About Me…and WE
The “we” are my parents; younger sister; mini bernedoodle, Maple; and two Saint Bernards, Nelson and Rosie. Our house is carpeted with dog fur but filled with love and fun! Here’s a personal preference: old westerns. My favorite is Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970) starring Clint Eastwood and Shirley McClaine.
- Sorting Out This Sporting Life
I have a strong passion for learning, playing sports, mental skills training, and service to others. My family’s background incorporates academics and athletics, inspiring me to study hard and play hard. Grandma Sandy Fry, a retired elementary school teacher is married to Spider Fry, Dartmouth’s Head Trainer before becoming Head Trainer and Assistant Athletic Director at U Maryland. His career spans 56 years. My mom attended U Kentucky on a full golf scholarship, while my dad played baseball and was a diver in high school.
- Strengthening Communities One Relationship at a Time
Last Halloween, my mom and I volunteered at the Thomasville History Center where we distributed candy to 750 trick- or- treaters. I recognized many of the kids from Project Backyard’s Back-to-School Supplies Giveaway. One special 7-year-old boy I was excited to see again was AJ! He and I spent hours throwing a football at the giveaway. When AJ heard my voice calling his name, his face lit up and he ran full speed towards me. In that moment, it didn’t matter to AJ that he wasn’t wearing a costume or didn’t have a bag to collect candy. What mattered was our re-connecting.
Creating Activities to Connect: As I observed kids from all around Thomasville trick or treating together, it struck me that serving others is the connective tissue that strengthens our community’s bones. Being of service gives me the opportunity to know my neighbors like AJ and inspires me to create activities that all the kids in the neighborhood can participate in!
- Walking in Faith:
At a recent DNOW church retreat, we studied John 15:1-11, wherein Jesus describes abiding in God, being steadfast in our devotion, and understanding that our relationship with God is not contingent on the gifts by the giver. It underscored for me how my will is aligned with God’s will. As part of my nightly prayers, I seek God’s guidance to trust the journey, to have faith in the process, and to believe that every step forward is a step toward something greater. I may not know what the “greater” is yet, but, I do know that by taking each step, I walk in faith. By building each connection, I share of God’s fruit.
As part of our recent youth service, I described what John 15: 1-11 meant to me in high school and how the Truth of God has been revealed in my life through those verses. Check out the videos below and my Gallery page to hear more!
- A Name from the Past: Uncle Owen & me
https://thomasvillehistory.org/
Apprentice’s Exploring: Beginning in September, we enjoyed exploring the History Center’s property that includes my favorite: the 1870 Smith Homestead (pictured below), where yeoman farmers, Rufus and Cecilia Smith, worked 504 acres. Apprentices were introduced to Henry Ossian Flipper, born in 1856, who became the first African American cadet to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point. We enjoyed trips to historical sites and discussed with guest speakers topics such as museum education and finances. The Capstone Project challenged us to create and present a comprehensive proposal describing a new, immersive, museum experience. What I’ve learned about history is that it often serves as a bridge between the past and the present. Getting to know Rufus, Cecilia, and Henry deepened my sense of belonging in my new town. If ever in Thomasville, I highly recommend stopping by our beautiful center to immerse yourself in our small town’s unique and important past!
- Intelligence for Intelligence?
Right now, I am intrigued by intelligence studies for agencies such as the FBI. I’m a big Jack Ryan fan! In the Fall of 2022, I began an Advisory Internship with retired FBI Assistant Director and former agent Mr. Tom Bush. He and I meet regularly to have fascinating conversations spanning a variety of topics. In one session, Mr. Bush walked me through a day in the life of an agent, and how agents and FBI employees balance the pressures of their job catching criminals and keeping all of us safe. We also discussed the role that data analysts play when conducting investigations, a position I’m interested in pursuing. I was particularly interested in hearing how members of the FBI manage stress as I continue to develop my own work with mental skills conditioning. In one session, Mr. Bush described a real-life kidnapping so I’d understand the flow of information and how data analysts curate the data to develop a plan that FBI agents use to effectively negotiate and secure the safe release of victims.
