Judy and I were at Creekwood Golf Coursegiving it our best shot at filming a Public Service Announcement (PSA) forYouth4YouthandTickets Fore CharityTMpromotion for television. This pair of wanna be producers discovered the realities of filming as wind, too much sun, jets landing every 60 seconds and golfers coming through the 14th green made for a frustrating attempt at filming for a second day. So we jumped in the golf cart and headed for the clubhouse stopping to watch a group of four gentlemen on the 18th tee. One of the men, Bill Bowers, asked what we were filming and I told him about the PSA for Tickets Fore CharityTMand we were trying to do it ourselves because we didn’t have a budget for it. Bill said, “Hold on a minute I want to talk with you.” He walked over and placed his ball on the tee, looked back at his friends and said, “This is a shot you will tell your grandkids about.” And it was. If only I could have one drive off a tee that perfect it would probably satisfy me for a lifetime. He walks back and gives me his card and says, “I can help you.” Later, when we looked at the video footage, Judy and I looked at each other, smiled and said, “We need help.” Four days later I was visiting six area TV stations dropping off professional PSA tapes formatted for television thanks to Bill Bowers.
Lesson One - Timing
For Judy and I to have that conversation on the 18th tee atCreekwood Golf Course, failure had to take place, in that the previous day, wind and too much sun gave us unusable video. The next day provided much of the same; wind, sun, jets and golfers passing through causing poor taping conditions. When Bill handed me his card, I immediately knew why we came back to film at the time of day we did and why we continued to try despite the conditions. It was a matter of timing. Had we never pulled up to the 18th tee at that moment in time we would have never met and had that conversation with Bill Bowers. I have become accustom to things happening this way if - I remain open to them and we each have this same opportunity each day.
So I have to ask myself, how often am I in such a hurry that I miss an opportunity?
Let’s blow this out a bit bigger. How often are you in a hurry and so you rush right on by opportunity? How often do we become impatient, frustrated and then become closed off to the many opportunities that present themselves? Slowing down, remaining open and looking for opportunity in the midst of what we perceive as failure will pay big benefits.
Lesson Two - Integrity
I learned Bill Bowers is a person of integrity. He said he could help and he did. I am finding this a rare quality in people today. When you say what you will do, then do what you say…that’s integrity! No contracts, no fine print, just Bill’s word. Thank you Bill!
Special Thanks:
Bob Kasarda and the team at Gemini Video Productionswhose studio recorded, edited and produced the PSA for Youth4Youth. If you need video or advertising work done I suggest you contact them. If you need a voiceover - Bill Bowers is the guy.
Dale Sandvick owner ofCreekwood Golf Coursein Columbia Station, Ohio, whose hospitality and full course access for filming was over the top.
TICKETS Fore CHARITYTMprogram for the Bridgestone Invitational, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, ends August 3. You MUST purchase your Good Any One Day Gallery Ticket online at theTICKETS Fore CHARITYTMweblink. When you do, the PGA will donate 100% of your net ticket purchase price to charity. For information and to order go to:http://www.youth4youth.org/ticketsforecharity
“This is a No-Brainer.” That is what so many people have told me when I have asked them for help to get the word out on this. When I tell them the PGA Tour will donate 100% of the proceeds for a Good Any One Day Gallery Ticket through the TICKETS Fore CHARITYTM program, they just smile and say, “This is a No-Brainer!”
Why we need your help:
Over 100,000 tickets will be sold in July and the first week of August for The World Golf Championship - Bridgestone Invitational, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, August 4 thru August 9. Anyone purchasing a ticket can choose to donate 100% of the ticket purchase price to charity to help youth. My job is to get the word out to as many people as possible because you have to click the right area on the Bridgestone Invitational website for that to happen. Imagine, the number of youth we can help just because people know they have the option to donate 100% of their ticket purchase to charity. That is why I am asking for your help.
There is no limit to the amount the PGA Tour will donate. The only limitation is people buying a gallery ticket and not doing it on the TICKETS Fore CHARITYTM part of the website.
So Here’s the SCOOP:
Youth 4 Youth is proud to partner with the PGA Tour and The Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament through TICKETS Fore CHARITYTM in offering a $35 Good Any One-Day Gallery Ticket to this Prestigious Event
The World Golf Championships - Bridgestone Invitational
will take place at the Firestone Country Club
in Akron, Ohio - August 4 - 9, 2009
100% of the net proceeds from each ticket go directly to charity to benefit youth!
