Sports Complex Owner Mike Stoever Sr.

Growing up Mike wasn’t a great student, he even talks about graduating in the bottom 1% of his class. He really found himself when he decided that college wasn’t for him. So at age 17 he found out that the Navy would be a good opportunity for him to take a career path and figure out the rest later.

It was the fear of failure that drove him to make his time in the Navy a success. He didn’t want to look like a failure to his friends and family back at home, so it was really important to him to do the best he could.

Later in life, he needed extra money to support his family so he took a part time job working at a local skating rink. With in a few years, he was a business partner at the rink and running his own roller hockey programs in the mid-90’s. Soon, it became apparent that the roller hockey programs were going to need their own building. So, the owner gave Mike the opportunity to lease a building that he was willing to build next to the current skating rink.

The Choice Sports complex was born, and Mike started hustling to fill the building to capacity. Today, many years later, the sports complex is thriving with many different sports available under the ownership of Mike.

Mike hopes to pass the sports complex down to one or both of his children at some point. Both of his children have expressed interest in running the sports complex well into the future.

I play roller hockey at this sports complex, so I was very happy when Mike decided to be a guest on my show. I think there is a lot of great lessons in this interview to be learned.

Buy Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3t9SfrfDZM

Episode 32

Transcription

1
[00:00:00],000 –> [00:00:05],40
this is the dreamers podcast where
dreamers shared their stories to inspire

2
[00:00:05],40 –> [00:00:06],330
you

3
[00:00:06],330 –> [00:00:12],000
now join host Joe Pardo as he interviews
a dreamer who’s living their dreams

4
[00:00:22],140 –> [00:00:24],510
yeah

5
[00:00:24],510 –> [00:00:28],560
welcome to the dreamers podcast I’m your
host Joe Pardo and today I’m

6
[00:00:28],560 –> [00:00:32],339
interviewing Michael stover senior who
is living history through running a

7
[00:00:32],340 –> [00:00:33],660
sports facility

8
[00:00:33],660 –> [00:00:37],110
welcome to the show Mike thank you Joe
great to be here it’s great to be here

9
[00:00:37],110 –> [00:00:39],510
it right in the sports facility

10
[00:00:39],510 –> [00:00:42],540
yeah let’s get started by giving some
background about yourself

11
[00:00:42],540 –> [00:00:47],850
I was born and raised in Philadelphia
went through schooling over there until

12
[00:00:47],850 –> [00:00:51],840
middle school then we move through
jersey spent for my middle school years

13
[00:00:51],840 –> [00:00:56],489
always to the present living in south
jersey after high school when the US

14
[00:00:56],489 –> [00:01:01],530
Navy spent six years in the Navy cut out
of service family job you will be going

15
[00:01:01],530 –> [00:01:05],370
to college part-time at night not really
knowing which direction in life I wanted

16
[00:01:05],370 –> [00:01:10],770
to go or where life was going to take me
and kind of stumbled upon this this job

17
[00:01:10],770 –> [00:01:16],289
and I mean now it kinda dumb walk really
be honest with you and I’ve been in this

18
[00:01:16],290 –> [00:01:17],820
business for over 20 years now

19
[00:01:17],820 –> [00:01:21],750
well first of all thank you for your
service i appreciate but honestly people

20
[00:01:21],750 –> [00:01:26],940
that know me know some of my best
stories and and I’ve been won the spin a

21
[00:01:26],940 –> [00:01:31],259
tale or two usually start with this
catchphrase when I was in the needy and

22
[00:01:31],260 –> [00:01:36],390
it goes from there so I i really really
thoroughly enjoyed my time in the

23
[00:01:36],390 –> [00:01:41],340
service and you know it was it was it
was really an honored to wear uniform

24
[00:01:41],340 –> [00:01:42],60
honestly

25
[00:01:42],60 –> [00:01:46],860
well if you’d like to you can get a
story speak

26
[00:01:46],860 –> [00:01:52],260
someone may not be you know right for
public consumption at this point that we

27
[00:01:52],260 –> [00:01:53],850
may be on the next show

28
[00:01:53],850 –> [00:01:58],410
well what would you say inspires you
well you know i I’ve always I’ve always

29
[00:01:58],410 –> [00:02:02],460
been the type of person among I’m an
energetic person you know I enjoy

30
[00:02:02],460 –> [00:02:07],289
getting up in the morning I i enjoy just
doing something it doesn’t matter what

31
[00:02:07],290 –> [00:02:10],470
happens to be it could be the smallest
thing in life to me that they will

32
[00:02:10],470 –> [00:02:15],120
inspire me honestly and genuinely which
say probably the biggest thing inspires

33
[00:02:15],120 –> [00:02:19],409
me is just people to me a good day to me
is is a day that I made a friend a good

34
[00:02:19],409 –> [00:02:23],700
friend or a new friend that inspires I
I’ve always been people person

35
[00:02:23],700 –> [00:02:27],480
I’m drew my people it never ceases to
amaze me that there’s so many different

36
[00:02:27],480 –> [00:02:32],159
people out there that have so many
different opinions and likes and

37
[00:02:32],159 –> [00:02:37],230
dislikes and you know whatever vast
topic you know of

38
[00:02:37],230 –> [00:02:41],819
best you know topics but that’s that’s
always been a guy I always enjoy people

