Written for Hometown Headlines, a website devoted to news and business in Northwest Georgia.
by Mickey Seward
Super Bowl-winning coach Tony Dungy addressed a packed Steven J. Cage Athletics and Recreation Center crowd Thursday, and Berry College president Dr. Stephen Briggs used the occasion to tease the audience at the non-football playing school with his comments during his welcome speech.
“Wouldn’t this be the perfect moment for a big announcement?” Briggs said. “An intriguing thought, but no, we’re not that crafty.”
Dungy was on campus to speak as part of the college’s Gloria Shatto Lecture Series, which “features speakers who have stood at the crossroads of history,” according to information provided by Berry. Dungy has indeed made history, becoming just the third person to win a Super Bowl as both a player and a coach, and becoming the first African-American coach to win the Super Bowl when he led the Indianapolis Colts to the championship in January, 2007. He retired from coaching following the 2008 season.
After his introduction from Berry’s Director of Athletics Todd Brooks, an avid Colts' fan, Dungy was greeted with a standing ovation, and was appreciative of the hospitality.
“That reaction is typical of what I’ve enjoyed all afternoon since coming here,” Dungy told the audience. He mentioned that he didn’t know much about Berry College before he was invited to speak but in the past three weeks, he’s run into several people with a connection to the school and the community.
“You’re more famous than you might think,” he said.
Much of Dungy’s speech centered around the theme of perseverance and determination. “The challenge is what is fun,” he said. “I’ve always been intrigued by it. I’ve always enjoyed a tough challenge.”
Mean Joe's message: 'Never to get discouraged'
He relayed the story of how, during his playing days as a Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back, future NFL Hall of Fame linebacker “Mean Joe” Green taught him that if you don’t persevere through adversity, you can miss the reward.
In 1969, Green was the first player drafted by new Steelers Head Coach Chuck Noll after a stellar career at North Texas State. After winning their first game in Green’s rookie year, the Steelers finished 1-13. Following that season, they drafted future Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw out of Louisiana Tech and went on to finish 4-10.
With high expectations for 1972, Pittsburgh was struggling after the first several weeks. Green watched a Monday Night Football game featuring the Miami Dolphins, which would complete an undefeated season that year, and felt like his own team would never be able to put things together like that Dolphins squad did.
The next day, a frustrated Green told Noll he was quitting, and headed to the airport to go home. But Steelers assistant coach Lionel Taylor met Green at the airport and would talk him into coming back. That week ,rookie running back Franco Harris started for the first time and the team began an eight-game winning streak. The Steelers would go on to build the most dominant professional football team of the 1970s, winning four Super Bowls between 1975 and 1980.
“Joe Green told me that story to remind me never to get discouraged,” Dungy said. “I learned that he almost missed the fun, because he almost didn’t hang in there long enough.”
'You are going to have more setbacks than victories'
Now Dungy spends his time sharing a similar message. “In the course of getting to a top level, you are going to have more setbacks than victories,” he said. “Todd (Brooks) mentioned that I became the third person to win a Super Bowl as a player and as a head coach. What he didn’t mention was that those two Super Bowls were 26 years apart.
“What I’ve learned in those years between Super Bowls is important. Adversity teaches you that you can’t give up.”
Dungy told the audience that the best illustrations relating to perseverance always come from the Bible, sharing in particular the story of the life of the Apostle Paul, Paul’s conversion to Christianity and the many setbacks and difficulties he faced as he followed his mission to preach the gospel.
Dungy said Paul was able to fight through adversity because he had a worthy goal, because he was prepared for adversity and because he had something and someone to rely on beside himself.
“That’s what teams are built on – relying on each other for strength,” Dungy said. “In my life, the best thing has been having faith in God. Praying and talking to Him has always allowed me to persevere. If you have that support system and faith in God, there’s no limit to what you can do if you don’t give up.”
Dungy said at an earlier media briefing that when he left the sidelines, he did so not because he was tired but because“I had things I wanted to go to. I wasn’t leaving to get away from football.”
Those new challenges include working with Family First, which speaks to fathers about connecting with their children, and a prison ministry in the Tampa area.
“I’m also looking for one way to specifically reach out to young men,” he said. “I’m not sure exactly what that is yet, but I’m looking for that.” He said he encourages young people to not follow the crowd but instead understand what it means to follow the Lord.
Dungy, who also is the best-selling author of Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices and Priorities of a Winning Life and Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance as well as the children’s book You Can Do It, said he and his wife, Lauren, have been in contact with publishers about writing a second children’s book.
“When a young man says he read the book and it spoke to something he’s going through, it’s very rewarding.”
Player, coach, father, husband, author... and broadcaster?
And Dungy hasn’t completely nixed the idea of joining an NFL broadcasting team. “I’ve had a job that’s tied me up on the weekends for 31 years,” he said. “But I have had some contact with the networks and if I could find a way to fit it in with the other things I’m doing, I might consider it.”
Despite his busy schedule, Dungy did say he will miss one thing about coaching. “I’ll miss the game days, I’m sure, but what I miss more than anything else is the day-to-day interaction with the players.”
The opportunity for day-to-day interaction with football players may not be gone, however. Even with that packed schedule, Dungy may still have another career move to mull over in the future.
“If we ever do start a football team, we will give you a call,” Briggs said with a smile.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Top of the Seventh: What's Ahead in 2009 for Rome Braves Fans
Written for Hometown Headlines, a website focused on news and business in Northwest Georgia. This article previews the fan experience and possible roster invitations for the Rome Braves' 2009 season.
by Mickey Seward
In the first six seasons since they relocated here from Macon, the Rome Braves have won a South Atlantic League championship, reached the playoffs twice and produced some of the game’s top prospects.
Still, as much as the team’s on-field success brings fans to the ballpark, the Braves’ game-day atmosphere depends as much on what happens off the field as the action between the lines.
The Braves open the season on the road with a four-game series at Charleston, S.C., beginning April 9. The home opener is April 14 against Savannah, the first of a six-game homestand. Along with traditional Opening Night festivities, former Atlanta Braves catcher Javy Lopez will throw the ceremonial first pitch.
That first home game also will mark the first "2-for-Tuesday" promotion. All season long, fans can purchase two tickets for the price of one in any seating section on Tuesdays. The Braves have run the promotion in the past but not for “special” games such as Opening Night or July 4th. This season, the promotion will be applied each Tuesday.
New ticket discounts for 2009
Another cost-cutting promotion is aimed at families. On Sundays, a family of four can receive four game tickets, four hot dogs, four soft drinks and four boxes of popcorn for $25.
Other discounts include:
-$20 tickets in the all-you-can-eat section on Mondays (a $5 discount)
-Senior Days on Wednesdays (half price club level seats for fans at least 55).
-Dollar Drink Nights on Thursdays (beer and soft drinks).
-Military discounts gives all members of the U.S. armed forces, past or present, a $1 discount on any ticket by showing a military ID.
Regular ticket prices, which range from $4-$10, have gone unchanged since 2005. The Braves will bring back much of the most popular between-innings games and entertainment, including the Braves Brigade dance team. Kiss Cam and the Hot Dog Squad are among the recognizable holdovers but a few new promotions will join the list of events that help give minor league baseball its unique appeal.
One of the new promotions is a build-a-burrito competition, which will take place on the field between innings. “Truth or Spoof,” which will enable fans to get to know the players and staff members, will make its debut at State Mutual Stadium this spring as will “Meal or No Meal,” based on the popular television game show, “Deal or No Deal.”
What's on the menu
For the fans who aren’t lucky enough to win a meal, there will be plenty of new food options at the concession stands.
“We’re excited about the new Tony Pepperoni pizza parlor, featuring Mr. Pepperoni’s family recipe,” says Braves General Manager Michael Dunn. “There will be nightly visits throughout the summer from the Pepperoni family. We will also have a new crispy chicken sandwich, tater tot pie, chicken wings and a new jumbo souvenir flashing mug. All concession stands will also have combo packages that include fries and a drink at a discounted price.”
While getting ready for the baseball season, Dunn and his staff also are busy prepping other events. “We’re working on a car show, a concert and a baseball showcase,” he says. “There will be more information coming soon on those projects.”
One project that has been tackled is the team’s new-look Web site (click www.romebraves.com). Introduced this winter, it is more in line with other minor league and major league team websites.
“This site is more current, more interactive,” Dunn says. “We’ll be able to include some video streaming.”
One of the interactive features is a fan poll, which Braves staff members believe will allow the team to gauge fan opinion on different matters. An option to receive the team’s official electronic newsletter is available as well. The e-newsletter puts fans on the team’s mailing list to receive e-mail blasts with news and information.
There also is an area on the front page delegated for a “Rome Braves Fan of the Game” as well as information on how kids ages 14-and-younger can join Romey’s Rascals, the team’s kid’s club. Team news, statistics, rosters and other information can all be found on the web site as well.
While no current social networking sites are being maintained by the team, club officials say an official Facebook presence will be available soon.
Along with the new promotions, discounts and web site, fans also will see the addition of a blue alternate jersey with “ROME” across the chest (right).
Fans can also join the Rome Braves Fan Club, an independent organization that supports players and field staff during the season. For more information, contact the Rome Braves, who can then put you in touch with the fan club.
by Mickey Seward
In the first six seasons since they relocated here from Macon, the Rome Braves have won a South Atlantic League championship, reached the playoffs twice and produced some of the game’s top prospects.
Still, as much as the team’s on-field success brings fans to the ballpark, the Braves’ game-day atmosphere depends as much on what happens off the field as the action between the lines.
The Braves open the season on the road with a four-game series at Charleston, S.C., beginning April 9. The home opener is April 14 against Savannah, the first of a six-game homestand. Along with traditional Opening Night festivities, former Atlanta Braves catcher Javy Lopez will throw the ceremonial first pitch.
That first home game also will mark the first "2-for-Tuesday" promotion. All season long, fans can purchase two tickets for the price of one in any seating section on Tuesdays. The Braves have run the promotion in the past but not for “special” games such as Opening Night or July 4th. This season, the promotion will be applied each Tuesday.
New ticket discounts for 2009
Another cost-cutting promotion is aimed at families. On Sundays, a family of four can receive four game tickets, four hot dogs, four soft drinks and four boxes of popcorn for $25.
Other discounts include:
-$20 tickets in the all-you-can-eat section on Mondays (a $5 discount)
-Senior Days on Wednesdays (half price club level seats for fans at least 55).
-Dollar Drink Nights on Thursdays (beer and soft drinks).
-Military discounts gives all members of the U.S. armed forces, past or present, a $1 discount on any ticket by showing a military ID.
Regular ticket prices, which range from $4-$10, have gone unchanged since 2005. The Braves will bring back much of the most popular between-innings games and entertainment, including the Braves Brigade dance team. Kiss Cam and the Hot Dog Squad are among the recognizable holdovers but a few new promotions will join the list of events that help give minor league baseball its unique appeal.
One of the new promotions is a build-a-burrito competition, which will take place on the field between innings. “Truth or Spoof,” which will enable fans to get to know the players and staff members, will make its debut at State Mutual Stadium this spring as will “Meal or No Meal,” based on the popular television game show, “Deal or No Deal.”
What's on the menu
For the fans who aren’t lucky enough to win a meal, there will be plenty of new food options at the concession stands.
“We’re excited about the new Tony Pepperoni pizza parlor, featuring Mr. Pepperoni’s family recipe,” says Braves General Manager Michael Dunn. “There will be nightly visits throughout the summer from the Pepperoni family. We will also have a new crispy chicken sandwich, tater tot pie, chicken wings and a new jumbo souvenir flashing mug. All concession stands will also have combo packages that include fries and a drink at a discounted price.”
While getting ready for the baseball season, Dunn and his staff also are busy prepping other events. “We’re working on a car show, a concert and a baseball showcase,” he says. “There will be more information coming soon on those projects.”
One project that has been tackled is the team’s new-look Web site (click www.romebraves.com). Introduced this winter, it is more in line with other minor league and major league team websites.
“This site is more current, more interactive,” Dunn says. “We’ll be able to include some video streaming.”
One of the interactive features is a fan poll, which Braves staff members believe will allow the team to gauge fan opinion on different matters. An option to receive the team’s official electronic newsletter is available as well. The e-newsletter puts fans on the team’s mailing list to receive e-mail blasts with news and information.
There also is an area on the front page delegated for a “Rome Braves Fan of the Game” as well as information on how kids ages 14-and-younger can join Romey’s Rascals, the team’s kid’s club. Team news, statistics, rosters and other information can all be found on the web site as well.
While no current social networking sites are being maintained by the team, club officials say an official Facebook presence will be available soon.
Along with the new promotions, discounts and web site, fans also will see the addition of a blue alternate jersey with “ROME” across the chest (right).
Fans can also join the Rome Braves Fan Club, an independent organization that supports players and field staff during the season. For more information, contact the Rome Braves, who can then put you in touch with the fan club.
Meet J.B. Smith, New Voice of the Rome Braves
Written for Hometown Headlines, a website focusing on news and business in Northwest Georgia.
by Mickey Seward
On Christmas Day, JB Smith was watching a television show on the NHL Network about great hockey announcers when he was inspired to look into the Rome Braves’ broadcasting situation.
Smith had experience calling games but found out that he might be lacking one thing necessary to get a shot at the job that became available when former play-by-play voice Josh Caray left Rome to join the television broadcast team of the Class AAA Gwinnett Braves.
Unable to find out if Rome needed a radio announcer through his own research – “I would never want to undermine someone who already had the job,” Smith says – he finally telephoned the office of WLAQ 1410 AM/The Ridge 95.7 FM, the Rome Braves’ flagship stations.
He reached general manager Jim Bojo, who confirmed they indeed were looking for a new announcer and asked Smith to send in a resume and demo tape.
There was one problem.
“When he told me to send a demo, I told Jim he might hang up on me after he heard what I was about to say,” Smith says. “I told him I could get him a resume, no problem. But I stepped out of the station and into a patrol car 25 years ago.”
Intrigued, Bojo and the station’s owner and operator, Randy Davis, the original Rome Braves’ play-by-play voice, invited Smith to Rome to simulate a pre-game show and an inning of baseball in a production studio.
“After that and four stressful interviews later, they hired me,” Smith says.
Davis: Smith has 'a hometown feel'
It may not have been the textbook way of finding a play-by-play job but Davis says Smith’s introduction to the station was the beginning of what he feels will be a perfect match.
“We’d been taking some applications (for the broadcasting position) and had talked to several people,” Davis says. “Then JB’s call came out of the blue. When we listened to him, we were impressed.
“We felt like he would be a really good fit. We’ve been broadcasting local sports for a long time, several decades, and we wanted someone who does things the way we do things. We’re a hometown station. JB’s not just a stats guy. He’s a story teller, someone who can really tell our audience about who the players really are. He’s got a real hometown feel, and he has a very pleasing voice. It’s not too aggressive and it’s not monotone.
“But he definitely knows the game. When you have a conversation with him, JB’s knowledge of the game is obvious.”
Davis doesn’t believe there will be much rust for Smith to shake off, even though he hasn’t been on the air full-time since well before most of the Rome Braves’ players were born. During that time, he’s been around the game as a fan but most of his days and nights were spent apprehending crooks doing much more than stealing bases.
From police beat to Braves' beat
After graduating from Boston University with a broadcast journalism degree, Smith was drafted into the military and sent to North Carolina. While there, he broadcast high school and college baseball, football and basketball.
Later, he moved to Atlanta and worked in the music radio business. And while his career was in radio, Smith always had an interest in law enforcement.
While interviewing Roswell’s chief of police, and working without benefits at one of the radio stations, Smith was told by the chief that he should consider becoming a police officer.
“I told him, ‘Get me an application and we might have a deal.’ I went to the police academy and I spent the next 22 years working with the Roswell Police Department,” Smith says.
For awhile, Smith continued to broadcast high school sports while working full-time as a police officer but he soon decided to concentrate on his public service career and left the press box. He retired in 2004.
Now, he returns to the microphone as the voice of the Rome Braves, calling all 140 home and away games. Smith says he doesn’t really pattern his style after any particular announcers but said he loved listening to Curt Gowdy broadcast Red Sox games when he was growing up in his native New Hampshire.
“Of course, down here, we all loved listening to Pete (Van Wieren), Skip (Caray) and Ernie (Johnson),” Smith says. “That was one of the best broadcast teams of all time, maybe the best.”
Smith gets to join that legacy as a broadcaster in the Braves organization. The question is, will Smith use his unique background in law enforcement to enhance his profile with his new team?