WithYOUTH 4 YOUTHreceiving 75%
And 25% will benefit The First Tee of Akron, Canton and Cleveland,
a program that teaches young people life skills through golf.
Any One Day Gallery Ticket - means your ticket is good any day of the tournament. (Daily Gallery Tickets are now $35 and allow access to the Firestone Country Club grounds for one individual on any one-day, August 4 - 9, 2009. General admission parking and shuttle transportation to the grounds are included.
All orders are completed online.
Tuesday & Wednesday are practice days and golfers are more approachable for photographs and autographs. So bring your cameras!
Most would agree there is nothing like watching a championship game being played on HDTV. Whether it is tennis, basketball, baseball or golf, there is something better and that is being there.
Being there is inspiring, motivating and it locks the moment in your memory forever. Here’s why: Your body registers the true feeling of the moment. Let’s look at golf. Being there you hear the sound of a powerful drive and from that moment on, you yourself are driven to recreate that same sound in your own drives from the tee. You see and feel that perfect chip onto the green landing one foot from the cup. You’ve seen it, heard it and felt it and from that moment on you strive to reproduce that moment in your own game. Or how about seeing someone make a putt for $1 Million Dollars? You hear the silence, you see the concentration and then you feel the joy as the ball disappears from sight into the cup. You experience the exhilarating excitement of what just happened, reinforced by the roar of the crowd. And for myself, next time I sink that 12-foot putt, I’ll hear the roar of the crowd.
In anything you do, when you see it, feel it and hear it, it makes it so much easier to achieve it!
Here is an opportunity to put this into action. Both youth & adults will be inspired, motivated and create a lifelong memory.
Youth 4 Youth is proud to partner with the PGA 2009 World Golf Championships - Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament through TICKETS Fore CHARITYTM, where 100% of the net proceeds from each ticket go directly to charity. Yes, I said 100%. All of it! So I can’t begin to tell you how excited and energized we are by this opportunity. This allows us to maximize our fundraising efforts so we can spend all of our valuable time making a difference in the lives of youth. While you or others you know who may be interested have the opportunity to enjoy watching the best golfers in the world at this prestigious event, not to mention the beauty of the grounds at Firestone Country Club, in Akron, Ohio, August 4 - 9, 2009. For more information visit: www.youth4youth.orgon the right side of the page under golf click on the pink “More Information”
Larry Tracey is author of a book for teens, pre-teens and those who once were teens, titledThe Secret of the CAN. Larry is founder ofYouth4Youthand believes each student has the potential to be successful. Contact Larry Tracey atsuccess@youth4youth.org
I usually put the training segments in place two days before; I pick and choose what segments feel right for the day. I used to wonder why I picked certain exercises but have come to accept rather than question the purpose. That’s where the awe or surreal part comes into play, as the exercises selected are perfect for connecting enough dots to create a clear picture. The picture becomes clear, they get it and I can step back as their process begins to unfold. The best part is when you see teens and preteens make the shift to become young adults and take responsibility for themselves and being the difference in the world around them. I become filled with feelings of excitement and pride. Excited about the future for each student and pride in each of them, as they expand their comfort zone, use their creativity, imagination and talent to create a vision of the future and begin to take action.
Did you know your parents, teachers and other adults want to trust you? As a high school freshman, Reese decided to take advantage of it. But it wasn’t always that way.
In 7th grade, Reese learned some hard lessons about trust. “It started out with simple things. When I didn’t do my homework, I would copy someone else’s. I would tell my mom I had my homework done so I could get her off my back,” says Reese. “My parents didn’t want me to hang around my friend Jason because they thought he was what they called a “bad influence,” but they really didn’t know him. So I would lie about where I was and who I was with.”
”At first, I thought it was cool. I was getting away with something. They believed and trusted me. But one day, my mom saw me with Jason at the mall and a few days later I was supposed to be studying with Sam and Rebecca and my mom found me at Jason’s house.” Reese also got caught cheating on a test and then his teacher started to look at his homework and realized he was copying from others.
