Anthony Petruzzi, Head Coach of the Football Program at Raritan High School in Hazlet, New Jersey, joins the Lead with Empower Podcast. I first met Coach Petruzzi in 2011 during the first (of what is now 9) consecutive summer leadership intensive programs I have had the pleasure of leading for Raritan Football's raising senior student-athletes. Coach Petruzzi is one of the best leaders I've every crossed paths with - consistently helping his athletes find their absolute best on the field, in the classroom, and in life. With 20 years of coaching experience and 16 years of teaching experience at the high school level, Coach Petruzzi is a top notch guest on the Lead with Empower Podcast!

Leadership Notes and Other Highlights:

Servant leadership, community leaders who give back, and helping athletes realize that the program is bigger than any one person - hear how Coach Petruzzi has developed the culture of the Raritan High School Football Program.

"Measure twice, cut once - if we don't have time to do it right, when are we going to find time to do it again?"

What does Coach Petruzzi look for in a Raritan High School Football Player? Living with integrity and intensity is number one on the list!

Musical Credit to Matt Jaskot matthewjaskot.com

https://soundcloud.com/matt-jaskot

Nick Cerreta, Dean of Students and Head Coach of the Varsity Baseball Program at Xavier High School, Leads with Empower. Nick has been at Xavier High School since 2005, starting as an English Teacher and assistant in the Campus Ministry department before becoming the Dean of Students. Nick shares insight into how the Xavier Community responded to the COVID-19 situation - distance learning, cancelled athletic seasons, and virtual graduation, and much more!

Leadership Notes and Other Highlights:

Nick discusses the importance of being decisive as a leader - "If you don't make a decision, you don't learn".

"Small actions to us may be significant actions to others" - Nick talks about his role in helping to develop good young men of character.

Nick shares some of the things that have changed about him as a leader over the past 13 years as Dean of Students at Xavier High School.

As leaders, it is important to understand what the destination or goal is and to recognize that the path to the destination will often be full of turns and twists.

Musical Credit to Matt Jaskot matthewjaskot.com

https://soundcloud.com/matt-jaskot

Today's guest on the Lead with Empower Podcast is Pat D'Amato. Pat is originally from Wethersfield, CT., graduated from Xavier High School in 2012, and attended Stony Brook University on a full athletic scholarship (football) from 2012-2016. Pat is currently working for the Robert E. Morris Company; providing CNC machine tool solutions for manufacturers of precision parts in Northern and Central New Jersey. Pat shares plenty of insight regarding how leadership has played a role in both his athletic career and the beginning of his young career in sales.

Leadership Notes and Other Highlights:

Outwork the competition with enthusiasm, passion, and energy - a lesson that applies to so much more than just athletics!

The importance of dealing with rejection and overcoming failure and adversity - a skill learned on the gridiron that is paying dividends now for Pat.

Pat discusses the importance of selflessness and putting your ego aside in team environments.

Pat shares insight into the importance of developing lasting relationships in sales - building trust, meeting customers where they are at, and being genuine in all of your interactions.

Hear great advice for HS athletes looking to make the jump to the collegiate level and for people interested in getting into a career in sales from Pat.

Musical Credit to Matt Jaskot matthewjaskot.com

https://soundcloud.com/matt-jaskot

Coach Kevin Loney joins the Lead with Empower Podcast! Kevin coaches in the Football Program Bowdoin College (Safeties & Running Backs) and is also their Director of Player Development. Kevin has an extensive coaching career of 20 years, including stops at Wesleyan University, the University of Notre Dame, and Nichols College. After graduating from Xavier High School, Kevin's leadership journey took him to Dickinson College (PA) where he studied Religion and History as a member of the Dickinson College Football Program. Hear about Kevin's coaching career, his leadership insight, and more!

Leadership Notes and Other Highlights:

Kevin shares about his high school football experiences and how that inspired him to coach

Learn about the coaches who have shaped who Kevin is today as a leader and coach

Kevin shares that "Whatever standards set as a leader, you must be willing to be held to those standards by those that you lead."

Are today's athletes different? Kevin shares his thoughts on today's athletes and discusses the importance of building trusting relationships in leadership and coaching.

Musical Credit to Matt Jaskot matthewjaskot.com

https://soundcloud.com/matt-jaskot

Coach John Vigue Leads with Empower. John is a former collegiate and pro baseball player and current manager of the Lady Alliance Softball Club - an elite travel softball organization based out of Clearwater, FL. In addition to his playing career, John has an extensive coaching past - including stints at the High School, Collegiate, and Semi-Pro levels.

