All the smiling faces in a picture-perfect Facebook post Wednesday morning told the story: Former LSU and WNBA standout Temeka Johnson got her first career win as McKinley Highs head coach.

The Panthers beat Northeast 55-20 in their season opener Tuesday night. More games loom before McKinley, the No. 3 overall seed, begins play in the East Baton Rouge Parish Girls tournament, which starts Saturday at Zachary. Johnson says she has a clear mission.

Giving back to the game is something that is always important to me, Johnson said. Basketball has given me a lot and been a huge part of my life. Coaching was not something I always planned to do. But I do love what Im doing.

Johnson understands the unique situation she is in. Though she is known for hosting basketball camps for girls in multiple south Louisiana cities, this is her first coaching job at a school.

The McKinley team also is a special case in point. LHSAA sanctions in all sports made the Panthers ineligible for the Division I select playoffs a year ago. The previous two years, McKinley was the Division I runner-up. So expectations are high.

One thing these girls know is that I wont sugarcoat things for them, Johnson said. There are certain things I expect from them, and they have really responded. Since I started working with them over the summer, it really is amazing how they have progressed. I can see the growth they have made as players and young women.

Reigning Division II champion Lee and host Zachary are the top two seeds going into the EBR tourney. But a roster that includes two players who have signed with national powers, Erica Lafayette (Rutgers) and Kenyal Perry (Texas A&M), makes McKinley a team plenty of people will be watching.

The 6-foot-7 Perry left the McKinley team during her sophomore season and spent last season at a Houston area school. Perry is one of the tallest girls players to ever play in the Baton Rouge area.

Height is something you cant coach, the 5-foot-3 Johnson said. Since this summer, I have seen Kenyal grow so much in terms of her work ethic and approach to the game. She has become very focused on improving her skills.

Johnson was sure to note that McKinley is not a two-person team. She has enjoyed the challenge of learning each player's skills and levels of desire. She cites the play of Megan Brown, one of five seniors on the roster, as an example.

Megan Brown is one of our leaders, Johnson said. Shes about 5-5. But tell her that you need a rebound, a steal anything, and she is determined to get it.

Game experience as a coach is something Johnson wants to absorb. She has sought advice from multiple coaches, including former LSU assistant Bob Starkey of Texas A&M and University High coach Bonita Johnson, another former LSU player.

I'm not sure how I will react in some game situations, Johnson said. "I'm learning, too."

Excerpt from:
Former LSU star Temeka Johnson, in her first year as McKinley coach, is motivated to give back - The Advocate

Head Coach Arness Georgetown has won multiple championship games at the Mississippi School for the Deaf. Georgetown has taught and coached at the school since 1991. Mackenzie Salmon, Clarion Ledger

Within the Mississippi School for the Deaf is an office quite like any other. The walls of that office, however, areahomage to the success of the school's football program.

More specifically, they are homage to the success of Arness Georgetown.

The walls of the head coach's officeare lined with print-outs of newspaper articles chronicling eight-man football championshipsalongside photos of title teams as far back as 1995.

"I don't lookat the championships and rings," Georgetown said."The opportunities I've had and the kids I've touched along the way is howI look at [it].

"We've been blessed to have good athletes and good students. It's about the kids I've had. It's all about them."

Georgetown has served as either an assistant coach or head coach with the program since 1993. He took a seven-year hiatus from coaching in 2008 for an administrative role with the school.

In 2015, he returned to the program as a head coach. He's been a part of six national titles for the Mississippi School for the Deaf.

While winning those titles, Georgetown said he was also doing something with more of a lasting impact.

"My main goal is to teach these kids about the game of life," Georgetown said. "I always emphasize to my players that if you play basketball, football, that ball's going to stop bouncing. You can't run and catch that football forever. You've got to have another plan. So we try to instill that in our kids."

Cheryl Kaler, the Mississippi School for the Deaf principal and athletic director, has been at the school for 10 years.She said Georgetown has been a mentor and role model for the student-athletes while helping the program rise to national acclaim.

"He not only coaches the kids on the field, [but he] also coaches them in life when it comes to focusing on their academics, being men of character and making good choices," Kaler said. "They come to him for advice for all teams and see him as a father figure and a mentor."

Arness Georgetown is the head football coach at the Mississippi School for the Deaf.(Photo: Photo submitted)

Many of his players wouldn't have been allowed to play football at the public school level. They likely would have been confined to special education classes. At MSD, they get the chance to be national champions.

Devoris Meeks has played tailback and linebackerfor Georgetown.He was there when Georgetown returned to the program in2015and the team went 1-6. Meeks thought about quitting after that, but Georgetown wouldn't let him.

"He inspired me," Meeks said. "I didn't want to play anymore because we were a losing team and he told me, 'Nah, you're going to stay on my team and we're going to win next year."

