WIN: Championship Traits For Life - Gabe Hunterton

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Whoever said being smart and athletic were mutually exclusive, has never met this week’s WIN guest.

Meet Gabe Hunterton: Yale Graduate, D1 basketball player (who played in OVER 100 games), gaming program entrepreneur, and did we mention he’s trilingual? He’s joining this week to give us the rundown on how he had to keep his mental fitness in top shape to persevere through challenges in order to achieve success.

High achievers often have a curiosity when it comes to approaching situations that are uncomfortable.

Our guest Gabe Hunterton, who is a native of Las Vegas, Nevada, attended Yale University where he played guard for the school’s D1 basketball team from 1994-1998. Gabe played in 100 games in his ivy league collegiate career averaging over 28 minutes per game and finished with 917 points, 267 assists, 260 rebounds and 71 steals.

After Graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, Gabe cut his teeth in the gaming industry, rising to multiple executive levels including Senior Vice President of Business Development, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Property President with a famous Resorts and Entertainment group.

After retiring from the corporate gaming industry in his early 40’s, Gabe set his sights on entrepreneurship and developed several successful gaming programs for sports betting and fantasy sports. In addition to English, Gabe speaks Spanish and Cantonese and is an avid outdoor enthusiast.

Show Notes

Gabe discusses his path to playing basketball at an Ivy League school: 1:43

Gabe talks about the gaming industry and how he wound up in Macau: 6:07

Gabe compares sport and working in the gaming industry: 13:07

Gabe talks about learning Cantonese: 15:34

Gabe shares his mental fitness regimen and how that helped him adapt to a different culture: 18:01

Gabe talks about understanding how to interact with other people and EQ: 26:28

Gabe discusses both his and his brother’s successes in higher education and what contributed to it: 32:11

Gabe shares about some of the challenges he has overcome as he chose to retire from the gaming industry: 35:41

JB asks Gabe name a physical competition that he thinks he can be victorious over his brother Nate: 45:52

Gabe gives advice to aspiring athletes, coaches, and entrepreneurs: 56:22


WIN: Championship Traits For Life - Tom Renney, CEO of Hockey Canada


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A continuous desire to learn and to be mentored is something that leaders all seem to have in common. This conversation with Tom Renney, the CEO of Hockey Canada, will deep dive on his beliefs on working with talented and passionate athletes, along with his core principles when it comes to coaching.

Tom Renney’s resume includes eight years as an NHL coach, a Memorial Cup championship and two WHL Championships during his time with the Kamloops Blazers, a silver medal for Canada in the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, and three gold, three silver, and two bronze medals from ten Word Championship appearances as a coach.

In this episode, we will go over some of the key moments in Tom’s career as a leader and coach, and what he learned from his experiences and how he applies them today as one of the key leaders and influencers of the game of hockey in his country, and the world.

Show Notes

– Tom explains the necessity for having a passion in order to raise talents to its highest level: 1:20

– Tom talks about using sports as a vehicle for human development: 5:35

– Tom describes leadership as a learned craft and how he continues to learn every day: 7:54

– Tom describes the challenges of coaching at the highest level without having played in the NHL: 11:17

– Tom discusses the leadership styles as core principles that have served him well throughout his life: 18:46

– Tom shares the importance of ensuring that all the players in Hockey Canada continue to invent and be creative: 23:59

– Tom talks about his time and connection with Jaromir Jagr: 29:16

– Tom talks about Henrik Lundqvist, his leadership qualities, and the relationship between him and Kevin Weekes: 35:05

– Tom discusses the importance of mentorship and being a mentor towards others: 41:20

– Tom shares his thoughts on present moment awareness and how he practices it: 50:42

– Tom talks about the importance of being fit – mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually: 56:54

 


WIN: Championship Traits For Life - Dr. Derick Anderson, Psy.D.


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Almost everything Dr. Derick Anderson says in this interview is an insightful and impactful drop of gold. If you are a leader, coach, or athlete, this is 100% worth your time.

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Being an athlete at any level comes with its mental ups and downs. True strength for an athlete or coach, comes when they can express those challenges in an empowered environment – Dr. Derick Anderson helps to create them at the professional level.

Dr. Anderson is an accredited clinical and sports psychologist with over 25 years of experience in sports and performance psychology and mental health training and care in unique settings.

He has worked with athletes and teams within the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB and has also devoted his professional efforts to consulting the US Army and Army Corp of Engineers in addition to supporting first responders and elite law enforcement domestically.

To put it lightly, Dr. Anderson has an incredible amount of experience and knowledge when it comes to player performance and mental health, and we are fortunate to have had him with us on WIN: Championship Traits For Life.