“I can definitely help keep the players in line on the road,” he says with a laugh. “No, not really. I’ll leave that up to (manager) Randy Ingle and his staff. But, if anybody tries to steal our bus, I’ll take charge.”
by Mickey Seward
On Christmas Day, JB Smith was watching a television show on the NHL Network about great hockey announcers when he was inspired to look into the Rome Braves’ broadcasting situation.
Smith had experience calling games but found out that he might be lacking one thing necessary to get a shot at the job that became available when former play-by-play voice Josh Caray left Rome to join the television broadcast team of the Class AAA Gwinnett Braves.
Unable to find out if Rome needed a radio announcer through his own research – “I would never want to undermine someone who already had the job,” Smith says – he finally telephoned the office of WLAQ 1410 AM/The Ridge 95.7 FM, the Rome Braves’ flagship stations.
He reached general manager Jim Bojo, who confirmed they indeed were looking for a new announcer and asked Smith to send in a resume and demo tape.
There was one problem.
“When he told me to send a demo, I told Jim he might hang up on me after he heard what I was about to say,” Smith says. “I told him I could get him a resume, no problem. But I stepped out of the station and into a patrol car 25 years ago.”
Intrigued, Bojo and the station’s owner and operator, Randy Davis, the original Rome Braves’ play-by-play voice, invited Smith to Rome to simulate a pre-game show and an inning of baseball in a production studio.
“After that and four stressful interviews later, they hired me,” Smith says.
Davis: Smith has 'a hometown feel'
It may not have been the textbook way of finding a play-by-play job but Davis says Smith’s introduction to the station was the beginning of what he feels will be a perfect match.
“We’d been taking some applications (for the broadcasting position) and had talked to several people,” Davis says. “Then JB’s call came out of the blue. When we listened to him, we were impressed.
“We felt like he would be a really good fit. We’ve been broadcasting local sports for a long time, several decades, and we wanted someone who does things the way we do things. We’re a hometown station. JB’s not just a stats guy. He’s a story teller, someone who can really tell our audience about who the players really are. He’s got a real hometown feel, and he has a very pleasing voice. It’s not too aggressive and it’s not monotone.
“But he definitely knows the game. When you have a conversation with him, JB’s knowledge of the game is obvious.”
Davis doesn’t believe there will be much rust for Smith to shake off, even though he hasn’t been on the air full-time since well before most of the Rome Braves’ players were born. During that time, he’s been around the game as a fan but most of his days and nights were spent apprehending crooks doing much more than stealing bases.
From police beat to Braves' beat
After graduating from Boston University with a broadcast journalism degree, Smith was drafted into the military and sent to North Carolina. While there, he broadcast high school and college baseball, football and basketball.
Later, he moved to Atlanta and worked in the music radio business. And while his career was in radio, Smith always had an interest in law enforcement.
While interviewing Roswell’s chief of police, and working without benefits at one of the radio stations, Smith was told by the chief that he should consider becoming a police officer.
“I told him, ‘Get me an application and we might have a deal.’ I went to the police academy and I spent the next 22 years working with the Roswell Police Department,” Smith says.
For awhile, Smith continued to broadcast high school sports while working full-time as a police officer but he soon decided to concentrate on his public service career and left the press box. He retired in 2004.
Now, he returns to the microphone as the voice of the Rome Braves, calling all 140 home and away games. Smith says he doesn’t really pattern his style after any particular announcers but said he loved listening to Curt Gowdy broadcast Red Sox games when he was growing up in his native New Hampshire.
“Of course, down here, we all loved listening to Pete (Van Wieren), Skip (Caray) and Ernie (Johnson),” Smith says. “That was one of the best broadcast teams of all time, maybe the best.”
Smith gets to join that legacy as a broadcaster in the Braves organization. The question is, will Smith use his unique background in law enforcement to enhance his profile with his new team?
“I can definitely help keep the players in line on the road,” he says with a laugh. “No, not really. I’ll leave that up to (manager) Randy Ingle and his staff. But, if anybody tries to steal our bus, I’ll take charge.”
Friday, February 06, 2009
Rome Professors, Bankers Assess the State of the Economy
This article was written on Feb. 3, 2009 for HometownHeadlines.com, a business and news website serving Rome and Northwest Georgia.
by Mickey Seward
Amid concern about the current state of the U.S. economy, Shorter College business instructor Gina McDaniel sees one bright spot.
“For the first time, consumers’ eyes are wide open,” McDaniel told those attending the Rome Seven Hills Rotary luncheon at Coosa Country Club Tuesday. “People are asking questions.”
McDaniel was part of a panel invited to the luncheon to speak about the economy. She was joined by fellow Shorter professor Dub Darville; Peter Matthews of Heritage First Bank; and Roger Smith, president of River City Bank.
Much of the talk centered on economic stimulus plans, the state of the local banking industry and challenges to small business owners.
Darville told attendees to familiarize themselves with the stimulus plans, and recommended they visit the Web site http://www.readthestimulus.org/, noting that spreadsheets showing what is included in the plan is available there.
He touched on a few programs and dollar figures included in the package, mentioning that $233.5 billion is allocated to the inspector general’s office just to audit the package.
“What we need to look at is what we are trying to stimulate,” Darville said. “The most pressing need is to take a look at job stimulation. Two million people have lost jobs in the last five months.”
McDaniel said she’s disappointed the plans do not adequately address the housing market.
“The housing crisis has such a large impact on the entire economy,” she said. "People aren’t buying homes, which hurts industry, and that also means people aren’t spending to fix up new homes, etc.”
Part of that equation is consumer fear, which is something Smith sees plenty of in his customers.
Much of it is unfounded, he said.
“We’re in the information age,” Smith said. “When housing markets change, people are watching minute-by-minute. People are watching economic news by the hour. This began with the mood of the depositors being apprehensive and fearful. But, we’ve never seen a run on money. A few years back, there was a bank in Dalton that saw its customers lined up, waiting to withdraw all of their money. Nothing good comes from that. What has happened is customers are making sure their money is insured by FDIC. That has slowed down somewhat now, partly due to FDIC limits.
“On the loan side,” Smith continued, “there’s concern and confusion from customers. We get asked, ‘Are you lending money?’ The answer is yes but it’s going back to basics. For instance, we’re seeing down payments and other requirements. All these basics that we all know are part of sound lending practices are back.”
Those lending practices affect small business owners, whom Matthews says are “all risk takers,” and are faced with numerous challenges. Matthews, who formerly served as the local director of the Small Business Development Center, listed the economic downturn, skyrocketing health insurance costs and global competition as new challenges to today’s entrepreneurs.
Still, many of the answers to problems faced by these entrepreneurs are things they can control.
“I found in 15 years of working with small business owners, they believe most problems are external,” Matthews said. “I try to get people to look inside at things such as strategic planning, cost controls and pricing strategies.”
Matthews added that some businesses are proving to be able to weather the storm and even prosper. He listed real estate auction companies, movie theaters, franchises (which offer a sense of security because an owner is using a proven method) and funeral homes.
McDaniel also mentioned that automobile service sectors are thriving because, instead of purchasing a new vehicle, people are simply paying to maintain their current one for a longer time period.
The Troubled Asset Relief Program dominated much of Tuesday’s conversation, though.
“There’s enough blame to go around,” Darville said of the bailout package. “Honestly, the American people share some of that blame, demanding more and more. We seemed to forget 1929 and the 1980s' savings and loan scandals. We all know what goes up, must come down. I don’t think anyone expected it to go down so fast. People want to know where that (TARP) money has been spent.”
McDaniel echoed, saying “Americans want to know how companies are going to be held accountable. Taxpayers are done with the blank check. I’m glad consumers are asking the question, because it’s their tax dollars on the line.”
Smith said for a bank to receive funds from the program, it has to “be in good financial shape.” Many banks, including River City Bank, have applied for funding, but have not decided if they would accept it if approved.
“From our position, we don’t need" TARP funding, said River City CEO Eddie Wilson, who attended the event but was not on the panel. “We’re a well-capitalized bank and I think that the other banks around here are, too. The challenge is, do you accept it as an insurance policy?”
As much as the topic is being discussed here, it also is an important topic abroad.
“We’re starting to see more and more reports that foreign governments are opposed to this because it scares them,” Darville said. “If it scares them, then we definitely should be afraid. When foreign governments doubt the ability to pay back in a timely fashion, that’s not good for the world economy.”
Still, caution is being used, Darville said.
“What we are seeing is those in charge are saying ‘Yes, we need to do something and time is of the essence, but it is not so much of the essence that we are willing to shoot ourselves in the foot.”
by Mickey Seward
Amid concern about the current state of the U.S. economy, Shorter College business instructor Gina McDaniel sees one bright spot.
“For the first time, consumers’ eyes are wide open,” McDaniel told those attending the Rome Seven Hills Rotary luncheon at Coosa Country Club Tuesday. “People are asking questions.”
McDaniel was part of a panel invited to the luncheon to speak about the economy. She was joined by fellow Shorter professor Dub Darville; Peter Matthews of Heritage First Bank; and Roger Smith, president of River City Bank.
Much of the talk centered on economic stimulus plans, the state of the local banking industry and challenges to small business owners.
Darville told attendees to familiarize themselves with the stimulus plans, and recommended they visit the Web site http://www.readthestimulus.org/, noting that spreadsheets showing what is included in the plan is available there.
He touched on a few programs and dollar figures included in the package, mentioning that $233.5 billion is allocated to the inspector general’s office just to audit the package.
“What we need to look at is what we are trying to stimulate,” Darville said. “The most pressing need is to take a look at job stimulation. Two million people have lost jobs in the last five months.”
McDaniel said she’s disappointed the plans do not adequately address the housing market.
“The housing crisis has such a large impact on the entire economy,” she said. "People aren’t buying homes, which hurts industry, and that also means people aren’t spending to fix up new homes, etc.”
Part of that equation is consumer fear, which is something Smith sees plenty of in his customers.
Much of it is unfounded, he said.
“We’re in the information age,” Smith said. “When housing markets change, people are watching minute-by-minute. People are watching economic news by the hour. This began with the mood of the depositors being apprehensive and fearful. But, we’ve never seen a run on money. A few years back, there was a bank in Dalton that saw its customers lined up, waiting to withdraw all of their money. Nothing good comes from that. What has happened is customers are making sure their money is insured by FDIC. That has slowed down somewhat now, partly due to FDIC limits.
“On the loan side,” Smith continued, “there’s concern and confusion from customers. We get asked, ‘Are you lending money?’ The answer is yes but it’s going back to basics. For instance, we’re seeing down payments and other requirements. All these basics that we all know are part of sound lending practices are back.”
Those lending practices affect small business owners, whom Matthews says are “all risk takers,” and are faced with numerous challenges. Matthews, who formerly served as the local director of the Small Business Development Center, listed the economic downturn, skyrocketing health insurance costs and global competition as new challenges to today’s entrepreneurs.
Still, many of the answers to problems faced by these entrepreneurs are things they can control.
“I found in 15 years of working with small business owners, they believe most problems are external,” Matthews said. “I try to get people to look inside at things such as strategic planning, cost controls and pricing strategies.”
Matthews added that some businesses are proving to be able to weather the storm and even prosper. He listed real estate auction companies, movie theaters, franchises (which offer a sense of security because an owner is using a proven method) and funeral homes.
McDaniel also mentioned that automobile service sectors are thriving because, instead of purchasing a new vehicle, people are simply paying to maintain their current one for a longer time period.
The Troubled Asset Relief Program dominated much of Tuesday’s conversation, though.
“There’s enough blame to go around,” Darville said of the bailout package. “Honestly, the American people share some of that blame, demanding more and more. We seemed to forget 1929 and the 1980s' savings and loan scandals. We all know what goes up, must come down. I don’t think anyone expected it to go down so fast. People want to know where that (TARP) money has been spent.”
McDaniel echoed, saying “Americans want to know how companies are going to be held accountable. Taxpayers are done with the blank check. I’m glad consumers are asking the question, because it’s their tax dollars on the line.”
Smith said for a bank to receive funds from the program, it has to “be in good financial shape.” Many banks, including River City Bank, have applied for funding, but have not decided if they would accept it if approved.
“From our position, we don’t need" TARP funding, said River City CEO Eddie Wilson, who attended the event but was not on the panel. “We’re a well-capitalized bank and I think that the other banks around here are, too. The challenge is, do you accept it as an insurance policy?”
As much as the topic is being discussed here, it also is an important topic abroad.
“We’re starting to see more and more reports that foreign governments are opposed to this because it scares them,” Darville said. “If it scares them, then we definitely should be afraid. When foreign governments doubt the ability to pay back in a timely fashion, that’s not good for the world economy.”
Still, caution is being used, Darville said.
“What we are seeing is those in charge are saying ‘Yes, we need to do something and time is of the essence, but it is not so much of the essence that we are willing to shoot ourselves in the foot.”
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
A Bigger Plan
This is the first article I've written exclusively for this website. Every other article here first appeared on another website or in another publication.
by Mickey Seward
The doctor's words temporarily knocked the wind out of me. I didn't sleep at all the night before, instead spending the entire night praying that he would say something entirely different.
Just the day before, my wife Kristie and I went to the doctor's office for a routine examination, still nearly a month from the expected due date for our first child. But the doctor noticed a lower-than-normal level of amniotic fluids in Kristie's system, and the doctor wanted her to spend the night in the hospital to receive fluids. Most likely, we were told, the level would rise, everything would be fine and we would be sent home. There was a slim chance, though, that the levels would not increase. If that were the case, the doctor would have to consider delivering the baby immediately.
As we drove to the hospital, neither one of us wanted to admit the fear inside us. Not only was it entirely possible that the baby may be delivered a month early, but we just weren't prepared.
"We don't even have a car seat," one of said - although I honestly don't even remember which one.
That was our way of saying, "We don't have much of anything." Some clothes and a bassinet. That was pretty much it.
This couldn't happen now. We just weren't ready. This was not going according to our plans.
Ready or Not, Here She Comes
That night, as the sound of our unborn daughter's heartbeat played on a monitor next to Kristie in the hospital room, I tried to make myself comfortable in an uncomfortable pull-out chair. Not that it mattered anyway; there was no way I was going to be able to sleep.
For hours, until the sun came up, I prayed that those fluid levels would rise, that the baby would be more safe now than ever before, that we would get to go home and do what we needed to do to prepare for the baby's arrival in a few weeks. I prayed that our plans would work out.
When the doctor came in that morning, I couldn't believe what I heard him say. He told us Kristie's fluid level had actually dropped overnight.
"So we're going to go ahead and deliver the baby at 2 p.m. today," he said.
Immediately, I tried to choke back the tears that filled my eyes. I began to pray for safety for my wife and our baby. And I wondered what happened to my prayers from the previous night.
"I can't believe this," I silently told God. "We're not ready! You know this!"
Ready or not, this baby was coming.
Something Bigger
A nurse came in and spoke with Kristie, and while that was going on, I sent a text message to a few people to let them know what was going on and to ask for their prayers. Within several minutes, a few of our friends and one of Kristie's sisters was in the room with us to give us support.
Eventually, the time came to move to the room where the baby would be delivered, and less than 35 minutes late, we were introduced to our daughter, Kendall Page Seward.
When news of Kendall's birth and Kristie's safe delivery spread, phone calls and text messages began pouring in and visitors began stopping by to see Kendall and us. Some of those people we'd known for nearly a decade, others just a few months. But all of them were people that we came to know through a common love of Jesus Christ.
I could never express how much it meant to us to have all those people express their love for us.
But, along with the blessing of friendship and family that was shown to us, something else happened, too. All those things we didn't have began pouring in. A car seat. A stroller. A crib. A changing table and a chest of drawers to hold Kendall's clothes. A monitor. More clothes than we know what to do with.
My plan was to go get everything. To provide those things for Kendall. But God had another plan. A bigger plan.
God used all those friends and family members - His people - to bless us beyond imagination. He used them to provide everything we needed. He used them as an example of what his love is like. He probably even blessed those people - His people - as much through this as he blessed us.
I never would have thought of that.
A Reminder
God tells us, "My thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are your ways my ways," (Isaiah 55:8). He made that crystal clear during this process.
It's amazing how God reveals Himself during the most difficult times. At those times, He reminds me how great He is and how puny I am. And He uses those times to remind me that no matter what happens, living with Him - for Him - is the most incredible, thrilling thing you can do; a guaranteed way to not waste your life.
Even when I forgot to trust Him, God had something huge planned for my family. It's crazy to think that every time I share my testimony of how I came into a relationship with Christ, I share what Jeremiah 29:11 means to me. In that verse, He says, "For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. To give you hope and a future."
But for awhile there, I was too focused on my plans. And as big as my plans were, they never even came close to comparing to His.
