The Winning Mindset
The Winning Mindset is for empowering athletes, parents, and coaches to excel in sports and life. We focus on building mental toughness, positive attitudes, and promoting personal growth through shared insights and motivational content.
The Winning Mindset
From the Flight Line to the Football Field: Leading with Purpose
What happens when the uniform comes off after two decades of military service? For Vince Duvall, the transition from Army aviation to civilian life revealed profound truths about purpose, identity, and leadership that transcend both battlefields and playing fields.
Growing up on a Georgia farm before becoming a quarterback under Friday night lights, Vince never imagined how those early experiences would prepare him for commanding Black Hawk helicopter missions in Iraq. "In 1999 I was standing on a football field giving pregame speeches, and six years later I was in a combat zone doing the same thing," he reflects, highlighting the unexpected parallel between athletic and military leadership.
The podcast takes an emotional turn as Vince shares a harrowing Memorial Day 2007 story that forever changed his perspective. When two fellow pilots were killed checking a landing zone he was scheduled to fly into hours later, the reality that "they took my place" instilled a profound sense of purpose that guides him today. This pivotal moment makes his insights on sacrifice particularly poignant as Memorial Day approaches.
After retirement, Vince faced what many veterans encounter – a crisis of identity when the uniform comes off. "I put so much of my identity in that uniform and serving something bigger than myself," he admits. Through faith and the support of the Mighty Oaks Foundation, he discovered his new mission as a leadership mentor at a Christian school, where he now coaches young athletes with an emphasis on character over scoreboards.
Whether you're a coach, parent, athlete, or someone navigating a major life transition, Vince's journey offers invaluable wisdom about finding purpose beyond professional identity and developing the selflessness, resilience, and grit needed for life's most challenging moments. His message that "a man without purpose is lost" resonates far beyond military or athletic contexts, reminding us all to serve something greater than ourselves.
Serving military & first responders with faith-based programs focused on healing, purpose & recovery
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Hey everybody, welcome into episode 9 of the Winning Mindset Podcast. I'm very excited to have everybody back on. I've got a good friend of mine, vince Duvall, on with us today. Vince grew up an athlete, played high school ball, transitioned into a phenomenal military career. I'm excited for you to get to hear his experiences and things that he experienced throughout his entire career some incredible impactful stories that you're going to get to hear from him. Then he's transitioned into the civilian world. Now he's actually coaching at a local Christian school here around where we live. But, vince, I'm super excited to have you on today.
Speaker 1:Man, thanks for taking some time out of your schedule to jump on with this. Why don't you take some time to introduce yourself? Let us know a little bit about you. Let's do a little snippet of hey, this is who I am, this is what I'm doing now, and kind of give us let's. Let's do like a little snippet of like, hey, this is who I am, this is what I'm doing now, and then we'll kind of start sharing your story and kind of talk about you know, we'll start let's start childhood, you know, that probably makes sense to go from that point and then, uh, then work forward from there yeah, chris, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2:Jeff, thanks for having me. Um, it's honor to be here. Uh, yeah, so I'm vince duvall, of course, and let's see, man, I'm super nervous.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like I said to you in text, the only people are going to make fun of. You are me and Jeff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know, I know It'll just be a text message.
Speaker 1:I'm just going to ramble.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I grew up in rural Georgia. I grew up on a farm. I went to a small private school out in Greene County farm, went to a small private school out in Greene County and, yes, I was an athlete in high school. Didn't go any further past that. But I would tell you, the football field and the baseball field and all those athletic fields really played a role in my military career and prepared me for that. So now I'm back on the field just giving back to the next generation.
Speaker 1:That's awesome man. Let's talk about that specifically. So you played football, baseball. Those are the main two sports that I'm hearing that you played, yeah.
Speaker 2:I played football and baseball. I set the bench in basketball. Yeah, I got you.
Speaker 1:I never had basketball skills, so I'm envious of anybody who said that they played, so that was never my forte whatsoever. But as far as those experiences in football and baseball, what are some of the key experiences stories mentors, coaches the key experiences stories mentors, coaches, what, what are, what are some of those impactful things that you just you just stated that. What were some of those impactful things that still stick with you today?
Speaker 2:Man, I don't, I don't and I don't even know if the coaches realize it, but, like they, they were preparing mindset, our mindset for, you know, for for life, for the challenges of life. And then, uh, I mean the the. The way I correlate it with sports is I mean, in 1999 I was standing on a football field under the friday night lights as a quarterback, um, running the, you know, running the wishbone back in the day and giving pregame speeches and postgame speeches and lifting my buddies up, and six years later I was in a combat zone doing the same thing. It's just crazy, because I know that the resiliency and the character building and the hard work and the discipline on that football field 100 percent translated to my military career. So yeah, chris.
Speaker 3:Vince. I like that. Take us back a little bit to what kind of shaped your your early life and into choosing the army. I know you mentioned, you know, off the air, your mom took you to watch airplanes and how did that kind of transition your mindset or, you know, shape your future of jumping in into the army?
Speaker 2:So so we joke around I'm the oldest of four kids and we joke around that that, uh, my mom was really good at uh, she would, let's just say, if she was in the Army she'd be in psychological operations. So I don't know what those little things are. What are they called when you're a baby and they're above your crib?
Speaker 1:Like a. What is it like a baby mobile or something like that. Yeah, that's it.
Speaker 2:So mine was airplanes and helicopters and my brother's was cows and chickens and he's a veterinarian.
Speaker 2:But I will tell you, I grew up in the times of Top Gun and Top Gun was a cool thing and I remember when I was a kid we'd go down to the Farm Bureau conventions down in Jekyll Island and St Simons was right up the road and mom would take us over there in the minivan and roll the windows down and sit at the approach end of the runway and the helicopters and airplanes would fly over the ones that were flying out of Savannah the military ones. Airplanes would fly over the ones that were flying out of savannah the military ones, um, and I remember she would play um what's, uh, phil collins, the coming in the air tonight song, and it was pretty crazy because it kind of closed the loop. We got to flight school. When I got to flight school we were all in this auditorium and they played the hype video for flight school and that was the background music. So I was like, yeah, my mom knew what she was doing, man.
Speaker 1:Yeah, wow, that's cool. It's funny you say that about Top Gun, because I remember I was probably seven, eight years old and watching Top Gun. I grew up in an Air Force town, so I remember Top Gun watching it as a kid and thinking how incredible that would be to be a fighter pilot, a fighter pilot. And then, as I got older and realized how terrible I was at math, that I that that dream very quickly diminished, that I was never going to uh be able to do that because of my math skills. So it's uh, but man, that's that's, that's. That's really cool to hear that about your mom and and uh, and so you. So so one story that I want to make sure that we share about with your childhood is I remember us you told the story before too, but about your dad being with you in the locker room during your football career during semifinals. Can you share that story with us?
