sports: health & fitness
CHILDHOOD: As a child, Greg learned firsthand that an athlete can have an immense impact in the community. Due to his efforts to raise money for charity through a Read-a-thon, he got to spend time (photo) with NFL players over the course of several years. They urged him to devote more time to those educational & civic efforts -- encouragement which helped spark a lifelong interest in reading, volunteerism & philanthropy. Scroll Down
PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS: Greg has always participated in athletics -- from Little League as a child, to three varsity sports as a teen, to an all-in-fun "tryout" with the Minnesota Twins' AAA team' as an adult. Along the way, he has had other sports-related experiences including: Honorary Bat Boy for a Day for the Chicago Cubs and throwing out the first pitch at a game for the Charlotte Knights (Chicago White Sox AAA affiliate). In 2009, he was injured badly while volunteering & had surgery right away on his spine. Click here to read the USA Triathlon article about the sprint triathlon he did three years later. Scroll Down
SPORTS & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT: Sports (basketball, in particular) had a major role in the mentoring program that Greg started. Prominent figures in sports & fitness have played meaningful roles in the foundation he started. Individuals such as MLB player Eric Young & NFL player Jim Miller have served on the foundation's Scholarship Boards. The contributors to the foundation have included individuals such as NHL legend Chris Chelios & organizations like Fitness Formula Clubs (FFC). Scroll Down
BOOKS: The books, workbooks &/or posters based on Greg's story have been used internally (e.g. for their own staff/members) or externally (e.g. for local students) by organizations & individuals including Minnesota Vikings, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers pitcher Michael Fulmer & his reps at BBI Sports Group, Chicago Bears, LA Fitness, Olympic hockey player (Canada) Chay Genoway, ACE Cheerleading, Saturday Place (co-founded by former NFL player Rashied Davis), Seattle Seahawks & St. John's University women's soccer team Scroll Down
EVENTS: Greg has spoken at events for student-athletes at different universities and events for those in health-related fields (e.g. conference for nurses in Canada). At times, he has been one of multiple speakers at an event. In those cases, the other presenters have included former University of Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne and then-University of Kansas football coach David Beaty. Scroll Down
ARTICLES & INTERVIEWS: Greg has written profiles or conducted interviews for different publications (e.g. Oklahoma Sports & Fitness Magazine) -- including articles about a collegiate student-athlete, a basketball camp owner, a minor league baseball player, an NBA assistant coach, an MLB staff member, and an NFL executive. In one instance, he wrote a column about the lessons learned from time in a wheelchair. In another case, he did a photo/journal essay for a newspaper about Friday Night Lights high school football in Texas.