The #beBetter Podcast

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Shaina Afoa tried just about every sport as a kid, including ballet, but her passion for basketball is clear. She played for a lot of great coaches and even had a chance to play volleyball for her father. Coach Afoa shares stories from her childhood in Anchorage to her college playing career at Central Washington University, back to Anchorage where she started her coaching career and now to the valley at Fresno State. Shaina might be the most calm and cool guest we have had on the show because she has learned from some of the best in the business. Her focus is to keep things simple and make sure you are making memories outside of sport. She also has some advice for parents out there, let your kids fail, don’t rescue them. We are so grateful that Shaina had some time in her busy schedule to chat with us and we hope her stories will inspire others to #beBETTER.

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Dr. Temo Carboni began his football career in Mexico which led him to Victor Valley and eventually Humboldt State. Athletic ability and Lumberjack connections then led him to the University of New Mexico but throughout his journey there was always one constant theme, “family first.” This interview will give you a glimpse into an amazing journey of a man who is above all else, appreciative. Appreciation is for what he has and appreciation for what he has been able to do for others. Don’t miss this episode, you will be better for listening. 

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Sandy Slade, or as some may know her, Sandy “Spin” Slade, was an incredible basketball player and entertainer hailing from the small town of Solon Springs in northern Wisconsin. She took her talents to Fresno State and then to the NBA where she performed at half time shows all around the league including the Chicago Bulls and when host, Dr. Herbert, first saw her at Stanford basketball camp. The facts were simple, this woman had skills, but she was making an impact on everyone she entertained and that impact was making people feel good. But don’t be fooled, the impact of Sandy Slade goes far beyond spinning a ball, it goes to her impact on thousands of physical education programs through her Skillastics program and the simple concept: “focus and keep at it.”

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Sam Demma joins the podcast to talk about his new book "Return on Goodwill" but the reality is that Sam just wants to make a positive impact on the people around him. How we spend our time explains what is important to us and what is important to Sam is to serve his community. The foundation to being human is to help others and be there to support the people around us. Sam is a best selling author and agreed to be a part of this podcast because he believes in the mission of #beBETTER. He believes in everyone striving to be the best version of themselves each and every day. He also believes that in order to be the best version of yourself you have to see the "cool" in yourself in order to see the "cool" in others. On a side note, 9/11 is Sam's birthday, so to celebrate, check out this episode, go buy his new book and check out his website samdemma.com. Sam is inspiring, positive and an example of what is right in the world today.

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Dr. Jennifer Weiss is the chief of staff at Shriner’s Children’s in Hawaii and is part of a very exclusive group. She is part of the 6% of women who are orthopedic surgeons in the United States and prides herself on mentoring other women to enter the field largely dominated by the “bro” culture for so many years. You will get to hear about how her father was an influence in her career choice and also how her 3 children give her purpose. Jennifer enjoys her work because she loves to help kids but she is not only helping them heal physically, she is helping them heal mentally. Her goal is simple: help children thrive! She is achieving that goal every day in her work while also serving as the vice president of the Ruth Jackson Orthopedic Society. Check out this episode to learn more about Dr. Weiss and all the amazing things she is doing to help others to #beBETTER.

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Chris’s large act of kindness several years ago led to his friendship with one of our hosts but his work is a great topic of conversation during this episode. Chris decided to pursue the career of an electrician when he figured out he was not as good of a basketball player as the world thought he was and that decision might have been one of the best decisions of his life. Chris’s work ethic is clear, but he says he is a hard worker because he can’t sit still and he just wants to provide for his family. What is clear, Chris and his wife Kate have done everything they can possibly do to support their son’s dream of playing football while also supporting their daughter’s passion for horses. Parenting is hard, there is no manual, but Chris is the definition of the American Dream: he is providing more opportunities for his family than he was provided.

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Coach Spencer Adams has spent his career coaching wrestling at the high school and collegiate levels with one simple concept in mind, “If I have the time and energy, then I can do it.” This lesson was learned early on in college when faced with a difficult course load and a degree choice that he thought about changing, but he persevered. He persevered because he was taught by his dad to finish anything you start. Spencer was a 3 time All-American wrestler in college and has been very successful as a coach, but he will tell you that his real goal is to teach more than sport. The feeling after a win fades but the relationships he has built will last forever. This episode was so infectious that we guarantee it will make you feel better about the world around you and you too will become “addicted to helping people.”

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Kara Davidson takes some time out of her busy schedule, with the kids in the background, to talk about her journey from Coos Bay to well, Coos Bay. Kara is an educator at heart and truly cares about the kids she supports and supervises. Her perspective is positive and she sees the good in everyone, even when maybe she shouldn’t be so optimistic. Kara taught our previous guest, Joseph Herbert and has a personal connection to Dr. Gardner's family as well. Listen as she reflects on her journey from educator to administrator, you won’t be able to miss the empathy in her voice and the love in her heart.

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We can’t believe we are half way through year 2 of the podcast. The guys take some time during this episode to review the first half of year 2 and reflect on the different topics that our guests have discussed. There are so many great moments and even better guests during year 2 to talk about. The mission of the podcast remains the same, to help people to be better every day, and this episode shares some insight into how we can all be better. It is such a great feeling to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. Let’s all #beBETTER together.

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Zach Story is the son of one of our podcast hosts, Mike Story, and he joins the show to talk about a variety of topics. Zach just finished his sophomore season of baseball at UC Davis where he led the team in a few very important batting categories, you are going to have to look him up to find out which categories though. This young man has learned a lot in just 2 seasons including how to fail and keep moving on because you have to trust yourself, you have to believe. When we asked why he thinks he’s able to persevere, he simply says, “my parents raised me right.” #40 has a bright future in baseball and knows if you want to compete at this level you better really love the sport because it is a grind. If things don’t work out in baseball though, maybe he will become a pro golfer, which is his favorite thing to do when he gets some down time. What a great way to celebrate Father's Day this year.