Speaker 2:Yeah, but before we go to that story, I'll tell you real quick. My mom, you know, influenced me to go into the military and go to aviation, influenced me to go into the military and go to aviation. My dad my dad thinks I was doing that just to get away from the farm, which, uh, you know, I love the farm life. Um, but three in the morning milking cows, uh is a is a is a tough one, Uh, and I don't like getting up early in the morning, so, um, I even when I. So when I went in the military, I even chose the portion of the military where they require you to have 12 hours of rest before your next work period.
Speaker 2:So that's aviation I got my sleep, you know there you go.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, we had just lost. You know, shoot, I started playing football when I was in first or second grade first grade and yeah, we had just lost, uh, the semi semifinals. Uh, it was my senior year and uh, it was a. It was a pretty tough game. We had a lot of injuries, uh and um, when you go to a small private school like that, you know 16, 17 boys on the team, when you have some pretty key injuries, then you're struggling to play a ball game, but everybody left it all on the field.
Speaker 2:But I remember sitting in the locker room and my dad knew that I was going in the military. He knew that I was going to go to North Georgia College and eventually join the military. And I was the typical high school senior, knowing I just played my last football game and I was upset and he looked at me and he said you know what he said. I know this uniform means a lot to you, he said, but it'll never mean as much as that uniform you're about to put on and there's a lot of things that your parents say and you remember that and that's truly the case.
Speaker 2:But but that uniform did help me, uh, in the next uniform and that's, that's that's why I'm out there coaching, trying to, uh, give back to the next generation. Yeah, just like, just like my dad and all his friends did did with us. I mean we were in rural georgia and and I mean we would we started playing football in the first grade and they would load the bus up on thursdays and we would, we would drive to Athens, which is was a 40 minute drive, to play at the YMCA and that was some of the funnest, the funnest football football I've ever played.
Speaker 1:Yeah, wow. One thing I'm thinking about, as you're talking about that, growing up in in rural Georgia and growing up with up with your dad being a farmer is do you feel like the work ethic that your dad taught you working on the farm translated to your work ethic as an athlete, to then translating to your work ethic moving into the military? Do you feel like that started at that early age on the farm?
Speaker 2:I would say yes, but if my dad was sitting right here beside me, he would say that I played sports to get away from the work on the farm I got you I got uh, but uh, because I play.
Speaker 2:I mean, I, you know I was playing sports year round, but um, but yeah, um, I I do feel like I I'd say a farm life is, is interesting. You know it's a, it's a family affair. You know, three, three o'clock in the morning comes early milking cows. Dad claims I only did it for like half a summer, but I remember more than that. Yeah, and you know I would tell you that farm life it does. It does help build character, helps build, uh, you know, community team, uh, and and working together, um, cause you can't do it by yourself. You got a team of folks working on that farm, cause it's hard work.
Speaker 1:Yeah, wow, yeah, that's that's, that's awesome. Um, I, I remember as a as a kid it's funny I actually had this conversation with a guy yesterday in my neighborhood. His son is, I think, eighth grade and the guy has a landscaping business, mows a ton of yards in our neighborhood. And I saw him yesterday and I was like I saw your boy out there helping you work. And he was like, yeah, he's out there If, if he's not practicing, he's out there working with me. And uh, and I just remember reflecting on my own childhood and very not my dad did how only landscape and business landscaping is nowhere near as hard as farming.
Speaker 1:Like I want to be very clear that you know it's. It's not the same. You know level of difficulty as farm life. But you know I'll say that, like for me personally, my own work ethic was instilled in me early because of that same thing. It was like you're expected to work, you know it was go out and do it. And I think that you know the work ethic I had on the football field to the work ethic I have now in my own career is it all goes back to that early childhood of like get it done, get the job done and I think that that you know, that's kind of what transitioned into football right, regardless of whether it's hard, and that's the way that I coach and coach my kids now is like you got a job to get done, just get it done right.
Speaker 1:Nobody cares about the circumstances, the difficulty, the rain, the heat, the conditions, all of that like yeah you got a job, do it, get it done, and and and I'm I'm appreciative of the work ethic that I have now because of that and I just it's cool, it's cool to hear, um, that that you obviously have a very similar you know similar outlook on that with work ethic. Um, let's transition, talk about your military career a little bit more um and and kind of where that, where that led you right. So you, so you finished, you finished high school ball. You went to. You said Georgia North.
Speaker 2:Georgia College, North Georgia College. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Which is in Dahlonega, correct? Yeah, I got you. It's beautiful, the city of gold, right?
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But yeah, that is a very nice area. So tell us a little bit about that. And you know what, you know what? Ultimately, you wanted to get into aviation, but there's Army, there's Air Force, there's Navy right what?
Speaker 2:led you directly to the Army, specifically out of all three of those options. So I would tell you, north Georgia produces majority Army officers. Okay, so it's Army ROTC. Yeah, I did not know it. It may. Maybe the reason my batting average as a senior was it was lower than normal. I did not know until I got to college that I needed glasses and the Air Force the Air Force at the time was like 20, 20, non-correct, you know, non-corrected was like 2020 non-corrected, you know non-corrected. So you had to have 2020. Um, and I was at army school and I was like, you know, helicopters are cool and they can hover, uh, so they, uh, I was offered a scholarship RTC scholarship and, uh, I signed, I signed and took the scholarship and, um, kept my grades up and, uh, you know, did well in the corps cadets and then at the end we got to choose our branch and, uh, I branched aviation.
Speaker 1:So it was a dream come true I got you, I got you and what, as far as like taking aviation is, is what's that look like? As far as as far as the acceptance rate, if you will, is you know? I mean, I imagine it's not like you know, out of a graduating class of 100 people, 100 people get aviation right. How does that look?
Speaker 2:as far as the military goes, I think, I think, if I remember correctly, I think about 60 of us commissioned and I think maybe three or four of us were aviation. Maybe three or four of us were aviation. Wow. So those numbers have changed over time. Those numbers have changed over time how many of the school commissions? And it really is at the point, it depends on the needs of the army at that moment. So I got you, but yeah, I think it was three or four of us out of that class.