39
[00:02:41],819 –> [00:02:43],890
i met a friend today i made a new friend
today

40
[00:02:43],890 –> [00:02:48],569
oh yeah yeah but you know new tenant
across more building and in a little

41
[00:02:48],569 –> [00:02:52],409
strip center and I happened to get some
of their mail delivered to our building

42
[00:02:52],409 –> [00:02:56],69
and I walked over and introduce myself
and I went up spending about 25 minutes

43
[00:02:56],69 –> [00:03:00],599
we’re talking to the sky as an insurance
broker and you know I i made a new

44
[00:03:00],599 –> [00:03:04],980
friend today and it was good i mean
these is good guy and like I said it’s

45
[00:03:04],980 –> [00:03:06],569
just something simple as that

46
[00:03:06],569 –> [00:03:10],768
well let’s first talk about going into
the navy how did that come about well

47
[00:03:10],769 –> [00:03:22],200
Joe I i was i was not what you were
considering a very scholastic oriented

48
[00:03:22],200 –> [00:03:26],578
person as a young as a young person I I
didn’t take my my high school career

49
[00:03:26],579 –> [00:03:28],19
very seriously

50
[00:03:28],19 –> [00:03:32],400
I i didn’t i didn’t work very hard at
grades and I didn’t work very hard

51
[00:03:32],400 –> [00:03:37],379
trying to impress teachers enough to
give me a good grade on some fronts it

52
[00:03:37],379 –> [00:03:40],920
could be looked at as you know some
teachers just thought i was lazy

53
[00:03:41],430 –> [00:03:46],530
I just never really get back there was
never really inspired enough I don’t

54
[00:03:46],530 –> [00:03:51],630
think through high school to really go
out and go over and above and try to

55
[00:03:51],630 –> [00:03:56],190
achieve Sodor my high school years i was
really an underachiever i had a hundred

56
[00:03:56],190 –> [00:04:01],590
eighty five kids are so my graduating
class i think i was ranked 180 185 kids

57
[00:04:01],590 –> [00:04:05],819
so they don’t go to where I’m talking
about you know the depths that the under

58
[00:04:05],819 –> [00:04:10],440
cheating actually sang too i have to
look back and I always remember a

59
[00:04:10],440 –> [00:04:14],130
conversation I had with my mom and i was
when i was in tenth grade I brought in

60
[00:04:14],130 –> [00:04:19],48
my report card it was not very good i
think the highest grade was was in a

61
[00:04:19],48 –> [00:04:25],169
which was in gym and then from Jim it is
saying down to like a scene in english

62
[00:04:25],169 –> [00:04:30],299
and then just went from there so I I
brought home a standard you know like

63
[00:04:30],300 –> [00:04:36],000
stover report card which was pretty dad
and my mom pulled me aside and she said

64
[00:04:36],000 –> [00:04:41],760
it is this the best you can do is just
the best you can do and I said yes

65
[00:04:41],760 –> [00:04:43],740
that’s the best I can do

66
[00:04:43],740 –> [00:04:48],150
and she said if this is the best you can
do then then I’m not gonna worry about

67
[00:04:48],150 –> [00:04:52],830
it because i only want you to do the
best you can do but you know and I know

68
[00:04:52],830 –> [00:04:57],30
that you’re smarter than this and you
can do better work than this if you

69
[00:04:57],30 –> [00:04:57],809
really wanted to

70
[00:04:57],810 –> [00:05:00],690
so I’m not going to worry about it i’m
not going to punch you I’m not going to

71
[00:05:00],690 –> [00:05:06],360
make it do more chores I just want you
to do the best you can do and i took

72
[00:05:06],360 –> [00:05:10],20
that to heart and I planted my way
through high school the rest of the way

73
[00:05:10],20 –> [00:05:17],159
that because it was almost like you know
my mom gave me a free pass but i’ll

74
[00:05:17],159 –> [00:05:21],509
never forget the words that she said
were this report card makes you look

75
[00:05:21],509 –> [00:05:27],240
like you’re not smart but I know in my
heart that you’re smart and that’s what

76
[00:05:27],240 –> [00:05:33],539
I’m going to bank as i know you’re smart
and I think you know you’re so you do

77
[00:05:33],539 –> [00:05:37],469
what you have to do in school I know
that you can do much much better than

78
[00:05:37],470 –> [00:05:42],449
what you’re doing and I always
remembered it struck me in a sense

79
[00:05:42],449 –> [00:05:49],349
though to make a short story long to
have I got myself to go into the service

80
[00:05:49],349 –> [00:05:54],240
i graduated high school I had enrolled
at Glassboro State College which is now

81
[00:05:54],240 –> [00:05:58],889
Rowan University and in Glassboro New
Jersey I was there maybe a weekend

82
[00:05:58],889 –> [00:06:05],310
honestly and i looked around and i knew
that that I was completely out of my

83
[00:06:05],310 –> [00:06:06],90
element

84
[00:06:06],90 –> [00:06:11],219
I mean I didn’t belong there and i had a
friend of mine a good friend of mine too

85
[00:06:11],219 –> [00:06:15],599
we’ve been childhood friends and still
friends with them to this day I came

86
[00:06:15],599 –> [00:06:19],380
home from from college for the weekend
with my buddies house and it always

87
[00:06:19],380 –> [00:06:25],409
stuff on his desk about the US Navy I
looked at it which is all now he said