And they did.

Thanks to the resolve and patience Georgetown instilled in Meeks, he got to be a part of the 2017 and 2018 national title teams. He played on this year's team, too.

"From then on, I never walked off on the team again," Meeks said.

By the standard Georgetown has established at the school, 2019 was an atypical year.

Deaf All-American Kenmarkis Meeks graduated last year. The team's starting tailback, Jaylon Mays, separated his shoulder in the first game of the 2019 season. One of the starting receivers elected to leave the team to focus on academics.

Georgetown's team finished the year with a 2-6 record and were a far cry away from a national title. Most of the players were part of the last two national titles.

His team may be in a valley now, but Georgetown said he's confident it will prepare them to return to championship form.

"Some kids don't take adversity very well, so it's my job to keep the kids' heads up and keep them going," Georgetown said. "It's tough, but I like it in a sense because it's life lessons. I tell the kids all the time, sometimes things don't work out the way you want them to work out. You have to be able to deal with those things."

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Mississippi School for the Deaf football coach teaches players the game of life - Clarion Ledger

Ask Urban Meyer about life after college football, and he won't deny that there's still a part of him that misses coaching.

Nonetheless, theman who captured three national championships -- two at Florida and one at Ohio State -- during his career appears to be making the most of the new frontier that 2019 has provided him with.

ESPN's Dan Dakich and Seth Greenberg recently hadMeyer on as a guest during an episode of the "Courtside" podcast. Go figure, Meyer was asked the question that just about everyone has thrown his way since retiring after the 2018 season: Would ever get back into the business of coaching?

While Meyer -- now a college analyst for Fox Sports -- didn't give a definitive "yes" or "no," Meyer did make one this much clear: Whilenot spending Saturdays in the fall on the sidelines is still an adjustment for him, he's undoubtedlyenjoying the extra time on his hands-- whether that be spending more time with family or even taking a trip to play the renowned Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia just several weeks ago.

"The hardest part of the day is the first 30 minutes of every morning," Meyer said on the podcast. "It's down to about 30 minutes now. It used to be about an hour or an hour-and-a-half where I just missed it so bad. But I'm so into this Fox college football team that I have. I'm so into other things, whether it be business opportunities or something else. It's just intriguing -- this whole other world. I'm also into my grandchildren and wife and family. We're traveling and doing some cool things. I played Augusta (National) two weeks ago -- when could you have ever done that in the fall? So it's a nice life out there."

For those who are rooting for Meyer to come back out of retirement, don't get your hopes up either -- at least not after a newreportfrom Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports that surfaced on Wednesday. One high-ranking college football source close to the coach told Dodd they firmly believe that Meyer has called it a career for good, despite his name being tossed around at schools such as USC should there soon be an opening with the Trojans.

Meyer's "Courtside" appearance was not the first time that he spoke about adjusting to life after football. Meyer expressed a similar sentiment in September during a wide-ranging interview with Cleveland.com.

Ive been in a fight for 33 years, and now youre not in that fight, Meyer toldCleveland.com. So how do you fulfill that fight? And I feel that every morning. Every morning. Its all about a win and a loss for 33 years. I mean every day was. Not just youre getting ready for a game. No, no, no, no.Youre recruiting every day. Youre going against Alabama and Clemson every day, The Team Up North every day. Now youre not. Thats the number one void, is youre not in a fight.

Meyer has said his health has improved since he walked away nearly a year ago when faced with surgery to remove a fist-sized cyst in his brain or combat it away from the coaching profession at his physician's urging.

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Urban Meyer: 'It's a nice life out there' post-football - 247Sports

It's not uncommon to worry about the ramifications of change. Whether it comes from our own decisions or forces beyond our control, change in our personal and professional lives can be intimidating, but it's often necessary to keep growing and evolving.

Instead of fearing change, many coaching professionals recommend embracing it and viewing it as a positive force in your life. To help you do this, we asked the members of Forbes Coaches Council how someone can work toward embracing change. Based on their responses, here are some of the most effective strategies to try.

Forbes Coaches Council members discuss strategies for welcoming change with open arms.