"Watch Me Be The Father"
Looking back on things, I can picture God hearing my prayers the night before Kendall was born and saying, "I have something better for you. You be the husband your wife needs right now, and watch Me be the Father that you sometimes forget I am."
Now my wife and I have a beautiful daughter, and I could never express how much I love that little girl. The funny thing is, I'm not sure she even knows who I am yet. That's ok, though. I'm still going to love her with all my heart, and delight in her and do everything I can to protect her.
It's the least I can do. God did the same for me before I knew who He was, too.
And, soon enough, I'll get to hear Kendall say, "I love you, daddy."
Mickey and Kristie Seward would like to express their thanks to all the friends and family members who have called and visited us. The baby gifts, the meals, the words of encouragement and the love that has been given to us is almost incomprehensible. We want you all to know that God has used you to bless us beyond anything we could have ever imagined. We love you.
by Mickey Seward
The doctor's words temporarily knocked the wind out of me. I didn't sleep at all the night before, instead spending the entire night praying that he would say something entirely different.
Just the day before, my wife Kristie and I went to the doctor's office for a routine examination, still nearly a month from the expected due date for our first child. But the doctor noticed a lower-than-normal level of amniotic fluids in Kristie's system, and the doctor wanted her to spend the night in the hospital to receive fluids. Most likely, we were told, the level would rise, everything would be fine and we would be sent home. There was a slim chance, though, that the levels would not increase. If that were the case, the doctor would have to consider delivering the baby immediately.
As we drove to the hospital, neither one of us wanted to admit the fear inside us. Not only was it entirely possible that the baby may be delivered a month early, but we just weren't prepared.
"We don't even have a car seat," one of said - although I honestly don't even remember which one.
That was our way of saying, "We don't have much of anything." Some clothes and a bassinet. That was pretty much it.
This couldn't happen now. We just weren't ready. This was not going according to our plans.
Ready or Not, Here She Comes
That night, as the sound of our unborn daughter's heartbeat played on a monitor next to Kristie in the hospital room, I tried to make myself comfortable in an uncomfortable pull-out chair. Not that it mattered anyway; there was no way I was going to be able to sleep.
For hours, until the sun came up, I prayed that those fluid levels would rise, that the baby would be more safe now than ever before, that we would get to go home and do what we needed to do to prepare for the baby's arrival in a few weeks. I prayed that our plans would work out.
When the doctor came in that morning, I couldn't believe what I heard him say. He told us Kristie's fluid level had actually dropped overnight.
"So we're going to go ahead and deliver the baby at 2 p.m. today," he said.
Immediately, I tried to choke back the tears that filled my eyes. I began to pray for safety for my wife and our baby. And I wondered what happened to my prayers from the previous night.
"I can't believe this," I silently told God. "We're not ready! You know this!"
Ready or not, this baby was coming.
Something Bigger
A nurse came in and spoke with Kristie, and while that was going on, I sent a text message to a few people to let them know what was going on and to ask for their prayers. Within several minutes, a few of our friends and one of Kristie's sisters was in the room with us to give us support.
Eventually, the time came to move to the room where the baby would be delivered, and less than 35 minutes late, we were introduced to our daughter, Kendall Page Seward.
When news of Kendall's birth and Kristie's safe delivery spread, phone calls and text messages began pouring in and visitors began stopping by to see Kendall and us. Some of those people we'd known for nearly a decade, others just a few months. But all of them were people that we came to know through a common love of Jesus Christ.I could never express how much it meant to us to have all those people express their love for us.
But, along with the blessing of friendship and family that was shown to us, something else happened, too. All those things we didn't have began pouring in. A car seat. A stroller. A crib. A changing table and a chest of drawers to hold Kendall's clothes. A monitor. More clothes than we know what to do with.
My plan was to go get everything. To provide those things for Kendall. But God had another plan. A bigger plan.
God used all those friends and family members - His people - to bless us beyond imagination. He used them to provide everything we needed. He used them as an example of what his love is like. He probably even blessed those people - His people - as much through this as he blessed us.
I never would have thought of that.
A Reminder
God tells us, "My thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are your ways my ways," (Isaiah 55:8). He made that crystal clear during this process.
It's amazing how God reveals Himself during the most difficult times. At those times, He reminds me how great He is and how puny I am. And He uses those times to remind me that no matter what happens, living with Him - for Him - is the most incredible, thrilling thing you can do; a guaranteed way to not waste your life.
Even when I forgot to trust Him, God had something huge planned for my family. It's crazy to think that every time I share my testimony of how I came into a relationship with Christ, I share what Jeremiah 29:11 means to me. In that verse, He says, "For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. To give you hope and a future."
But for awhile there, I was too focused on my plans. And as big as my plans were, they never even came close to comparing to His.
"Watch Me Be The Father"
Looking back on things, I can picture God hearing my prayers the night before Kendall was born and saying, "I have something better for you. You be the husband your wife needs right now, and watch Me be the Father that you sometimes forget I am."
Now my wife and I have a beautiful daughter, and I could never express how much I love that little girl. The funny thing is, I'm not sure she even knows who I am yet. That's ok, though. I'm still going to love her with all my heart, and delight in her and do everything I can to protect her.It's the least I can do. God did the same for me before I knew who He was, too.
And, soon enough, I'll get to hear Kendall say, "I love you, daddy."
Mickey and Kristie Seward would like to express their thanks to all the friends and family members who have called and visited us. The baby gifts, the meals, the words of encouragement and the love that has been given to us is almost incomprehensible. We want you all to know that God has used you to bless us beyond anything we could have ever imagined. We love you.
Monday, May 05, 2008
West Rome Baptist Names Rev. Jarrod Roberts Pastor
I was asked to write a news release for West Rome Baptist Church about the calling of Jarrod Roberts as pastor on May 4, 2008. The text from that release follows.
ROME, Ga....West Rome Baptist Church named Rev. Jarrod Roberts as its pastor Sunday. Roberts had served as the church's interim pastor since July, after replacing Dr. Glynn N. Stone, Jr., who moved to Longview, Texas to become senior pastor at Mobberly Baptist Church.
Roberts joined West Rome Baptist's staff as associate pastor in 2002, and has been responsibile for overseeing, among other ministries, WRBC's college, young adult and small group ministries.
"I'm very excited to be a part of what God is doing here at West Rome Baptist Church," Roberts said. "I know God has huge plans, not just for this church, but for Rome and Floyd County."
"God has called my family and me here, and over the past six years this has become home," he said. "It's become very personal to me that everyone in Rome and Floyd County knows that no matter what has happened in their life, good or bad, God has a plan that's bigger and better for them than any plan they could have for themselves, and that they can have a relationship with God."
That message is gaining momentum. In the past nine months, West Rome Baptist has seen 134 new members and 73 baptisms.
Roberts also serves as the lead pastor at XL, which meets Sundays at 6 p.m., at the former Church at Northside building, located at 3006 Martha Berry Highway, just north of Mount Berry Square Mall. He will continue in that role, as well.
Prior to coming to Rome, Roberts served as the minister to college students and single adults at Fielder Road Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas. He was licensed to the ministry in 1990 at Central Baptist Church in Bryan, Texas, and ordained in 1994 at Highland Terrace Baptist Church in Greenville, Texas.
The Greenville, Texas native is a 1990 graduate of Texas A&M University and earned a Master of Divinity degree in 1994 from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.
Roberts and his wife, Tiffany, have three daughters: Taylor, 7; Jordan, 6; and Makenzie, 18 months.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
When Home Plate Meets Unlimited Dinner Plate
This article appeared on HometownHeadlines.com, a regional news and business website, on April 4, 2008. I was asked to write about my experience sitting in the all-you-can-eat seats section at the Rome Braves' 2008 season opener.
by Mickey Seward
It seems like such a good idea, it really does. Combining the national pastime with an unlimited pass through the food line, all-you-can-eat seats for Rome Braves' games at State Mutual Stadium has "winner" written all over it.
But I gotta tell ya, I'm miserable. Sure, it's a "Wow, I can't believe I ate that much food ... and I can't wait to do it again!" kind of miserable but it's still miserable.
You see, when you put a kid in front of a bowl of candy, he's going to eat until you tell him to stop--or at least until he gets sick. And even then, he's still going to try to get more.
When you put a baseball fan in a ballpark and tell him to eat as much as he wants, the result is going to be similar. It was Thursday night, anyway.
That was the plan all along. My buddy Jarrod and I went into this thing with a simple goal: we wanted to ruin this promotion for the rest of Rome. It's nothing personal, we just wanted the Braves' staff to at least consider the fact that allowing a couple of guys into the ballpark to eat as much as they could might not be a great idea after all.
Making the money back from the $25 tickets (the seats are in the $8 section) wasn't going to be an issue for us. The real challenge was going to be how much over the $17 worth of food we needed to eat to break even would we consume.
When scorecard meets menu
For the first time in my life, I went to a professional baseball game thinking as much about the concession stand as the ballgame. There were going to be two winners this night. One would be a baseball team. The other winner, I knew before the game even started, would be me. I was going to beat the concession stand.
And once I entered the ballpark, my game began.
First, we had to learn the process, since Thursday's game marked the first time this promotion has taken place in Rome. It's not hard to figure out. Section 117, located as far down the right field line as you can go without getting grass stains on your pants, is the all-you-can-eat section, and when you enter a tent that leads to your seat, you're given a wristband.
The wristband is to signify that you are an all-you-can-eater; to me it's a badge of honor, a signal to anyone who cares to know that I am here to dominate my friendly rivalry with the concession stand.
Inside that tent is a small buffet, filled with hot dogs, hamburgers, barbecue, beans, coleslaw, soft drinks and, rumor had it, fruit. You can also pick up nachos, popcorn and ice cream bars at the concession stand behind the tent.
Before the game started, I filled a plate. Hall-of-Famer Bruce Sutter threw out the ceremonial first pitch. I celebrated by eating a hot dog. After Scott Thompson of Peachtree Station belted out the National Anthem and the color guard left the field, I toasted our great nation with a hamburger.
And that's how the night went. The ballplayers played, the managers and coaches managed and coached, and the all-you-can-eater ate all I could eat. And more.
By the fourth inning, a thought came to my mind that soon had me nearly trembling in fear. I scanned the ballpark.
'Let's play two'? Please, please no
I was looking for Ernie Banks.
Banks is a National Baseball Hall of Famer who loved to play the game so much his oft-used phrase, "Let's play two!" became a cliché.
For me, a doubleheader could be disastrous. There's no telling how many hot dogs I might be able to finish over the course of 18 innings.
Ernie always wants to play two. At this point, I was praying I could get through just one without breaking my seat.
But something happened as the game went on. And, honestly, it didn't take long. Sure, I was still munching here and there. But, you know what? It wasn't about the food anymore. I won that matchup early.
I realized that it was all about the game the whole time. I can dominate any buffet and for a lot less that 25 bucks. But, when Concepcion Rodriguez belts a line drive over the left field wall, I enjoy that more than any hot dog. There's more heartburn when a pop fly lands in front of the third baseman for an error than after any plate of nachos.
Food is great. Gimmicks are nice. But the game's the thing. When it all comes down to it, home plate is the only plate that matters. It always has been, and it always will be.
When I think about it, even though the Charleston RiverDogs, a Yankees' farm club, beat the Braves 10-4, I'm not miserable at all. In fact, I'm feeling pretty good.
Welcome back, baseball. I’ve missed you.
Mickey Seward moonlights as a Rome-area writer. Hometown Headlines paid for his tickets and asked him to write about the Rome Braves All You Can Eat Seats. Tickets are $25 per person and include admission to the game and a special all-you-can-eat-menu. You can add beer with a $40 ticket. Fans get field-level seating ($8 tickets) and ballpark food such as hot dogs, hamburgers, barbecue, nachos and more. For more, click www.romebraves.com. Photo by Mills Fitzner
by Mickey Seward
It seems like such a good idea, it really does. Combining the national pastime with an unlimited pass through the food line, all-you-can-eat seats for Rome Braves' games at State Mutual Stadium has "winner" written all over it.
But I gotta tell ya, I'm miserable. Sure, it's a "Wow, I can't believe I ate that much food ... and I can't wait to do it again!" kind of miserable but it's still miserable.
You see, when you put a kid in front of a bowl of candy, he's going to eat until you tell him to stop--or at least until he gets sick. And even then, he's still going to try to get more.
When you put a baseball fan in a ballpark and tell him to eat as much as he wants, the result is going to be similar. It was Thursday night, anyway.
That was the plan all along. My buddy Jarrod and I went into this thing with a simple goal: we wanted to ruin this promotion for the rest of Rome. It's nothing personal, we just wanted the Braves' staff to at least consider the fact that allowing a couple of guys into the ballpark to eat as much as they could might not be a great idea after all. Making the money back from the $25 tickets (the seats are in the $8 section) wasn't going to be an issue for us. The real challenge was going to be how much over the $17 worth of food we needed to eat to break even would we consume.
When scorecard meets menu
For the first time in my life, I went to a professional baseball game thinking as much about the concession stand as the ballgame. There were going to be two winners this night. One would be a baseball team. The other winner, I knew before the game even started, would be me. I was going to beat the concession stand.
And once I entered the ballpark, my game began.
First, we had to learn the process, since Thursday's game marked the first time this promotion has taken place in Rome. It's not hard to figure out. Section 117, located as far down the right field line as you can go without getting grass stains on your pants, is the all-you-can-eat section, and when you enter a tent that leads to your seat, you're given a wristband.
The wristband is to signify that you are an all-you-can-eater; to me it's a badge of honor, a signal to anyone who cares to know that I am here to dominate my friendly rivalry with the concession stand.
Inside that tent is a small buffet, filled with hot dogs, hamburgers, barbecue, beans, coleslaw, soft drinks and, rumor had it, fruit. You can also pick up nachos, popcorn and ice cream bars at the concession stand behind the tent.
Before the game started, I filled a plate. Hall-of-Famer Bruce Sutter threw out the ceremonial first pitch. I celebrated by eating a hot dog. After Scott Thompson of Peachtree Station belted out the National Anthem and the color guard left the field, I toasted our great nation with a hamburger.
And that's how the night went. The ballplayers played, the managers and coaches managed and coached, and the all-you-can-eater ate all I could eat. And more.
By the fourth inning, a thought came to my mind that soon had me nearly trembling in fear. I scanned the ballpark.
'Let's play two'? Please, please no
I was looking for Ernie Banks.
Banks is a National Baseball Hall of Famer who loved to play the game so much his oft-used phrase, "Let's play two!" became a cliché.
For me, a doubleheader could be disastrous. There's no telling how many hot dogs I might be able to finish over the course of 18 innings.
Ernie always wants to play two. At this point, I was praying I could get through just one without breaking my seat.
But something happened as the game went on. And, honestly, it didn't take long. Sure, I was still munching here and there. But, you know what? It wasn't about the food anymore. I won that matchup early.
I realized that it was all about the game the whole time. I can dominate any buffet and for a lot less that 25 bucks. But, when Concepcion Rodriguez belts a line drive over the left field wall, I enjoy that more than any hot dog. There's more heartburn when a pop fly lands in front of the third baseman for an error than after any plate of nachos.
Food is great. Gimmicks are nice. But the game's the thing. When it all comes down to it, home plate is the only plate that matters. It always has been, and it always will be.
When I think about it, even though the Charleston RiverDogs, a Yankees' farm club, beat the Braves 10-4, I'm not miserable at all. In fact, I'm feeling pretty good.
Welcome back, baseball. I’ve missed you.
Mickey Seward moonlights as a Rome-area writer. Hometown Headlines paid for his tickets and asked him to write about the Rome Braves All You Can Eat Seats. Tickets are $25 per person and include admission to the game and a special all-you-can-eat-menu. You can add beer with a $40 ticket. Fans get field-level seating ($8 tickets) and ballpark food such as hot dogs, hamburgers, barbecue, nachos and more. For more, click www.romebraves.com. Photo by Mills Fitzner
Berry Dean Fixes Mistakes Before They Happen
This article was written for a regional magazine, The Druck Report, appearing in the October, 2007 issue.
by Mickey Seward
It’s not often a lunch invitation turns into much more than a quick meal and good conversation. For Dr. John Grout, the dean of Berry College’s Campbell School of Business, a lunch invitation 12 years ago ended up changing his life.
Who knows how many lives that lunch conversation has saved?
It was in 1995 that Grout, then a professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, accepted an invitation from a pair of doctors at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School to join them for lunch. The doctors were creating a proposal based on error reporting in blood transfusions for the National Institutes of Health, and they were looking for assistance from Grout, who already was one of the nation’s leaders in the research of “mistake proofing.”
