An MVP and a Coach

This morning I attended "Breakfast with Champions" at the Matt Talbot Center in Seattle.  When I received the invitation I immediately thought that the title was referencing the speakers Shaun Alexander and Lorenzo Romar.  After about 5 minutes in the room I realized I was in a room full of champions of business, of sports, and most of all of life.   

Lorenzo Romar, the current U.W. Basketball Coach, told a story about how recently a younger person who was going through some challenges said to him, "You don't know what it is like in the real world!"  Coach Romar was taken back because to him it was obvious that this person was speaking out of ignorance.  He then took us on a journey through his life and told about the obstacles and challenges he has overcome to be the man he is today.  He talked about how basketball was his escape from an abusive home and made him feel in control of an out of control situation.  Observing this genuine and confident man share this story it was clear that what we are looking at today is a person who moved up in life by constantly pushing himself to be better and to go to his next level.  It was evident that he takes no credit for his success and just continues every day to walk the right path.  The young man who challenged him was only looking at the 2007 version of the man and failed to realize how much it took to get there. 

This made me ask myself, what do people see when they look at me.  Is there any difference between Amy 1987 and Amy 2007?  I really hope so.

As I sat at my table only an arm's length away from Shaun Alexander, Seattle Seahawks running back and NFL 2005 MVP, I thought to myself, "how much coaching, training and hard work did it take to sculpt Shaun into the champion he is today?" How many coaches partnered with him over the years to progress him to his next level to ultimately be the player we see on the field today?

This made me think of all of the coaches I have partnered with in my life who thorugh giving me their best helped me to become stronger. 

The bottom line is we choose to move up in life, but we don't do it alone.