1. Prepare For It

If you know change is necessary for your growth, prepare for it! Start small by implementing changes that are not too uncomfortable, like drinking more water versus joining a HIIT class or reading daily before registering for college courses. Ease your way into change, making it more manageable when big changes come. Once you see all the good from the changes, you'll be ready for more! - Miranda VonFricken, Miranda VonFricken Mastermind Coaching

2. Determine The Value

This might sound simple, but to make change, we have to determine the value of the change. We're human and being human means we don't do things simply for the sake of doing them, we need purpose, value or benefit out of our actions. We'll undertake great changes that we're excited about, such as getting married, moving or going to college, but some changes require reflection before action. - Dr. Teresa Ray, PCC, Dr. Teresa Ray

3. Keep Your Skills Current

In order to grow, embracing change is not optional. To adapt successfully, a good strategy is to be aware of your situation by regularly asking yourself questions such as what is your mission, purpose and what obstacles stand in your waythis will help you understand change and help you to build skills. Keeping your skills current is an effective strategy to add to your value and growth. - Elizabeth Ruiz, EAR Enterprises

4. Think About The Possibilities

Change is a necessary step in the growth process, and embracing change is all about having the right mindset. Being curious and committing yourself to see the advantages and learning opportunities in a given situation rather than the roadblocks and hurdles will enable you to gain needed perspective and orient yourself toward positive and deliberate action. - Dennis Volpe, LRI

5. Always Run Toward Only What You Want

Change can be scary and let's face it: Change is a permanent state today. Want to succeed gracefully when change occurs? Try this: Match your highest values and talents to the desired change. If they show up in what you are looking to do, run hard toward that change. If they do not show up at all, then pick a different way to get where you want to go. - John Hittler, Evoking Genius

6. Allow Change To Reveal Your Strengths

Change requires us to respond to new information, situations and environments. It tests our ability to succeed while adapting in new and creative ways and measures our resilience and personal agency. Recognizing change as a revolutionary agent of exposure and leadership capacity allows us to fear it less and accept it as a partner in building a more fulfilling and authentic life. - Joynicole Martinez, The Alchemist Agency

7. Redefine Change To Be Your 'Nirvana'

Redefining change as an opportunity to realize your dream outcome is a valuable mindset to adopt. Who wouldn't jump at the chance to make a positive impact on their own terms? By visualizing your "nirvana" end result and working toward achieving it, you will more likely stay motivated to see the results of the strategies you implement because they are aligned with your passions. - Karan Rhodes, Shockingly Different Leadership

8. Don't View Relapses As Failure

People expect changes will go upward. They anticipate blocks, but if they return to old ways of behavior, they think it is over and stop completely. A person might have some or many small lapses or relapses. The secret of change is to know that, stand up, dust yourself off and come back to the desired behavior. The key to success is to not let these setbacks undermine your self-confidence. - Inga Bieliska, Inga Arianna Bielinska Coaching Consulting Mentoring

9. Be Consistent In Your Actions And Motivation

Irrelevant from the purpose of the change, consistency in actions matter. Wanting to achieve change will inherently require consistent actions, which in turn is also one of the main reasons why desired results can't be achieved without it. It requires a mechanism that results in consistent actions that are greatly influenced by consistent motivation. - Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

10. Don't Just Embrace Change; Drive It

People have bemoaned change and the pace by which things change for millennia. With technological advances creating tectonic shifts in all aspects of life and with knowledge doubling occurring on average every 13 months, there is no time to "work to embrace" change. Today, change produces either growth or decline. The future is being created now and change catalysts have the edge. - Joseph Michelli, The Michelli Experience

11. Get An Accountability Partner

Scared by change? Others are too. And they want to help you and themselves change. Make them your accountability partner. Research shows that the more you follow up with your accountability partner, the more change you will achieve. I check in with my accountability partner, Paul, every week. We let go of what didn't serve us well the past week, celebrate wins and give advice for the week ahead. - Louis Carter, Best Practice Institute

12. Create An Achievable Roadmap To Change

Everything happens in measured time. We must create an achievable roadmap. The most effective way to achieve this outcome is a timeline and a strategy. Every chunk of time must be prepared for. Once you have created your timeline, you can prepare! Developing an action plan along with understanding how the change may be maintained creates effective habits. Predictability will bring calm and peace. - Stephynie Malik, Stephynie Malik, SMALIK Enterprises

13. Reduce The Ambiguity

Change is scary because it creates ambiguity. When we aren't sure what's on the other side, our brains take us to survival mode. When possible, seek answers or clarity on the change, and when they aren't known, take time to imagine all of the possibilities. When you can see a variety of ways forward, the ambiguity is calmed and we can lean in to grow from the change. - Christine Pouliot, Evocent Leadership Development

14. Make Change An Adventure

Our words and perceptions matter and impact our behavior and actions. Reframing the way we think about change is very valuable in whether we worry about it or we embrace it. Stop thinking about change as the big bad wolf"scary," "uncertain" and "negativeand start thinking about change as an adventure and a fun experience where we will learn and grow and have fun in the process. - Shefali Raina, Alpha Lane Partners

The rest is here:
14 Ways To Embrace And Accept Change In Your Life - Forbes

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Many of you express an interest in learning about executive coaching. You are asking about what kind of work coaches actually do. You are asking whether you can benefit from hiring and working with one, and you are asking what exactly it takes to become an executive coach. I know this because you have asked my office, you have asked some of our coaches and many of my colleagues, and you have asked me a lot.

