Peak Performance Corporate Coach

How Does One Become A Sports Performance Coach?

Anticipating the birth of anything new brings on a bit of anxiety wanting everything to be just right. And so, I begin my journey in the world of blogging. Being the perfectionist that I am, I thought everything in life needed to be scripted. This is glaringly no so. I remember a quote that someone told me. They said, “If you want to make God laugh, show him your plans.” The words are simple and profound for a guy who plans out his life, sets goals, and achieves most of them. The quote is not to discourage you, but to let you know that there are things in life that are outside your circle of control. I’ve found that the little detours in life, if approached with an open mind, can lead to much bigger things where we can expand beyond who we are today.

I will be communicating with you via this blog to give you some insights in the world of athletic coaching and personal achievement. Please understand that I am a coach that centers his attention on the mental aspects of competing and achieving. I’m not a teacher of athletic technique, rather I am a teacher of mental technique. As long as I’ve taught and coached, I’ve seen great athletes perform consistently at their worst and mediocre athletes transform themselves into consistent high achievers. This paradox has been my passion and I have studied it for years. The last few years have been a culmination of my learning. Using the principles I use to coach athletes, I’ve turned it around to help myself. Currently, I’m way beyond my comfort zone, but that is such a good thing because I’m getting used to it and I am now willing to push myself even further.

Last year, 2006, I term as the perfect storm. During that year, I turned 40, my wife’s dad died suddenly, followed by my dad a week later. Now my dad’s death was not a surprise; he was sick with cancer and began to slip quickly in the beginning of the year. Every morning and evening, I would head to his house to give him his insulin shot and other medication. While holding a fulltime job and a family of my own, it was challenging to say the least. However, it was the most rewarding time of my life.

To give you some background, my dad and I had the typical argumentative relationship through my teens and early twenties. Miraculously, he “grew up” after I got married and started a family of my own. He became my best friend, something I thought could never happen. We would share so many great times together.

Well, as life would have it, he steadily became sick with prostate cancer, even though he had it under control for over 10 years. The beginning of the year started the roller coaster with trips back and forth from the hospital. That’s when I began helping him prepare to die. It sounds so heart-wrenching, but it wasn’t. It was an intense time of friendship. He shared his stories of being a cop, an agent in the government, and of being a human being who happened to be my dad. I shared the stories of my life; experiences of being a dad, coach and teacher. I would never think that our relationship could be any closer, but it became just that.

Towards late March, his health was failing further. I saw a strong man’s body transformed into something indescribably weaker. However, paradoxically, his spirit grew and became more magnificent every day. As I came over with my typical coffee and doughnut, I took care of his medical business for the day, he asked me to stop for a moment. I was caught off guard since I can be a very on task kind of guy, breaking my routines can really throw me off. He asked me to sit down and just listen to what he had to say. He told me that he was a dad and cop during his life, that he hoped to change peoples lives through the way he carried himself everyday. He went on to say how very different I was in this world, something he always struggled to understand. He said now he understood. He said, “You have a great gift inside you, a gift of raising others to their greatest self. I’ve watched you do it in your classroom, when you coach, and how you take care of your family. There are so many people who you have helped realize the potential within themselves. However, you hold back because of what others might think. It’s time to let that go and play all out, like any great game. You’ve got to share this great gift and the heck with what others have to say, base what you do on results; the results will open their minds.” Talk about your breath being taken away and slapped across the face with reality; and he did it with the most loving and kind words. I thanked him and moved throughout the next few days in a complete haze. It was as if I was given a tremendous download that was now installing.

Two weeks later, I made my typical morning journey to his house. My brother Bill stayed the night to help out. After giving him his medications he kicked my brother and I out of the house. He said, “You have families and a life to attend to, get out, I’ll be fine.” Later that morning he died. It’s as if he knew this was his time.

The journey began on that day. I have committed myself to helping others achieve to their greatest potential. I play all out every day. I have studied and honed my skills and bring it freely and willingly to every student, every athlete, and every person who is open to the experience. What I have learned, I have field tested. It’s not so “out there” but it does take an open mind. Remember, I’m the son of a cop…I’ve got to see results. My blog will serve as an area where I can share and educate.

All the skills I teach are not confined to the arena of sports, but they are true skills and strategies in the arena of life. As a tribute to my dad, I bring this to you.

So welcome, knowing me will certainly change your life as knowing you will certainly change mine.

Until then…Peak Into Your Future!

~Coach Jim Guerci