Who Are You: The Life Lessons of Sports

Tim Strachan was born & raised in Kensington, MD where he still resides today with his wife, Leslie, and 2 children, Sophie (5) and Olivia (4); On top of that he lives within a six-block radius of his immediate family—his parents, 3 brothers and their wives and kids. Tim attended DeMatha Catholic High School and was the Quarterback for 2 WCAC Championships ('91 & '92) and also played Basketball for Morgan Wooten. In 1993, Tim was pre-season All-American; ranked as one of top 5 Quarterbacks in the nation per numerous publications such as Tom Lemming and Street & Smith; alongside other notable names such as Peyton Manning.

However, Tim broke his neck when he did what millions of others do every single day. He dove into a wave at the ocean. This accident occurred at Bethany Beach, DE, one week prior to pre-season camp his Senior year. Although Tim was unable to play Football ever again, both Coach Paterno from Penn State and the University Maryland honored their scholarship offers to Tim, a gesture Tim still appreciates to this day. Tim eventually decided to attend the University of Maryland and served as the assistant coach for 4 years before graduating in 1999; He then went on to graduate from the Georgetown University Law Center in 2004 with his J.D. degree that he put to work as Counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2005 to 2008.

When Tim is not working with the Senate Committee, he is a well-known Color Analyst for Maryland Radio Network with Johnny Holliday as well as an Independent Professional Motivational Speaker. Tim is a great man, from a great family and I am fortunate enough to still call Tim a friend today, 30 years after playing with and against him as a child.

In these can't miss exclusive access parts of the episode, Dave McGillivray shares two stories. The first is about the 2013 Bombing and the second about a determined young woman who ran the shortest distance in the Boston Marathon, but with the biggest heart of all those whom have run before or after her!

Dave McGillivray is and has been the Race Director for the Boston Marathon for 27 years and counting. Dave is also a philanthropist, an author and an athlete. In 1978, he ran across the U.S. to benefit the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. And over the course of his life he has run 140,000 miles and 129 marathons. In fact, every birthday, since the age of 12, he runs the miles associated with what age he has turned. How do you celebrate your birthday? 

Prepare to be motivated and inspired from a man whose personal motto is “it’s my game, so it’s my rules.”

Dave’s journey will take you back to when he first ran the Boston Marathon at the age of 17, but quit not too far into the race; only to be encouraged by his grandfather to come back strong the next year. And strong he did. Many decades later, Dave has run the Boston Marathon with or without the other competitors (listen to his episode to find out what that means) and sticks to his core values, one that is dear to his heart: “It’s all about participation, not so much the competition!”

There is no better guest to have on episode to have on this Podcast than Dave, one year after the horrific 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing incident. An incident that left great people dead, many more injured and an entire country shocked. While Dave shares those same sentiments, you will hear a man who has been the road to ensuring the safety and excitement of what the Boston Marathon will once again offer to thousands if not millions of people in 2014.

This Episode is dedicated to those who sadly passed on that day of April 15, 2013:

Sean Collier ; Krystle Marie Campbell ; Lu Lingzi ; Martin William Richard and their families and loved ones We will not forget you. Boston Strong!

Team Hoyt and Exclusive Access, Dick Hoyt Shares Multiple Stories: War In Honduras, The Bruins Captain Chara, Meeting President Reagan, Winning An ESPY With A Congrats From Ben Afflek And Holding The Stanley Cup During A Dinner With The Bruins.

Together- You Can Do Anything!

Rick Hoyt uses a wheelchair.  That has not stopped him from living a very full and amazing life.  He, along with his dad, Dick, have formed “Team Hoyt” and they have competed around the world doing marathons and triathlons. 

The Hoyts have competed in over 1100 athletic events in the last 34 years.  They have run in 70 marathons - 31 of them being the Boston Marathon.  They have also completed in 252 triathlons, 6 of them being Ironman distance events.

Dick, 73, is a retired Lt. Colonel, having served in the military for 35 years.  Rick, 51, is a graduate of Boston University with a degree in Special Education. 

Rick was born in 1962 as a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy and as a non-speaking person – but despite these disabilities, Rick’s mind and spirit have always been strong.  His family supported his quest for independence and inclusion in community, sports, education and the workplace, culminating with his graduation from Boston University.    Dick travels the country doing corporate and community presentations, educating the public about disability awareness and promoting the Team Hoyt motto, “Yes You Can”.  Through his presentation, Dick shares his lifelong commitment to changing attitudes and educating others on the world of disabilities. He and his family have seen an impact from their efforts in the area of public attitude toward people with disabilities. Before I introduce Dick, I just want to say how honored I am along with the rest of Who Are You Nation, to have you join us on our podcast as I know we are all going to learn a lot of life lessons, from your journey through 34 years of racing with your son Rick.