While most questions come from prospective clients, many also come from various employees out there who wonder how they might undertake a career transition from their current roles and become an executive coach. And a good number of questions also come from current executives and management consultants who want to develop coaching skills so they can perform better as a supervisor or manager.

People come to coaching from many different outlets.In my case, executive coaching became a service I added on to management consulting and training work I was doing. It was in response to expanding needs and demands from clients. After years of advising and collaborating with executives and teams on strategy, performance, HR, project management, etc., I just couldnt ignore what I was learning. Senior managers and executives began expressing a real desire to go deeper. They wanted to receive more dedicated, personalized and focused attention to help them achieve strategic, operational, human capital and leadership goals.

Its not that organizational leaders were saying they didnt need or value consulting and training quite the contrary. But it got so that they didnt really want to let go after a consulting project or training workshop had concluded. They wanted to put a coach on the field to more readily address issues with leaders. They needed a coach who would assess organizational, team and individual challenges and then customize action plans, resource and competency development that would result in higher levels of success for both the organization and its executives and managers. So my journey to become a qualified and credentialed coach began, and now Im sharing my success tips with you.

Here are the five things I had to do to achieve success.

In the realm of executive coaching, you can expect to work primarily with C-suite execs, directors and managers from varying public and private entities. Sometimes you will deliver coaching for individuals, and sometimes you will deliver coaching for entire teams and executive committees. But first, do your homework.

Delve deeply to learn about the varying types of coaching which exist.There are all sorts of different coaches from motivational coaches, to executive coaches, to leadership coaches, to career coaches, to personal coaches and so forth.The Institute of Organization Development describes 15 different types of coaching. I suggest you research and study the key differences and similarities before you decide that executive coaching is actually the form you want to deliver. You might determine that another type of coaching is a better fit for you, or you may decide that you had coaching all wrong and now never want to do it at all.

Organizational leaders seek out executive coaching for myriad reasons, but foremost seems to be the desire to receive highly customized and confidential counsel, guidance and support in areas where you as the coach have developed a special expertise and talent. Those you coach will expect you to provide them a safe space to learn and grow while also holding them accountable for goal accomplishment. Before you can do this well, youll need to form a sound coaching philosophy.

An effective executive coaching philosophy should include, at a minimum, these three factors. It should

In a nutshell, my philosophy is that coaching is an experiential and highly personalized process that supports and advances the individual or teams capacity to achieve short and long-term goals. It is guided by mutual trust and respect and is predicated upon the coachs ability to create a process and environment whereby those being coached can and will examine issues more deeply, think differently and then define their own solutions to complicated challenges. It is a partnership that establishes a platform for the executive to receive customized feedback and guidance to maximize organizational, professional and personal performance.

What is your coaching philosophy? If you want to build a successful career as an executive coach, youll have to develop a sound philosophy and be able to articulate it at the ready.

INFOGRAPHIC. Click to download or view larger Image. The Difference Between An Executive Coach And ... [+] An Advisor.

Though you might have a tendency to sometimes exchange the word consulting for the word advising, youd be mistaken to do the same with coaching. The gap between advising and coaching is larger than the gap between advising and consulting.

Executive coaches and executive advisors both add institutional and leadership value for delivering results, but they take different approaches and use different processes to get people there. An executive coachs process is designed to help clients achieve results by creating behavior change and developing the skills, thinking and competencies necessary for success. An advisors process is designed to help clients achieve results first. If theres time to change behavior and develop skills, thinking and competence, they might put effort toward that, but the goal is to deliver expertise, answers and solutions first.

As an executive coach, your job will be to help your clients get where they want to go by pulling from and channeling the best within them. As an advisor, your job will be to help your clients get where they want to go by pulling from the best within themselves and also more regularly imparting your own expertise or answers for success. The distinction is notable, and you really should consider it before investing in becoming an executive coach. You may think that you want a career as executive coach when you actually want to be an advisor or consultant.

Certainly, there is no problem with becoming both an executive coach as well as an advisor; you just need to know the distinctions. You dont want to do all the work to get clients and then disappoint them because you are doing coaching work with them, but they expected someone who would quickly give them answers, develop solutions and maybe even lead the project work.

Do you appreciate the differences? If you want to build a successful career as an executive coach, youll need to be able to explain these differences to prospective clients so that you establish upfront the right expectations for the process. You should also define all your deliverables, outcomes and contracts with this understanding in mind.

Whether you simply desire to add a coaching component to enhance your current supervisory, management or leadership abilities so you can help your staff and teams perform better or you desire a complete career change or career transition into the realm of executive coaching, you really should design a thoughtful coaching methodology and process to ensure success.