Since that afternoon, Grout has devoted much of his time to mistake-proofing the health care industry. His work is so respected that he recently was asked to author a book for the Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The result, Mistake-Proofing the Design of Health Care Processes, is now available to health care practitioners worldwide. It includes 150 existing examples of mistake-proofing in the medical profession.
The text has raised some questions, Grout says. The first one he often receives about the book regards its purpose.
“I’ve been asked if it is meant to be a catalog of examples or a catalyst for more examples,” he said. “My answer, of course, is both. It has a large amount of examples but I really believe that in the future, this book will be used as a catalyst to create even more examples.”
Grout said he doesn’t expect the book to become an overnight sensation. But over time, he believes, it will make an impact.
“This is very new to medicine. This is not one of those books where they will say, ‘Look what just came out!’ This is something they will grow into. The real test is what happens in the next three to five years. I don’t look at it and think, ‘If this doesn’t get big in the next six months, there’s a problem.’
“There’s a huge benefit for the worker – it makes him more at-home while he’s at work and creates a less stressful environment. Mistake-proofing helps free medical professionals’ minds from an endless stream of details on how to do their job and helps patients get better more rapidly.”
So far, local medical practitioners have been able to see first hand the positive results of mistake-proofing their environment.
“With mistake-proofing, the human element doesn’t have to become involved,” says Sonny Rigas, chief operating officer at Floyd Medical Center. “If mistake-proofing is automatically built into things, then we don’t have to think about making a costly mistake.
“We use a lot of different mistake-proofing measures” at Floyd, Rigas says. “For example, a portable x-ray machine cannot be moved unless a drive bar on the machine is depressed. There is an automatic exposure control on radiation devices that protects patients from receiving more radiation than what is prescribed. Those are a few big examples.
“There are more basic examples, too,” Rigas says. “We use bar code readers throughout the facility. There are lights over doors to indicate there is a procedure taking place inside that room. We use wristbands. There are examples of mistake-proofing all over in the health care industry, and specifically here.”
For Grout, mistake-proofing health care environments is an opportunity to assist a large group of professionals for which he holds a great deal of respect.
“I’ve been working with a lot of medical professionals over the past several years, and I’ve been so impressed by how much they care about their patients,” Grout says. “I don’t ever want it (mistake-proofing) viewed as denigrating those folks. They work in an environment that’s not designed for mistake-proofing, and errors can happen because of that. These are professionals doing the best they can, and ways are being designed to help them do it even better.”
Many of those new designs may be viewed on Grout’s Website, www.mistakeproofing.com, which also features a link to a wiki that he says will serve as a sort of “Volume 2” to his book, and allow other users to post their mistake-proofing designs.
Grout’s launch into the world of mistake-proofing came well before that lunch invitation.
“I first became interested in mistake-proofing from a manufacturing perspective,” he says. “I taught a class in quality management at SMU. In preparing for that course, I really became fascinated with the subject of mistake-proofing. I like the inventive aspect to creating mistake-proofing devices.”
Grout also likes what he sees happening at the Campbell School of Business, which last year became one of just 549 business schools worldwide to be accredited by the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
“Now we are poised to move forward in new and better ways,” Grout says. “We’ve never had a stronger faculty then we have now. My job is to assist the faculty in making the Campbell School of Business better and better in the coming years. That will happen.”
Turns out, it doesn’t take a lunch invitation to get Grout excited about the future.
by Mickey Seward
It’s not often a lunch invitation turns into much more than a quick meal and good conversation. For Dr. John Grout, the dean of Berry College’s Campbell School of Business, a lunch invitation 12 years ago ended up changing his life.
Who knows how many lives that lunch conversation has saved?
It was in 1995 that Grout, then a professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, accepted an invitation from a pair of doctors at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School to join them for lunch. The doctors were creating a proposal based on error reporting in blood transfusions for the National Institutes of Health, and they were looking for assistance from Grout, who already was one of the nation’s leaders in the research of “mistake proofing.”
Since that afternoon, Grout has devoted much of his time to mistake-proofing the health care industry. His work is so respected that he recently was asked to author a book for the Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The result, Mistake-Proofing the Design of Health Care Processes, is now available to health care practitioners worldwide. It includes 150 existing examples of mistake-proofing in the medical profession.
The text has raised some questions, Grout says. The first one he often receives about the book regards its purpose.
“I’ve been asked if it is meant to be a catalog of examples or a catalyst for more examples,” he said. “My answer, of course, is both. It has a large amount of examples but I really believe that in the future, this book will be used as a catalyst to create even more examples.”
Grout said he doesn’t expect the book to become an overnight sensation. But over time, he believes, it will make an impact.
“This is very new to medicine. This is not one of those books where they will say, ‘Look what just came out!’ This is something they will grow into. The real test is what happens in the next three to five years. I don’t look at it and think, ‘If this doesn’t get big in the next six months, there’s a problem.’
“There’s a huge benefit for the worker – it makes him more at-home while he’s at work and creates a less stressful environment. Mistake-proofing helps free medical professionals’ minds from an endless stream of details on how to do their job and helps patients get better more rapidly.”
So far, local medical practitioners have been able to see first hand the positive results of mistake-proofing their environment.
“With mistake-proofing, the human element doesn’t have to become involved,” says Sonny Rigas, chief operating officer at Floyd Medical Center. “If mistake-proofing is automatically built into things, then we don’t have to think about making a costly mistake.
“We use a lot of different mistake-proofing measures” at Floyd, Rigas says. “For example, a portable x-ray machine cannot be moved unless a drive bar on the machine is depressed. There is an automatic exposure control on radiation devices that protects patients from receiving more radiation than what is prescribed. Those are a few big examples.
“There are more basic examples, too,” Rigas says. “We use bar code readers throughout the facility. There are lights over doors to indicate there is a procedure taking place inside that room. We use wristbands. There are examples of mistake-proofing all over in the health care industry, and specifically here.”
For Grout, mistake-proofing health care environments is an opportunity to assist a large group of professionals for which he holds a great deal of respect.
“I’ve been working with a lot of medical professionals over the past several years, and I’ve been so impressed by how much they care about their patients,” Grout says. “I don’t ever want it (mistake-proofing) viewed as denigrating those folks. They work in an environment that’s not designed for mistake-proofing, and errors can happen because of that. These are professionals doing the best they can, and ways are being designed to help them do it even better.”
Many of those new designs may be viewed on Grout’s Website, www.mistakeproofing.com, which also features a link to a wiki that he says will serve as a sort of “Volume 2” to his book, and allow other users to post their mistake-proofing designs.
Grout’s launch into the world of mistake-proofing came well before that lunch invitation.
“I first became interested in mistake-proofing from a manufacturing perspective,” he says. “I taught a class in quality management at SMU. In preparing for that course, I really became fascinated with the subject of mistake-proofing. I like the inventive aspect to creating mistake-proofing devices.”
Grout also likes what he sees happening at the Campbell School of Business, which last year became one of just 549 business schools worldwide to be accredited by the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
“Now we are poised to move forward in new and better ways,” Grout says. “We’ve never had a stronger faculty then we have now. My job is to assist the faculty in making the Campbell School of Business better and better in the coming years. That will happen.”
Turns out, it doesn’t take a lunch invitation to get Grout excited about the future.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Small Business Spotlight: Midian Roofing
This article was written for the September, 2007 issue of The Pinnacle.
by Mickey Seward
Midian Roofing has come a long way since owner T.K. Hamilton began running the business 11 years ago. One of the early changes was to the company’s name, which Hamilton has now used for the past seven years.
Now, people all over Greater Rome are getting used to seeing the Midian Roofing name and logo throughout the region. For a company that started small – “Just me and Jesus,” Hamilton said – a small fleet of trucks and a growing employee base is proof that Midian is growing and thriving.
There’s also a new home facility in Midian’s in future, which will allow it to continue to grow and better serve its customers.
Hamilton said about 90 percent of those customers come from inside Rome and Floyd County, “but we have been as far north as St. Louis and as far south as Florida.”
That reputation that has carried across state lines comes in large part from the work done with its local customers. Some of those customers include Chamber members such as Harbin Clinic, The Well at West Rome Baptist Church, Bojangles, the new United States Post Office located on Martha Berry Highway, Martin Realty and many others. In addition, Midian also installed the roof at the new River City Bank headquarters building that is nearing completion on the corner of Second Avenue and West Third Street.
Along with work on commercial properties, Midian also builds and repairs roofs on residential and industrial properties, as well.
Midian offers a wide variety of products that help keep it at the forefront of the roofing industry. “We offer top-of-the-line, high end products all the way down to standard materials, including commercial, industrial and residential metal, metal shingles, slate, copper, pvc, epdm and built-up,” Hamilton said.
However, Hamilton noted that it’s his company’s level of customer service that puts it high on the list of local businesses.
“If there happened to be any problems due to workmanship or a manufacturer’s defect, we’ll deal with it,” he said. “We are licensed, insured and have worker’s compensation insurance, so if any accidents to the home owner’s property or bodily injury to a worker or someone else were to occur, the property owner is protected.”
Still, even with the extensive product selection and high level of customer service, Hamilton makes it clear that there is one factor above all others that makes Midian Roofing successful.
“Sometimes when people ask me the secret of my success, I do hesitate for a minute,” he said. “Then I say anything good in my life is because God, through Jesus Christ, gives me wisdom to do the right thing.”
Hamilton pointed out Midian Roofing only employs legal United States citizens and is a certified Drug Free Workplace, which allows it to save 7.5% off its workers compensation insurance as a part of the Greater Rome Chamber’s Drugs Don’t Work program.
Drugs Don’t Work is just one Chamber benefit that helps Midian’s business. “It helps us generate leads and be a part of the community,” Hamilton said.
Midian Roofing really has come a long way during its existence. When you look back, it’s pretty easy to believe that the future looks even brighter.
Midian Roofing can be reached at 706.232.3085 or 1.888.643.4262. Its website address is www.midianroofing.com.
by Mickey Seward
Midian Roofing has come a long way since owner T.K. Hamilton began running the business 11 years ago. One of the early changes was to the company’s name, which Hamilton has now used for the past seven years.
Now, people all over Greater Rome are getting used to seeing the Midian Roofing name and logo throughout the region. For a company that started small – “Just me and Jesus,” Hamilton said – a small fleet of trucks and a growing employee base is proof that Midian is growing and thriving.
There’s also a new home facility in Midian’s in future, which will allow it to continue to grow and better serve its customers.
Hamilton said about 90 percent of those customers come from inside Rome and Floyd County, “but we have been as far north as St. Louis and as far south as Florida.”
That reputation that has carried across state lines comes in large part from the work done with its local customers. Some of those customers include Chamber members such as Harbin Clinic, The Well at West Rome Baptist Church, Bojangles, the new United States Post Office located on Martha Berry Highway, Martin Realty and many others. In addition, Midian also installed the roof at the new River City Bank headquarters building that is nearing completion on the corner of Second Avenue and West Third Street.
Along with work on commercial properties, Midian also builds and repairs roofs on residential and industrial properties, as well.
Midian offers a wide variety of products that help keep it at the forefront of the roofing industry. “We offer top-of-the-line, high end products all the way down to standard materials, including commercial, industrial and residential metal, metal shingles, slate, copper, pvc, epdm and built-up,” Hamilton said.
However, Hamilton noted that it’s his company’s level of customer service that puts it high on the list of local businesses.
“If there happened to be any problems due to workmanship or a manufacturer’s defect, we’ll deal with it,” he said. “We are licensed, insured and have worker’s compensation insurance, so if any accidents to the home owner’s property or bodily injury to a worker or someone else were to occur, the property owner is protected.”
Still, even with the extensive product selection and high level of customer service, Hamilton makes it clear that there is one factor above all others that makes Midian Roofing successful.
“Sometimes when people ask me the secret of my success, I do hesitate for a minute,” he said. “Then I say anything good in my life is because God, through Jesus Christ, gives me wisdom to do the right thing.”
Hamilton pointed out Midian Roofing only employs legal United States citizens and is a certified Drug Free Workplace, which allows it to save 7.5% off its workers compensation insurance as a part of the Greater Rome Chamber’s Drugs Don’t Work program.
Drugs Don’t Work is just one Chamber benefit that helps Midian’s business. “It helps us generate leads and be a part of the community,” Hamilton said.
Midian Roofing really has come a long way during its existence. When you look back, it’s pretty easy to believe that the future looks even brighter.
Midian Roofing can be reached at 706.232.3085 or 1.888.643.4262. Its website address is www.midianroofing.com.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
West Rome Baptist Thanks Pastor, Looks to Future
Officials at West Rome Baptist Church in Rome, Ga., recently asked me to write a press release regarding the calling of its pastor to a new position at a church in Texas and the future of West Rome Baptist. The following is the text from the release.
ROME, Ga....After Pastor Glynn N. Stone, Jr., told his congregation at West Rome Baptist Church Sunday that he had been called to a new post in Texas, Stone and others at WRBC spoke about the bonds created during Stone's six years in Rome and looked toward the future with their eyes set on God's plan.
Stone announced he has accepted the position as senior pastor at Mobberly Baptist Church in Longview, Texas. He, his wife, Angie, and sons Trey and Luke will move to Texas following his last sermon at West Rome Baptist on July 22.
"The bond of Christian love that unites Christians is so strong," Stone said. "I care for West Rome Baptist so much and it cares for us so deeply because of the trials, joy, blessings and struggles which we have gone through together. You can only have this kind of love if you truly have gotten to know each other."
"Without a doubt, I know that God's will for my life and my family is to follow His call to Mobberly Baptist Church," Stone said. "The will of God is the most exciting thing that is possible to ever know."
Ken Oates, WRBC's Associate Pastor of Pastoral Care who has been involved with the church either as a church member or staff member since 1975, said he knows Stone will continue to follow God's lead.
"Glynn and I have worked together for six years and we've had a great relationship in ministry and become really good friends," Oates said. "I know as he steps out in faith into a new chapter in his life, he will give it his best and trust God for his leadership."
While Stone's departure creates a void, those at WRBC have echoed his comments that God's will is the key element in the 114 year-old church's strength.
"It's tough to lose a pastor like Glynn Stone," said Associate Pastor Jarrod Roberts. "It's been a great privilege to serve in his ministry. We will be praying for him and his family, and are looking forward to what God has planned for them in their new place of service.
"God has done great things during his ministry here," Roberts said. "But we know that God has a great future planned for him, and we know that God has great things in store for West Rome Baptist Church.
"West Rome will continue to move forward in trying to reach people for Jesus Christ and to grow God's Kingdom," Roberts continued. "This is a huge opportunity for God to show how powerful He is, and we are looking forward to what He has planned. We will not back up and we will not take time off. We are going to keep on going strong."
Glenn Getchell, past chairman of West Rome Baptist's deacons committee, said Stone has continually challenged the church to share its love for Christ with others, and the church will continue to respond to that challenge.
"Pastor Stone has taken us to new levels and I anticipate only building on his success," Getchell said. "We are poised to now take the next step and have a greater impact on this community through our love for Jesus Christ. I will forever be grateful for the challenge Glynn Stone put before us - that the church is not the building or a location, but the people that make up the Body of Christ, and that the church member's purpose is to be the hands and feet of Christ to a world that does no know or trust in Him no matter where that church member is." The love for Stone and his family and the trust in God's will was made clear by longtime church member Jeanne Bryant.
"We are thankful for God for allowing Glynn and Angie to come to Rome," Bryant said. "We have been blessed by their ministry and friendships, and we're excited for them as they follow God's leadership.
"Our church is not built on ministers, but on God Himself," Bryant continued. "He is still in control of our church and our lives, and we trust Him and thank Him for His mercy, grace and love. We welcome all the new families that have come to West Rome Baptist and invite others to visit and see if this might be where God wants them to serve."
West Rome Baptist Church will begin its search for a new pastor immediately.
###
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Small Business Spotlight: Hometown Headlines
This was the small business spotlight article in the April, 2007 issue of The Pinnacle.
by Mickey Seward
For someone who has been in the business since he was 10 years old, John Druckenmiller isn’t one who can be easily accused of being “old school.” In fact, Druckenmiller’s internet news site, Hometown Headlines, has been a major catalyst for the growth of local news websites that many in the younger demographic segments prefer.
But Druckenmiller is far from the stereotypical fly-by-night internet blogger. He owns a journalism degree from the University of Florida and spent his entire career at traditional newspapers before moving to the electronic world. His writing career really goes back much further than his college days.
“I’ve been ‘reporting’ since the fourth grade at “my” St. Mary’s School in Rockledge, Fla.,” Druckenmiller said. “I wrote for student newspapers in all phases of my education.”