Show Notes

Dr. Anderson tells us how he discovered his gift for sports psychology: 1:53

Dr. Anderson expands on what it means to be 1% better as an athlete: 7:48

Dr. Anderson discusses what he has seen in the movement to understand mental health and capabilities that may not have been evident in the past: 12:56

Dr. Anderson defines mental toughness and tells us what we can do to learn it: 17:51

Dr. Anderson discusses the necessity for a team bond in a winning culture: 23:13

Dr. Anderson talks about ego and how teams and athletes can harness ego for the good of the team: 26:24

Dr. Anderson discusses his process when working with athletes: 34:52

Dr. Anderson tells us how we can expand our EQ so that it positively impacts our game performance: 42:11

Dr. Anderson gives us an unnamed example of a time when an athlete faced his or her fears and overcame those challenges, and achieved success: 52:08

Dr. Anderson shares an example of a mentally sound team that wasn’t successful: 59:13

Dr. Anderson tells his favorite sport to work with: 1:05:00

 


WIN: Championship Traits For Life - Col. (Ret.) Dave Duffy; Green Beret, Rugby Player


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What do you think you will remember when you finishing your playing career?

Colonel Dave Duffy has competed all over the world and has been a part of several high-performing teams. He joins the show this week to discuss an answer to the question above and to share his thoughts on mental fitness from his life as a rugby player, Green Beret, and business owner.

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When it comes to sports, too often the trophies, championships, and accolades become the focus. In reality, the true importance of sports are the people you experience the game with.

Our guest today has championed that as a Rugby player, Green Beret, and as a business owner.

Dave Duffy is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point where he played Rugby and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Management. He served for 21 years in the US Army as part of the US Army Special Forces as an Officer and Green Beret and had multiple tours in Africa, Southwest Asia, and combat experience in Afghanistan.

In addition to his accomplished military career, Dave is also a business development consultant and entrepreneur who owns several Tropical Smoothie cafe franchises which he operates with his wife, who is also the CEO of each location.

He is described by his friends as a leader, warrior, and a winner – and we are privileged to have him on WIN today with us.

Throughout this episode you may hear some minor issues with the audio quality, we promise the information you receive will be well worth the time.

Show Notes

  • Dave talks about his route to rugby and how it has shaped him: 2:08
  • Dave tells us about the best team he’s ever been on and talks about team bonding through shared experiences: 7:41
  • Dave discusses making comparisons to the military and athletics when it comes to attitude, teamwork, and competition level: 17:12
  • Dave explains the attributes he looked for when selecting green berets: 21:36
  • Dave shares his feelings on the current situation in Afghanistan: 26:39
  • Dave discusses the important qualities that transcend being in special forces and entrepreneurship: 35:24
  • Lee, JB, and Dave discuss the life lessons that come with being a part of a team: 46:03

 


Win: Championship Traits For Life - Doug Cifu; CEO of Virtu Financial and Owner of the FLA Panthers


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We all would like to play owner of a professional sports team. We interviewed one instead… Doug Cifu joins us on WIN this week to discuss his past, present and future in professional sports and enlightens us on the power of NOT having an ego when it comes to business, athletics and life.

What if I told you that your ego may be what holds you back from succeeding?

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Our guest today, dives deep into how a lack of ego has helped him reach milestones in both professional sports and in business. Moreover, he will define the word GRIT throughout the episode, and how important it is to both creating and executing opportunities that come your way.

Doug Cifu, is the Vice-Chairman, Partner, and Alternate Governor of the Florida Panthers

A self-starter, Doug is a native of Syosset NY and graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University in 1987 where he was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa and completed his Juris Doctor Degree from Columbia Law School in 1990.

Doug is currently the CEO of Virtu Financial, a global electronic market-making firm, and was one of the companies co-founders with Panthers owner, Vincent V-EYE-OH-LAH in 2008.

Doug is a Florida Panthers super-fan in his own right, always willing to engage the team’s supporters on social media and to help grow hockey in south Florida.

Throughout this episode you will hear some amazing stories and strategies that Doug has used throughout his life to get to where he is today that you will be able to apply to your own experience immediately.

Enjoy this episode of WIN: Championship Traits for Life, with Doug Cifu.

Show Notes

Doug takes us through what what it was like to talk to his partner about  taking on a hockey franchise in South Florida: 3:57

Doug tells us how he prioritizes culture and what its like to get people to buy into change: 13:28

Doug talks about his son, Danny, who has had an astounding youth baseball career: 22:04

Doug discusses how great of a player Jaromir Jagr was to have on the Panthers and the character traits he possessed: 27:44

Doug talks about his journey with Virtu Financial: 38:44

Doug tells us the three things that get people in trouble in life and the impact of it being a fact: 46:13

Doug shares what mental fitness means to him: 1:00:26

Doug tells us why he is a hotdog influencer (Feltman’s of Coney Island Hotdogs): 1:02:32

 


Win: Championship Traits For Life - Sgt. Stu Edwards, Performance Coach


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We’re not gonna hold back, our first episode of WIN is EPIC.