I already recommended that you research varying coaching philosophies as you move to define your own, and I make that same recommendation here. Reach out to successful coaches, explore different coaching programs and methods, check out the many coaching certification programs and organizations out there and then decide what coaching methods and processes you might apply to best serve your target audience or client base.

An effective executive coaching methodology and process will contemplate and provide for many different factors, including these.

Again, I added coaching work to an already established management consulting and training portfolio. But as I grew more committed to the value and benefits of executive coaching, I realized Id have more success with a clearly defined executive coaching methodology and framework so I designed one, and its called DREAR a superior coaching model.

DREAR proven to consistently deliver results helps me and my team of coaches engage in a deliberative process to define the purpose, competencies and behaviors that need to be modified and maximized. It guides our method of systematically linking performance goals to organizational strategy. And by integrating the five components of development, resources, education, accountabilities and results, DREAR helps executives, managers and directors maximize leadership contributions and build capabilities to more fully contribute to organizational success.

What is your coaching methodology and process? If you want to build a successful career as an executive coach, youll have to design a clear and understandable method and process that you can easily replicate but also customize and refine when and as necessary to meet the needs of those you coach.

Bad coaches come in all shapes and sizes. Good coaches do too. No one has yet demonstrated conclusively what makes an executive coach qualified or what makes one approach to executive coaching better than another, says Harvard Business Reviews Stratford Sherman and Alyssa Freas. While things may have improved some since 2004 when Sherman and Freas described the Wild West of Executive Coaching, I argue they havent improved enough.

Life-long learning.

Today, there is an abundance of coaching organizations and education and certification programs out there, but good and bad executive coaches still come from all of them. You have to define for yourself what specific education, certification and experiences you believe will make you a great coach, but more importantly you should remain dedicated to life-long learning because what you learned three years ago may not keep you at the forefront of what your prospective clients may need today. Everything is moving faster so make a point to stay current to ensure you can be competitive.

To establish credibility, youll want to have a solid background of accomplishment and success in your own right with hands-on experience, education and certifications (where necessary) to match. Its difficult to narrow the educational and certification paths of the many, many executive coaches out there, but suffice it to say that as you define the specialty areas and parameters for your coaching work (i.e., strategy, operations, change, performance, leadership, conflict management, human resources, etc.), its to your advantage to consider a wide range of courses, certifications and maybe college degrees to elevate your credibility in your chosen specialty area(s).

Confidence and temperament.

Executive coaching is not some kind of remedial service for low or poor performers quite the contrary.Instead, its specifically designed for high performers and those who hold themselves to higher standards of success and desire to operate at their greatest potential. And though there is no one prescribed background that fits best for this kind of work, there is an ideal temperament. Youll need to be very comfortable working with highly accomplished, powerful and sometimes demanding senior-level and C-suite executives. You will need to be comfortable with ambiguity, offer flexibility with scheduling and format and be prepared to customize your methods and processes even the forum or platform as necessary to meet your clients needs.

Executive coaches tend to work mostly with you guessed it executives and an organizations senior directors and leaders, but we also work with mid-level supervisors and managers as well. To be successful, you need to be able to influence high-powered and assertive individuals with confidence.

Finally, it is most important that you are an adept leader yourself and can be direct enough to hold other leaders accountable.Discipline, focus and timeliness are critical as well. You should brush up on your communication and negotiation skills and be very comfortable with conflict and debate while displaying an executive presence.

If you decide you either want to add coaching as a side gig or actually build a successful career as an executive coach, youll need to define a pricing model for your business. Before you ever get your first client, decide on a pricing model and determine what your coaching fees will be.

The Institute of Coaching provides good guidance for how to start pricing your coaching services and describes five different types of pricing models.

A lot of this can be a challenge early on, but youll want to define it well in advance of bringing on your first client. Its important to make sure that you set pricing that makes you competitive but doesnt undersell your talents and abilities. Take this into account as you define your coaching fees; they vary greatly depending on several things including:

When I first started, I used the performance-based pricing model and then moved to the hourly-rate pricing model. Today, my company primarily uses the package-based pricing model and has had great success with it for the past nine years. Clients we work with select coaching packages (i.e., a three-month package, a six-month package, a one-year package and so forth). The most commonly purchased packages are our six-month package and the 18-month package.

I recommend you try using flat-rate, fixed-project fee contracts because they will streamline your processes, create more efficiency and avoid the possibility that your clients start to feel the nickel-and-dime syndrome where they think you are greedily charging them for every single extra thing you do for them.

If you still want to become a coach - and specifically an executive coach - after reading this and following up with additional research, go for it! But if your research leads you to completely scrap the idea or follow a different type of coaching path, thats fine too.