He said that upon registering at UF, he planned on majoring in political science and minoring in journalism, but the requirement of adding Latin as a language concentration to a political science major helped him realize that journalism may indeed be his calling.
Thirty years later, Druckenmiller is still following that call, which has taken him to newspapers in Lakeland, Fort Myers and Cocoa, Fla.; Fresno, Calif.; as well as the USA TODAY, not to mention in-state publications such as The Times in Gainesville, The Daily Report in Fulton County and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, before coming to Rome.
Druckenmiller, his wife Jean and their son Jack moved to Rome in 2002, when he went to work with the Rome News-Tribune. He also worked at former Rome radio station K98.
Now, he’s the owner and operator of Hometown Headlines, focusing on bringing Greater Rome important news and information as accurately and quickly as possible. Its success has spawned other web sites competing for a piece of the local news pie, and Druckenmiller is fine with that.
“Some would say all the competition in town is a challenge,” Druckemiller said. “It is, but in a good way. Competition keeps us focused.”
In fact, Druckenmiller often offers praise to his competitors – by name – on his own site. That sense of community has made Druckenmiller and Hometown Headlines a favorite for advertisers and readers.
“We wouldn’t be doing this today with a very generous group of advertisers and very involved readership,” Druckemiller said. “From news tips to taking a gamble on an upstart media concept, we’ve been supported, bolstered, fortified – whatever you wish to call it – we’ve had a lot of support along the way.”
The biggest scoops usually come from casual conversations at local retail establishments. The Rome Braves and State Mutual Stadium have also been major players.
“We did more business – news tips, ad sales, etc. – at the stadium in 2004 than anywhere else,” Druckenmiller said. “If you’re looking for the neighborhoods of yesteryear, go sit in section 206 at a game this year. You’ll find it there, and just about anywhere else in the stadium.
“Without the community’s help, we would have unplugged two years ago. As it stands, we’ve recorded nearly 14 million hits in 39 months. We have web sites featuring Floyd, Bartow and Gordon Counties. Our niche sites, Hometown Kids and The Dining Guide, are doing great. Now we’re bringing a hard-news magazine, The Druck Report, into play. The web sites and the magazine will be total synergy.”
The Druck Report, a monthly publication focusing on local business, health, politics media and trends, premieres in May. Druckenmiller credits his Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce membership for part of Hometown Headlines’ success.
“Contacts, networking, exposure and solid people” associated with the Chamber all add to his business, Druckemiller said. “A lot of that business starts at the corner of Broad Street and Riverside Drive. “We’ve made good friends and good contacts thanks to the Chamber.”
by Mickey Seward
For someone who has been in the business since he was 10 years old, John Druckenmiller isn’t one who can be easily accused of being “old school.” In fact, Druckenmiller’s internet news site, Hometown Headlines, has been a major catalyst for the growth of local news websites that many in the younger demographic segments prefer.
But Druckenmiller is far from the stereotypical fly-by-night internet blogger. He owns a journalism degree from the University of Florida and spent his entire career at traditional newspapers before moving to the electronic world. His writing career really goes back much further than his college days.
“I’ve been ‘reporting’ since the fourth grade at “my” St. Mary’s School in Rockledge, Fla.,” Druckenmiller said. “I wrote for student newspapers in all phases of my education.”
He said that upon registering at UF, he planned on majoring in political science and minoring in journalism, but the requirement of adding Latin as a language concentration to a political science major helped him realize that journalism may indeed be his calling.
Thirty years later, Druckenmiller is still following that call, which has taken him to newspapers in Lakeland, Fort Myers and Cocoa, Fla.; Fresno, Calif.; as well as the USA TODAY, not to mention in-state publications such as The Times in Gainesville, The Daily Report in Fulton County and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, before coming to Rome.
Druckenmiller, his wife Jean and their son Jack moved to Rome in 2002, when he went to work with the Rome News-Tribune. He also worked at former Rome radio station K98.
Now, he’s the owner and operator of Hometown Headlines, focusing on bringing Greater Rome important news and information as accurately and quickly as possible. Its success has spawned other web sites competing for a piece of the local news pie, and Druckenmiller is fine with that.
“Some would say all the competition in town is a challenge,” Druckemiller said. “It is, but in a good way. Competition keeps us focused.”
In fact, Druckenmiller often offers praise to his competitors – by name – on his own site. That sense of community has made Druckenmiller and Hometown Headlines a favorite for advertisers and readers.
“We wouldn’t be doing this today with a very generous group of advertisers and very involved readership,” Druckemiller said. “From news tips to taking a gamble on an upstart media concept, we’ve been supported, bolstered, fortified – whatever you wish to call it – we’ve had a lot of support along the way.”
The biggest scoops usually come from casual conversations at local retail establishments. The Rome Braves and State Mutual Stadium have also been major players.
“We did more business – news tips, ad sales, etc. – at the stadium in 2004 than anywhere else,” Druckenmiller said. “If you’re looking for the neighborhoods of yesteryear, go sit in section 206 at a game this year. You’ll find it there, and just about anywhere else in the stadium.
“Without the community’s help, we would have unplugged two years ago. As it stands, we’ve recorded nearly 14 million hits in 39 months. We have web sites featuring Floyd, Bartow and Gordon Counties. Our niche sites, Hometown Kids and The Dining Guide, are doing great. Now we’re bringing a hard-news magazine, The Druck Report, into play. The web sites and the magazine will be total synergy.”
The Druck Report, a monthly publication focusing on local business, health, politics media and trends, premieres in May. Druckenmiller credits his Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce membership for part of Hometown Headlines’ success.
“Contacts, networking, exposure and solid people” associated with the Chamber all add to his business, Druckemiller said. “A lot of that business starts at the corner of Broad Street and Riverside Drive. “We’ve made good friends and good contacts thanks to the Chamber.”
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Jon Byrd Piloting CVTC's New Aviation Programs
The following article was written for the July/August 2007 issue of Directions Magazine. I took our usual newcomer feature and turned it into a story that not only introduced a new professional to the community, but also a new program with incredible economic development potential.
by Mickey Seward
For Jon Byrd, who recently moved to Rome to become the Director of Aviation Programs at Coosa Valley Technical College, a passion has become his life.
“It was a hobby at first,” Byrd said of how he became involved in the aviation industry. “I learned to fly in 1991, and have been hooked on the industry ever since.
“After spending 12 years in a previous career field, I would always have my mind in the clouds,” he said. “So, when I decided to change careers, it was a no-brainer for me; aviatio
n was the direction I needed to travel. It’s been an extremely rewarding and educational journey so far. I look forward to what the future will deliver.”
So does Coosa Valley Tech, which is preparing to begin its aviation programs in late 2007 or 2008.
Serving as the program’s architect is an exciting proposition for Byrd, who was introduced as the first aviation programs director at Coosa Valley Tech by the college’s president, Dr. Craig McDaniel this past September.
“I’ve always liked creating things, and this was definitely an opportunity to create something from virtually nothing,” Byrd said. “Dr. McDaniel and the staff at Coosa Valley Technical College did a great job preparing for the aviation programs, so I have a good, solid budget to start with to get equipment and supplies we need ordered, and to purchase furniture and materials we will need to stock the new facility being constructed at the Richard B. Russell Regional Airport.
“We’ve also had some generous donations of aircraft, ground support equipment and various equipment we’ll need for our labs and classrooms,” Byrd said. “Everyone I have met is excited and extremely supportive of us building and launching our aviation programs. We’re ready, and it’s obvious that Northwest Georgia has been ready, too.”
According to Dr. McDaniel, Byrd is just as ready for this professional opportunity as CVTC and Northwest Georgia is for the new program.
“Jon has the experience and attitude that we need to get these programs started,” McDaniel said when he introduced Byrd.
That experience comes from an extensive aviation and teaching background. Byrd worked in general and corporate aviation for companies including Kenn-Air, TIMCO, and Raytheon Aircraft. He has FAA aviation certifications in FAA (Federal Aviation Association) Inspection Authorization (IA); FAA Airframe and Powerplant Certificate (A&P); FAA Fixed-Wing Pilot; as well as memberships in the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA) and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA).
He comes to Coosa Valley Tech after serving as the program chairperson of the aviation maintenance technology program at Middle Georgia Technical College in Warner Robins, a CVTC sister school.
When he learned that Coosa Valley Tech was ready to start moving forward with plans for the aviation program, Byrd was immediately interested.
“The opportunity to start programs from scratch, play a significant role in the facility design and construction, and become a member of the Coosa Valley Technical College family was just too attractive for me to not pass up,” Byrd said. “I learned a long time ago to never let opportunities go by; they may never come around again. We’re not guaranteed a second chance at anything.”
Since coming to Rome, Byrd has busied himself with the responsibilities that come along with starting the program. It takes a lot more than just getting potential students to enroll. CVTC is building a 30,000 square foot building at the airport, so funding and construction issues have taken much of his time. Working with local, state and federal government can lead to some tedious tasks, but as Byrd points out, “We’re getting closer and closer to completion every day.”
Once construction is complete, Byrd has lofty goals for the program. One is to rise to the level of the rest of Coosa Valley Tech’s programs.
“We hope to be the college that people think of when it comes to aviation training,” Byrd said.
“Coosa Valley Technical College does everything with class and professionalism and I plan on continuing that with our aviation programs. Our students will be exposed to what’s happening in the industry right now, so they can be well-trained and ready for their career following their time with us. Seeing a student succeed in the aviation industry following their training with Coosa Valley Technical College is a success story in my book.”
Along with the development and possible job placement of the students, Byrd also sees a bright future for the economic development in and around Rome, Floyd County and the Richard B. Russell Regional Airport, thanks partly to the new aviation programs. According to Byrd, the potential for new aviation-related industry in the community could bring with it a strong positive economic impact.
“We believe that since we will have an FAA-certified aviation training program presence at the airport producing a well-trained work force, aircraft manufacturers and repair facilities will want to have a facility here,” Byrd said. “It’s all about ‘location-location-location,’ and we’re in a perfect location regionally for aviation-related businesses to want to set up shop here. They would not have to worry about the hassle of getting in and out of Atlanta where the busiest air traffic in the world exists.
“New business equates to new jobs, and new jobs equal new opportunities for residents in and around Floyd County.”
Byrd and Coosa Valley Technical College are doing their part to provide a quality workforce for an industry in which job opportunities should be in large supply in the next few years. Byrd mentioned that twice as many aircraft technicians today are over the age of 60 than are under the age of 30, and that 25 percent of aircraft technicians today are at retirement age.
“There just aren’t enough new, well-trained workers available to fill those vacancies,” Byrd said.
Thanks to his role at CVTC and in the future of the area’s workforce, Byrd has already become an integral part of the community. But he’s enjoyed his short time here for reasons that reach beyond his vocation.
“I quickly learned that I had made the right decision (to come to Rome) within the first couple weeks following my move here,” Byrd said. “The city is great, the area is beautiful, and everyone I have met so far is extremely nice, helpful, and polite.”
An accomplished song writer and musician, he’s performed at some of Rome’s local nightspots, and has also found the community to be a great place to enjoy some of his other hobbies, such as photography, bowling and “the occasional round of golf.”
But it all seems to come back to one thing for Byrd, even when talking about his hobbies. It’s his passion for flying and maintaining aircraft that brought him here, and ultimately what will allow him to help make Dr. Craig McDaniel’s and other leaders’ vision of the new aviation maintenance program take flight. That’s his love, and a love he is excited to pass along to others.
Byrd invites anyone interested in a career in aviation to give him a call at 706.802.5086. Coosa Valley Technical College’s website is located at http://www.coosavalleytech.edu/.
by Mickey Seward
For Jon Byrd, who recently moved to Rome to become the Director of Aviation Programs at Coosa Valley Technical College, a passion has become his life.
“It was a hobby at first,” Byrd said of how he became involved in the aviation industry. “I learned to fly in 1991, and have been hooked on the industry ever since.
“After spending 12 years in a previous career field, I would always have my mind in the clouds,” he said. “So, when I decided to change careers, it was a no-brainer for me; aviatio
n was the direction I needed to travel. It’s been an extremely rewarding and educational journey so far. I look forward to what the future will deliver.”So does Coosa Valley Tech, which is preparing to begin its aviation programs in late 2007 or 2008.
Serving as the program’s architect is an exciting proposition for Byrd, who was introduced as the first aviation programs director at Coosa Valley Tech by the college’s president, Dr. Craig McDaniel this past September.
“I’ve always liked creating things, and this was definitely an opportunity to create something from virtually nothing,” Byrd said. “Dr. McDaniel and the staff at Coosa Valley Technical College did a great job preparing for the aviation programs, so I have a good, solid budget to start with to get equipment and supplies we need ordered, and to purchase furniture and materials we will need to stock the new facility being constructed at the Richard B. Russell Regional Airport.
“We’ve also had some generous donations of aircraft, ground support equipment and various equipment we’ll need for our labs and classrooms,” Byrd said. “Everyone I have met is excited and extremely supportive of us building and launching our aviation programs. We’re ready, and it’s obvious that Northwest Georgia has been ready, too.”
According to Dr. McDaniel, Byrd is just as ready for this professional opportunity as CVTC and Northwest Georgia is for the new program.
“Jon has the experience and attitude that we need to get these programs started,” McDaniel said when he introduced Byrd.
That experience comes from an extensive aviation and teaching background. Byrd worked in general and corporate aviation for companies including Kenn-Air, TIMCO, and Raytheon Aircraft. He has FAA aviation certifications in FAA (Federal Aviation Association) Inspection Authorization (IA); FAA Airframe and Powerplant Certificate (A&P); FAA Fixed-Wing Pilot; as well as memberships in the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA) and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA).
He comes to Coosa Valley Tech after serving as the program chairperson of the aviation maintenance technology program at Middle Georgia Technical College in Warner Robins, a CVTC sister school.
When he learned that Coosa Valley Tech was ready to start moving forward with plans for the aviation program, Byrd was immediately interested.
“The opportunity to start programs from scratch, play a significant role in the facility design and construction, and become a member of the Coosa Valley Technical College family was just too attractive for me to not pass up,” Byrd said. “I learned a long time ago to never let opportunities go by; they may never come around again. We’re not guaranteed a second chance at anything.”
Since coming to Rome, Byrd has busied himself with the responsibilities that come along with starting the program. It takes a lot more than just getting potential students to enroll. CVTC is building a 30,000 square foot building at the airport, so funding and construction issues have taken much of his time. Working with local, state and federal government can lead to some tedious tasks, but as Byrd points out, “We’re getting closer and closer to completion every day.”
Once construction is complete, Byrd has lofty goals for the program. One is to rise to the level of the rest of Coosa Valley Tech’s programs.
“We hope to be the college that people think of when it comes to aviation training,” Byrd said.
“Coosa Valley Technical College does everything with class and professionalism and I plan on continuing that with our aviation programs. Our students will be exposed to what’s happening in the industry right now, so they can be well-trained and ready for their career following their time with us. Seeing a student succeed in the aviation industry following their training with Coosa Valley Technical College is a success story in my book.”
Along with the development and possible job placement of the students, Byrd also sees a bright future for the economic development in and around Rome, Floyd County and the Richard B. Russell Regional Airport, thanks partly to the new aviation programs. According to Byrd, the potential for new aviation-related industry in the community could bring with it a strong positive economic impact.
“We believe that since we will have an FAA-certified aviation training program presence at the airport producing a well-trained work force, aircraft manufacturers and repair facilities will want to have a facility here,” Byrd said. “It’s all about ‘location-location-location,’ and we’re in a perfect location regionally for aviation-related businesses to want to set up shop here. They would not have to worry about the hassle of getting in and out of Atlanta where the busiest air traffic in the world exists.
“New business equates to new jobs, and new jobs equal new opportunities for residents in and around Floyd County.”
Byrd and Coosa Valley Technical College are doing their part to provide a quality workforce for an industry in which job opportunities should be in large supply in the next few years. Byrd mentioned that twice as many aircraft technicians today are over the age of 60 than are under the age of 30, and that 25 percent of aircraft technicians today are at retirement age.
“There just aren’t enough new, well-trained workers available to fill those vacancies,” Byrd said.
Thanks to his role at CVTC and in the future of the area’s workforce, Byrd has already become an integral part of the community. But he’s enjoyed his short time here for reasons that reach beyond his vocation.
“I quickly learned that I had made the right decision (to come to Rome) within the first couple weeks following my move here,” Byrd said. “The city is great, the area is beautiful, and everyone I have met so far is extremely nice, helpful, and polite.”