Managing Crisis: During a recent college tour, I was intrigued by a description of a Crisis Communications course. This led Mr. Bush and me to discuss crisis management in our most recent sessions. Through examples such as prison escapes, aircraft hijackings, and the release of chemical devices, I learned about the art of dealing with sudden and unexpected events along with how to devise strategies for unanticipated conditions and how to determine a future course of action. During the sessions, Mr. Bush and I used an article written by Mr. Dalfonzo, a retired FBI supervisory special agent, as our guide for our discussion. An interesting read you can find here:
https://leb.fbi.gov/articles/focus/focus-on-crisis-management-knowing-the-adversary
Watch ret. AD Bush on Netflix’s Catching Killers about the Atlanta Bombings.
- Speaking of Sporting Life…
Seems I’ve always had either a baseball bat or golf club in my hand. Dad’s love of baseball and my grandfather’s for golf led me to both. One of my fondest memories of Grandpa Pappy (passed away in 2021) is how he sat on a turned-over bucket, setting up one golf ball after another on the practice tee for me. He watched me play in tournaments throughout the year. See a picture of Pappy and me on this page!
- Diamond in the Rough
Over time, my passion for baseball grew more and more. Now, it’s my primary sport. I still play golf, shoot hoops, and run cross country for Brookwood, but the baseball field is where I’m most at home. In general, athletics continues to teach me integrity, courage, acceptance of failure, and team leadership. There are always rough edges, so starting August 2022, I started weekly sessions with sports psychologist Dr. John Paul Muczko to develop my mental skills as much as I was developing my pitching, hitting, or infield play. We spend an hour every Thursday developing my mental skills for peak performance. But there’s more.
- Sharing the Goods
Mental skills training has become a real interest of mine, prompting me to acquaint fellow student athletes with its benefits. I approached Dr. Muczko with the idea of sharing information about mental skills training. He jumped at it, so together we developed topics appropriate for our audiences, and began speaking at assemblies about ‘Sports Psychology: Mastering Mental Excellence for Peak Performance.’ Our first one was attended by more than 200 student athletes, coaches, and faculty. Our sessions are gaining popularity and exceeding my expectations with their high level of participation. The South Georgia Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and various schools have invited us to present to their athletes and. Check out my Mental Skills Training page for more details and a book recommendation.
Mindset for Success: On November 29, 2023, Dr. Muczko and I were asked by FCA to speak with 71 Thomas County Central athletes about not being afraid to fail, how alertness brings opportunity, what intention and commitment bring to success, and setting goals by evaluating where you are and what you need to do.
- Building Bridges with Chris’ Help
In my experience, many mental attributes can be applied to both academics and athletics: developing and executing a plan, being prepared, putting in hard work, having intense commitment, fostering connections, and understanding the decisions that led to mistakes in order to course correct as you focus forward. One of my focusing guides is my faith. I’m not perfect. I try to maintain a strong moral compass in all facets of life. Being of regular service helps. For eight years, I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with incredible individuals like Chris. He played baseball for the Challenger League, which teaches baseball to mentally and physically disabled kids. I volunteered with the league when I played in Little League. Seeing the expression on Chris’s face when he hit the ball and ran the bases for the first time is something I’ll never forget.
Another experience that keeps me centered occurred last September when Brookwood’s cross-country team ran alongside members of the Thomasville Fire Department in honor of 9/11. Take a look at the Being of Service page for more information. Thomasville offers lots of opportunities to serve. If you’re in the area, join us!
- Onwards
Having goals and dreams is exciting – but daunting. It feels overwhelming at times. As I look to the future, I think about my experiences and the individuals who’ve impacted my life, helped me discover my interests, and ignited my passions. My goal is to develop a path forward that fosters spiritual and academic growth, and, of course, involves playing baseball! I look forward to sharing what’s ahead.
Thank you for taking the time to get to know me. I’m looking forward to a continued connection with you! To connect with me, just click here