That Reminds Me...

A message from Steve...

There’s a wall in our Game On office that has become one of our favorite spots to look up and reflect, and when guests come to visit, it’s becoming the highlight of the office tour.

At first glance, it looks like a collection of cool black and white images, each with a touch of Game On orange. But the longer you stand there, the more you realize it’s not just a wall. It’s a story. Actually, it’s a series of stories, from different people, together on one wall.

Each image was sent in by a member of our team, including full-time staff and our facilitators from across the country. We are from different walks of life, with different experiences, backgrounds, and journeys, yet each image represents something we all value. It could be a memory, a moment, a place, a passion, an activity. It could be something that brings us joy, grounds us, or reminds us all of who we are, and what got us here.

You’ll see Will Luera’s kettlebell up high, next to Mike Gonzalez’s sleek Harley. We’ve got Jake Higginbotham’s trail marker, reminding us all of his many multi-mile rucks. There’s the church Chris Friday’s grandfather pastored, and Ben Thys’s chess game about to commence. Lisa Fredrickson has her banjo playing cat and I’ve got my chill chocolate lab. You’ll see Caroline Walsh’s surfboard on the beach, and Erin Watson’s husband’s Navy boots in formation with her boys’ sneakers. There’s Kyle Stark’s wooden steps leading somewhere worth going, Dan O’Connor’s backlit stage, and former professional athlete Leonard Wheeler’s propensity for snacking on peanut M&M’s. Heather Wells has her three scooters parked along the fence, and Katie Davis got her love of London and lounge chairs on full display. Former Alabama long snapper Brian Selman put his Crimson Tide in the game, Mike Kontio has his books and love of learning in play, and Manny Pineiro tossed in his drill sergeant hat, reminding us all of the power and beauty of challenge and support.

And every time I look at that wall, I think about our depth, and recall who chose what image, and I walk away thinking... That Reminds Me.

That’s the idea behind it all. To remind ourselves of our values, to learn about our teammate’s values, and to remember what we all cherish.

We call them “Coins” and we encourage everyone to be a “Coin Collector”. This concept is core to all that we do at Game On. Coins are our currency, not in a transactional sense, but in a human sense. When we remember them, honor them, and share them, there’s a positive exchange that happens for us and for others. We feel it, and so does everyone around us. That’s what this wall represents.

What makes the wall even more powerful is the depth behind the images. On this team, we have actors who’ve performed on Broadway, appeared on television, and made it to the big screen. There are former collegiate and professional athletes, and men and women who have served and protected our country at the most elite levels of our military. We’ve got executives, business owners, and entrepreneurs. There’s educators, coaches, parents, grandparents, directors, producers, teachers, and imperfectly out there leaders from all walks of life.

This wall represents different stories, different paths, and different perspectives, and yet there’s something deeply connected about it all. While the images are all over the map, the values underneath them are centralized. Community, creativity, connection, laughter, depth, play, health, challenge, and support are at the core. These values show up in different ways, but they show up in some form or fashion in all that we are and all that we do.

That kettlebell might represent discipline or freedom for one person, and those books may mean curiosity, knowledge or the power of discovery. That chess board could be strategy, patience, or learning to think a few moves ahead. That surfboard, that Puerto Rico flag, that backlit stage all represent some kind of movement, but there also may be something deeper than what you see at first glance. When we share those things, something shifts. We stop seeing each other as roles and titles, and we can start seeing each other as a piece of the puzzle.

That’s where teams get stronger, not just in skill, but in understanding. When you know what matters to someone, you can better connect with them, support them, and challenge them. This wall reminds me that depth doesn’t happen by accident. Depth happens when people are willing to show up, share a piece of themselves, and stay open to learning about others.

As leaders, teachers, coaches, and presenters, we all have the opportunity to create that kind of environment, where people can be valued, and where there is opportunity to build authentic connection. And trust me, it’s not always easy. There are all sorts of obstacles along the way, but it’s so worth it, and it doesn’t take a wall full of pictures to get that movement going. It can begin with a conversation, a question, a moment where you ask earnestly, listen actively, and then maybe respond simply with, “Tell me more about that.”

We all have Coins, we all have stories, and we all have something that, when shared, can create connection. So, the next time something sparks that thought or when you start to go to that place where you are thinking or even saying “That reminds me…”, lean into it, share it, and ask more about it for yourself and for others.

Trust me, that curiosity, the simple reminder, being a Coin Collector, will break down all sorts of unnecessary walls, so we can all better connect to self, to others, and to our shared purpose.

Coins On.

Depth On.

Game On.