An 18 year old NHL Hockey Player with his girlfriend sitting in the passenger seat, with the roof down in his Convertible Car...but then an older gentleman walks by. What happened next?

As Doug so appropriately states it, "When I (he) was playing hockey, it was all about being the best in the world. Now, it is all about being the best for the world."

Doug's journey began playing against Wayne Gretzky and with Mario Lemieux. But while those names were and still are important to Doug today, this interview is not about names or hockey so much as it is about the mindset of surviving trauma and how one, through Doug's research and personal stories, can tap into your subconscious mind to succeed and live!

Doug is a remarkable man who had to completely revamp his life and discover his inner-self after a major injury, including over 200 bones broken in his neck and back, left him physically and emotionally shattered. But rebuild is exactly what he did. Although the past few decades have been challenging in more ways than one, Doug has harnessed his positive energy and directs it to those who want it and need it. Doug references his most recent book, a soon-to-be bestseller in Canada, "The Trauma Code" which lays a foundation for providing the proper tools for understanding fear, overcoming fear and conquering fear overcoming.

Fear along with other critical emotions and challenges every human being faces at some point in their respective lives, is addressed in Doug's book in a concise, no-nonsense approach. By using the lessons he learned from sports and reflecting back to being an 18-year old NHL star in Los Angeles, CA, Doug, in his own has been able to "reverse-engineering" his mindset and method of approach to life following his injury and has now become a true leader. A leader not in sports as he once was, but in motivational speaking, helping others in dire need of emotional and physical support, and in the power of the brain. Doug accomplishes all of this with an explanation and understanding of who we truly are as people and then how to capture the "potential" from within, potential we all have, but oftentimes never use.

Doug’s story is full of emotional and insightful comments about his own journey and how he has dealt with some of the biggest challenges in his personal and professional life. Who Are You Nation: This interview with Doug Smith is one you will most assuredly remember for some time.

Doug’s story will move and inspire you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I continue to do even to this moment as I have listened to it at least times now. 

Kerri Pottharst shares the message from her success coach as she trained for the Gold Medal in The Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. She also tells us what one does with 2 Olympic Medals once they are won. Where do you put those things anyway?

From a young age Kerri Pottharst knew that sports were the best thing for her and her future life.  She competed in Beach Volleyball in the Olympics with her teammate Natalie Cook and won a bronze medal in 1996 and then a gold medal in 2000. She has also been a commentator in the last two Olympic games and a motivational speaker for over 10 years.

One of her sponsor's once challenged her during a somewhat "down" period in Kerri's life with the direct statement of "It's a long time in a pine box!" Kerri, always one to bounce back, took this statement head on and adjusted her mindset in a direction of positivity and a "take positive action now" approach from that day forward. Listen as Kerri reflects back on her tremendous experiences playing in the Olympics, especially competing in extreme adverse situations. Situations that forced her to take a step back and recognize that her outlook, drive, passion and mindset were critical components to success, more so even than her physical talents.

Kerri was able to translate a message and understand that the only way through a tough situation is to take it head on and make the best out of it at all time. In fact, when asked the question during the interview regarding a challenging moment, her candid reply was, "I try my best to remove all negativity in my brain and my life, so although it creeps in from time-to-time, I have a hard time remembering challenges.

Kerri Pottharst is a true champion in Australia and a pioneer in the sport of women's Beach Volleyball. Listen to her educate us about how she learned how to make the adjustment between the difference of playing in front of a United States and a chanting crowd to years later when she won the gold and competed in front of the home crowd in Sydney.

You will also learn from her stories as she references conversations and stories about great athletes Pat Rafter, Lleyton Hewitt, Kerri Walsh, Misty May, Monica Seles, and others. Whether it is in gardening or in coaching, Kerri Pottharst loves to see everything grow.  A great interviewee and a wonderful person, Kerri has a wealth of information to motivate and inspire. This is an interview that you do not want to miss! 

Billy Joe Tolliver, 12-Year NFL QB, takes us WAY behind-the-scenes with two stories. Story one is about his affinity and love for legendary Coach Mike Ditka. The second story is an incredible description of what happened the day Joe was introduced to his new team upon being drafted. Let's just say that Billy Joe Tolliver had some fun that day.