An accomplished song writer and musician, he’s performed at some of Rome’s local nightspots, and has also found the community to be a great place to enjoy some of his other hobbies, such as photography, bowling and “the occasional round of golf.”
But it all seems to come back to one thing for Byrd, even when talking about his hobbies. It’s his passion for flying and maintaining aircraft that brought him here, and ultimately what will allow him to help make Dr. Craig McDaniel’s and other leaders’ vision of the new aviation maintenance program take flight. That’s his love, and a love he is excited to pass along to others.
Byrd invites anyone interested in a career in aviation to give him a call at 706.802.5086. Coosa Valley Technical College’s website is located at http://www.coosavalleytech.edu/.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Tyler Coats Hits Home Run in Life
This article appeared in Berry Magazine, the official alumni magazine of Berry College in Rome, Ga., in 2004.
by Mickey Seward
Just over four years ago, Tyler Coats was planning on fulfilling a life-long dream of attending the Georgia Institute of Technology. He had already been accepted by Georgia Tech, and it was the only school to which he applied for admission.
However, just months before Coats was to begin classes in Atlanta, he tagged along with a friend who was going to try out for the baseball team at nearby Berry College. Coats decided to give it a shot, too.
“I didn’t even know Berry had a baseball team,” Coats said. “At the tryout, Coach (David) Beasley told me they could use me if I could get into Berry. So I applied, and got in. I thought I was through with baseball, but God had a different plan. It worked out for Him and definitely for me. It was one of the best things that ever happened to me.”
And a lot of other people, too.
Coats went on to become one of the best ballplayers ever to wear a Berry uniform, finishing his baseball career ranked among Berry’s all-time top five in batting average, home runs, runs batted in, hits and bases on balls. As a senior in 2004, he helped lead Berry to a 39-23 overall record and into the semifinals of the NAIA Region XI Tournament. He earned a pair of Academic All-American honors and one Athletic All-American award. The guy who four years ago didn’t even know Berry had a baseball team was doing his part to make sure everyone across the Southeast knew about Viking baseball.
But Coats, who earned a Bachelor’s degree in physics this past spring, was recognized for much more than his abilities on the diamond and in the classroom during his years at Berry. In 2003, he was a finalist for the Top Male Amateur Athlete Role Model award, presented to a student-athlete who competes for a college or university in Georgia, or who resides in the state, by the Boy Scouts of America’s Atlanta Area Chapter. In 2004, he won the award, joining the likes of former Florida State University Heisman Trophy winner and National Basketball Association guard Charlie Ward, former University of Georgia and Chicago Bears kicker Kevin Butler and former Georgia Tech guard and NBA All-Star Mark Price as honorees.
Months after learning he had been honored by the Boy Scouts, Coats learned he had earned a national honor that was awarded to just one student-athlete in the entire National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Coats was named the NAIA recipient of the Coca-Cola Community Service All-American award by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
“It means a lot to me personally to win that award, but I’m mostly glad that Berry is recognized because of it,” Coats said of the Community Service All-American honor. “Our reputation is growing, but it means a lot to represent Berry on a national level and share what Martha Berry stood for, and what Berry is intended to be for its students.”
Along with the honor, Coca-Cola and NACDA donated five thousand dollars to Coats’ charity of choice, Habitat For Humanity.
“That kind of money means more than you can imagine,” Bill Harrison of Habitat For Humanity of Rome said. “We do not often see donations that large. We feel pretty good when someone sends us a one hundred dollar check.
"This donation comes at a time when we are below our reserve threshold for construction," Harrison continued. "With this amount, we will easily be able to cover our material expenses, and it allows us time to improve our financial position.”
Coats became involved with Habitat For Humanity while working with Berry’s Athletes Bettering the Community organization, a group of nearly all of the 200-plus Berry student-athletes which also works at various after-school programs, Boys and Girls Clubs, retirement homes, homeless shelters and many other programs to serve those in need. Coats was the group’s president in 2003-04.
“I’m so proud of how ABC has developed and come along,” said Coats, who was one of the organization’s co-founders as a freshman. “The thing about ABC is it is so in line with the school’s beliefs – service above self.”
“Every team on campus is very well represented in ABC, and everyone has really stepped up,” he continued. “There’s always been that commitment from the student-athletes, and as long as they are committed, ABC will be here as long as the college itself is here.”
According to Dr. Janna Johnson, Berry’s associate athletics director who is also an instructor and advisor at the college and serves as ABC’s faculty advisor, Coats is a prime example of the very commitment that he described.
“Tyler epitomizes the head, heart, and hands philosophy at Berry,” Johnson said. “He has succeeded academically and athletically. He also has a strong work ethic and a commitment to helping others. I believe he will always follow Berry's motto, ‘Not to be ministered unto, but to minister.’”
While he was at Berry, Coats also spent time mentoring an elementary school student, and shared his experiences with other Berry student-athletes to encourage others to serve as mentors.
“He let others know how meaningful it is to mentor a young person by sharing his experience with mentoring,” Johnson said. “Tyler is such a great example for me and his peers. He balances school, work, athletics, and community service with patience and a smile on his face. No matter how much pressure he is under, he is kind and respectful of others. “
For Coats, enrolling at Berry allowed him to fulfill two dreams. First, he was able to continue his baseball career. Second, because he came to Berry as part of the college’s dual-degree program with the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech, not only was he working toward a physics degree at Berry, but also toward a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Georgia Tech at the same time.
“The only question coming in was would I need four years at Berry and two at Tech, or three at Berry and two at Tech?” Coats said. “Baseball commitments answered that for me,” said the four-year letter winner. “It turned out that the fourth year was the best year we had as a team.”
Coats began taking classes at Georgia Tech in August, and will need approximately two years to finish his civil engineering degree.
Stepping onto the 400 acre Georgia Tech campus with roughly 16,00 students after spending four years at a school with 70 times more land but 14,000 fewer students might make others somewhat fearful, but Coats is getting along just fine.
“In a way it’s like starting over,” Coats said. “I’m meeting new people and learning about them and how we can help each other, but there’s no way you can meet everybody and grow relationships very quickly.
“But there are a lot of similarities between Berry and Georgia Tech,” he continued. “You still have to wake up and go to class, and there are a lot of opportunities at Berry like there are on other larger campuses.”
Coats has already plugged in with Georgia Tech’s Campus Christian Fellowship, hoping to continue another chapter in a life built on service.
“My belief in God is the main reason I like to get involved,” Coats said. “A huge foundation of the Christian faith is that Jesus commands us to serve others. We are supposed to show people a lifestyle that is pleasing to God and lead by example, not just in what we say but what we do and how we do it.
“One look on the face of a child in a struggling family when you give him a Christmas present, or on a senior citizen at a retirement home when you and your friends sing Christmas carols, and it’s more than worth it,” he continued. “It’s not a huge commitment, but it makes a big difference in their life, and in mine.”
Making a difference seems to be what Coats’ four years at Berry were all about. Not just for him, but for a lot of other folks, too.
“Those were the best four years of my life so far,” Coats said. “I met tons of new people and made lifelong friends. There are a lot of opportunities at Berry that I might not have had at a larger school. You can develop deeper relationships, and I often think about the people I’ve been in contact with who have impacted my life. Hopefully, I’ve impacted their lives in a small way, too.”
When he finishes school, Coats wants to become a builder. If whatever he builds is built on a foundation as solid as Coats’, it just might last forever.
by Mickey Seward
Just over four years ago, Tyler Coats was planning on fulfilling a life-long dream of attending the Georgia Institute of Technology. He had already been accepted by Georgia Tech, and it was the only school to which he applied for admission.
However, just months before Coats was to begin classes in Atlanta, he tagged along with a friend who was going to try out for the baseball team at nearby Berry College. Coats decided to give it a shot, too.
“I didn’t even know Berry had a baseball team,” Coats said. “At the tryout, Coach (David) Beasley told me they could use me if I could get into Berry. So I applied, and got in. I thought I was through with baseball, but God had a different plan. It worked out for Him and definitely for me. It was one of the best things that ever happened to me.”
And a lot of other people, too.
Coats went on to become one of the best ballplayers ever to wear a Berry uniform, finishing his baseball career ranked among Berry’s all-time top five in batting average, home runs, runs batted in, hits and bases on balls. As a senior in 2004, he helped lead Berry to a 39-23 overall record and into the semifinals of the NAIA Region XI Tournament. He earned a pair of Academic All-American honors and one Athletic All-American award. The guy who four years ago didn’t even know Berry had a baseball team was doing his part to make sure everyone across the Southeast knew about Viking baseball.
But Coats, who earned a Bachelor’s degree in physics this past spring, was recognized for much more than his abilities on the diamond and in the classroom during his years at Berry. In 2003, he was a finalist for the Top Male Amateur Athlete Role Model award, presented to a student-athlete who competes for a college or university in Georgia, or who resides in the state, by the Boy Scouts of America’s Atlanta Area Chapter. In 2004, he won the award, joining the likes of former Florida State University Heisman Trophy winner and National Basketball Association guard Charlie Ward, former University of Georgia and Chicago Bears kicker Kevin Butler and former Georgia Tech guard and NBA All-Star Mark Price as honorees.
Months after learning he had been honored by the Boy Scouts, Coats learned he had earned a national honor that was awarded to just one student-athlete in the entire National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Coats was named the NAIA recipient of the Coca-Cola Community Service All-American award by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
“It means a lot to me personally to win that award, but I’m mostly glad that Berry is recognized because of it,” Coats said of the Community Service All-American honor. “Our reputation is growing, but it means a lot to represent Berry on a national level and share what Martha Berry stood for, and what Berry is intended to be for its students.”
Along with the honor, Coca-Cola and NACDA donated five thousand dollars to Coats’ charity of choice, Habitat For Humanity.
“That kind of money means more than you can imagine,” Bill Harrison of Habitat For Humanity of Rome said. “We do not often see donations that large. We feel pretty good when someone sends us a one hundred dollar check.
"This donation comes at a time when we are below our reserve threshold for construction," Harrison continued. "With this amount, we will easily be able to cover our material expenses, and it allows us time to improve our financial position.”
Coats became involved with Habitat For Humanity while working with Berry’s Athletes Bettering the Community organization, a group of nearly all of the 200-plus Berry student-athletes which also works at various after-school programs, Boys and Girls Clubs, retirement homes, homeless shelters and many other programs to serve those in need. Coats was the group’s president in 2003-04.
“I’m so proud of how ABC has developed and come along,” said Coats, who was one of the organization’s co-founders as a freshman. “The thing about ABC is it is so in line with the school’s beliefs – service above self.”
“Every team on campus is very well represented in ABC, and everyone has really stepped up,” he continued. “There’s always been that commitment from the student-athletes, and as long as they are committed, ABC will be here as long as the college itself is here.”
According to Dr. Janna Johnson, Berry’s associate athletics director who is also an instructor and advisor at the college and serves as ABC’s faculty advisor, Coats is a prime example of the very commitment that he described.
“Tyler epitomizes the head, heart, and hands philosophy at Berry,” Johnson said. “He has succeeded academically and athletically. He also has a strong work ethic and a commitment to helping others. I believe he will always follow Berry's motto, ‘Not to be ministered unto, but to minister.’”
While he was at Berry, Coats also spent time mentoring an elementary school student, and shared his experiences with other Berry student-athletes to encourage others to serve as mentors.
“He let others know how meaningful it is to mentor a young person by sharing his experience with mentoring,” Johnson said. “Tyler is such a great example for me and his peers. He balances school, work, athletics, and community service with patience and a smile on his face. No matter how much pressure he is under, he is kind and respectful of others. “
For Coats, enrolling at Berry allowed him to fulfill two dreams. First, he was able to continue his baseball career. Second, because he came to Berry as part of the college’s dual-degree program with the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech, not only was he working toward a physics degree at Berry, but also toward a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Georgia Tech at the same time.
“The only question coming in was would I need four years at Berry and two at Tech, or three at Berry and two at Tech?” Coats said. “Baseball commitments answered that for me,” said the four-year letter winner. “It turned out that the fourth year was the best year we had as a team.”
Coats began taking classes at Georgia Tech in August, and will need approximately two years to finish his civil engineering degree.
Stepping onto the 400 acre Georgia Tech campus with roughly 16,00 students after spending four years at a school with 70 times more land but 14,000 fewer students might make others somewhat fearful, but Coats is getting along just fine.
“In a way it’s like starting over,” Coats said. “I’m meeting new people and learning about them and how we can help each other, but there’s no way you can meet everybody and grow relationships very quickly.
“But there are a lot of similarities between Berry and Georgia Tech,” he continued. “You still have to wake up and go to class, and there are a lot of opportunities at Berry like there are on other larger campuses.”
Coats has already plugged in with Georgia Tech’s Campus Christian Fellowship, hoping to continue another chapter in a life built on service.
“My belief in God is the main reason I like to get involved,” Coats said. “A huge foundation of the Christian faith is that Jesus commands us to serve others. We are supposed to show people a lifestyle that is pleasing to God and lead by example, not just in what we say but what we do and how we do it.
“One look on the face of a child in a struggling family when you give him a Christmas present, or on a senior citizen at a retirement home when you and your friends sing Christmas carols, and it’s more than worth it,” he continued. “It’s not a huge commitment, but it makes a big difference in their life, and in mine.”
Making a difference seems to be what Coats’ four years at Berry were all about. Not just for him, but for a lot of other folks, too.
“Those were the best four years of my life so far,” Coats said. “I met tons of new people and made lifelong friends. There are a lot of opportunities at Berry that I might not have had at a larger school. You can develop deeper relationships, and I often think about the people I’ve been in contact with who have impacted my life. Hopefully, I’ve impacted their lives in a small way, too.”
When he finishes school, Coats wants to become a builder. If whatever he builds is built on a foundation as solid as Coats’, it just might last forever.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Why Not Me?
This might be my favorite story I've written. It first appeared in a magazine called Texas Baseball News and you can still find it on UTAMavs.com, which is the official website of the University of Texas at Arlington's athletics department. It was written shortly after Gould's death in June, 2001. I hope you enjoy this article about a friend of mine.
by Mickey Seward
It was at a small press briefing early in the spring of 2000 that Clay Gould, then just 28 years old, showed why he would become a role model, even a hero, to so many people, including some much older than him. Gould had just learned that he had cancer, and in a small meeting room in
the athletic department offices at The University of Texas at Arlington, was speaking publicly about the disease for the first time.
"Do you ever ask yourself the question, 'Why me?'" a local newspaper reporter wanted to know.
What followed was so much more than a three-word answer from the Mavericks' head baseball coach. With three words - eight letters - Gould expressed more than any author could in an entire multi-volume set of feel-good best sellers. With three words, Gould expressed his faith in God and a thankfulness for the blessings in his life; his love for his wife Julie and their soon-to-be born daughter Logan; his appreciation and devotion to his family and friends. With three words, Gould told the players who played for him that he was proud of them, and how much he looked forward to the future, no matter how long the future was going to be. And with those same three words, Gould asked a question we all should ask ourselves during our times of struggle.
"Why not me?"
Gould was blessed, and he knew it. He had grown up to be one of the best ballplayers in the history of his hometown university, before moving on to become an all-star outfielder for the Tyler Wildcatters of the independent Texas-Louisiana League. He was on the fast track as a major college coach, taking over at his beloved alma mater at the tender age of 27 years old, just a few weeks shy of 28. He had fallen in love with a model and the two were recently married. A child was on the way. Cancer, Gould reasoned, was just one bad thing that couldn't compare with all the good things in his life.
"That's just how he was," said Jeff Curtis, Gould's assistant coach for two years, and the man who was named to replace Gould as head coach on July 12. "That just shows how strong he was and how he understood what was going on. That's an amazing quote. How could a 28 year old make a comment like that? It's amazing. He's amazing."
That statement, those three words, demonstrated the strength and character that Gould displayed until 1:08 p.m. this past June 23, when he passed away at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas after a 16-month battle with colon cancer. Never once during that time did the second word of Gould's now-familiar three-word reply disappear from his own rhetorical question.
Ironically, while the Texas-Arlington skipper was enduring his worst times in the hospital that he never left after checking in late in April, his team was on its way to a Southland Conference Tournament championship, and ultimately to its first-ever win in an NCAA Regional game. The Mavericks came out of the loser's bracket and swept SLC Tournament host Lamar to hoist the tourney trophy for the first time in team history, as K.J. Hendricks, nicknamed "The Pest" by Gould during fall practice for his pesky play on the field, earned tournament MVP honors.
Less than a week later, senior second baseman Craig Martin, UTA's all-time hits leader who signed with the Evansville Otters of the independent Frontier League following the season, belted a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift UTA to a 7-6 win over the University of Houston in the regionals. Those close to the UTA baseball program call the win the greatest moment in the team's history. Some say it is the highlight of the school's entire athletic past.