Something that really bothered Reese was when he got caught in a neighbor’s garage. Mr. Simmons garage was broken into last month and now he thinks Reese had something to do with it. Reese says, “All I was doing was borrowing a hammer.” But that didn’t matter, trust was broken and sometimes trust cannot be gained back. Three years later Mr. Simmons still does not trust or talk to Reese.
”By 8th grade I had the reputation of not being trustworthy,” says Reese. “Adults were always on his back, always checking on him and not believing him. They were always suspicious even when he was telling the truth.”
By the end 8th grade Reese had learned that:
1. Once trust is broken it is hard to earn it back
2. You develop a reputation for being trustworthy
3. Trust is earned over a period of time
4. Sometimes trust cannot be repaired or gained back
As a freshman in high school Reese realized his parents, teachers and adults wanted to trust him. So he decided to take advantage of all the opportunities they gave him to develop trust and found being honest in everything and doing his own work in school was easier than lying and cheating. Reese now enjoys many extra freedoms at school and at home and has the reputation of being trustworthy. Most importantly, Reese has self-confidence and self-respect.
Here are the five ways Reese built trust:
Be honest - start with the truth
Follow the rules & keep your word
Do your own work and ask questions when you need help
Standup for your beliefs
Apologize when you make a mistake.
Discussion Questions
What ways do your parents give you to develop trust?
How can you show your teachers you are trustworthy?
How do other students know you are trustworthy?
What is one way you can become trustworthier?
Larry Tracey, writer of this article, is an author and founder of Youth4Youth, which teaches success, leadership, honesty and trust by promoting school safety by treating everyone with respect. His latest book, The Secret of the Can, is available at www.TheSecretOfTheCan.com
If you or someone you know is interested in teen or parent coaching visit www.larrytracey.com/coachingand request information.
This past July, I had the opportunity to spend a weekend with founders of Challenge Day, Rich and Yvonne. As a result of our meeting we moved forward to create a model of both programs working together. When combined, Youth4Youthand Challenge Daycreate a powerful synergy for sustainable change.
So yesterday, I spent an exciting day at John Marshall High School in Cleveland, Ohio, with many dedicated teachers and administrators. We laid the foundation for building a Youth4Youth Change Team and facilitating 3 Challenge Days. John Marshall is the largest high school in the Cleveland Municipal School District and is one of the schools we are implementing the Youth4Youthand Challenge Day model.
We are looking for other school districts that would like to become involved as one of our model schools. Do you someone interested? Contact Youth4Youth at model@youth4youth.org to express your interest.
Hey Kids! Have you ever been in a situation where you’re playing a video game and the thought hits you…I have homework and a test to study for? You know what you should do - but you make a decision to keep playing because you want to beat the game. So you tell yourself, “Only 10-minutes more.” 10-minutes turns into two-hours and before you know it, you’re back in school unprepared for the test and without your homework for your next class. You squeak by with a D on the test and tell yourself, “I’m glad it wasn’t an F, at least I passed.” As for the homework, “Well, I’ll just have to make sure I don’t miss anymore assignments.” We all know how that goes!
Decisions, decisions! How many decisions will you make today? Try counting them and you will soon discover you are constantly making decisions; hundreds if not thousands each day; should I get up, what do I wear today, what will I eat, shower or wash my face and that’s only the beginning.
How does someone become a good decision-maker? It’s simple! Start making decisions. Decision-Making is a skill; it’s like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it becomes. The best part is it increases your self-esteem and self-confidence. You develop pride in yourself and gain more respect & trust from your peers and adults. You begin to make bigger decisions that take you faster and further in life. The best part is - anyone can do it!
Decision-making Tips
1.) Make a decision to develop a daily routine.
This decision helps you get each day off to a good start. If you prepare the night before you will end your day as a winner and be ready for a good start in the morning.
2.) Put yourself in situations where you have to make decisions.
Make a decision to become involved with clubs or organizations in your school, church or community. You will learn both decision-making and leadership skills. Note: When you first join a club or organization it is normal to feel uncomfortable. Step out of your comfort zone. Years from now you will look back and say, “That was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made!” For more on youth leadership and decision-making visit www.youth4youth.org
3.) Ask a trusted adult or role model for advice.
Adults will help you consider things you never thought about because of their life experiences. Take their insight and use it to help make the best decision. Who are the adults in your life that can help you look at your options in different situations?