88
[00:06:25],409 –> [00:06:26],69
that

89
[00:06:26],69 –> [00:06:31],289
Oh going to list a neat is it really and
he said yeah use that it’s pretty good

90
[00:06:31],289 –> [00:06:34],740
use i’m going to bootcamp and you know
they’re going to go to school and you

91
[00:06:34],740 –> [00:06:38],370
know then you’re going to train me and
then I’m gonna go get a job and eating

92
[00:06:38],370 –> [00:06:42],60
I don’t want to go to college and this
is an opportunity for me to not only get

93
[00:06:42],60 –> [00:06:46],199
some education but also get paid for the
education you said so that’s what I’m

94
[00:06:46],199 –> [00:06:51],360
going to do and I said wow i’ll go to
mark my mom signed the papers because at

95
[00:06:51],360 –> [00:06:55],400
the time i was still only 17 so i went
home and i said my mom you

96
[00:06:55],400 –> [00:06:59],719
I want to join an 80 and she use not
joining the navy she was you’re going to

97
[00:06:59],720 –> [00:07:02],690
college and i told her i said i don’t
belong there

98
[00:07:02],690 –> [00:07:07],759
I don’t feel like I belong at a
university that’s not what I’m cut out

99
[00:07:07],759 –> [00:07:13],669
the day I said listen I’m only 17 I want
to list but you know I’m not 18 you have

100
[00:07:13],669 –> [00:07:18],469
to sign the papers for me and my parents
were divorced and I said listen if you

101
[00:07:18],470 –> [00:07:19],370
don’t sign

102
[00:07:19],370 –> [00:07:22],850
no I’m gonna call bad and I’m gonna I’m
gonna ask him to sign she reluctantly

103
[00:07:22],850 –> [00:07:26],900
signed the papers for me to go in and I
went up you know going into the service

104
[00:07:26],900 –> [00:07:34],789
quite frankly was probably the single
best decision i’ve i’ve made from from

105
[00:07:34],789 –> [00:07:38],210
from a career stamp probably the single
best decision ever

106
[00:07:38],210 –> [00:07:43],940
why would you say that well at that
point you know once you go into the

107
[00:07:43],940 –> [00:07:44],870
military

108
[00:07:44],870 –> [00:07:50],120
there’s no place for my stover from the
1975 1979 circle high school

109
[00:07:50],120 –> [00:07:54],560
there’s no there’s no place for that guy
either you’re going to conform and

110
[00:07:54],560 –> [00:07:58],460
you’re going to achieve what they want
you to achieve or you’re going to be put

111
[00:07:58],460 –> [00:08:05],150
out and the last thing that I wanted as
an individual and I guess you know this

112
[00:08:05],150 –> [00:08:09],409
is kind of carried me through my life is
I I never want to go back to my hometown

113
[00:08:09],410 –> [00:08:14],960
and and and tell the kids that I failed
I don’t want to tell my classmates or my

114
[00:08:14],960 –> [00:08:18],919
neighbors are my family my friends it
that I got I got kicked out of the

115
[00:08:18],919 –> [00:08:26],60
service so it was almost a situation
where you know I was I was fearful of of

116
[00:08:26],60 –> [00:08:36],650
becoming a failure in the military and
that kind of turned me in innocence

117
[00:08:36],650 –> [00:08:40],189
where I still I started to look at
myself a little bit differently i

118
[00:08:40],190 –> [00:08:44],540
started to think of myself differently i
started to think you know what you know

119
[00:08:44],540 –> [00:08:48],110
maybe I am smarter than I really gave
myself credit for maybe there is more

120
[00:08:48],110 –> [00:08:52],730
than I can do then just be you know
some-some dumped on the graduated you

121
[00:08:52],730 –> [00:08:59],270
know the bottom one percent my class and
the the fear of failure drove me to

122
[00:08:59],270 –> [00:09:05],89
become a better person and a better a
better sailor in the United States and

123
[00:09:05],89 –> [00:09:06],870
then take care of me wanted to

124
[00:09:06],870 –> [00:09:11],430
single life i mean i-i I went through
boot camp I went to a class a school in

125
[00:09:11],430 –> [00:09:15],989
millington tennessee and graduated
second in my class out of maybe 50

126
[00:09:15],990 –> [00:09:20],460
sailors which is isn’t great but I mean
for me at that point I was at the top

127
[00:09:20],460 –> [00:09:27],60
looking down rather than the bottom
looking up and that inspired me to work

128
[00:09:27],60 –> [00:09:32],369
harder I’m like wow I could I think
really well and and I didn’t have to

129
[00:09:32],370 –> [00:09:37],860
take a gym class to get an a you know I
i did well for myself and it was really

130
[00:09:37],860 –> [00:09:40],500
a life-changing experience

131
[00:09:40],500 –> [00:09:44],130
so let’s fast forward to how you got
involved with owning your own sports

132
[00:09:44],130 –> [00:09:55],770
facility that is that that’s something
that was never never my intention i got

133
[00:09:55],770 –> [00:10:03],779
out of the Navy and I took a job working
for consulting engineering firm and

134
[00:10:03],779 –> [00:10:08],730
started out as an entry-level position
and kind of work my way up when through

135
[00:10:08],730 –> [00:10:12],660
certification courses in engineering and
then I decided that I wanted to put