Leadership Notes and Other Highlights:

John and I talk about the return to youth sports during the COVID-19 pandemic. Florida is a couple weeks ahead of the Northeast with regards to reopening. John shares some great insight into the decision of when to restart the Lady Alliance operation.

John shares tons of stories about his playing and coaching careers; very insightful information for athletes and coaches alike.

We talk about the life skills that John and his coaching staff hope to impart upon their athletes through softball.

John shares his thoughts on the importance of youth sports!

Musical Credit to Matt Jaskot matthewjaskot.com

https://soundcloud.com/matt-jaskot

Dr. Lisa Hill Leads with Empower! Dr. Hill is currently the Chair of the Department of History at Hamden Hall Country Day School in Hamden, CT. Lisa has over 20 years of teaching and administrative experience at the secondary and collegiate level and shares wonderful insight into her leadership journey from student to educator. Lisa is a life-long learner - earning a BA in Liberal Studies from the University of Maryland, Masters' Degrees in US History and African American Literature from Emory University, and a Ph.D. in US History and African American Literature from Emory University. Lisa's research includes Women's History, the Civil War, and Civil Rights movements and Lisa is currently working on a manuscript about Cortlandt Van Rensselaer Creed, M.D., the first African American student to graduate from Yale.

Leadership Notes and Other Highlights:

Lisa loves teaching history to her students; helping students learn to open-up, analyze, and become thinkers!

Lisa's inspiration to become an educator can be connected to her experiences with two college professors, Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham and Elizabeth Fox-Genovese

One of Lisa's favorite quotes "Life is a buffet and most poor bastards are starving" from Auntie Mame

Another favorite quote from Lisa's grandmother - "You're an odd duck, embrace it!"

Lisa's self-leadership - "If I don't push myself to do things, how could I push others to do so."

Musical Credit to Matt Jaskot matthewjaskot.com

https://soundcloud.com/matt-jaskot

Maggie Winiarski, Megan Dowling, Ashley Wooten, and Lindsey Smida from New Britain Parks and Recreation "Out of School" Programming Lead with Empower! I've collaborated with New Britain Parks and Recreation for the past 8 years, delivering Leadership Development Summer Adventures for their "Leaders in Training" camp, Staff Training and Team Building Workshops for their Summer, After-School, and Aquatics Staff Members, and After-School Enrichment for Middle School Students at both Slade and Pulaski Middle Schools in New Britain. To say I've gotten to know this team well would be a vast understatement! A tremendous relationship with an even better group of people serving the great City of New Britain. Hear from 4 wonderful programmers who flat out do things the right way while serving the youths and families in New Britain with passion, enthusiasm, and dedication!

Leadership Notes and Other Highlights:

Musical Credit to Matt Jaskot matthewjaskot.com

https://soundcloud.com/matt-jaskot

Joining Dan for this week's episode of the Lead with Empower Podcast is Annie Drewry - Dean of Students at Mercy High School. Annie, a graduate of Mercy High School and Sienna College, is finishing up her second year as Mercy's Dean of Students after spending the previous 17 years as a teacher in the English Department. Annie provides a Mercy High School "distance-learning" update while sharing great stories about her journey from struggling student in Waterbury to Dean of Students at Mercy High School!

Leadership Notes and Other Highlights:

Musical Credit to Matt Jaskot matthewjaskot.com

https://soundcloud.com/matt-jaskot

Fresh off of her unexpected early return from her Peace Corps Guatemala trip is Natalie Nyerick from Southington, CT. Natalie, a University of Connecticut graduate, was a team building facilitator and zip line guide at Empower in Connecticut (2018) prior to her service trip to Guatemala. Natalie shares great stories from her time with the Peace Corps and insight into her next adventure in life!

Leadership Notes and Other Highlights:

Musical Credit to Matt Jaskot matthewjaskot.com

https://soundcloud.com/matt-jaskot

Angela (Head Coach, UMASS Women's Lacrosse) and Justin (Head Coach, Amherst College Men's Soccer) Serpone Lead with Empower! With 22 combined years coaching at the college level and with a staggering 357 wins between the two of them, the Serpone's know what it takes to lead a successful program both on and off the field. Angela and Justin share stories about their coaching journey, their keys to leading a successful collegiate program, what they look for in recruits, and more!

Leadership Notes and Other Highlights:

Musical Credit to Matt Jaskot matthewjaskot.com

https://soundcloud.com/matt-jaskot