Speaker 3:Wow, I want to jump in a little bit about, like, some of those defining moments in your military career, like thinking back over your time while you were serving. What were some of those key leadership roles, deployments, lessons, those types of things that kind of shaped who you are in your leadership style.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So 20 years seems like a long time and it is, but you know, I would say the most purposeful time of my career was my deployment as a senior lieutenant, young captain, back in 2006, 2007. You know, the whole time in the service was purposeful, but when you're out there and doing what you signed up to do and I know, you know it's not you know you're away from home and that stinks, but you know you were doing what you signed up for to do. So I would tell you the feeling of purpose in that moment, that that that deployment was the highlight of my career. And the guys I was around, the guys I got to work with, the missions we flew, the things we did, it's just something I mean that, you know, not everybody gets to experience and I would.
Speaker 2:I would say that it shaped me for the, the, my career, because that that time was these were young guys fighting that war. You know these were. These were the young, young lieutenants, the young staff sergeants. These were the younger guys fighting the war, because they were out on the streets doing their thing and we were up in the air. I mean, I was a, I was a lieutenant as an air mission commander, you know, leading the flight of three Blackhawks on missions, and you know it was.
Speaker 2:It was a young man's war and, yeah, it shaped me, because what I, what I realized as a leader later on in my career, was you have to, you know, let those young guys experience that sometimes you want to hold back and be like, oh well, you know, let the experienced guys do all these things, like in the training events and stuff like that, and it's like, no, you need to let the young guys loose at this moment, let them make their mistakes when there's no, you know, there's not a real enemy, um, so you can help correct them and prepare them for when there really is. So, um, that was, that was a that was eyeopening for me. Uh, going over, there was, um, how young some of these guys were that were making these decisions and, um, it's crazy to think, now that I'm, you know, old gray, old gray in the beard, to think back 24 years old flying aircraft around Iraq.
Speaker 1:Yeah, wow. So I remember I've actually heard you share this story twice and I hope you don't mind sharing this on this podcast that I'm going to, I'm going to ask you. But I remember once hearing it at your, your retirement ceremony that I had, I had the privilege of being at, and I mean that in and of itself was just. I mean to be your friend, I was, I was, I was proud to be there and to experience that. That whole ceremony, um, I it, it made me.
Speaker 1:You know, growing up in a military town, you know, patriotism has always been a very, very hugely, you know, preached thing. Right, that that's that's, you know, it's. You know, like I remember every, the, the, you know, every day in middle Georgia's Air Force Appreciation Day, flags and banners all over the town, you know, and so I grew up that way, you know, and that's I, that way I've taught my kids to. You know, you see somebody with a veteran hat on, you walk over, you shake their hands and you say thank you. That's all you need to say thank you. But just being a part of that ceremony was so impactful, but hearing you share a story that I hope you don't mind sharing on here, but it was the the memorial day. Um story of what took place on that day, do you do you mind sharing that?
Speaker 2:no, um, it's, you know you go over there and, um, come back unscathed. Uh, you, you really do, uh realize how blessed you are. Um, so, growing up, as you know, growing up, memorial day was a big thing. Uh, you know, we always had the Duval barbecue down at the lake. Uh, I'm talking not just Duval's, I'm talking not just Duval's, I'm talking everybody was came, I mean, to the point where we had to like kind of calm it down and and start. You know, we had a flatbed trailer out there with, you know, a band playing and there were people showing up that we didn't even know who they were, but it was a Memorial Day thing and Memorial Day was a big thing in our household and, like, we always look forward to Memorial Day. And, but I would say, after my deployment, you know more they took a different meaning for me.
Speaker 2:So, memorial Day 2007, this was toward the. This is about the middle of the surge, if any, you know, if any of the listeners were born then, because I feel old, but yeah, it was the middle of the surge in 2007 and had a mission out in eastern Iraq, in a little town and we were going to take six aircraft. I think it was into the landing zone and drop off a mixture of the Iraqi Army and some of our guys, and we weren't sure if the LZ was big enough for all six aircraft to land at the same time. I mean, we were looking at satellite photos and everything else and we just wanted to make sure. So we had. We had a what we call a ford, um, it's called a tack, uh, it's a tactical, it's kind of like an operation center, but it's a smaller one and it was down closer to where the mission was going to be. And and we'd had some guys down there, some scout aircraft in the area, and we asked them was like hey, can you fly by this landing zone and make sure we can fit six Blackhawks in there? And um, and they did, uh, and they took fire from the landing zone, uh, so, um, that night, um, uh, we lost two pilots, um, they got shot down and um, and then they launched the ground QRF out there um to to rescue or to, you know, to secure the aircraft and rescue the uh or or get recover the bodies, and the QRF lost nine dudes that night, um, so it was an ambush. They had it set up, they knew we were coming, they had a Dishka in the LZ, which is a big machine gun, anti-aircraft machine gun, and they had all the roads with IEDs because they knew the ground forces would respond. And Keith Heitman and Tuck Church, they lost their life that night. And then you know the non-infantry guys that lost their life that night.
Speaker 2:Um, memorial day would never be the same, uh. And the way I look at it too is I was flight lead that night. I was supposed to be flying the aircraft in the front, uh, of the flight of six landing in that landing zone. So two hours later, that would have been me, so they took my place, and that's the way I look at it.
Speaker 2:And every time I look at my kids, I'm like if that would have been me, my kids wouldn't be here. And I'm here for a reason. If that would have been me, my kids wouldn't be here. I'm here for a reason, and that's why having a purpose is so important to me. It's changed the outlook on everything. Anybody that has served and paid the ultimate sacrifice has taken the places of others, and we need to realize how blessed we are to live in the country we live in and have the freedoms that we have because of those sacrifices. So you know hamburgers and hot dogs and bands on a flatbed and lake life is great on Moral Day weekend, but just take a few minutes and honor those that took our place.
Speaker 3:That's such a powerful story. Thank you, yeah, thanks for sharing that. I mean, memorial Day is just that. To a lot of people it's bands and lake lives and burgers and hot dogs. That's not what it is.
Speaker 3:And you know, when you tell that story, like as a coach and a person who's coached for 10 years and will continue to coach you, tell your kids that and use it as a real life example, I bet every one of those kids would look at you like I'm about to run through a brick wall for this dude Just listening to you talk about letting those young bucks get out there and fail during training or just learn on the fly. Those stories can be directly related to coaching because a lot of times, like you know, in leadership we want to do it for them, or, as our coach, we want to, like you know, get them through it. But that's not how people learn and you know, there's a lot of like parallels to, you know, your leadership in the military versus, you know, being a leader on the field as well. So I think a lot of that. There's a lot of a lot of gold in what you just said, vince, and thanks again for sharing that story. Um, vince, obviously that's. That's life changing Um go ahead, chris.
Speaker 1:No, no, you're fine. You, I think, we, I think we're about to. We were picking up the same baton.
