, and then cuts back downfield just before stepping out. He reaches the 50 yard line, and Plano East still hasn't taken him down... to the 40... the 30... the 20... the 10...

And into the end zone.

Final score - John Tyler High School 47. Plano East High School Panthers... 44.

PLAY.

EVERY.

DOWN.

...because it isn't over till the buzzer sounds. Ever.

~Guy

Make your intensions known

I want the straight goods. I want feedback…I can handle it…

Well, maybe not. Quite commonly, our teammates are always saying these things and in reality, they can’t take the straight goods or the straight feedback.

Now, the wvan leadership group learned something very valuable this past quarter and it now it just seems like common sense.

Don’t give feedback without a solution.

Ok, lets break this down…don’t give feedback without a solution! That’s it! Wow, what a concept but think about it. Transfer it into everyday life and think how amazing the outcome can/ could be. The straight goods accompanied by a solution.

What this does, is positions the deliverer of the information in a place of understanding and a place of caring. It means that not only do you care enough about that person to provide advice (constructive feedback) but you care so much that you are offering a solution that may make the transition to their resolution…wow, that’s amazing!

Now, we just need to say thank you and execute the feedback and carry out the solution!

No seriously, if you give feedback, get into the habit of offering a solution too, it may even make you more comfortable with delivering said feedback. God knows, we ALL need help with this and the reason is quite simple. It takes confidence to continually deliver the straight goods and perseverance to be consistent versus just giving up on someone.