136
[00:10:12],660 –> [00:10:18],689
myself back into school and I went to
burlington county college growing t’en

137
[00:10:18],690 –> [00:10:22],800
in the members in New Jersey when i’m
going to school night working full-time

138
[00:10:22],800 –> [00:10:27],420
during the day and I i got an
associate’s degree in business

139
[00:10:27],420 –> [00:10:34],290
administration and it was again one of
those things were said to myself wow you

140
[00:10:34],290 –> [00:10:38],430
know what I want to Glasgow state
colleges a seventeen-year-old and I knew

141
[00:10:38],430 –> [00:10:44],40
that you know really belong there and
then is 22 or 23 year old I went back to

142
[00:10:44],40 –> [00:10:47],730
a community school and I’m saying to
myself I should have done this five

143
[00:10:47],730 –> [00:10:52],589
years ago but in any event i was working
part-time and met a lovely young lady

144
[00:10:52],589 –> [00:10:57],660
who I happen to marry and my job took me
to the point where i started to make a

145
[00:10:57],660 –> [00:11:02],370
little bit of money in life was like wow
doing pretty good here young guy 28 29

146
[00:11:02],370 –> [00:11:04],410
years old and make a little bit of money

147
[00:11:04],410 –> [00:11:08],939
my wife and I had our son our first son
was born and you know we’re living in a

148
[00:11:08],940 –> [00:11:12],779
condo at the time and was good you know
two-bedroom two-bath little condo we

149
[00:11:12],779 –> [00:11:13],360
want to

150
[00:11:13],360 –> [00:11:18],279
single-family home and we found herself
down here in Washington Township New

151
[00:11:18],279 –> [00:11:22],750
Jersey and we we bought a single-family
home we had decided when our son was

152
[00:11:22],750 –> [00:11:28],630
born that we wanted to raise our child
we wanted to be the primary caregivers

153
[00:11:28],630 –> [00:11:33],70
we wanted to be the ones that saw him
walk and talk and throw a baseball

154
[00:11:33],700 –> [00:11:36],820
we want to be the first ones to see all
those things you know I didn’t want to

155
[00:11:36],820 –> [00:11:39],550
find out at kindercare that my son

156
[00:11:39],550 –> [00:11:43],660
oh you’re some walk today or your son
ate spaghetti used by himself today we

157
[00:11:43],660 –> [00:11:48],819
know we wanted to be there for so moved
down here to Washington Township and the

158
[00:11:48],820 –> [00:11:56],19
gentleman who owned this facility prior
to me was was a friend of ours

159
[00:11:56],19 –> [00:12:00],279
my wife and I had known for a number of
years he found that move down here and

160
[00:12:00],279 –> [00:12:03],579
offer me a part-time job you know
working in you know one or two nights a

161
[00:12:03],579 –> [00:12:08],500
week we were roller skating at that time
and he said listen I could use a you

162
[00:12:08],500 –> [00:12:10],390
know part-time manager to help me out

163
[00:12:10],390 –> [00:12:14],230
would you be interested in coming in and
give me some part-time some part-time

164
[00:12:14],230 –> [00:12:14],950
help

165
[00:12:14],950 –> [00:12:19],660
at the time you know getting back to you
know my wife and I working and not

166
[00:12:19],660 –> [00:12:24],550
working I went home I said to my wife
was working a part-time job at night it

167
[00:12:24],550 –> [00:12:29],170
was killing her and I said listen I can
work part-time at the skating rink at

168
[00:12:29],170 –> [00:12:33],219
night couple nights a week rather than
you leaving the house at night when i

169
[00:12:33],220 –> [00:12:36],399
came home from work and coming home and
twelve o’clock one o’clock in the

170
[00:12:36],399 –> [00:12:40],000
morning and then when i leave at 6am you
have to be up because we have a baby to

171
[00:12:40],000 –> [00:12:43],839
take care of why don’t you allow me to
do that and then you can stay home and

172
[00:12:43],839 –> [00:12:47],320
you know it’s going to be a couple
nights a week so you know we agreed that

173
[00:12:47],320 –> [00:12:51],970
that’s the path we want to take well the
one or two nights a week turned into

174
[00:12:51],970 –> [00:12:54],730
three nights a week turned into four
nights a week turning now my god in

175
[00:12:54],730 –> [00:12:59],380
their seven nights a week and after a
year year-and-a-half the guy who owned

176
[00:12:59],380 –> [00:13:04],000
the business asked me if i would like to
come into work from full-time and they

177
[00:13:04],000 –> [00:13:11],230
said do you talk about got a career man
get a Wi-Fi got a house about working at

178
[00:13:11],230 –> [00:13:15],459
the skating rink said it was great
part-time money but you know I would

179
[00:13:15],459 –> [00:13:21],489
never think about you know it is a
career for me and say listen with all

180
[00:13:21],490 –> [00:13:24],940
due respect this is your business i’m
not looking down my nose at you because

181
[00:13:24],940 –> [00:13:26],230
you’re doing a great thing

182
[00:13:26],230 –> [00:13:30],520
but this wasn’t well I had envisioned
for myself

183
[00:13:31],360 –> [00:13:37],60
ironically Joe my wife and I both grew
up as roller skaters as kids we both

184
[00:13:37],60 –> [00:13:41],20
grew up skating to the point where my
wife grew up her mother was a