"They had a dream season last year," said Butch McBroom, UTA's director of development for the athletic department, who served as the school's head baseball coach from 1974-1999 before handing over the reigns to Gould on June 11, 1999. "It was one of those years where everything fell into place for him, and it couldn't have come at a better time."
Although Gould missed the regionals this year, he's been there before. As a UTA player, he led the Mavericks to the 1990 and 1992 tournament, both held in Austin, Texas, the site of his first ever coaching victory. In fact, Gould is the only member of all three of UTA's NCAA regional teams.
Even though Gould was in a hospital bed at the end of the year, there never was a doubt that these Mavericks were his team, and won with his attitude. UTA won with toughness and determination.
The team made its mark early in the season, and developed a reputation from local and national media as giant killers. UTA defeated then-No. 4 Arizona State on Opening Day in Tempe, Ariz., then ruined No. 20 Texas' season lid-lifter for the second straight year a few days later. The Mavericks started the season 19-4 and finished the season with 39 victories, second most in school history. The team had captured the imagination of the Dallas-Fort Worth area media and the hearts of the Arlington community.
Nobody expected success so soon for a squad made up of 18 newcomers and picked to finish sixth in the SLC pre-season coaches poll. Of course, nobody expected success so early for Gould, either. It didn't come by accident.
"He knew baseball," said Darin Thomas, another of Gould's assistants at UTA who was promoted to associate head coach the same day Curtis was named head coach. "He was one of those people that, when he went to a game he didn't just go to shoot the bull. He didn't like to go around and shake hands and visit all the time. He liked to watch baseball. He was always saying, 'What would you do in this situation?'"
"There's a lot of people who are positive and energetic," Thomas continued. "But he coupled that with knowledge. His first year (when Thomas was still an assistant coach at Seward County Community College in Kansas), I can't tell you how many times he called and said, 'What would you do?' He wasn't afraid to get advice from people he trusted. He was constantly trying to get better in every aspect of his job, and in life."
Gould, it often seemed, enjoyed being underestimated by others and relished the opportunity to prove doubters' opinions of him wrong. He was too young and inexperienced to be successful, many said.
The Arlington native was able to successfully combat the criticism and the lack of head coaching experience with a tireless work ethic and a positive approach to coaching that utilized his proximity in age to his players. His excitement was evident and contagious.
"We didn't want to take four or five years to get it done, because everyone was looking at us," Curtis said. "He was one of the youngest coaches in the NCAA, and had two young guys coming in as assistants. There was a little bit of pressure involved, but he took that and ran with it and made it a motivational factor."
The motivation worked. In July, Gould and Florida International University coach Danny Price were named co-South Central Regional Coaches of the Year by Rawlings and American Baseball Coaches Association. Gould and Price will now have their names listed on the ballot for National Coach of the Year.
Gould is one of the few people to earn major awards as a coach and as a player on the collegiate level. He was the 1993 Southland Conference co-Player of the Year and a nominee for the Golden Spikes Award, presented to the nation's outstanding player, the same season. Yet it was the way he touched the hearts and made a difference in the lives of people that will be his lasting legacy.
"His players loved him," said McBroom. "He was a players' coach."
Gould's age made him close to his players, and he could relate to what they were going through. After all, he went through the same things himself just a few years before. When he became a man, however, he put childish ways behind him.
"He was the rebel," said McBroom. "He did a complete 180 degree change. He was always the kid that we had to make get his hair cut or take his earring out. Then he turned around and was just as hard on his kids in those areas as I was on him."
He cared for his players, and he made sure they were in good hands while they were away from home.
"He treated players the exact way that every parent would want their son to be treated," Curtis said. "He was honest with them and up front with them. He treated them like an adult, and wouldn't let them get away with things that their own parents wouldn't let them get away with. I think if parents could see how their sons were treated by Clay each day, they would have been very impressed."
Gould did more than just teach his players and his assistants. He taught those who had been his teacher.
Texas A&M head coach Mark Johnson, speaking to the nearly 1,500 people at Gould's funeral, said that whenever he visited Gould in the hospital, it was with the intent of cheering up his former graduate assistant coach and helping to keep Gould's Christian faith strong. However, the situation always seemed to reverse itself, Johnson said, and it was the pupil giving strength to the mentor.
Johnson was one of many that spoke about faith with Gould over the past few years. It was because of faith that Gould and Courtney Cash became friends. Cash had served as the team's chaplain since the mid 1990's and had known the young coach since Gould was McBroom's assistant. When Gould was promoted, Cash asked Gould if he could continue as the chaplain. Gould not only said yes, he asked Cash to do more than what he had been doing with the team previously. Cash became a regular in the team's dugout, not only at Allan Saxe Stadium, but also on the road.
"I think Clay understood that he wasn't a preacher," Cash said. "But he felt that it was important that the guys had access to God's word and to ministry. Being with the team was important for me, too, because I have been able to share Christ and build relationships that will last a lifetime. I would not have had that opportunity if Clay didn't open that door."
Cash spent a lot of time with Gould and his family while Gould was in his final days on earth. While a 29-year old father lay on his deathbed, it was he, Cash said, that gave strength to those surrounding him.
"I felt privileged to be a part of that time in Clay's life," Cash said. "To the world, it appeared that this was such a tragedy. But I was really able to see what kind of man he was during this time."
"I saw a strength among his family during the toughest time in Clay's life, and that came from him," Cash said. "They were beneficiaries of his strength."
The original question seemed to be so small, so simple. "Do you ever ask, 'Why me?' A yes or no question, really. Those that heard the question had no idea what it would come to be. The reporter probably had no idea that he had asked about Gould's faith and relationships, his accomplishments and his future.
Gould's answer was an ironically simple, yet profound, question of his own.
Those that knew Gould on a personal basis sometimes ask themselves the question he never did. "Why did it have to be Clay?" They don't know why he was chosen, they just know he was chosen and they miss him. In the weeks and months that passed following that press briefing, Clay Gould never stopped asking himself and anyone who asked him about his illness the question he posed that day.
"Why not me?"
Maybe the answer to their question is the very fact that Gould had the faith to ask his.
by Mickey Seward
It was at a small press briefing early in the spring of 2000 that Clay Gould, then just 28 years old, showed why he would become a role model, even a hero, to so many people, including some much older than him. Gould had just learned that he had cancer, and in a small meeting room in
the athletic department offices at The University of Texas at Arlington, was speaking publicly about the disease for the first time."Do you ever ask yourself the question, 'Why me?'" a local newspaper reporter wanted to know.
What followed was so much more than a three-word answer from the Mavericks' head baseball coach. With three words - eight letters - Gould expressed more than any author could in an entire multi-volume set of feel-good best sellers. With three words, Gould expressed his faith in God and a thankfulness for the blessings in his life; his love for his wife Julie and their soon-to-be born daughter Logan; his appreciation and devotion to his family and friends. With three words, Gould told the players who played for him that he was proud of them, and how much he looked forward to the future, no matter how long the future was going to be. And with those same three words, Gould asked a question we all should ask ourselves during our times of struggle.
"Why not me?"
Gould was blessed, and he knew it. He had grown up to be one of the best ballplayers in the history of his hometown university, before moving on to become an all-star outfielder for the Tyler Wildcatters of the independent Texas-Louisiana League. He was on the fast track as a major college coach, taking over at his beloved alma mater at the tender age of 27 years old, just a few weeks shy of 28. He had fallen in love with a model and the two were recently married. A child was on the way. Cancer, Gould reasoned, was just one bad thing that couldn't compare with all the good things in his life.
"That's just how he was," said Jeff Curtis, Gould's assistant coach for two years, and the man who was named to replace Gould as head coach on July 12. "That just shows how strong he was and how he understood what was going on. That's an amazing quote. How could a 28 year old make a comment like that? It's amazing. He's amazing."
That statement, those three words, demonstrated the strength and character that Gould displayed until 1:08 p.m. this past June 23, when he passed away at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas after a 16-month battle with colon cancer. Never once during that time did the second word of Gould's now-familiar three-word reply disappear from his own rhetorical question.
Ironically, while the Texas-Arlington skipper was enduring his worst times in the hospital that he never left after checking in late in April, his team was on its way to a Southland Conference Tournament championship, and ultimately to its first-ever win in an NCAA Regional game. The Mavericks came out of the loser's bracket and swept SLC Tournament host Lamar to hoist the tourney trophy for the first time in team history, as K.J. Hendricks, nicknamed "The Pest" by Gould during fall practice for his pesky play on the field, earned tournament MVP honors.
Less than a week later, senior second baseman Craig Martin, UTA's all-time hits leader who signed with the Evansville Otters of the independent Frontier League following the season, belted a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift UTA to a 7-6 win over the University of Houston in the regionals. Those close to the UTA baseball program call the win the greatest moment in the team's history. Some say it is the highlight of the school's entire athletic past.
"They had a dream season last year," said Butch McBroom, UTA's director of development for the athletic department, who served as the school's head baseball coach from 1974-1999 before handing over the reigns to Gould on June 11, 1999. "It was one of those years where everything fell into place for him, and it couldn't have come at a better time."
Although Gould missed the regionals this year, he's been there before. As a UTA player, he led the Mavericks to the 1990 and 1992 tournament, both held in Austin, Texas, the site of his first ever coaching victory. In fact, Gould is the only member of all three of UTA's NCAA regional teams.
Even though Gould was in a hospital bed at the end of the year, there never was a doubt that these Mavericks were his team, and won with his attitude. UTA won with toughness and determination.
The team made its mark early in the season, and developed a reputation from local and national media as giant killers. UTA defeated then-No. 4 Arizona State on Opening Day in Tempe, Ariz., then ruined No. 20 Texas' season lid-lifter for the second straight year a few days later. The Mavericks started the season 19-4 and finished the season with 39 victories, second most in school history. The team had captured the imagination of the Dallas-Fort Worth area media and the hearts of the Arlington community.
Nobody expected success so soon for a squad made up of 18 newcomers and picked to finish sixth in the SLC pre-season coaches poll. Of course, nobody expected success so early for Gould, either. It didn't come by accident.
"He knew baseball," said Darin Thomas, another of Gould's assistants at UTA who was promoted to associate head coach the same day Curtis was named head coach. "He was one of those people that, when he went to a game he didn't just go to shoot the bull. He didn't like to go around and shake hands and visit all the time. He liked to watch baseball. He was always saying, 'What would you do in this situation?'"
"There's a lot of people who are positive and energetic," Thomas continued. "But he coupled that with knowledge. His first year (when Thomas was still an assistant coach at Seward County Community College in Kansas), I can't tell you how many times he called and said, 'What would you do?' He wasn't afraid to get advice from people he trusted. He was constantly trying to get better in every aspect of his job, and in life."
Gould, it often seemed, enjoyed being underestimated by others and relished the opportunity to prove doubters' opinions of him wrong. He was too young and inexperienced to be successful, many said.
The Arlington native was able to successfully combat the criticism and the lack of head coaching experience with a tireless work ethic and a positive approach to coaching that utilized his proximity in age to his players. His excitement was evident and contagious.
"We didn't want to take four or five years to get it done, because everyone was looking at us," Curtis said. "He was one of the youngest coaches in the NCAA, and had two young guys coming in as assistants. There was a little bit of pressure involved, but he took that and ran with it and made it a motivational factor."
The motivation worked. In July, Gould and Florida International University coach Danny Price were named co-South Central Regional Coaches of the Year by Rawlings and American Baseball Coaches Association. Gould and Price will now have their names listed on the ballot for National Coach of the Year.
Gould is one of the few people to earn major awards as a coach and as a player on the collegiate level. He was the 1993 Southland Conference co-Player of the Year and a nominee for the Golden Spikes Award, presented to the nation's outstanding player, the same season. Yet it was the way he touched the hearts and made a difference in the lives of people that will be his lasting legacy.
"His players loved him," said McBroom. "He was a players' coach."
Gould's age made him close to his players, and he could relate to what they were going through. After all, he went through the same things himself just a few years before. When he became a man, however, he put childish ways behind him.
"He was the rebel," said McBroom. "He did a complete 180 degree change. He was always the kid that we had to make get his hair cut or take his earring out. Then he turned around and was just as hard on his kids in those areas as I was on him."
He cared for his players, and he made sure they were in good hands while they were away from home.
"He treated players the exact way that every parent would want their son to be treated," Curtis said. "He was honest with them and up front with them. He treated them like an adult, and wouldn't let them get away with things that their own parents wouldn't let them get away with. I think if parents could see how their sons were treated by Clay each day, they would have been very impressed."
Gould did more than just teach his players and his assistants. He taught those who had been his teacher.
Texas A&M head coach Mark Johnson, speaking to the nearly 1,500 people at Gould's funeral, said that whenever he visited Gould in the hospital, it was with the intent of cheering up his former graduate assistant coach and helping to keep Gould's Christian faith strong. However, the situation always seemed to reverse itself, Johnson said, and it was the pupil giving strength to the mentor.
Johnson was one of many that spoke about faith with Gould over the past few years. It was because of faith that Gould and Courtney Cash became friends. Cash had served as the team's chaplain since the mid 1990's and had known the young coach since Gould was McBroom's assistant. When Gould was promoted, Cash asked Gould if he could continue as the chaplain. Gould not only said yes, he asked Cash to do more than what he had been doing with the team previously. Cash became a regular in the team's dugout, not only at Allan Saxe Stadium, but also on the road.
"I think Clay understood that he wasn't a preacher," Cash said. "But he felt that it was important that the guys had access to God's word and to ministry. Being with the team was important for me, too, because I have been able to share Christ and build relationships that will last a lifetime. I would not have had that opportunity if Clay didn't open that door."
Cash spent a lot of time with Gould and his family while Gould was in his final days on earth. While a 29-year old father lay on his deathbed, it was he, Cash said, that gave strength to those surrounding him.
"I felt privileged to be a part of that time in Clay's life," Cash said. "To the world, it appeared that this was such a tragedy. But I was really able to see what kind of man he was during this time."
"I saw a strength among his family during the toughest time in Clay's life, and that came from him," Cash said. "They were beneficiaries of his strength."
The original question seemed to be so small, so simple. "Do you ever ask, 'Why me?' A yes or no question, really. Those that heard the question had no idea what it would come to be. The reporter probably had no idea that he had asked about Gould's faith and relationships, his accomplishments and his future.
Gould's answer was an ironically simple, yet profound, question of his own.
Those that knew Gould on a personal basis sometimes ask themselves the question he never did. "Why did it have to be Clay?" They don't know why he was chosen, they just know he was chosen and they miss him. In the weeks and months that passed following that press briefing, Clay Gould never stopped asking himself and anyone who asked him about his illness the question he posed that day.
"Why not me?"
Maybe the answer to their question is the very fact that Gould had the faith to ask his.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Finding God in Thailand
This is a piece I recently wrote for sportsmissions.com, the official website of the International Sports Federation. The first-person approach is a little different style of writing than what I'm used to.
by Mickey Seward
Sitting here, I can't help but to think about life. My life, anyway. I don't usually do this; I'm not the brooding type. I don't sit around and wonder why I'm here or spend time working on to-be-or-not-to-be theories.
I'm not a deep dude at all.
But, honestly, the last couple weeks, my confidence has been shaken. Not so coincidentally, I also seem to be spending a lot less time with God recently.
So, I'm here now armed with two things that I know will bring me back to Him; a Bible and a journal that I kept during my SportsPlus mission trip to Bangkok, Thailand in 2006.
It's amazing how God can use two weeks and four Americans in a foreign country. It might be even more amazing how he can use that experience nearly a year after it occurred.
I had plenty of fear going into that trip. I was a pretty fair athlete once, but that was a lot of years and a lot more pounds ago. The man going to Thailand was an older, much less athletic shell of my old self who wondered if he could even do anything athletic enough to do what SportsPlus specializes in -- using sports to build relationships with people in order to share the love of Jesus Christ.
The fear of physical limitations was just the tip of the iceberg. I don't like flying; Thailand is on the other side of the world from where I live in Rome, Ga. I don't like Asian food, and I really hated the thought of leaving my wife alone while I was on the other side of the world. Of course, the fear of the unknown scared me as much as anything.
But God has a habit of taking fears and turning them into yet another way for Him to show off.
Many of my fears vanished in training camp, where I was introduced to my three teammates. Quickly, we went from being four individuals to one team with a mission to share Christ.
Training camp is a two day team-building time where we learned about each other and the culture we were about to encounter. I've never seen four people become so close so soon.
