last year I helped get Inky Johnson to come speak at son's school after seeing a post about him on HSBBW. he did an AMAZING job! I encourage all of you to watch some of his videos if you have a moment. solid stuff.
the school has asked me to suggest a speaker for August.
I looked at Chris Herren and loved his message, but didn't feel his style would connect with 7th-12th graders as strongly as Inky did.
any suggestions?
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I don't know your budget, but I'm a big fan of Herm Edwards as a speaker.
max $10K budget. Herm about double that from what I saw on Google.
$10,000 dollar budget for a speaker?? I am assuming this is not a public school?
Brian Cain was pretty good
Domingo ayala
Years ago, I took my youth baseball travel team to listen to Anthony Grant talk to a large crowd. We were lucky enough to finagle some seats up front. You could feel Mr Grant looking at you one of my players said....and I felt it too. Anthony Grant was the Head Basketball Coach at VCU (before Shaka Smart) in Richmond, VA. He was as outstanding speaker....as outstanding as he was intense. I'll never forget it. He left VCU for Alabama, and is now an assistant for OKC Thunder. He talked at length about being passionate for whatever path you chose in life. I would high recommend him. I'd also like to hear Herm Edwards as I think they may be cut from the same cloth.
On the flip side of the coin, I had the displeasure of listening to Bill Walton drone on about absolutely nothing for 45 minutes at a corporate event before leaving to grab a cab. I found out the next day Ol' Bill had another 45 minutes in him. As I'm getting a cab, my boss appears (apparently he couldn't take It either) and we share a cab back to hotel laughing all the way.
PS...Ed Helms was a really funny speaker at my oldest son's commencement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPnAnRsqia0
Dominik85 posted:Domingo ayala
Coach Kent Murphy?
fenwaysouth posted:
On the flip side of the coin, I had the displeasure of listening to Bill Walton drone on about absolutely nothing for 45 minutes at a corporate event before leaving to grab a cab. I found out the next day Ol' Bill had another 45 minutes in him. As I'm getting a cab, my boss appears (apparently he couldn't take It either) and we share a cab back to hotel laughing all the way.
this is outstanding, I hated having to listen to him broadcast a basketball game. I can't imagine how bad he would have been with no script. The real question is who hired and why they would have thought he was good candidate for business event! Maybe to host a deadhead party or introduce phish (yea we all a period at some point in our lives) but not a business event.
Coach Mark McKenzie and Chris Herren are the 2 best speakers that I've had the pleasure of listening too.
A good friend just heard Chris Herren. He said that the talk he gave the kids was dialed down from the talk he later gave the parents and teachers. Said both were great.
Scott Mann is a friend of a friend (and he's a Central Arkansas alum). Should be within your budget. Send me a PM if you'd like me to connect you.
First guy I would try to reach would be Lefty Driesell, if he's still in good enough health these days. I heard him speak many years ago, and it was on par with some of the best stand-up acts you'll ever see. But I think he's like 85 now and, as I haven't heard from him in some years, I worry that the years may have caught up to him.
A guy who in the Richmond, VA area is Dick Tarrant. He's also 85 but he lives near me and from what I can tell he's still quite youthful. Tarrant was the architect of the U. of Richmond Spiders basketball upsets of the mid/late1980's. He's a very humble fellow. I don't know that he gives many talks, but he's a guy worth a phone call to find out.
I could also suggest a non-athletic option to you if that would suit your needs. Let me know your parameters and your location.
location is in central Arkansas.
I'm not sure what his fee is, but Dr. Kevin Elko is the single best speaker I have witnessed. Dr. Elko's background is in sports psychology. He presently contracts in the financial services industry, but has been the team sports psychologist for several professional sports franchises, and currently (and for several years) works with Nick Saban at Alabama. He also worked with Florida State in the 90s.(Coincidental success??? Perhaps not) You may refer to him as more of a "leadership" or "life" coach. He's phenomenal.
Steve Springer is very entertaining.
Steve Springer is excellent. Nate Trosky is also outstanding. I see you're from Arkansas....have you thought about Marty Burlsworth? Different sport, but a great Arkansas story.
I'll do it for $6k.
Coach Aaron Thomas, son of Ed Thomas, in Aplington-Parkersburg, Iowa. Ed Thomas was shot and killed by a student with mental issues and a gun. Aaron has been doing inspirational speaking around Iowa, Arkansas isn't that far. http://aaronwthomas.com/
Brian Cain. You can find all kinds of his material on YouTube and check out his social media. He works with many of the Top D1 Programs in and high schools on year over year basis.
Briancain.com
Hands down - Coach Kenny May.
ClevelandDad posted:Hands down - Coach Kenny May.
Yes! 
