1. Tell us about yourself:

First off, I'm not comfortable talking about myself. I'm more comfortable letting my actions, my successes, and my accomplishments "do the talking for me," so please bear with me.

I've lived in Southwestern Ontario Canada since 1977, but I was born and raised in Michigan. When the family moved from Poland in the early 1920's, most of the family went to Hamtramck, Michigan, but some ended up in Canada. My parents have long since retired and are living comfortably and healthy. My father is a decorated, twice wounded WWII veteran. My parents worked hard to give myself and my brothers and sister opportunities. I am forever proud and grateful to them.

Having attended a rural high school, I had the opportunity to play many sports. In summer it was baseball; in fall it was football; winter was basketball; and spring was track. Looking back I was blessed with coaches and teachers that nurtured a drive and motivation within me for athletics and academics, yet helped me keep those things in perspective. The only sport I ever "trained for" outside of its season was basketball. We had open gym twice each week in the summer but there were no officials and absolutely no coaching, even though the coaches played with us. Looking back, this was the time the coaches let us play for pure enjoyment, to discover and develop our skills "on our own."

One of the memories that stand out as a youth is summer sports. From baseball to backyard Olympics, we played sports on sandlots, fields, and vacant lots. Our sports combined the traditional with the untraditional. The rules and adaptations were endless. And the amazing part is there was very little disagreement about these rules. The art of negotiation and tolerance developed at a young age.

I hold BS and MA degrees from Eastern Michigan University and have worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist, presently teach in an elementary school, and of course, "train" young athletes. I've always been involved in athletics in some capacity.

2. How has being a member of the IYCA impacted you and your career?

For many years I felt there was something wrong with the "traditional" views of youth athletics. I thought "there has to be a better way." So, in June of 2006, after a long search, I found myself driving at 6:00 a.m. to attend a workshop with Brian Grasso, someone I had never met. What was most impressive for me was that the evening before, Brian personally called my house to let me know there was a location change. For me, that was unheard of, that a CEO would actually call a "peon." That little gesture absolutely sold me on the sincerity and integrity of Brian and the IYCA (it's also a lesson I've kept with me). Since then, I've acquired my Level 2, I write a monthly article on youth fitness for the local newspaper, I've made a DVD, and I'm a valued team member at In Motion Health Wellness Fitness. It hasn't been easy, between two jobs, youth fitness training, family, and community volunteering; but it has been worth it. People are now calling me, rather than me having to continually "beat the bushes" for clients.

3. What is you biggest tip for your fellow IYCA Members?

My apologies, but I have to mention three. The first tip is something I alluded to in my opening statement: don't be afraid to talk about yourself. That doesn't mean you become arrogant and make promises that you cannot keep, but certainly communicate a confidence about what you do and what you know.

My second tip is to make your clients and their parents feel special. They have to feel your excitement and sincerity when they walk into and leave your facility, and even if you're approached "on the street."

The third tip is to interact with others in the youth fitness industry. The IYCA forum, the emails, the events, and the colleagues are all rich sources of information, and for me, give me a sense of direction and reassurance. It was these information sources that convinced me to successfully narrow my market to youth fitness only and to truly become a Youth Fitness Specialist.

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