185
[00:13:41],20 –> [00:13:48],370
competitive figures here roller nice
roller and her mom was born and raised

186
[00:13:48],370 –> [00:13:51],610
in roller skating centers my wife
roller-skated as a kid I boys roller

187
[00:13:51],610 –> [00:13:56],890
skate so ironically to be offered a job
at skating center was kinda like really

188
[00:13:56],890 –> [00:14:01],390
you know this is what you want to do so
my wife and I talked about it and

189
[00:14:01],390 –> [00:14:05],500
gentlemen the business before me you
made me a great offer to come in and

190
[00:14:05],500 –> [00:14:12],10
work his business full-time so at that
point I accepted the job we were just

191
[00:14:12],10 –> [00:14:17],770
running roller skating sessions and
birthday parties and I just happened to

192
[00:14:17],770 –> [00:14:22],689
be looking through a roller skating
association trade magazine which every

193
[00:14:22],690 –> [00:14:27],910
business i’m sure has her own trade
magazine and I was leafing through this

194
[00:14:27],910 –> [00:14:31],569
thing one day just you know trying to
figure out what the business is all

195
[00:14:31],570 –> [00:14:36],880
about and I saw there was rinks
throughout the country that were running

196
[00:14:36],880 –> [00:14:42],70
roller hockey programs to supplement
their income and fill-in dead times in

197
[00:14:42],70 –> [00:14:46],390
their schedules and I say to the guy
with the building at the time is it

198
[00:14:46],390 –> [00:14:50],140
we should try to do this because I don’t
know anything about Ryan hockey is what

199
[00:14:50],140 –> [00:14:53],290
do you know about running oculus it i
don’t know anything about running hockey

200
[00:14:53],290 –> [00:14:58],569
said but I grew up playing sports my
whole life I i played your competitive

201
[00:14:58],570 –> [00:15:03],400
sports and I I’ve always loved sports
and i said i don’t know anything about

202
[00:15:03],400 –> [00:15:03],939
it

203
[00:15:03],940 –> [00:15:07],450
be honest with you said but I’m gonna
learn and I think I think it’s something

204
[00:15:07],450 –> [00:15:14],50
that we can do so that was right around
90 95 I i started here part-time in 98

205
[00:15:14],50 –> [00:15:19],240
93 early 94 came in full-time 95 i
started doing roller hockey shortly

206
[00:15:19],240 –> [00:15:27],790
thereafter and within two two-and-a-half
years we we had our rocky and the

207
[00:15:27],790 –> [00:15:32],620
rollerskating business with such that i
was finding programs in a rollerskating

208
[00:15:32],620 –> [00:15:36],910
business that weren’t making money and
cutting them out to put roller hockey in

209
[00:15:36],910 –> [00:15:39],410
place and before you know it

210
[00:15:39],410 –> [00:15:42],439
radix things the cut but we still need
more time

211
[00:15:42],440 –> [00:15:47],300
so the owner of the building said to me
listen why don’t we put an addition on

212
[00:15:47],300 –> [00:15:50],750
the building and we’ll put up a roller
hockey centre we started talking about

213
[00:15:50],750 –> [00:15:57],379
this in 1997 1998 and $YEAR 1999 we want
to under construction at that point the

214
[00:15:57],379 –> [00:16:03],980
owner may be his business partner and
game partner in the business 2004-2005

215
[00:16:03],980 –> [00:16:10],9
the other approach me about leasing the
building from him and I get and then in

216
[00:16:10],9 –> [00:16:15],230
$MONTH 2011 which was three years ago
today or you know most of the day three

217
[00:16:15],230 –> [00:16:18],230
years ago I had an opportunity to
purchase the building from where i

218
[00:16:18],230 –> [00:16:19],279
bought the building

219
[00:16:19],279 –> [00:16:26],240
it’s never ever honestly guide you know
it’s never really been a chore her job

220
[00:16:26],240 –> [00:16:31],819
or something that I woke up in the
morning and said oh I gotta get back

221
[00:16:31],819 –> [00:16:36],680
over there it was never that way for me
I mean how could it be mean i’m running

222
[00:16:36],680 –> [00:16:40],99
you know our or wood floor that we were
skating off for years and years and

223
[00:16:40],100 –> [00:16:44],149
years we confirmed that we do indoor
basketball we do volleyball we do some

224
[00:16:44],149 –> [00:16:47],209
soccer on the wood floor we have the
full blown roller hockey centre with

225
[00:16:47],209 –> [00:16:51],920
dashboards and glass and took a
carnival-like working in a carnival for

226
[00:16:51],920 –> [00:16:56],990
me it’s it’s it’s never been it’s never
been a chore so that’s how like that’s

227
[00:16:56],990 –> [00:17:02],209
how he became where I’m at today and
honestly job I would look back from that

228
[00:17:02],209 –> [00:17:06],168
point of that perspective of my life
there’s there’s really no regret

229
[00:17:06],169 –> [00:17:12],20
I mean some people have regret i mean
i’m 52 53 years old and people model at

230
[00:17:12],20 –> [00:17:15],168
my stage life like you said to be the
later stages of my life

231
[00:17:15],679 –> [00:17:22],850
yeah have regret I know they have any
Grey they have friends in every grants I

232
[00:17:22],849 –> [00:17:28],369
i have i have certain regrets in life
about certain things that i may or may