4.) Decide who you will be as a person.
Who you are is your character and it is based on your morals and beliefs. As we mature, we learn to gather facts and knowledge and include that information in our decision-making. There are times when we will find the best decision may not always be the most popular one or one I like, but it may very well be the best decision. When in question about a decision, “Listen with your heart.”
Larry Tracey is founder of Youth4Youth, an author, parent and teen coach and trainer who teaches success, leadership and decision making skills. Members of Youth4Youth believe each student has the potential to be successful and work to create environments in which all students are given the opportunity to discover and begin development of their potential. Contact Larry Tracey at success@youth4youth.org
If you have participated in Youth4Youth Ultimate Leadership Training you know what separates a leader from others is that a leader has vision. You also know you are not born a leader, but you are trained to be a leader and that is why I recommend we train daily.
Here are four easy ways to help you train daily and develop your leadership skills:
1.Read. Always have one or more books you are reading that are uplifting, inspiring or positive. It’s not the amount you read it’s the quality of the information and when you read it. Start your day with a page or two and I highly recommend ending your day with a page or two. The purpose is to always be pointing your mind in a positive direction, while increasing your leadership skills and creativity.
2.Take lots of notes. Taking lots of notes makes learning easier. Not only does itincrease our memory and understanding, notes identify what was important and easily allow us to expand our thoughts and ideas.
3.Set Goals. Your goals MUST be in writing. Make sure they are achievable, measurable and specific and have a date when you will accomplish each goal. READ your goals daily. (Ideally, do this first thing in the morning and just before bed. Hmm…sound familiar!) SEE yourself (leaders have vision) as how you would be when you achieve your goal. FEEL the feelings you will feel when you have reached your goal. BELIEVE it’s possible and then let it go and go about your day.
4.Step out of your comfort zone. We all live within a box called our comfort zone. As a leader you will want to find one opportunity each day to step out of your comfort zone. It may be asking a question in class or speaking up when you see someone being treated unkindly by others. You may volunteer to do anassignment, read in front of the class or help someone who doesn’t understand something. The more we expand our comfort zone the bigger our box becomes. The idea is to make the world your box! Then, no matter where you go or what the challenge is, you are willing to go for it with confidence.
Larry Tracey, writer of this article, is an author and founder of Youth4Youth. Y4Y teaches success, leadership and promotes school safety by treating everyone with respect.His latest book, The Secret of the Can, is available at:
Head coach of Covenant girls basketball team FIRED. Wow! Teaching the qualities of integrity, heart, ability, honor and teamwork can be tough. Beating another team 100-0. Many people are divided on this. Is everyone looking at the poor me syndrome – “Look at these poor girls who got beat or were they victims of defeat” I know when I get my butt kicked there is a lot of personal growth in it. What is your opinion? If you were either team – what would be your thoughts and feelings and reasons why?
Larry Tracey is founder of Youth4Youth, an author, keynote speaker and trainer who teaches success and leadership skills promoting school safety by treating everyone with respect. Contact Larry Tracey at 216-410-4307 or email success@youth4youth.org
Today, I found myself waking with a new understanding and appreciation for Martin Luther King, Jr. Just after the election, I realized we are still missing the point. It was the first time I really understood the words and the dream of Dr. King, “…one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” It was in that moment that I found the words written in the Youth4Youth foundation echoing in my mind.
“Youth4Youth is about changing the school climate by helping your school building become an environment of support, respect, and safety for all, regardless of intellect, physical barriers and limitations, race, social, or economic issues. Youth4Youth works toward achieving such an environment.”
As with earthquakes, fault lines go deep beneath and are usually unseen at the surface. This past election has brought many lines of division to the surface in our country. Although we now have a symbolic step out of the way with the election of Barack Obama, it is time to make the real dream come true.
It’s possible and in working together we can make it probable! I invite you join me and countless others, both past and present, in envisioning a world that is an environment of support, respect, and safety for all, regardless of intellect, physical barriers and limitations, race, social, or economic issues where we are judged by the content of our character.
Larry Tracey, Jr., founder of Youth4Youth, would like your feedback. Members of Youth4Youth believe each student has the potential to be successful. We work to create environments in which all students are given the opportunity to discover and begin development of their potential. www.youth4youth.org