Speaker 3:You, you go no, I was gonna. I was gonna say you go through something like that and then you have, you know, a transition into civilian life, what. What is the transition life like? Because you know I've seen movies of people that have been serving and they come back and it's PTSD and there's a lot of like difficulties and you know identity and stuff like that. Talk about your transition a little bit from your military career into what you're into, your civilian transition.
Speaker 2:Yeah, let me hit on real fast about the transition from combat to coming back to normal life. I would tell you it was, it was. It's crazy to go from that part of the world and knowing everything that's going on and then coming back to this part of the world and you just want to be like, you just want to shake some people, like I need you to wake up because, like, you need to realize, like, how good we have it. Um, and I see that as a blessing for myself, because I see I realize now how good we have it. Um, this country is amazing. Our freedoms are absolutely amazing. Uh and uh, we are so blessed to be here, uh, in this country. Now, I would tell um so transitioning to civilian life. So you know, I would tell you that it's like playing on a football team for 20 years or any athletic team for 20 years and then just one day taking the uniform off. I know some professional athletes have issues with the transition to normal life. It is. It's the exact same in the military, and y'all know me, I know my personality. I never thought that I would, that I would have an issue transitioning to civilian life, but and you know, I had a, had a job lined up, everything was was going great, and in about 20 days after my retirement ceremony the company had sold and they cut all new hires and so the first time in my life I didn't have a job, and you know. Then, then then you realize that you know, I think what I realized now, looking back on, is I put so much of my identity in that uniform and serving something bigger in myself, like that's great and everything. But also I wish I could go back and realize that, you know, the ones closest to me are the ones I need to lead also. I need to lead also Leading your family, leading in your community, leading in your church, that type stuff. And I would tell you that transition was difficult for me because the loss of purpose kind of set in after I lost that job and set in after I lost that job, um, and I realized that I put so much of my identity in that uniform. So then, uh, you know, a man, a man without purpose, is lost, like he's wondering, and that's that's kind of what I did. Uh, and I guess I'll, you know, do a little plug here for for anybody that is a veteran or um, uh, and they and they also serve law enforcement, but Mighty Oaks Foundation is a great resource for veterans and law enforcement.
Speaker 2:I went off for a week to the Mighty Oaks Foundation to a camp and it's a faith-based camp and you know they helped you find purpose again through a faith based program Secular or the. You know therapy and counseling is great. Those types of programs are great and it's but they're temporary. Faith-based counseling and trusting in Jesus Christ is permanent. It helps you find that purpose. That's what's led me back to coaching. I coached before that but it's helped me have more purpose and more passion about coaching now. And the Mighty Oaks Foundation is a nonprofit and I spent a week with those guys and went through that program and it was absolutely amazing and it just helps you as a man.
Speaker 2:Uh, it kind of I would say I wouldn't say I wouldn't say it as a negative way as in you were institutionalized when you're in the military but it helped de-institutionalize you a little bit and then realize that, hey, I served something bigger myself for the last 20 years. My job right now is to lead my family and lead my community. Um, so I ended up going to that program and it and it was amazing, um, and yeah, the Lord was looking after me the whole time. Um, I have a job now, uh and I've removed the word coincidence from my vocabulary because that's what I learned, uh, at at Mighty Oaks, that everything is God's plan Um, this summer, when I was kind of in in that place where of loss of purpose, not knowing, uh, what life held for me, uh, my wife, uh, god bless her because she's always, you know, she's always right.
Speaker 3:We got that on recording.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we got that on recording.
Speaker 2:She was like hey, you need to get out of the house and take Savannah to her. Savannah's my youngest kid, take Savannah to her tutoring session. Savannah's my youngest kid, take Savannah to her tutoring session. Well, her tutor for the summer had lost her conference room at the library and was now using a conference room in the buildings right here across from North Star Church.
Speaker 2:So I brought Savannah up here and I was sitting down in the lobby and I'm like what is this company? And then I realized it's an architect and engineering firm. So I was looking at the website lobby and I'm like what is this company? And then I realized it's an architect and engineering firm. And so I was looking at the website and I was like, wow, they feed their employees every Tuesday. Oh, that's cool, the culture looks amazing.
Speaker 2:But I'm like I'm not an architect or an engineer, you know, and I clicked on careers just to see what was on there and the first thing listed was Department of Defense project manager.
Speaker 2:See what was on there, and the first thing listed was department or defense project manager. And I was like man, you know, I was just, you know, kind of like, oh, I can apply for this and just see what happens. But now that you know, I've kind of reset my mentality and my outlook on perspective on things like the Lord put this job in my path. Even in that time of loss of purpose, he was still taking care of me, because I went to Mighty Oaks and you know, or the week before I went to Mighty Oaks, like they called me and they were like, hey, we'd like to have an interview. So I went through the whole, you know, recruitment process here and now I work right here in my community, a half mile from the school where I coach and four miles from my house and right across from my church, and the Lord just blessed me. Yeah, wow.
Speaker 1:Wow, that's a man. I love what you're saying about purpose too, because I think a lot of times in life, I love what you're saying about purpose too, because I think I think a lot of times in life and I think I mean I think it supersedes beyond military career specifically, I think a lot of us I mean I think Jeff and I have talked about this a little bit in other episodes where you know, I think sometimes you know, as as fathers, as husbands, as you know, we, we do lose our identity and you know our identity in the wrong thing, right. And what you're saying with purpose, that's such a strong statement in and of itself to make sure that your purpose and identity are founded and rooted deep into the right things. Rooted deep into the right things, you know I mean it's fought on 100% with making sure that our identity is found in the Lord first and foremost, right before any of that other. But leading your family right, that's, you know I mean, goal. You know, priority number two out of drawing to the Lord is number one.
Speaker 1:You know, and I think, man, I love such an encouragement to hear you saying say that, because I think it's such a strong reminder that a lot of us, I think, very easily lose focus on at times and I appreciate you sharing that and, man, just so encouraged to with you know, hearing that, and I like what you said about coincidence, because I think that's such a strong thing to you know to say is I, you know, like I, I do not like the, the blanket statement everything happens for a reason.
Speaker 1:Like oh geez, like no, I mean that that's such your painting was such a broad brush. By saying that statement, right, like, like you, you totaled your car. Well, everything happens for a reason. Well, yeah, but like, let's, let's, let's dig deeper into that, and I completely agree with you, man, to to look back in those situations in life and see that things happen because they were ordained by the Lord and they were ordained to happen that way for a purpose and for God's purpose. And, yeah, man, thank you so much just for that word of encouragement with your story. So, jeff, you have anything you want to pick up on that with any of it.