My goal was to share with you the kind of information I wish someone had shared with me in the beginning. Whats important is that you dont let a lack of information cause you to shy away from achieving your career goals. Learn what it takes for any career field that interests you and then make it happen.

More here:
Do These 5 Things If You Want A Career As An Executive Coach - Forbes

PHOENIX This story was going to be different.

If Monty Williams had decided to disappear, to head for the hills after the fatal car accident on that February night in Oklahoma City had taken his wife, Ingrid, and nearly wrecked their whole family for good, this conversation would have happened somewhere in Wyoming. No more coaching. No more basketball. No more spotlight.

The love of his life, the 44-year-old mother of their five children, the woman who had been there for him from the Notre Dame days to his pro playing career and beyond, was gone. So maybe he would succumb to the sadness, just pack up their kids and run toward the sanctity and solitude of the great wide open. And who could blame him?

I was done, Williams, who was an assistant with the Oklahoma City Thunder at the time, toldThe Athletic last week in Phoenix, where hes five months into this return to the head coaching ranks. I was just gonna go. I was going to take my kids...

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'I still have unbelievable, tough moments:' Monty Williams on love, death, coaching and the chance to do it... - The Athletic

Theres a merge happening which may puta new spin into the fitness routine of many in the tri-city area. Earlier thismonth, fitness coach Kaycee Moeckel and spin instructor/business ownerStephanie Western joined forces.

Western first opened Surge CyclingStudio in the fall of 2018. Earlier this fall she approached Moeckel with aproposition. Motivated by her ability to lead a class as well as her passionand energy, Western offered Moeckel the opportunity to join her as a spininstructor.

Moeckel shared while she was flatteredby the proposition, it was not one which spoke to her heart. While she lovedWesterns energy and the way she worked with her classes the fitness coach sawherself more as a student than a teacher.

The proposition, however, was notwithout purpose and reason, as Moeckel found herself without work in anindustry shes long loved in early October. With a husband out of work, while caringfor his father and a six-month-old baby on her hip, the fun loving coach foundherself fighting off depression.

After my week of great depression, Iput my big girl panties on and I moved forward and it started small, Moeckelsaid of her resurrection and the beginning of her business Grace and Grit.

Pretty much explains my situation, shesaid of her life currently. 2019, the only great thing that came out of it wasthe birth of my son. Everything else was horrible ... on top of, on top of, ontop of. Thats where the grit comes in. It doesnt get to define me. Lifecircumstances are going to come and go. It doesnt get to define who I am orhow I handle things.

Moeckel spent four years of her lifecoaching clients from the Oakdale, Riverbank and Escalon areas in a boot campenvironment. An environment which she first entered into as a client and hadsuch a passion for she was offered a job. In early October the doors closed andthe job ended, but her clients remained, many offering to hire her for personaltraining, while others offered to invest in her as a business venture.

They see something in me. Just as I sawsomething in them and I love them for that, the coach said. We didnt justcreate a gym, we created a family. I want to open that opportunity to thosepeople that are out there afraid, in letting life determine their path.

The fitness enthusiast, with a passionfor people shared personally speaking shes aware some might raise an eyebrowat first meeting. Since the birth of her son, she too has struggled withreturning to her once fit body. The process now a bit different and morechallenging than it once was before and shes okay with that.

Now I get to look at my clientele in awhole different light, she said. The struggle is real. Its not coming easyright now. Its a new learning experience. The grace part of it comes from thefact of being kind to myself in the process and to others.

In the interim between relocating andopening Grace and Grit at the current Surge Cycle Studio at 122 N. Sierra,Oakdale, Moeckel set up shop in a home gym of a client who generously offeredthe space until something else came through. A transition spot she shared shewas grateful for, yet was thrilled when Western approached her a second timeand offered to share the space with her.

The two businesses will now operateunder one roof, offering two services for one flat fee. Three days a weekclients can pump iron and strength train with Moeckel and the other three get theircardio up spinning with Western. A monthly fee of $100 offers clients unlimitedaccess. Theres also a drop in fee, as well as a punch card for thoseinterested in limited visits.

You literally get everything and yourbody is going to respond in ways, most bodies ... our bodies havent worked outlike this before, Moeckel said of merging the two workout opportunities.

My motto has always been and alwayswill be, that Im going to give you the best 45 minutes of your day. Thatdoesnt include my stuff, the coach said. Thats always what Ive been trueto.

As she looks to the new space andpartnership, the coach shared shes excited not just for the business opportunitybut the ability to continue to touch lives. While some clients have stayed withher through the changes, others have found new paths and for her thats okay.

Go embrace other peoples worlds too,she said of her words to clients. The best part about what I do and the reasonwhy I love what I do, is because its like doing crafts with glitter. You cantjust get the glitter on the craft, you get it everywhere else too and you findit forever.