233
[00:17:28],369 –> [00:17:33],139
not have done but choosing this as my
profession has never been one never been

234
[00:17:33],140 –> [00:17:37],220
one wow that’s quite a mouthful but
thank you for all that

235
[00:17:38],480 –> [00:17:43],100
so how was your dream were seized by
family members like he told me I’m you

236
[00:17:43],100 –> [00:17:45],469
know I’m gonna start working here and
then

237
[00:17:45],470 –> [00:17:50],900
um you kind of mentioned that before but
go let’s jump towards ok i’m going to

238
[00:17:50],900 –> [00:17:54],169
start doing this full time as my own
business

239
[00:17:54],950 –> [00:17:58],460
well you know what was the response from
your family well let’s talk about the

240
[00:17:58],460 –> [00:18:03],799
two most influential women in my life
you know I never I never want to lose

241
[00:18:03],799 –> [00:18:06],320
sight of that to me my wife

242
[00:18:06],320 –> [00:18:10],100
what are you nuts are you out of your
mind why would you want to do that

243
[00:18:10],640 –> [00:18:15],49
no Gary know is gary with the island
will tell no we just want to work for

244
[00:18:15],49 –> [00:18:18],470
he’s got all the responsibility my mom

245
[00:18:18],470 –> [00:18:23],750
oh I would do it I told you you could do
this so it was it was it was it was a

246
[00:18:23],750 –> [00:18:30],830
split it was a 50-50 split and
unfortunately i had to make the final

247
[00:18:30],830 –> [00:18:31],730
decision

248
[00:18:31],730 –> [00:18:37],669
unfortunately my wife initially was was
not i would say a hundred percent on

249
[00:18:37],669 –> [00:18:43],309
board my kids you know at this point you
know you’re talking here the mid-2000s

250
[00:18:43],309 –> [00:18:49],129
our son Michael at that point you
figured that was what eight nine years

251
[00:18:49],130 –> [00:18:55],820
ago he was probably 11 or 12 years old
our daughter Brock was at that point

252
[00:18:55],820 –> [00:19:01],760
eight maybe nine years old and they’ve
both been basically born and raised in

253
[00:19:01],760 –> [00:19:06],830
the building so they embraced it begins
with braces like wow yeah she’s great

254
[00:19:07],429 –> [00:19:12],710
no word on the building this is their
playground that they grew up in my wife

255
[00:19:12],710 –> [00:19:16],39
not so much what she saw the big picture
the big picture is here you have a big

256
[00:19:16],39 –> [00:19:20],179
building there you have responsibilities
you have big bills you know big

257
[00:19:20],179 –> [00:19:25],760
headaches but ultimately you know we can
collectively my son my my daughter

258
[00:19:25],760 –> [00:19:28],669
myself you know we convinced my wife
that this would be the best thing for

259
[00:19:28],669 –> [00:19:36],110
the family and said it’s it’s been good
so what steps specifically did you take

260
[00:19:36],110 –> [00:19:39],649
to get started you mentioned starting
with flipping to a trade magazine you

261
[00:19:39],650 –> [00:19:44],480
found the article was the article or
advertisement the article about the

262
[00:19:44],480 –> [00:19:49],70
rocky and what steps did you take to get
started with that

263
[00:19:49],70 –> [00:19:55],280
well it’s it’s it’s kinda weird because
we had a that point we had essentially

264
[00:19:55],280 –> [00:19:58],290
just one surface that we were skating
which was a maybe

265
[00:19:58],290 –> [00:20:04],889
wood floor and there was a lot of kids
at that point that I saw skating that

266
[00:20:04],890 –> [00:20:09],60
were skating on inline skates and the
inline skate at that point was was

267
[00:20:09],60 –> [00:20:12],690
something that was that was newer to the
market a lot of kids had essentially

268
[00:20:12],690 –> [00:20:16],560
look like a like an ice hockey skate
with with a with an inline frame

269
[00:20:16],560 –> [00:20:21],000
underneath and I approached a lot of
these kids and said no you guys play

270
[00:20:21],000 –> [00:20:21],870
roller hockey

271
[00:20:21],870 –> [00:20:26],70
yeah we play hockey where you play we
play at the park would you play inside

272
[00:20:26],70 –> [00:20:26],790
here

273
[00:20:26],790 –> [00:20:29],460
yeah we would love to play inside but
the guy who owns the building told us

274
[00:20:29],460 –> [00:20:34],20
before that he doesn’t want to ruin his
floor and I said let me take care of the

275
[00:20:34],20 –> [00:20:38],280
guy once the building is if I started a
program here we would you guys be

276
[00:20:38],280 –> [00:20:44],100
interested in playing my program and he
said yeah and so I said to myself that’s

277
[00:20:44],100 –> [00:20:49],649
really the area that you need to
starting is with the kids you got to get

278
[00:20:49],650 –> [00:20:53],160
the kids involved there’s a new guys are
going to carry your program through

279
[00:20:53],160 –> [00:20:56],940
their generation and hopefully you get
another little generation but that

280
[00:20:56],940 –> [00:21:00],90
doesn’t end there because there’s a lot
of adults i was in a goal at that time I

281
[00:21:00],90 –> [00:21:03],810
still I still roller-skated I you know I
never thought of putting you know in