Speaker 3:No, I'm just going to transition off of that. No, I think there's. I mean, you've said it, you know, you said it earlier with. You know you find your identity in the uniform you wear and it's no different than it is on the field and with any sport that you play. And you know, for me, transitioning out of coaching and transitioning out of player play as a player to a coach, like we all go through those transitions and I do think it takes some time to work through those because for so much of our lives we've been identified as whatever it is and then now we have to find a new identity. We've got to find a new rhythm and you almost your your purpose never changes, but in a way it kind of does. You have to redefine that purpose in your new position. A lot of times that just for coaching and your mentorship role at North Cobb, christian.
Speaker 2:So I mean, first and foremost, just like we talked about it's a mindset, just like we talked about it's a mindset and I talk to the kids about, and I don't want to say everything happens for a reason but it's all part of God's plan. What I do on the football field is I have done a bit of a trauma bonding for some team building, some some military style trauma bonding.
Speaker 2:Um but I mean, I tell you it's crazy how this all came to to to happen. I mean, my son had just transferred to Norcob, uh, and I was standing on the field and I was talking to coach Jones just a great human being, by the way and he was like, hey, if you know any of those guys in the military that want to do one of those uh, you know team building events, let me know. And I was sitting there thinking I'm like, uh, I think I could probably do that. So, uh, so I, yeah, so, um, I was like, hey, you know what, maybe the everything happens for a reason, right, yeah, so so I called him up the next day and I'm like, hey, when do you want me to be at football camp? And he's always on my. I was like, well, you know, I can, I can do what you're asking, uh. So I went down there and did some scenario, scenario based team building event that involves some you know, just a few push event that involved some you know just a few push-ups, and some running, and some other carrying an ambulatory litter, which is a I don't think they call them litters in the civilian world, but it's like a gurney, I guess you would say you saw them in MASH back in the day and it was good. And that's where my I realized that a lot of the things that I experienced over my military career can transition to the football field and can correlate to the football field years. And this year I am now on the sideline with the varsity team and we joked we were talking earlier cause it was like do you call it a chaplain or what do you call it? I don't really have a title. In every coach there is a chaplain, but I would say it's more like a leadership mentor. You know I tell some of my stories to the kids.
Speaker 2:You know, like my goal on that football field is not to, you know, recruit people to go in the military or recruit young men to go in the military or develop a military guy. My goal in there is to develop the leaders of our community in the future, the leaders of their family. You know when they're, when they're husbands and fathers. You know you don't even don't even go in the military. Like you got an office job in Atlanta. You know you're driving down 75 and somebody has an accident and they need help. Like you, stop and help them. Like that's, that's my goal is just to, to, to, you know, get these guys, these young men, to be, you know, to make a difference in our community. And and it's, it's just been great.
Speaker 2:And I've, I've developed some relationship with some kids. You know, I love the, I love the second string kid that has a little bit of talent and is just absolutely working his rear end off. And I formed a relationship with a kid a couple years ago on the football field. He was second or third string running back, touched the ball a couple times that year, did really well, saw a lot of potential in him. He was just a little bit on the small side but he's grown, now he's a sophomore.
Speaker 2:He played spring ball the other night. He was starting on defense. I almost shed a tear. He came up to me before the game and was like, hey, coach, do you plan on being here throughout the season? And you know, and coach and helping, helping out with varsity, and I was like, yeah, he's, like you're going to be at all the games. I said, yeah. He said, well, will you pray with me, cause I'm nervous? And then I was like, well, that's why I'm here, you know. Um, so that's just a little reminder of why I'm there to me, and it's not out of selfishness, it's just like I'm there for the kids, because there's more to sports than you know just playing ball and wins. It is building character and it is building the leaders of the next generation. Yeah.
Speaker 3:You know, one of the things that Mike Lynch hits a lot on our coaches and scouts Bible study is you transform who you become as a coach when you see those kids on the field as souls and not as players, and I think that's a huge testament to what you're doing. Everybody, they all see what you're doing and it's just simple, for for you it's just everyday lessons, but you know, for them, like you, you view those kids as souls and not just as as as high school football players, like I think that's huge for people listening. It's just when you're coaching and you're you're part of. You know god's team quote, unquote, wearing that jersey, like those kids, that those kids should you're part of. You know God's team quote, unquote, wearing that jersey, like those kids, those kids should, you're trying to recruit them to God's team and you know, I think that's huge.
Speaker 3:And you know, who knows, maybe that kid invites hey man, I know you're nervous, come pray with me. Like come pray with me and coach Vince or coach Duvall. So you know, I think, just being cognizant of know they're not just kids, they're souls, you know, I think that's a big, a big point, that that you hit on there yeah, yeah, and it's just, you know, just loving on those kids, man, like you know, it's like y'all.
Speaker 2:You asked earlier about leadership and you mentioned some tactics of how you lead, but leadership to me is just loving folks, just be yourself and love people. And where I work currently, my CEO said that and I was like man that's awesome To work in a work culture where his style of leadership is just love people.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Vince do you yell in the football field Like?
Speaker 3:you're kind of laid back and chill, like are you getting in some high men or what Like do you have a switch?
Speaker 2:I do have a switch, you have a switch. I do have a switch there.
Speaker 1:There's some uh, there's some photos out there on social media somewhere that are slightly embarrassing bit flying, yeah, yeah, so so, uh, so you're, you're, you're coach, your coach fence, not pastor events, is that?
Speaker 2:yeah, that's a funny story. I had a. There was a jeff, I didn't tell you this one, but I had a kid, uh, I think he was probably seventh grader. So not only do I, you know, deal with the varsity, but I have been, during spring, I've been talking to the middle schoolers again. So I go down there and kind of close out practice with a little bit of devotion. And we were at a lacrosse banquet for the end of the year, lacrosse and one of the players introduced me to his parents as Pastor Duvall. I was like I am not qualified to be Pastor Duvall, that's funny.
Speaker 1:It's. You know, if you want the title, it's literally it's. It's a couple clicks on the internet and you can have, you can you can be in you. You can have your uh, be a, a pastor real quick. I've got my uh, I'll shoot. I forget what you call it, but I ordained. I was ordained so I could marry my sister. So if you, if you want that title it's like 25 and and you could be you could be pastor.
Speaker 2:Mike Lynch better watch out.
Speaker 1:That's right. So so one thing, one thing I want to make sure that we we share and spend some time with you on and discussing is is is with your, your leadership, mentoring, and I imagine, are you working with athletes alone? Are you working with athletes alone? Are you working with the coaches as well? Do you do you kind of pull coaches aside and say, hey, you know, just a suggestion as far as this is the way I see your leadership style working, here's, you know, here's some suggestions based on, like, what's that look like for you is with the mentoring side of things uh, so the you know being, you know true military.
