Don't Hang It Up!
I remember being lost in awe with the fact that I was even
standing in the same room with this legend! Jim Peckham, the 1976 United
States Olympic Wrestling Coach, was putting on a youth wrestling clinic
in my hometown! I had been anticipating his arrival for months. But,
ironically, what I remember from that day long ago was not what I
thought it would be.
Coach Peckham was showing some awesome wrestling moves and I was doing my best to pay attention, practice them and learn them inside-out when all of a sudden some wrestler across the room from me, who was just a kid, interrupted the mighty Coach Peckham right in the middle of a move that he was demonstrating. Everybody quietly held their breath. None of us could believe what we heard and saw next.This nobody-in-the-wrestling-world asked the-best-in-the-wrestling-world if he could do this particular wrestling move a different way...
Much to Coach Peckham's credit he didn't dismiss the young boy; I imagine many of his stature would have. Coach Peckham looked at the boy with curiosity and said, "Can you please show me what you are talking about?" The boy bravely got up, went to the front of the wrestling room and showed a different variation of the same wrestling move that Coach Peckham had shown.
To my surprise, Coach Peckham was thinking about this wrestling move. After what seemed like a really long time and several facial contortions, Coach Peckham spoke. "Can you show me that move again?"
He did, and then one of the best wrestling coaches in the world said, "I've never thought about doing this wrestling move that way. But, I suppose that would work." Coach Peckham then turned toward the rest of us and said, "That's the beauty of this sport; you never get too old to learn something new. And if the day ever comes that I think I can't learn anymore about this sport then that is the day that I should hang it up."
Now teens and even tweens, don't hang up your shoes yet. We all need you to continue to learn, lead, and lay the way to a better world for all of us. Remember, the day you stop learning is the day you are hanging it up. Never stop learning! Never hang it up! And once again, thanks for all that you do, and all that you will do...
Coach Peckham was showing some awesome wrestling moves and I was doing my best to pay attention, practice them and learn them inside-out when all of a sudden some wrestler across the room from me, who was just a kid, interrupted the mighty Coach Peckham right in the middle of a move that he was demonstrating. Everybody quietly held their breath. None of us could believe what we heard and saw next.This nobody-in-the-wrestling-world asked the-best-in-the-wrestling-world if he could do this particular wrestling move a different way...
Much to Coach Peckham's credit he didn't dismiss the young boy; I imagine many of his stature would have. Coach Peckham looked at the boy with curiosity and said, "Can you please show me what you are talking about?" The boy bravely got up, went to the front of the wrestling room and showed a different variation of the same wrestling move that Coach Peckham had shown.
To my surprise, Coach Peckham was thinking about this wrestling move. After what seemed like a really long time and several facial contortions, Coach Peckham spoke. "Can you show me that move again?"
He did, and then one of the best wrestling coaches in the world said, "I've never thought about doing this wrestling move that way. But, I suppose that would work." Coach Peckham then turned toward the rest of us and said, "That's the beauty of this sport; you never get too old to learn something new. And if the day ever comes that I think I can't learn anymore about this sport then that is the day that I should hang it up."
Now teens and even tweens, don't hang up your shoes yet. We all need you to continue to learn, lead, and lay the way to a better world for all of us. Remember, the day you stop learning is the day you are hanging it up. Never stop learning! Never hang it up! And once again, thanks for all that you do, and all that you will do...
Award-Winning Author, Speaker, Educator, Parenting Expert, and
Certified Life-Coach Dan Blanchard wants you to never hang up your
shoes. Stay hungry my friends and keep learning.
For more great
leadership tips please visit Dan's website at: http://www.GranddaddysSecrets.com. Thanks.
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thank you