ATTITUDE AND CHOICES

A great story to read and emulate!

ATTITUDE AND CHOICES

Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate.

He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say.

When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

He was a natural motivator.

If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on

the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Michael and asked him, "I

don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"

Michael replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today.

You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.

I choose to be in a good mood.

Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it.

I choose to learn from it.

Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life.

I choose the positive side of life.

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.

"Yes, it is," Michael said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood.

The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life."

I reflected on what Michael said. Soon thereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Michael was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Michael was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.

I saw Michael about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied. "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?"

I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident

took place.

"The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon to be born daughter," Michael replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could  choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.

Michael continued, "...the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read "he's a dead man. I knew I needed to take action"

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Michael. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. Yes, I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, "Gravity."

Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."

Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Attitude... after all is said and done, is everything.

Baseball/Softball College Skills Camps!

Pinnacle Sports will be hosting the 3^rd annual College Softball Skills Camp Tuesday June 12^th at our Medina location.  This camp is for high school players entering 9^th-12^th grade, featuring college coaches from the region working the camp while teaching and interacting with players.  There will also be a Baseball College Skills Camp on Thursday June 14^th.  This camp is also for high school players entering 9^th-12^th grade who is considering playing at the collegiate level and wish to work with some of the finest college coaches.  For more information go to our website www.PinnacleSports.org.  Hope to see you here June 12^th and 14^th.
Stay tuned up and sharp before and during your season.  Pinnacle will be offering other summer camps and clinics for baseball and softball all summer. 

CAMP

As parents who are thinking and planning for the summer, we are faced with more options than ever before. Most families are limited by time and budget but still need choose between a buffet of child care, summer school, museums, picnics, parks, vacations, and so much more. With all of these options, the first choice for families should be SUMMER CAMP.

CAMP is experiential education like no other. Youth learn life lessons like independence, leadership and self-confidence in an environment designed specifically for them. CAMP is made up almost entirely of teachable moments. Through fun and hands-on experiences, campers have the opportunity to grow and develop the skills needed to be productive, successful adults.

CAMP is fundamental in the national discussion around the need for high-quality summer programs to keep students engaged in learning and encourage them to develop new skills and previously unseen talents. CAMP offers children the opportunity to form relationships with role model adults and keeps them fit and active.

I would ask that you seriously consider summer camp for your child/ren. Pinnacle Sports offers a plethora of summer camp opportunities from traditional day camp to instructional sports camps to specialty sports and athletic camps. We have summer camp opportunities for all children regardless of age, interest or ability. If for some reason we do not fit your summer camp needs, let us help you find the right camp for your child. Through our direct experience with the American Camp Association, we can be a resource for your family with regards to summer camp.

We hope to see you this summer at one of our Pinnacle Sports summer camps!

RICH

Love

 

LOVE

The next word in the acronym COMPLETE PLAYER is Love.  Love is giving up your own desires for the benefit of others.  How cool is this concept?  As a coach this is probably my favorite character quality to instill into young players.  Usually if I talk about the word love to any boy under the age of 14yrs old, it is a giggle fest.  Try it! Say the word love in front of most of the boys you would be around and I can guarantee that they laugh, smirk or giggle about it. 

There are obviously 2 types of love the boyfriend/girlfriend kind, and then genuine caring love.  In sports when we are part of a team we need to learn to love our teammates.  That doesn’t mean we should go out on a date somewhere, but that we need to be willing to do anything for a teammate. 

Because I am a baseball guy, if I can get 9-11 guys to do anything for the other, then they will have no problem going the extra mile and picking one another up after a bad at bat, or sacrificing themself for the team.  I have coached teams and, played on many more, and very rarely do you find a team where the whole team as a unit cares for one another.  Where they are willing to give up something they desire for the benefit of others.  Most of the time, you get groups of guys who buddy up, or a selfish player who only does what benefits him or her. 

With that being said, if you have a team where you can say love is a core part of your team, then you my friend have something very special, and you need to cherish the opportunity to play with that group of people.

Have a great week,

Coach Todd

Learn more about Character Qualities we believe in here, www.coaching4life.us

Silver Sneakers

Pinnacle Sports is recognizing the unique needs of older adults in the community by partnering with the nationally recognized Healthways SilverSneakers® Fitness Program.  Pinnacle Sports is helping older adults increase their levels of physical activity while motivating them to remainactive.

SilverSneakers is the nation’s leading exercise program designed exclusively for older adults and is available -- at little or no additional cost -- through many Medicare health plans, Medicare Supplement carriers and group retiree plans.  “Research points to the significant health benefits of regular exercise for older adults,” says Lisa Thompson. “In addition to helping our members stay physically healthy, SilverSneakers also offers a great way for them to socialize, meet new friends and have fun.”

With the SilverSneakers premier network, members receive access to a variety of participating locations throughout the country, including Pinnacle Sports. This location offers amenities such as fitness equipment, treadmills and free weights, and the signature SilverSneakers Fitness Program classes, designed specifically for older adults and taught by certified instructors.

To find out if you are eligible for SilverSneakers, please contact your health plan provider. To learn more about Pinnacle Sports, call (330) 239-0616. For more information regarding the SilverSneakers Fitness Program, visit www.silversneakers.com or call 888-423-4632.

About Healthways Fitness Programs

Healthways, the leading well-being improvement company, offers the award-winning SilverSneakers® Fitness Program, the nation’s leading exercise program designed exclusively

or older adults, and Prime Fitness, a comprehensive physical activity program for adult health plan members.