If they dont come back to me thatsokay, because theyre touching lives, she continued. Spread my sparkle.

If I was only doing this for the money,Id be personal training, she stated.

Grace and Grit and Surge Cycle Studioare open six days a week. For additional information visit their Facebook pageor call (209) 272-6802.

Right now I have an option to touchlives, Moeckel added. Thats why Im doing what I do. I want to be the bestpart of somebodys day.

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Spinning Fitness To A Level Of Grace And Grit - Riverbank News

The news was not entirely unexpected, but the future is now in Toronto, where Sheldon Keefe has replaced Mike Babcock as coach of the Maple Leafs. The spotlight will be searing on the 39-year-old, so who is Keefe? Talking to both friends and foes of the former AHL Marlies coach, hes a guy that players want to win with.

Im ecstatic for Keefer, said Marlies right winger Jeremy Bracco. He groomed me and gave me a chance to blossom in this league and I like to give a lot of credit for the things Ive accomplished to him. Hes a guy you want to play for and you go through a wall for a guy like that. Hes honest, hes got his players backs and hes a lot of fun to be around at the rink.

For the past four seasons, Keefe has been helming the Marlies and helped turn them into a force. Toronto won the Calder Cup championship in 2018 with a fast roster that included future Maple Leafs such as Andreas Johnsson (MVP of the playoffs), Travis Dermott, Frederik Gauthier, Trevor Moore, Dmytro Timashov and Pierre Engvall, not to mention Carl Grundstrom, who now plays for Los Angeles. The Marlies made the conference final again last year before falling to the eventual champs from Charlotte and this year, Toronto was once again one of the top teams in the league, sitting atop the North Division when Keefe left.

Replacing him temporarily are Marlies assistants A.J. MacLean and Rob Davison. MacLean did media duties after Wednesday nights overtime win over Laval and was effusive in his praise for Keefe, whom he also worked with in Sault Ste. Marie with the OHLs Greyhounds.

For me personally, he means everything to my career, MacLean said. Along with my father and Kyle Dubas, theyre the people who groomed me to be what I am. Once I got done playing, they took a chance on me in the Soo and every step of the way hes been an incredible mentor and basically a big brother to me through life and coaching.

Keefe and Dubas who has now been Keefes boss in the NHL, AHL and OHL obviously have great history together and current Greyhounds GM Kyle Raftis (who worked with Keefe in his final year with the Hounds) sees kindred spirits in the Maple Leafs GM and his new bench boss.

They see the game the same way, Raftis said. They speak the same language and there is a lot of trust between the two of them.

Leafs fans will also like the idea of Keefes flexibility. While the coach obviously has his systems, Raftis noted that Keefe was great at making in-game adjustments and could adapt to different situations, depending on the opponent.

In an ideal world, Keefes strategies will unleash Torontos top-end stars.

Sheldon likes to play fast, said Marlies center Adam Brooks. And with the skill they have up there, I think theyll do great with him as coach.

But dont just take his friends word for it. I also asked a pro scout from another NHL team what he thought of Keefe and he loved the hire. He saw Keefes Marlies as a team where the defensemen could really push the puck forward and because of that, the scout anticipates that a player such as Tyson Barrie will really take a step forward under the new regime.

Puck possession will be important and that might even mean a step up for a player such as Timashov. Perhaps most importantly, however, is that the scout believed that Torontos stars Auston Matthews and William Nylander, for example will flourish under a new voice that wont favor older players the way Babcock did. Babcock was also tough to play for and Keefes personality may help the stars, too. His Marlies saw that: Keefe keeps things light, while also getting the job done.

You know where you stand, Bracco said. You know where you are in the lineup, you know what you need to do to contribute and he expects you to get better in the areas that youre not so good at. Hes very easy to talk to about life, not even hockey. Hes always been there, open-door policy, and I think theyll appreciate that up there.

MacLean has seen Keefes handiwork up front for years now and he sees a man who knows the key to success:

Details, he said. Hes a very detailed guy; he demands it. Hes well-pronounced when he explains what he wants to see and every detail matters. No stone goes unturned.

For a market that has been craving another Stanley Cup since 1967, thats a good thing to hear.

He genuinely cares about every player that has come through here, MacLean said. He puts the time and effort in to make sure each and every player has the opportunity to reach their maximum potential. The guys go through a wall for him here.

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Ryan Kennedy

Ryan Kennedy is the associate senior writer and draft/prospect expert at The Hockey News. He has been with the publication since 2005 and in that span, Don Cherry, Lil Jon and The Rock have all called his house. He lives in Toronto with his wife and kids where he listens to loud music and collects NCAA pennants.