Speaker 1:I have provided my unsolicited advice yeah, at some point I got you, I got you but now all those guys, all those coaches, are great.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the the everybody I've coached with has just been absolutely amazing. Um, but yeah, I mean, if they're uh, if they're listening to this podcast and they're open to it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I've got more. I've got a pretty big notepad I'm holding on to.
Speaker 2:The way I look at it is they just throw it out there. It's kind of like planting the seed, just plant a seed.
Speaker 1:There you go, there you go, with all of that and talking about the leadership, this is the part that I really wanted to make sure that we spent some time on. What are the major principles that you believe are important to teach? I wrote on here young men it doesn't have to be just young men, but I know, obviously, with you coaching football, that's who you're focusing in on. When I coach football, that's who you're focusing in on. I coach football, that's who I'm focusing in on. But we can say young men, we can say young athletes, young adults, however we want to look at it. But what are some of those major principles that you think are important that we're teaching and honing in on with young athletes today?
Speaker 2:with young athletes today. So I think I think it was your. The last guest. Is he with the coach from Reinhardt where I think he said he rarely looks at the scoreboard? Yeah, yeah, he said he rarely. I think he said he rarely looks at the scoreboard or doesn't look in the scoreboard as much as he used to. I mean that's it, man. It's like it's. That's it, man. It's like it's not about the scoreboard and it's not about the record and I said it before, it's just it's developing these, the leaders of the next generation, and the athletics is just the.
Speaker 2:I guess the mode or the method or the tool to reach these kids. And then the things that they learn on the football field or any sport will translate the grit, the resiliency, the you know, the hard work, the discipline. I mean I got told the football team the other night, you know like you can stand there during a football practice and like how many times do they run those plays over and over and over again? And you can just tell by the kid's body language. They're kind of like man. I just want to like can we run a different play? And it's like, hey, when I was in the military, like we rehearsed and rehearsed, and rehearsed and rehearsed. You know and like.
Speaker 2:The reason you do that is because, when you get in the game and you're playing ball like you're prepared for all those contingencies and it's like muscle memory at that point. Yeah, you know. So to answer your question, though, is like, you know, sports they're great, but I would say that the best thing that comes out of it is the intangibles, the intangibles of character, discipline, committed to something bigger than yourself as part of a team. I just can't say much, much more about that, how important that is.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I would completely agree with that and I think that, unfortunately, that's, that's one of the big things that you know, you, you, you see, you see the gate kind of swinging one direction. You know more and more and more, I think, and I think it's society as a whole, I don't think it's necessarily just sports specifically. I think, unfortunately, we we've become such like a, a self-centered, focused society in a lot of ways, and not everybody and I I don't I don't mean that as like paint the broad brush of everybody's that way, but it seems like that's becoming more and more common. With all of that, we run into these situations where kids are all about themselves and it's how do I look better, how do I succeed? And even talking about the young man that you know, undersized, running back, that didn't touch the ball, you know what I mean. It's so easy for kids like in, in those circumstances, to go.
Speaker 1:You know what coaches just don't like me. You know what I mean and and and for for to have somebody like you, who you know, who loves on them, encourages them hey, keep working, keep grinding, you know. And then all of a sudden he's moving up and now he's now, now he's playing defense and and getting the opportunities he has. You don't? You don't see that as much anymore, because you get these situations where parents get entangled in the situation and they're mad and they're in the coach's office and they're calling the coaches and making excuses.
Speaker 1:And what we're doing is we're creating excuse makers for kids. You know where where they're constantly well, it's coach's fault. You know where where they're constantly well, it's coach's fault, you know. So I'm just gonna move to the next program or it's it's. You know, I'm never gonna get the success here because I I feel like I should be this and nobody else sees that in me and I'm moving on, I'm going, I'm, you know, I'm going to, you know, such and such school instead and and and I just it's so discouraging to see that because it's just you don't see parents encouraging the same thing that you see with coaches, where it's like hey, I see you working hard, I see you hustling, I see you grinding, keep at it Like your time's going to come.
Speaker 1:You know, and that and that falls into that discipline and that, you know, and that perseverance, and it's just everybody's so quick to just go excuse out of here, you know, and and it and it falls into what you're saying about thinking about something greater than just yourself and and and focusing on the team right, the, the, we. You know we're, we're in this together and and and you know, I, I I'm glad to hear and it's encouraging to know that you know that that you are coaching that and and and preaching that with, with your program, that, hey, these are important characters to push and instill, because, like I said, it just becomes and I mean gosh, we can sit here an hour and talk about all of this, with what's happening on the collegiate level, with all the NIL stuff, and it's like there's no commitment to a program anymore. It's oh well, you're offering me a Corvette, well, they're offering me a Lamborghini and $100,000 cash for every touchdown, and it's like boom, boom, I'm out of here. And it's frustrating to see because I think, as a whole, it goes back to exactly what you're talking about, where I say it to 10-year-old football players, to their parents I don't care about your kid being the next NFL player.
Speaker 1:Statistically, the statistics are against them that that's ever going to happen. They're going to be exactly what you're saying Business leaders, employees, fathers, husbands, friends. They're going to be all of these things. If we're not pushing and preaching and instilling and encouraging all these great character building qualities in them and making sure and holding them accountable to that they're never gonna, they're never gonna build that and they're never gonna be. That, you know, and that's, and that's where it's so important and and, um, you know, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm just trying the. The big word that just keeps coming back to me is character, character, character, character, right, like, that's just the word, that's like swiveling in my head over and over and over again, but like, for you specifically, vince, like what? Like a man of good character? Right, an athlete of good character? Like what are gosh, top three, top five, like qualities that you see in somebody that like as an athlete or a leader that carries good character. What are those?
Speaker 2:Selfless, goes back to serving something bigger than yourself. Resilient, grit man man, you gave me three, that's that's three. We'll go. I'm telling you so I, I and I'll go back. I'll take this back, you know, not to get to go back to military world, or you know time of my life, but um. So when I was a platoon leader, that's what I deployed to ir. When I was a platoon leader, I deployed to Iraq. As a platoon leader, I had six aircraft under me, probably 26 dudes or dudes and gals that I was in charge of. I had one crew chief. He was by all of 5'6", which is right here because I'm five eight, um. So he wasn't that short you're sitting.
Speaker 1:Nobody knows how short you are yeah, I'll stand up.