282
[00:21:03],810 –> [00:21:05],879
lines in and a hockey stick

283
[00:21:05],880 –> [00:21:09],240
you know in the same equation but then I
said to myself wow that’s really awesome

284
[00:21:09],240 –> [00:21:14],430
i mean you know it’s cheaper than I sake
and you know you can you still basically

285
[00:21:14],430 –> [00:21:18],120
play the same sport i always play street
hockey is a kid I loved that was the

286
[00:21:18],120 –> [00:21:21],510
best unfortunately you know why folks
could afford to put me into an ice

287
[00:21:21],510 –> [00:21:27],150
hockey program so I do what I had to do
you know but so I went to the local

288
[00:21:27],150 –> [00:21:33],390
parks where these kids were playing
roller hockey and I ran into some adults

289
[00:21:33],390 –> [00:21:38],700
men that were out there skate around
shooting hockey balls and I walked over

290
[00:21:38],700 –> [00:21:42],750
and I say let’s play all the time and I
said yeah you know sometimes we got a

291
[00:21:42],750 –> [00:21:46],740
big group that comes down here and we
split up teams we play because we’re

292
[00:21:46],740 –> [00:21:51],960
doing rains he said we don’t play i said
if there was an indoor facility locally

293
[00:21:51],960 –> [00:21:55],950
would you would you consider playing
inside and they said yeah but nobody

294
[00:21:55],950 –> [00:21:59],940
around here is offering anything I said
well I offered in an indoor hockey

295
[00:21:59],940 –> [00:22:04],590
program would you start playing and he
said yeah sure you know we would

296
[00:22:04],590 –> [00:22:05],399
consider it

297
[00:22:05],400 –> [00:22:09],720
so in a matter of a month month and a
half

298
[00:22:09],720 –> [00:22:13],830
of just doing what we’re doing right now
just talking to people i found out that

299
[00:22:13],830 –> [00:22:18],720
if i offered if i offered an indoor
program i can get kids to come inside

300
[00:22:18],720 –> [00:22:23],190
and play and for offering into a program
i could potentially get that adults to

301
[00:22:23],190 –> [00:22:28],350
play and i was like i said in the mid
mid nineties ninety five ish maybe early

302
[00:22:28],350 –> [00:22:34],139
96 started out with probably 25 or 30
kids playing in our program and that

303
[00:22:34],140 –> [00:22:39],930
blossom 222 the height of our popularity
we at one point had maybe 350 kids

304
[00:22:39],930 –> [00:22:45],570
playing in our program the adult program
I i started out with five or six teams

305
[00:22:45],570 –> [00:22:51],689
plane pretty bad hockey but that blew up
to

306
[00:22:52],350 –> [00:22:58],50
we’re at today where we customarily
would run anywhere from 50 to 65 teams

307
[00:22:58],50 –> [00:23:02],100
in our goal program depending on the
time of year and it was all

308
[00:23:02],100 –> [00:23:06],179
realistically spawned on the fact that i
just went out and kind of pounded the

309
[00:23:06],180 –> [00:23:10],50
pavement if you were a little bit went
down to the park and looked around and

310
[00:23:10],50 –> [00:23:13],919
talk to some people but my name out
there and told him where I was act that

311
[00:23:13],920 –> [00:23:14],550
was it

312
[00:23:14],550 –> [00:23:18],659
yeah there’s constantly teams a lot of
teams here i mean i play your personally

313
[00:23:18],660 –> [00:23:23],310
so it’s pretty crowded especially on
sundays what roblox have you hit along

314
[00:23:23],310 –> [00:23:24],179
the way

315
[00:23:24],180 –> [00:23:27],630
not too many to be perfectly honest with
you

316
[00:23:27],630 –> [00:23:32],760
where were located down here in southern
New Jersey there was a few roller rinks

317
[00:23:32],760 –> [00:23:38],10
like we were at the time that we’re
doing roller hockey inside the ranks and

318
[00:23:38],10 –> [00:23:41],850
we kind of fed off each other we formed
a little Alliance if you will we had

319
[00:23:41],850 –> [00:23:45],600
this little Delaware Valley roller
hockey league you know we put together

320
[00:23:45],600 –> [00:23:49],230
some some youth travel teams and you
know the other rings put together you

321
[00:23:49],230 –> [00:23:53],490
travel teams and I’m talking travel
within a 10-mile radius of the facility

322
[00:23:53],490 –> [00:23:56],970
so it wasn’t like you know we were
driving to Pittsburgh and back we were

323
[00:23:56],970 –> [00:24:01],770
no driving you know from Washington
Township to deptford from Washington

324
[00:24:01],770 –> [00:24:05],730
Township to Berlin or you know something
like that which are all within a 10-mile

325
[00:24:05],730 –> [00:24:10],320
radius of the facility so initially
there were really wasn’t any robot

326
[00:24:10],320 –> [00:24:17],129
blocks we got to the point where we’re
going to put up the dedicated roller

327
[00:24:17],130 –> [00:24:18],420
hockey rink

328
[00:24:18],420 –> [00:24:21],840
unbeknownst to us at the time the

329
[00:24:21],840 –> [00:24:27],90
mecca of roller hockey not only in New
Jersey but in the country was located in

330
[00:24:27],90 –> [00:24:32],428
Berlin New Jersey 20-25 minutes from
where we’re sitting right now gentlemen

