Tag Archive for: temple university

Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Michael Sachs, PhD at Temple University.

“I miss the relationships. I miss my peers. I miss the fans being up close and personal and being able to impact their day for a couple hours. But I’ve also chosen to look at my life as a canvas to impact people for a lot longer than that. You don’t get the immediate feedback, but your life’s work truly has a bigger relevance than just a break from their day when they come out to watch you. This is about real change and real impact.”
-ANDRE AGASSI

The quote above was from a recent New York Times article.

Andre Agassi was always my favorite tennis player. I remember when he first came up and had that long hair and wore those denim Nike shorts. All he had was that big forehand.

He’s come a long way since the 80s. He went from punk to professional. He turned into a class act. I really liked Andre as a player, but I like him even more now that he’s retired.

He has started a charter school in Las Vegas in a rough neighborhood so that underprivileged children could attend college and have a brighter future. He’s making a difference and seeing how the rewards are greater than all the money and trophies he won on the tour.

Very few of my students will go on and be as successful as Andre on the tennis court, but ALL of my students can go on and become as successful as Andre off the court. The lessons you learn and the challenges you face in sports will help you in all areas of life. And remember, it’s about others.

Beginning Sunday, I will be in New York City, speaking at the USTA Tennis Teachers Conference on Monday, August 31st at the Grand Hyatt and then I will be doing a book signing at the US Open on September 1st (I will be Billie Jean King’s opening act). Monday evening they will be honoring Andre Agassi and others for their philanthropic work after retiring. Hopefully I will get a chance to see him.

To read the full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/28/sports/tennis/28agassi.html?emc=eta1

Thanks for reading.