Role Model On

Jacky and I and our girls were so excited to have our "Cousin Katie" here in Bradenton - all the way from Redondo Beach, CA - for a club soccer tournament near our home at IMG Academy. 

This is a very special place for us, where Game On was based from 2003-2012, and where Jacky and I first met in 2009. And now, here we are, many years later, back where so much began, cheering on one of our family members.

As we spent the weekend on this beautiful and expansive campus – supporting Katie and her teammates - what resonated with me most was how excited my daughters Blake and Bailey were to be in Katie’s presence. It is so cool to see how much they look up to her, admire her, and simply love being around her. In short, it was awesome for our girls get their... Role Model On.

Knowing they look up to Katie with such awe and admiration, during the drive home from one of the matches, I asked my girls what they admire most about her. Without hesitation, they broke it down into these three factors:

1.    She’s... “Totally Chill”: Blake and Bailey both explained they never see Katie get rattled. Whether her team is up by 2 goals or down by 1, she’s even tempered and emotionally controlled. And she carries that “chill” temperament off the field as well, in all her interactions, and in everything she takes on.

2.    She’s... “So Disciplined”: Bailey mentioned how cool it is that Katie gets up early before school, goes surfing if the waves are breaking, consistently gets her workouts in, and just gets after everything she does.

3.    She’s... “Always Kind”: Blake expressed how much she admires Katie’s humility, respect for others, and her genuine kindness. She pointed out that Katie honors others, puts people first, and is game for whatever is asked of her. 

As leaders, teachers, coaches, presenters, my hope is there are people who look up to us, admire us, and consider us role models. With that, let’s remember what we admire in our role models, and see if we can genuinely and authentically embody some of those qualities, while doing our best to live them out loud – in a chill, disciplined, and kind manner - so we can all get our...

Role Model On.

Game On.