Watch or listen to this interview with Ben Harrow and you’ll have the word perseverance redefined while also learning how to conquer past incredibly intense adversity. Let us know what you love and learned!

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Talent is an important part of any athlete’s life, but the cultivation of that talent along with a willingness to be part of a team is essential for true winning to take place. Our guest today, Sargent Stu Edwards brings 17 years of experience in fitness coaching, performance coaching, and speaking.

Stu started his journey at 19 years of age, as a gym instructor working in a local leisure center. It was there he discovered his love for helping others achieve their fitness goals. He soon qualified as a GP Referral Specialist working to physically rehabilitate clients with a range of physical and psychological challenges.

Stuart’s hunger for personal challenges only grew from there, leading him to enroll in the Royal Air Force to become a Physical Training Instructor. Stu held many positions in the RAF, including training new recruits and pilots and delivering personal development in arduous environments and different countries to the future leaders of the RAF.

Alongside his career in the Royal Air Force, Stu also works with sports teams ranging from recreational, semi-professional, professional, and international levels. In addition to serving his country, he also serves as the Performance Coach for the Peterborough Phantoms Ice Hockey team and has also served as the Performance Coach for Great Britain’s under 20s Ice Hockey Team for two World Championships. In addition to his international resume, Stu also holds roles as a Strength and Conditioning coach with the English Ice Hockey Association and Kings Elite Goaltending which allows him to support and develop the future athletes of his country.

Stu recently established Edwards Elite Performance, a coaching company with the mission of educating individuals and teams to improve their mental and physical performance to achieve their full potential.

Enjoy this episode of WIN: Championship Traits for Life, with Sargent Stu Edwards.

Video:

Stu shares his point of view from helping to bond the 2015 Peterborough Phantoms Team: 2:27

Stu talks about the similarities of a platoon and a locker room: 13:01

Stu shares a story of adversity, what he learned from it, and how he overcame it: 21:10

Stu discusses his definition of what it means to be a captain in an accountable environment: 30:02

Stu talks about the challenges and benefits of being part of an emerging hockey nation: 47:00

 


WIN: Championship Traits For Life - CPT(R) Ben Harrow

We’re not gonna hold back, our first episode of WIN is EPIC.

Watch or listen to this interview with Ben Harrow and you’ll have the word perseverance redefined while also learning how to conquer past incredibly intense adversity. Let us know what you love and learned!

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Captain Ben Harrow is an accomplished special forces officer and decorated American hero, as well as a father, husband, and athlete. His journey started as an athlete, culminating in a collegiate Lacrosse career at West Point Military Academy. After graduation. Ben earned the rank of Captain and began his military career which included deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. In May of 2012, while deployed in Afghanistan, Ben was leading a team of Green Berets on an anti terrorism mission when he stepped on an IED. He lost both legs above the knee, two fingers, and a large portion of flesh from his right forearm.

In spite of Doctors telling him that he would be restricted to a wheelchair the rest of his life, Ben refused to accept that outcome. Two months after stepping on the IED, Ben was out of Bed and moving. In spite of being told his femur was now too short for prosthetic limbs, Ben researched and found an experimental procedure to grow his femur bone back. After multiple surgeries, Ben was able to grow back 6.5 inches of his femur setting world records in the process. The procedure is now the standard for soldiers with similar injuries.

If that level of resilience wasn’t enough, Ben continued to push the limits of what he could do. In the summer of 2014, a little over two years after his near fatal accident, Ben stood up and walked under his own power. In June of 2016 Ben joined his team on the lacrosse field to participate in the Shootout For Soldiers event. To take it to another level, Ben began playing goalie for the USA Warriors sled hockey team and had such success at the position that he competes at the world stage having been the goalie for the Italian National Paralympic team.

In spite of his extensive injuries, Ben continues to define the words resilience, perseverance and triumph in the face of adversity.

Notes:

Ben talks about his love for Lacrosse and time at West Point: 03:16

Ben talks about being the hardest worker in the room: 6:24

Ben gives advice about finding a path in life: 10:35

Ben talks about mental toughness being a learned skill: 14:08

Ben tells his story and how he overcame his adversity: 17:36

Ben talks about his will to compete despite the extreme odds he had to face: 37:30

Ben shares the experience of walking back into his special forces unit: 43:36 Ben shares his secrets to staying in the present moment: 46:19

Ben discusses how the US military is truly the greatest team on the planet: 55:01

Ben talks about his mental fitness routine: 1:00:56