When we reached Bangkok, we hit the ground running. While we were there, we were to spend our time building relationships with university students on one campus. We spent our mornings in the "English room" just hanging out and helping Thai students with their English speaking skills. In the afternoons, we made our way to the university's gym to meet others while playing basketball, volleyball, badminton or soccer. At night, we would usually join our new college friends at the mall or movie theater.
A university student in Bangkok isn't much different than a university student in the United States. That was one reason Sarah Mitchell chose to take the trip.
"I loved the fact that it was on a college campus, so we could really get in there and impact students my age that I could relate to so easily," said the then-24 year old Mitchell, who is a middle school teacher near Houston, Texas.
"The non-Christian Thais mostly seemed like American college students," said team member Kristin Gassiott. "They are searching. Searching for something to cling to, for friends, for free time, for relationships. They were hungry for social interaction,and loved every second talking to us."
Gassiott is a high school coach who spent much of her time in Bangkok as the only woman on campus who would compete on the same soccer field with guys. Her competitiveness on the field was complemented by her love for Christ and for people off it. It made for a perfect combination.
"Sports have always been my passion," Gassiott said. "Sports are my career now, so it only made sense to me to be able to combine the reason I live, Jesus, with the talents and abilities He has gifted me with to further His kingdom."
Meeting people was hardly a problem. I imagine there are few places in the world with friendlier people. Thailand has earned its nickname as "The Land of Smiles." But underneath those smiles is a hurting nation with little knowledge of Jesus Christ. There isn't any Christian persecution in Bangkok, and sharing Christ's love isn't illegal in Thailand like in many Asian nations. But Thailand is undoubtadly a Buddhist nation in need of Christ.
As the educational and business center of its region, where many come to work, live and attend school before returning home, Bangkok is a great place to reach the lost in Southeast Asia.
Our team from SportsPlus realized that firsthand. As we built relationships, we felt God's encouragement. One night midway through our first week, the four of us sat in our room and shared our disappointment that we felt that we hadn't been sharing Christ as much as we were just "hanging out." The next day, we all were given opportunities to share in very specific ways. That's when we realized (remembered, really) that God was very much in charge of what was happening.
"I saw Thais ask questions about God and His word," Mitchell said. "He made teachable moments happen daily."
Those teachable moments brought project coordinator Mike Brown back to Bangkok for a third consecutive year. He's seen teachable moments change lives.
"I've been blessed to see the progression of a new Christian over the few years that I've traveled to Bangkok," Brown said. "The first year I saw this person begin to show interest in the gospel. After we left, we heard word that she had accepted Christ and wanted to learn more about being a Christian and learning His word.
"The second summer, I saw this same person help the American volunteers meet other Thai nationals, and translate many conversations," Brown continued. "After that summer, this person was baptized, along with at least half a dozen other new believers from Bankok.
"The third summer, she had graduated and moved into the corporate world in Bangkok; a light in such a spiritually dark place. From observing this, I learned that God is at work tranforming lives, and with every life changed, the presence of the gospel multiplies."
Over the course of our trip, we continued to compete athletically, laugh constantly and share Christ's love willingly, praying that teachable moments would continue to occur and leave a mark.
Our time in Bangkok was an experience that will impact each of our lives for a very long time. As I've said many times since that trip, I realized in Thailand that there is nothing more cool than seeing God do something and knowing at that exact moment that I was seeing God work. And I saw it over and over again.
Reliving the experience through my own words in the journal while going through this "crisis of confidence" remind me of something I recently read. Paul wrote in his letter to the Phillippians that, basically, you don't need to have confidence in yourself. In fact, it really doesn't matter. Instead, just be confident in Jesus Christ and make your goal His goal for you.
If you are wondering if He can make Himself known to you, try spending a couple weeks with SportsPlus in Thailand. You'll find Him there.
Check out the International Sports Federation and Sports Plus at www.sportsmissions.com.
by Mickey Seward
Sitting here, I can't help but to think about life. My life, anyway. I don't usually do this; I'm not the brooding type. I don't sit around and wonder why I'm here or spend time working on to-be-or-not-to-be theories.
I'm not a deep dude at all.
But, honestly, the last couple weeks, my confidence has been shaken. Not so coincidentally, I also seem to be spending a lot less time with God recently.
So, I'm here now armed with two things that I know will bring me back to Him; a Bible and a journal that I kept during my SportsPlus mission trip to Bangkok, Thailand in 2006.
It's amazing how God can use two weeks and four Americans in a foreign country. It might be even more amazing how he can use that experience nearly a year after it occurred.
I had plenty of fear going into that trip. I was a pretty fair athlete once, but that was a lot of years and a lot more pounds ago. The man going to Thailand was an older, much less athletic shell of my old self who wondered if he could even do anything athletic enough to do what SportsPlus specializes in -- using sports to build relationships with people in order to share the love of Jesus Christ.
The fear of physical limitations was just the tip of the iceberg. I don't like flying; Thailand is on the other side of the world from where I live in Rome, Ga. I don't like Asian food, and I really hated the thought of leaving my wife alone while I was on the other side of the world. Of course, the fear of the unknown scared me as much as anything.
But God has a habit of taking fears and turning them into yet another way for Him to show off.
Many of my fears vanished in training camp, where I was introduced to my three teammates. Quickly, we went from being four individuals to one team with a mission to share Christ.
Training camp is a two day team-building time where we learned about each other and the culture we were about to encounter. I've never seen four people become so close so soon.
When we reached Bangkok, we hit the ground running. While we were there, we were to spend our time building relationships with university students on one campus. We spent our mornings in the "English room" just hanging out and helping Thai students with their English speaking skills. In the afternoons, we made our way to the university's gym to meet others while playing basketball, volleyball, badminton or soccer. At night, we would usually join our new college friends at the mall or movie theater.
A university student in Bangkok isn't much different than a university student in the United States. That was one reason Sarah Mitchell chose to take the trip.
"I loved the fact that it was on a college campus, so we could really get in there and impact students my age that I could relate to so easily," said the then-24 year old Mitchell, who is a middle school teacher near Houston, Texas.
"The non-Christian Thais mostly seemed like American college students," said team member Kristin Gassiott. "They are searching. Searching for something to cling to, for friends, for free time, for relationships. They were hungry for social interaction,and loved every second talking to us."
Gassiott is a high school coach who spent much of her time in Bangkok as the only woman on campus who would compete on the same soccer field with guys. Her competitiveness on the field was complemented by her love for Christ and for people off it. It made for a perfect combination.
"Sports have always been my passion," Gassiott said. "Sports are my career now, so it only made sense to me to be able to combine the reason I live, Jesus, with the talents and abilities He has gifted me with to further His kingdom."
Meeting people was hardly a problem. I imagine there are few places in the world with friendlier people. Thailand has earned its nickname as "The Land of Smiles." But underneath those smiles is a hurting nation with little knowledge of Jesus Christ. There isn't any Christian persecution in Bangkok, and sharing Christ's love isn't illegal in Thailand like in many Asian nations. But Thailand is undoubtadly a Buddhist nation in need of Christ.
As the educational and business center of its region, where many come to work, live and attend school before returning home, Bangkok is a great place to reach the lost in Southeast Asia.
Our team from SportsPlus realized that firsthand. As we built relationships, we felt God's encouragement. One night midway through our first week, the four of us sat in our room and shared our disappointment that we felt that we hadn't been sharing Christ as much as we were just "hanging out." The next day, we all were given opportunities to share in very specific ways. That's when we realized (remembered, really) that God was very much in charge of what was happening.
"I saw Thais ask questions about God and His word," Mitchell said. "He made teachable moments happen daily."
Those teachable moments brought project coordinator Mike Brown back to Bangkok for a third consecutive year. He's seen teachable moments change lives.
"I've been blessed to see the progression of a new Christian over the few years that I've traveled to Bangkok," Brown said. "The first year I saw this person begin to show interest in the gospel. After we left, we heard word that she had accepted Christ and wanted to learn more about being a Christian and learning His word.
"The second summer, I saw this same person help the American volunteers meet other Thai nationals, and translate many conversations," Brown continued. "After that summer, this person was baptized, along with at least half a dozen other new believers from Bankok.
"The third summer, she had graduated and moved into the corporate world in Bangkok; a light in such a spiritually dark place. From observing this, I learned that God is at work tranforming lives, and with every life changed, the presence of the gospel multiplies."
Over the course of our trip, we continued to compete athletically, laugh constantly and share Christ's love willingly, praying that teachable moments would continue to occur and leave a mark.
Our time in Bangkok was an experience that will impact each of our lives for a very long time. As I've said many times since that trip, I realized in Thailand that there is nothing more cool than seeing God do something and knowing at that exact moment that I was seeing God work. And I saw it over and over again.
Reliving the experience through my own words in the journal while going through this "crisis of confidence" remind me of something I recently read. Paul wrote in his letter to the Phillippians that, basically, you don't need to have confidence in yourself. In fact, it really doesn't matter. Instead, just be confident in Jesus Christ and make your goal His goal for you.
If you are wondering if He can make Himself known to you, try spending a couple weeks with SportsPlus in Thailand. You'll find Him there.
Check out the International Sports Federation and Sports Plus at www.sportsmissions.com.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Tour de Georgia Fighting Cancer
The Tour de Georgia rolls through Rome April 17-18, so in honor of that, I'm posting a story I recently wrote that appeared in the March/April, 2007 issue of Directions. This article gives a little different insight into the race.
by Mickey Seward
For the fifth consecutive year the Tour de Georgia, North America’s premier cycling event, will roll through Floyd County this spring, giving residents and visitors a pair of opportunities to see many of the world’s greatest cyclists right here in our own backyard. Competitors will come into Rome, one of seven host cities, April 17 from Thomaston to finish off the second stage, then will start the third stage the following day, leaving Rome on their way to Chattanooga, Tenn.
“The Tour offers something to Rome that very few communities have the opportunity to host,” said Steve Kemp, CEO of United Community Bank, which serves a Founding Partner. “It’s a family event, and there is no cost to come out and watch.”
While the Tour de Georgia provides entertainment for cycling enthusiasts, general sports fans, residents and visitors alike, it also benefits the Georgia Cancer Coalition, which has been designated as the charitable beneficiary of the tour each year since the race’s inception in 2003. Funds raised during the Tour de Georgia go directly to the Georgia Cancer Coalition’s Research Fund.
“Cyclists have a lot in common with the Georgia Cancer Coalition,” said Bill Todd, Coalition President and CEO. “We both work with a team of professionals, setting our sights on an uphill battle, facing twists and turns, with confidence that we will succeed in our quest. The support of the Tour de Georgia and of the communities of fans around the state helps the Coalition on our path to improving cancer care in the state of Georgia, and we are very appreciative of those efforts.”
Rome’s Harbin Clinic is a leader in the treatment of cancer and is the largest, privately-owned, multi-specialty physician clinic in Georgia. Harbin Clinic Cancer Services focuses not only on diagnosis and treatment, cancer prevention and post-treatment care, but is also involved with clinical research. Harbin Clinic also works closely with the Georgia Cancer Coalition.
“Right now we are working on two future projects with the Georgia Cancer Coalition,” said Dr. Kenneth F. Davis, Harbin Clinic CEO. “One is called the GCC Demonstration Exchange Project, in which the GCC is gathering data from different parts of Georgia, but mostly from here and Savannah. The different entities throughout the state feed information into the project to better understand the effects of smoking and its correlation to lung cancer. The main reason Harbin Clinic was chosen for this project was for our progress in using electronic medical records throughout the Clinic.
“We’re really excited about another project, also,” Dr. Davis continued. “The National Cancer Institute has several sites located throughout the United States, but there is not one in Georgia. These sites are on the cutting edge of cancer work. The NCI is setting up a pilot study to select six sites in the U.S. Harbin Clinic, along with the GCC, Savannah and Columbus, have applied for one of these six sites. This would allow us to offer NCI clinical trials here in Rome.
“It’s really pretty neat to think that a little town like Rome, Ga., can offer services that you can usually only obtain in the largest cities across the nation,” Dr. Davis said. “It serves as a validation that we are on the cutting edge when Bill Todd and the GCC continue to come back to us. It’s something you don’t see in towns this size.”
The NCI will make it’s decision on the site selection in April, according to Dr. Davis.
“We feel very good about our chances,” Dr. Davis said.
One cancer survivor is well aware of the Tour de Georgia’s competitiveness. In fact, cycling legend Lance Armstrong won the Tour de Georgia in 2004. The Tour’s winner has gone on to win the coveted Tour de France crown in two of the past three years.The event will again cover over 600 miles of racing and maintains its stature as a tune-up for the Tour de France on the international cycling calendar.
“This is such an exciting event,” Kemp said. “We’ve had the opportunity to see stars like Lance Armstrong along with the future stars of cycling. There has been a united effort from city and county officials and several other groups to keep Rome as a destination on the circuit, and it has paid off. This is a great community for cycling enthusiasts.”
More information, including up-to-the-minute news and a complete tour schedule, are available at the Tour de Georgia website, located at http://www.tourdegeorgia.com/.
by Mickey Seward
For the fifth consecutive year the Tour de Georgia, North America’s premier cycling event, will roll through Floyd County this spring, giving residents and visitors a pair of opportunities to see many of the world’s greatest cyclists right here in our own backyard. Competitors will come into Rome, one of seven host cities, April 17 from Thomaston to finish off the second stage, then will start the third stage the following day, leaving Rome on their way to Chattanooga, Tenn.
“The Tour offers something to Rome that very few communities have the opportunity to host,” said Steve Kemp, CEO of United Community Bank, which serves a Founding Partner. “It’s a family event, and there is no cost to come out and watch.”
While the Tour de Georgia provides entertainment for cycling enthusiasts, general sports fans, residents and visitors alike, it also benefits the Georgia Cancer Coalition, which has been designated as the charitable beneficiary of the tour each year since the race’s inception in 2003. Funds raised during the Tour de Georgia go directly to the Georgia Cancer Coalition’s Research Fund.
“Cyclists have a lot in common with the Georgia Cancer Coalition,” said Bill Todd, Coalition President and CEO. “We both work with a team of professionals, setting our sights on an uphill battle, facing twists and turns, with confidence that we will succeed in our quest. The support of the Tour de Georgia and of the communities of fans around the state helps the Coalition on our path to improving cancer care in the state of Georgia, and we are very appreciative of those efforts.”
Rome’s Harbin Clinic is a leader in the treatment of cancer and is the largest, privately-owned, multi-specialty physician clinic in Georgia. Harbin Clinic Cancer Services focuses not only on diagnosis and treatment, cancer prevention and post-treatment care, but is also involved with clinical research. Harbin Clinic also works closely with the Georgia Cancer Coalition.
“Right now we are working on two future projects with the Georgia Cancer Coalition,” said Dr. Kenneth F. Davis, Harbin Clinic CEO. “One is called the GCC Demonstration Exchange Project, in which the GCC is gathering data from different parts of Georgia, but mostly from here and Savannah. The different entities throughout the state feed information into the project to better understand the effects of smoking and its correlation to lung cancer. The main reason Harbin Clinic was chosen for this project was for our progress in using electronic medical records throughout the Clinic.
“We’re really excited about another project, also,” Dr. Davis continued. “The National Cancer Institute has several sites located throughout the United States, but there is not one in Georgia. These sites are on the cutting edge of cancer work. The NCI is setting up a pilot study to select six sites in the U.S. Harbin Clinic, along with the GCC, Savannah and Columbus, have applied for one of these six sites. This would allow us to offer NCI clinical trials here in Rome.
“It’s really pretty neat to think that a little town like Rome, Ga., can offer services that you can usually only obtain in the largest cities across the nation,” Dr. Davis said. “It serves as a validation that we are on the cutting edge when Bill Todd and the GCC continue to come back to us. It’s something you don’t see in towns this size.”
The NCI will make it’s decision on the site selection in April, according to Dr. Davis.
“We feel very good about our chances,” Dr. Davis said.
One cancer survivor is well aware of the Tour de Georgia’s competitiveness. In fact, cycling legend Lance Armstrong won the Tour de Georgia in 2004. The Tour’s winner has gone on to win the coveted Tour de France crown in two of the past three years.The event will again cover over 600 miles of racing and maintains its stature as a tune-up for the Tour de France on the international cycling calendar.
“This is such an exciting event,” Kemp said. “We’ve had the opportunity to see stars like Lance Armstrong along with the future stars of cycling. There has been a united effort from city and county officials and several other groups to keep Rome as a destination on the circuit, and it has paid off. This is a great community for cycling enthusiasts.”
More information, including up-to-the-minute news and a complete tour schedule, are available at the Tour de Georgia website, located at http://www.tourdegeorgia.com/.
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