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From the Canadian Football League to Podcaster and Founder of Check Your Game with Gary Rogers
On this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we chat with Gary Rogers, former football player at Vanderbilt University and in the Canadian Football League, and current podcaster and founder of Check Your Game.
Tell me about playing sports growing up. How did that shape you?
"Well, when I think about sports as a kid...I loved sports. I'm not sure why I loved sports so much, but I started playing baseball, and I just could not wait to play the games on Saturday morning. If it was a rainout, oh, it would just devastate me. As you keep going up to the next level or league in baseball, then coaches, they see some of your skills, and then they recruit you for soccer...and then all of a sudden, football gets in the mix. It started with baseball, and then I started playing all sports. I loved playing anything with a ball...and also what is important is fans. People are cheering you on. You do something, you steal a ball, you get a hit, you throw out a person, you make a tackle, and people are cheering for you?! And they're encouraging you! And so that encouragement for me, in my personality, I'm getting chills. That just makes me want to do more of that and say, I want to get more cheers."
Talk about your transition out of college sports.
"I had a year off after college. That year off was a part of my story. My coach, Rick George, set me up with an interview with Johnson and Johnson, which I missed. I went home for about a month. I was hurt, I couldn't run, couldn't do anything. I sprained my ankle, probably playing basketball and I couldn't do anything but then I realized, I want to play. So I drove back to Nashville with $20 and my Mom's BP gas card. And I had one heck of a miserable year. It was my worst year probably in my life...pretty much homeless, had no money, lost that BP card pretty quick. That $20 I had to my name, I mean that's gone like instantly. And I was trying to work, do some different things...it was a miserable time. Trying to get back to play football to get in shape and work out for the NFL scouts and all that. So as far as transition, my transition started there. Missing my J&J interview, then pretty much being homeless and hungry."
Don't forget to like and subscribe so you never miss an episode! Spotify.com/athletes-to-entrepreneurs
Check out Gary's website: http://www.checkyourgame.com/
Connect with Gary on LinkedIn
CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Tweet with us: https://twitter.com/AlumniDirectLLC
Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlumniDirect
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alumnidirect/
Like us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alumnidirect/
View all episodes
By Rob Finkelstein | Founder of Alumni DirectOn this episode of Alumni Direct's show "ATHLETES TO ENTREPRENEURS: The Alumni Journey," we chat with Gary Rogers, former football player at Vanderbilt University and in the Canadian Football League, and current podcaster and founder of Check Your Game.
Tell me about playing sports growing up. How did that shape you?
"Well, when I think about sports as a kid...I loved sports. I'm not sure why I loved sports so much, but I started playing baseball, and I just could not wait to play the games on Saturday morning. If it was a rainout, oh, it would just devastate me. As you keep going up to the next level or league in baseball, then coaches, they see some of your skills, and then they recruit you for soccer...and then all of a sudden, football gets in the mix. It started with baseball, and then I started playing all sports. I loved playing anything with a ball...and also what is important is fans. People are cheering you on. You do something, you steal a ball, you get a hit, you throw out a person, you make a tackle, and people are cheering for you?! And they're encouraging you! And so that encouragement for me, in my personality, I'm getting chills. That just makes me want to do more of that and say, I want to get more cheers."
Talk about your transition out of college sports.
"I had a year off after college. That year off was a part of my story. My coach, Rick George, set me up with an interview with Johnson and Johnson, which I missed. I went home for about a month. I was hurt, I couldn't run, couldn't do anything. I sprained my ankle, probably playing basketball and I couldn't do anything but then I realized, I want to play. So I drove back to Nashville with $20 and my Mom's BP gas card. And I had one heck of a miserable year. It was my worst year probably in my life...pretty much homeless, had no money, lost that BP card pretty quick. That $20 I had to my name, I mean that's gone like instantly. And I was trying to work, do some different things...it was a miserable time. Trying to get back to play football to get in shape and work out for the NFL scouts and all that. So as far as transition, my transition started there. Missing my J&J interview, then pretty much being homeless and hungry."
Don't forget to like and subscribe so you never miss an episode! Spotify.com/athletes-to-entrepreneurs
Check out Gary's website: http://www.checkyourgame.com/
Connect with Gary on LinkedIn
CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Tweet with us: https://twitter.com/AlumniDirectLLC
Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlumniDirect
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alumnidirect/
Like us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alumnidirect/