To all the Coaches, Teachers and Athletic Directors who are committed to make a positive difference in the lives of our future leaders: This blog post was written for you.
(It’s a personal story of how a coach impacted my life and another powerful influence that shaped my values and work ethic.)
The first time I boiled a mouthpiece and laced up a pair of cleats, I fell in love with a game that changed my life.
Being part of a team, listening to my coaches teach life lessons, competing to win—everything about the game of football—prepared me for what I do today.
Because of my love for the game (and athletics in general), I had to figure out a way to stay close to what I loved. So, during my senior year at the University of North Texas, I started my own sports marketing company, which I ran for nearly a decade.
I had the privilege to work with Emmitt Smith’s marketing team on numerous projects, including The NFL’s Fastest Man on NBC Sports. I also coordinated media appearances for Coach Eddie Robinson, “The Winningest Football Coach in College Football History,” along with other opportunities to meet Troy Aikman, Kobe Bryant and my hero, Pat Riley, the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Even today, as the current president of an advertising agency that I founded in 2004, sports continue to be a driving force in my life.
A COACH’S IMPACT…
When I think back to why athletics made such an impact, I remember Coach Skeeter Iles believing in me when no one else did. He was my 8th grade B-Team football coach. He convinced the head coach of the A-Team, Coach Ken Cooper, to bring me up to the A-Team just in time to play our biggest rival.
I didn’t let Coach Iles down. The first time I touched the ball, we run a trap play up the middle and I took it to the house on a 35-yard TD run. Perfect execution. That was the only score of the game. We won 6-0.
(Interesting side note: Our school, Bedford Jr. High, was a feeder to L.D. Bell. Our rivals, Harwood, fed into Trinity High School. That same group of players faced off again as high school seniors ranked #1 and #2 in the State of Texas. The score ended in a tie, but Bell advanced because of penetrations and went onto the 5A State Championship.)
If it wasn’t for Coach Iles trusting his eyes, and basically putting his reputation on the line for me, I’m not sure how things would have turned out. It was a pivotal time in my life. I was on the verge of quitting. Fortunately, I had a coach willing to take a risk on my behalf. For that, I will always be grateful to the man who impacted my life.
ANOTHER POWERFUL INFLUENCE…
There’s one other thing that made a lasting impact.
As a young, impressionable athlete I would get copies of Street & Smith magazine and cut out the “motivational quotes” along with pictures of the star players and tape them to my bedroom wall. By the end of football season my wall was a giant, colorful collage that was part wallpaper, part vision board.
During this time, my family moved to Texas from southern California and I took my first visit to my new school. I walk into the weight room and the first thing that jumps out is a giant red sign with bold text that reads, “NO PAIN, NO GAIN.”
Then, I walked into the locker room. Another sign: “THERE’S NO ‘I’ IN TEAM.” And the door leading out to the field also had a sign above it: “PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION.”
Immediately, there was a connection. This athletic facility felt like home. But instead of cut out pages of magazines, these motivational signs were fashioned out of wooden boards, paint and stencil lettering. But the idea was the same:
Create a visual environment that Inspires, Motivates and Empowers each player to live by a set of principles and Core Values that have the power to shape their destiny.
Fast-forward 30 years. That same kid that that turned his bedroom into a motivational shrine now designs, prints and installs custom-branded signage for athletic programs.
My name is Chris McKinney and I’m the president and founder of TEAM SIGNAGE, LLC. I would love the opportunity to take your athletic facility to the next level. Just give me a call or shoot me an email and we’ll get the ball rolling. I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Chris McKinney
P.S. Save up to 25%. Elite design. Competitive pricing. Call me today!