Speaker 2:Um, so, like this dude, he walks in, he's got cauliflower right, and so the moment I put locked eyes on him, I was like that's my guy right there. Yeah, you, you know, like he's been through it, I was like he's probably played some high school ball or you know been on the wrestling mat or something, and come to find out he had done all of it. But I saw that guy do things or you know, do things one day over there. That you know it's just amazing. You know, it's just just amazing. Like he had no care for, you know, his self.
Speaker 2:At that point it was all selfless, uh, and put himself in in in some danger and uh, ended up, you know, ended up saving a few guys, and those guys lived and to just to watch someone. Like that, you know, it's like, you know that. That it's like that doesn't. I mean, I guess it comes natural maybe when you're in that situation but like kind of back to to, to serving something bigger than yourself. Like you know, when you're a young guy over there and you're doing these missions I mean there's hundreds of missions going across the country every single day and like you don't understand the big picture right. You're just. You have something in front of you and you're just doing your job, just like in football, like you have a job to do on that place. Do your job right. You don't have to like you. Can you understand the bigger picture? Because not as big, but like a whole war in iraq you didn't understand the big picture. You just do your job.
Speaker 2:But at some point you talking about commitment to team and commitment to something bigger than yourself, like we would take risks and do things for the guys on the ground just because of the patch on their right shoulder. Like we didn't know their name. Yeah, didn't know where they were from. You know none of that stuff. There was no like. The only connection we had is that we were on the same team and we went back in one day and there were still troops in contact, and I mean Bowen. I mean he unplugged from his headset and got out of the aircraft and ran across the field to pick up some wounded guys and get them back in the aircraft. Wow, like, honestly, like you know, he didn't even ask me yeah you know, um, it just it goes back.
Speaker 2:So I can correlate that to you know, like serving something big in yourself being a part of a team, it's all about commitment and somewhere along the way in sports we've kind of lost that. Yeah, um, and you know that that type of you can't put it, you can't put a dollar sign on it, man Like it, like that type of selflessness. Um, to me it just it's, it's, uh, it's, it's the cornerstone of a, of a program. When you get, when you get everybody committed to the team.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's a good point, Vince. Sorry, being at being at the college level and even in today's day and age, like everything, is so self-promoting and it's about me and it's about I need to find the right fit and I want to go here, it's all about I like we over me seems so lame these days. But you go back and look at national championship teams, state championship teams. Those guys are the ones that are putting the team before themselves. I would even venture to say even on the best teams, you probably only have two or three guys that are bought into that. We over me. I'm gonna put myself over. You know, the team I mean coach burton had when we were right already as a 1080 10. You have the 10 guys, that 10 of guys that are we over me. They're gonna do everything they can for the team. They get a team of 40 guys, 10, three or four, you know. Yeah, then you got the 80 that are just falling in line doing what they need to do, like that's your 25 to 30 other guys, 35 other guys. So the the spectrum is so wide of the type of people that you get.
Speaker 3:But, um, I think it's important just to I mean commitment. Like commitment's gone these days, like and it's and it's. That is being taught from a young age. You know, not being committed to the team I mean what happens when your marriage gets tough You're just going to dip out on that too. Like I mean you're teaching those lessons at a young age, like if it gets hard, just go find something else, and you know, I think that's kind of why we have the sports world we have today. We have the you know, the family dynamics that we have in in, so to speak. But you know there's not enough commitment from anybody these days yeah, I miss football in the 90s, that's right that's right.
Speaker 1:All sports are the 90s, really yeah yeah, yeah, nah man, yeah, I I bit uh man. We're all getting each other's names confused. It's uh, jeff, nah the commitment things yeah, it's, it's.
Speaker 1:Everybody's names are right in front of me and I still somehow managed to say the wrong person. Now, jeff I, I totally agree with you, man, like that's, the commitment thing is, yeah, spot on, because that's, I think that's that's, and it goes back to character, right, I mean it ultimately, I think it all ultimately falls back to character. You know what I mean, the way that we look at it. I think commitment falls to character, right, because you, because character is you know, the selflessness, right, and the and thinking picture and and and just that what you said things get hard, things get tough, things don't go your way, boom, I'm moving on. You know, it's like why, you know why it's, it's not, it's not gonna, it's not always gonna go your way, right, and that's, you know. And 100, 100 agree with that.
Speaker 1:Um, what like vince, let's transition to try, try to try to be a little. You know, not that this is doom and gloom. I don't think this is doom, gloom. I think this is just spot on, like we're calling a spade a spade with this, but like some, some encouragement, right, let's, let's, let's, let's talk encouragement for a minute, like as far as, like some big encouragement that you would. You would want to push and share with somebody, whether it's a parent, a coach, an athlete it can be anything in general, right? What's some encouragement that you definitely would want to make sure that you shared with somebody, given this opportunity with us.
Speaker 2:Encouragement for, just like sports or coaching life sports it can be anything.
Speaker 1:I, you know what I mean, I it's, I, I obviously like right, the, the podcast is the winning mindset we're, we're, yeah, we're focused on in sports, right, that's kind of the the, the corner, the niche market that we hold. But like, at the end of the day, it goes back to exactly what I just said, like a good character in sports and a good mentality in sports. Like that doesn't start in sports, right, that starts at home, that starts in your upbringing, that starts in who you are as a person. And so I, you know it doesn't have to be targeted specifically as sports. I mean, you know it can be anything.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. So coaches I said it earlier, it's like scoreboards, not the end. All Going five and four, you know, is I'd rather go five and four and have, you know, a squad of kids that love each other. Yeah, wherever. How many games y'all play in baseball, jeff, it's a lot. But you know, coaches, their primary focus should be building the character of the kids and teaching and building that commitment, bringing that team together.
Speaker 2:For parents like that that are, uh, got their kids in programs, like I would tell you, like if you're, if your coach is not coaching character, um, maybe I'm not, I'm not advocating of leaving, but you may, like I'm telling you, like, if you're, if you're, if you're shopping coaches, find one that coaches character, because in the end you know, if you're, if your kids, if the kid has has talent, you know they're going to go places and coaches that coaches coach character, are going to help them get there.
Speaker 2:And if that, and if that talent doesn't, if that talent doesn't pan out, then at least they got character at that point For the kids. If times get rough, somebody else has got it worse. That's the craziest thing for me, after some of the experiences I've had in my lifetime, is like like there's times where I think, man, it's just really bad. But like I just realized, like, man, we got it made. Yeah, you know, and the lord has a plan, yeah, and it's. It's like just your winning mindset is trusting in the Lord that he has a plan and, when he does execute, realizing that was his plan.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Instead of saying oh, that's a coincidence. I hope that answered your question.