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How will Sheldon Keefe change the Maple Leafs? Friends and foes weigh in - The Hockey News

CALGARY Orlando Steinauer, Grey Cup coach, leader of men, never knew his father.

He grew up just outside Seattle as an only child of a drug-addicted single mom of little education: being alone was a daily part of his childhood.

Often he would wake up for school in an empty home, feed himself whatever there was to eat, return to that same kind of emptiness after school, usually after a sporting practice of some kind. He was, in his own words a latchkey kid partly bringing himself up, partly with the help of his grandfather.

And now, at the age of 46, a head football coach, a husband, a father of three. And now, not just a dad but a superdad. And now, having won the Grey Cup as a player in both Hamilton and Toronto, having won as an assistant coach with the Argos, this has been his first year as a head coach: The Tiger-Cats have a 16-3 record heading into Sundays Grey Cup game against Winnipeg.

His father would be proud of him if he had any idea who his father was.

Steinauer is different from almost any football coach youll find anywhere. Hes consumed the way coaches generally are consumed. Hes ambitious the way most coaches are ambitious. Hes driven the way most football coaches seem to be driven.

But three years ago, when he left the CFL to coach at Fresno State, as an assistant to former Hamilton quarterback Jeff Tedford, he was on the fast track. He was one of those names on the move. About to become the next great somebody. In his first year in U.S. college football, he was up for the prestigious assistant coach of the year award. He was a phone call away from getting a big-time college job.

But two different calls came instead. One from Marc Trestman, then with the Argos, who wanted him on his staff in Toronto. The other from Scott Mitchell, president of the Ticats, who made an offer Steinauer couldnt in the end refuse. He wanted Steinauer to return to Hamilton, work on a staff with former NFL stalwarts June Jones and Jerry Glanville, then transition into being the head coach of the Ticats.

So think about this: Hes living in California coaching at Fresno. He bought a house. Hes doing great. The three girls are in school. And he had the chance to return to Hamilton in the CFL of all places?

And he said yes?

Who picks Hamilton over California?

Steinauer did, almost entirely for family reasons. Coaching in the NFL, the ultimate goal for so many, is a 16-hour day, 360-day, sleep in the office kind of job. You live football. You breath football.

Its pretty much all you know.

Steinauer loves football and loves family. The CFL gave him that better life he couldnt find elsewhere. The league is not all year round. The days may be long during the season but you have an off-season, you have time to watch your oldest daughter play NCAA basketball or be involved in whatever endeavours your younger two daughters happen to be engaged with.

Long before this happened, back in 2003, while playing in the CFL he and his wife made a decision. They would find a place to live. One place. This would be home. They would become Canadian citizens. They wouldnt live the life of sporting nomads.

In football, not only are you year to year, youre game to game and I didnt want it to end abruptly so we worked hard to become landed.

His daughters Taeya and Rheyna were born in Canada. This is home, he said of Canada. I never wanted to be one of these guys on the move all the time. It was important to be stable. I think growing up without a dad, I thought about that a lot as I got older. And it made me think a lot about what kind of parent I wanted to be.

Football isnt who I am, its what I do, said Steinauer. I know for others its different. Its not for me to judge them. But I know what matters to me and our family. I want to see my kids. I want to be a part of their lives. This jobs allows me to be that.

Football matters so much to me. It gave me a life. It gave me a career. The CFL has afforded me a certain lifestyle that works for me.

And now, Sunday. The opportunity to win his first Grey Cup in his first season as a head coach. The Ticats first possible Grey Cup win in 20 years. He starred on that team two decades now. This championship means the world to him. But so does his family for a kid who grew up with next to no family.

When you grow up without something, you feel it, its with you, said Steinauer. When I became a dad, I didnt just want to be a parent. I wanted to great at it. I wanted to be there. Thats who I am. This (the game, his family) means the world to me.

ssimmons@postmedia.com

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SIMMONS: The dad coach Steinauer never knew would be proud of his son - Toronto Sun

I probably wouldnt be in football if it wasnt for this, no. I was so disillusioned with the game, says Tony McNally, as he reflects on how his life has changed in the last nine months.

At the start of the year, he was left jobless on the outside of a coaching world he had dedicated his entire adult life to. But now he has found a reprieve in the unlikeliest of places: Ytterhogdal, a picturesque Swedish town of 530 people where he trains a fourth-tier side that is unique in more ways than one.

Its a place where the nearest airport is a two-hour drive away, the snow can be six-foot deep and temperatures fluctuate between 38C and -38C. It is extremely isolated but on a street called Skolvagen, there is a British community. While there more out of necessity than choice, and harbouring desires to return home, its this community that is investing their lives into making a success of Ytterhogdals IK.

It is a place that...

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From Clyde to Ytterhogdal - meet the Scottish coach spreading his wings in the Swedish fourth tier - The Athletic