In life, we all have people that leave a lasting imprint on our lives. They impact the way we think, shape the way we develop, and often times those special people remain with us in spirit once their earthly pilgrimage is completed.
As I write the conclusion to my first book titled Athlete for Life, there is no one who has inspired me more along this journey than the legacy of one of my teammates, an individual I saw as the true embodiment of a student-athlete. In his honor, I will dedicate this book to him as he understood the importance of education as a student athlete, when many of us were squarely focused on only our sport.
As an athlete, it is important that we share our stories as we continue to grow throughout life and embrace the memories and people who inspire us most along the way. Only God knows the sum of Michael Moody’s triumphs on this earth though I know there were many. He died in a car accident as a freshman in college and I know he is in better hands.
Thank you Moody for planting a seed in me and countless others – your legacy lives on.
“The more I excel academically, the more I realize how academics helped me to reach my full potential and tap into who I truly am.”
Michael D. Moody (January 15, 1981 – March 10, 2000)
Service is Essential. To Whom Much is Given, Much is Expected.
Being a professor allows me to share what knowledge I have with others. It is also an opportunity for me to continue to learn because I firmly believe that by teaching we better understand what we are teaching and we also learn from those we teach.
I connect with people. Whether large or small, the power in speaking is being able to connect. We are more alike than we are different, and as a public speaker I look to tap into that connection.