Speaker 1:No, that's phenomenal. Like yeah, spot on man, I love every answers your question. No, that's phenomenal. Like yeah, spot on man. I love every bit of that. So, jeff, you got anything else you want to add? No, man, chris.
Speaker 3:Vince, it's like we met each other for the first time. We've known each other for years now. Vince, thanks for your time, you know Go ahead, jeff, go Dawgs, go Dawgs by the way.
Speaker 3:There it is. That was perfect. But no, vince, I want to thank you for your time. You know hearing your perspective from you know military and your transition to what you're doing now you can kind of see how everything's come full circle and how God's used you and I think that's huge for you know players, parents and coaches to hear is we're all on a journey for some kind of you know purpose, and you know that purpose isn't always a straight line. There's some ebbs and flows to it and I'm glad that people can hear from you and kind of learn you know how to work through some of those things. So appreciate your time and thanks for your service. I'm beginning to think Chris planned this out with Memorial Day coming up.
Speaker 1:Look, I'm not going to say everything happens for a reason, but I will say it definitely was a circumstantial planning, for sure. So I you know it was. It was what, like two weekends ago, harlow did a combine at north cop christian that they were offering just a workout camp, and I ran into vince and that's literally I think I texted you that day, jeff, and was like hey, let's talk to vince. I think you know, like just hearing vince share like what his new role was with at north cop christian, I was like man, I I think that would be a great avenue to you know, and kind of journey to talk through.
Speaker 1:And what did you? What are the pillows? Jeff, we heard it, she get that guest appearance by hayley. Want to know what's with the pillow. No, but uh, but um, but just sharing with that, I just just was like man. I feel like that would be a great avenue to go down and kind of talk through in here. And so, vince, I appreciate your time, man, and thanks for driving all the way to the office to hop in the conference room and record it.
Speaker 1:I bummed my 10-year-old's bedroom and I guess he's probably waiting to go to bed now at this point.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, I got a 16 year old and a 14 year old, so, like they're, they're not in bed by nine o'clock, so I had to. I had to find a quiet place, but yeah, um, but I appreciate y'all having me and, like I kind of want to, you know, I guess, are we wrapping up? Is that what this is? We?
Speaker 1:don't have to wrap up, if you, if you got all kinds of stories, let's.
Speaker 2:We don't have to wrap up. I got all kinds of stories, let's go.
Speaker 1:We don't got to wrap up. I mean in all seriousness, man, if you got something else that you want to make sure that we share.
Speaker 2:I was going to just close it out and kind of, you know, when we were talking about kind of the flow of the things, and you're like, well, what, why do you coach and I think I probably hit it on it here a lot about um, and it's not selfish purpose, you know. For me it just is a purpose that is fulfilling um and leading those kids. And I love football, football, I love sports, um. But I mean, I also correlate it with you know. First, peter, chapter five um, where were the right into the church? And um talks about elders. I know I got some gray here so I figured that's talking to me, but uh, it's Jeff. Did he just disappear?
Speaker 1:Jeff, oh, he's AFK, okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's already been in church today. Be the shepherd of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers, not because you must, but because you must, but because you're willing, as God wants you, to be Not greedy for money but eager to serve, not lording it over those who entrusted you or entrusted to you, but being an example to and that's the way I see my role in coaching is those kids see Jesus through me, and that is a whole. I mean defensive strategy I mean I don't have it Watching film is not my favorite thing, yeah. And offensive strategy there's other guys that have that stuff, not me. It's just all about loving those kids and helping them through life and preparing them to be leaders of our community.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, I mean at the end of the day, right, I mean the biggest thing is there's a greater purpose, right Like there's the greater purpose, right, and I mean what you're saying is a hundred percent, you know, is is making the making, making sure the Lord is known, right Like in, in, in sharing that and and and making sure those, sure those kids you know, see the lord through you. I, I do, yes, 100, I I it's. It's funny you say I don't know how many of these episodes you've actually listened to, but that's something that jeff and I actually discussed, kind of talking through our evolution of coaching styles, and that was something that I said is like I really started feeling convicted about the way that I was coaching because of hearing Mike Lynch share it. You know that. You know God put us in the positions we are, in the places we are for a reason and we're wearing those hats for that specific purpose and and and that was the big thing is like I'm coaching and my responsibility is to share Christ with the kids that I'm coaching, and I mean you. When he like I remember that message, I could literally point to the seat that I was sitting in that day and I felt like I was the only person that was in that whole auditorium when he said that and it was like you know, and so I completely agree with you, man, and you know, yes, 100% and super encouraged and appreciate you sharing that. But yeah, vince, I appreciate your time being on today. Man, I know, without a doubt, that this is going to encourage so many people in so many different realms, from parents to coaches.
Speaker 1:Thank you for sharing the Memorial Day story, man. I, you know, now third time I've heard that story and every single time it's just such a sense of pride, you know, and gratitude for those that serve our country and the sacrifice that they make. You know, and it's it's you said this before and I remember maybe it was the video, the Memorial Day video you did for church, but you talked about this is like there's there's different levels of sacrifice that are given, and I think this is to close out, I think it's important to talk about this, especially with this, this airing close to Memorial Day. But you were talking about sacrifice and you said obviously there are the people who give the ultimate sacrifice and loss of life and serving our country, but there are other people who sacrifice in other different ways. Do you remember talking about that? Am I putting you on the spot? Do you kind of remember sharing?
Speaker 2:that.
Speaker 1:You were talking about sacrifice and talking about how people give the ultimate sacrifice, but there's also people who come back right, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, there's still.
Speaker 2:You know, we mentioned it earlier, jeff mentioned it earlier and, yeah, I guess the only I think what you're referring to is that you know they sacrifice a part of themselves and they're still like a little bit of a you know fighting battles, I would say in their head personally, and I mentioned to them earlier Mighty Oaks Foundation helps with that and you know it. It's a good program, um, and and I, if there's any veterans listening that that feel that they need to to go to that program, uh, I would highly recommend it and just get in touch with, uh, chris or Jeff, cause they have my number and my number and I can hook you up with that?
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely yeah, we'd be more than happy to make sure to pass that information along at any point in time, and actually I mean to that, if you'll send me that information, we'll make sure to post it on our social media platforms and just share it. I mean, especially coming in such an important time, with Memorial day being around, the, you know, next week. So but, yeah, vince, thank you so much for the, for the, for sharing with us today and and and great Appreciate all your wisdom and insight and thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you for everybody listening.
Speaker 3:Thanks, vince, see y'all.
.JPG)
