Business
Mitch Kekel is a former DIII Football Player for Linfield College. Mitch is a long-time friend, we grew up competing against each other in sports. He is one of the most positive, hard working people I've ever met.In this episode we talk about the following (Tune in for Part II coming soon!):Story behind the Portland French SchoolFluent in French by the 5th gradeHad already traveled to Europe 3 times by the time I was 14.My love for sports began when i attended my first Oregon State football Game when i was 5. By 8, I knew I wanted to be a college football player. Grew up playing sports my whole life. I played Football, Basketball and Baseball all the way up until High school where I focused on Football and Basketball.Played youth football against each other. I grew up where if I played sports, trained for these sports and did well in school I did not have to get a job. I was extremely fortunate that my parents could afford to pay for outside training velocity, the yard, new athlete, gym memberships, Barton Camps, combines etc. In high school this is what i focused on football, basketball, training, school. Junior Year of high school. I tore my ACL. Humbling experience/taught be about adversity, made me appreciate life,sports, and basic functions like going to the bathroom. Worked my ass off to get back onto the field. 9 months later i was playing in my first game. Linfield Bound!College College Football at LinfieldFreshman Year I thought I was the man. Physically I could play. But the mental part of the game is where i really struggled. I had no football IQ.When I found out i did not make the travel roster I was so devastated I threw up. I was dedicated to learning the defense. But it a very slow process and i never really made significant strides. Playoffs I did not make the travel roster. Sophomore year. Realized i wasn’t working hard enough. I was not invested enough to become successful. Mindset change. Work ethic change. Changed who i surrounded myself with. Poured everything i had into it. Results came. Relentless enthusiasm, passion and Energy. That is what separated me from the rest of people. Senior Year. studied abroad in the french caribbean. Graduated with a political science degree and french minor. Plan was law school. Not ready for that financial commitment or time commitment. France!I wasn’t ready for the fun to stop and wanted to take this opportunity to use my language skills and travel. Got a teaching job as an english teacher in the South of France in the city of Marseille. Parents bought me a one way ticket to france and the journey began. Taught 4 days/week. Every 6 weeks I traveled to 3 different cities or countries i’d never been to. Fell in love with teaching and working with kids. Parents came down for 3 weeks in the summer.Next Steps2020 altered all of our lives… We had to adjust and make some lifestyle changes / adapt to the “new norm”How have you adapted, what new habits have you created for yourself that have helped you moving forward?What are you looking to accomplish in 2021? What’s next for you?Social MediaNet negative or net positive for society? And whyMAKE TODAY COUNT.-Cooper