331
[00:24:32],429 –> [00:24:38],190
was running arguably the best roller
hockey program in the country and at

332
[00:24:38],190 –> [00:24:42],240
that point when he found out that we
were putting up this facility there was

333
[00:24:42],240 –> [00:24:44],850
a little resistance on his end

334
[00:24:44],850 –> [00:24:48],360
I not always a with resistance is
probably wrong work

335
[00:24:48],360 –> [00:24:54],449
acceptance is a better word on his end
and he went so far as to call us on the

336
[00:24:54],450 –> [00:24:58],440
phone and say will you do you think
you’re doing down there you you know i

337
[00:24:58],440 –> [00:25:02],549
have a dedicated roller hockey rink
radio Berlin why would you do something

338
[00:25:02],549 –> [00:25:09],59
like that and my explanation to him was
listen I’m not trying to hurt you

339
[00:25:09],59 –> [00:25:12],990
personally or professionally I’m just
trying to put up or we’re just trying to

340
[00:25:12],990 –> [00:25:15],990
put up at that time was there i didn’t
own the building but we’re just trying

341
[00:25:15],990 –> [00:25:20],309
to put up a facility that will best
serve our customer base that’s that’s

342
[00:25:20],309 –> [00:25:23],850
what we’re trying to do or not we’re
trying to hurt you or hurt anybody in

343
[00:25:23],850 –> [00:25:27],209
what we’re doing we’re just trying to
service our customers the best way

344
[00:25:27],210 –> [00:25:32],220
weekend and it was there’s a lot of
underlying stuff going on in the

345
[00:25:32],220 –> [00:25:35],159
background don’t go down there to play
in his place he doesn’t know what he’s

346
[00:25:35],159 –> [00:25:36],120
doing

347
[00:25:36],120 –> [00:25:40],20
you know he’s a new guy i’ve been doing
this for a long time long time roller

348
[00:25:40],20 –> [00:25:44],730
hockey really first burst onto the
national scene sometime in the early

349
[00:25:44],730 –> [00:25:52],289
nineties 91 92 93 so he may have had
five or six-year leg up on us which at

350
[00:25:52],289 –> [00:25:54],990
that time seemed like a lot you know in
retrospect you think about five or six

351
[00:25:54],990 –> [00:25:57],539
years I’ve watched virus accuses blimey

352
[00:25:57],539 –> [00:26:00],510
yeah we need some stumbling some
stumbling blocks and some roadblocks

353
[00:26:00],510 –> [00:26:04],740
along the way particularly you know
trying to build our youth program bigger

354
[00:26:04],740 –> [00:26:09],779
because now I wasn’t building my youth
program around rollerskating programs it

355
[00:26:09],779 –> [00:26:14],190
was the program i mean i had to fill
that building I needed to feel that

356
[00:26:14],190 –> [00:26:18],419
building there was requirements on my
end for my boss to get the building

357
[00:26:18],419 –> [00:26:25],470
filled and particularly the kids was
tough but you know through just honestly

358
[00:26:25],470 –> [00:26:31],169
Joe just threw your dedication to the to
the to cause if your dedication to the

359
[00:26:31],169 –> [00:26:33],970
sport dedication to my customer base

360
[00:26:33],970 –> [00:26:41],920
again that fear of failure that fear of
walking to my boss and say do i I can’t

361
[00:26:41],920 –> [00:26:46],60
do it i’m sorry you you put this this
two-million-dollar building up for me

362
[00:26:46],60 –> [00:26:47],470
and I I can’t feel it

363
[00:26:47],470 –> [00:26:54],520
I don’t know what to do and that fear
that fear drove drove a tank to fill

364
[00:26:54],520 –> [00:26:59],320
that building the best I could run the
best program i could all for my customer

365
[00:26:59],320 –> [00:27:03],129
base the best program for the lowest
amount of money that I possibly could

366
[00:27:03],130 –> [00:27:09],310
and get as many fans in the seats as we
could and that’s what drives me to this

367
[00:27:09],310 –> [00:27:11],50
day that drives me to this day

368
[00:27:11],50 –> [00:27:15],490
that’s pretty crazy level of commitment
that going to deal with

369
[00:27:15],490 –> [00:27:20],890
two-million-dollar building and not even
I mean realistically knowing that you’re

370
[00:27:20],890 –> [00:27:24],430
going to be able to to make it all
happen I mean you add up when you have

371
[00:27:24],430 –> [00:27:29],350
programs here so you had some you know
you had kids you were gaining ground but

372
[00:27:29],350 –> [00:27:32],409
that’s I mean once you make that
commitment to that’s a pretty scary

373
[00:27:32],410 –> [00:27:38],380
thing to have to deal with and then to
perpetuate it and then year-over-year

374
[00:27:38],380 –> [00:27:43],120
continuously have people coming to the
program right now well now that you know

375
[00:27:43],120 –> [00:27:45],760
all these years later now you’re
established it must be a bit easier

376
[00:27:45],760 –> [00:27:50],860
because you have the word of mouth and
you have that longevity behind you

377
[00:27:50],860 –> [00:27:55],419
mmm yeah initially initially like you
say to me even though we did carry a

378
[00:27:55],420 –> [00:28:01],90
program with us if you will into the new
facility it wasn’t it wasn’t a capacity

379
[00:28:01],90 –> [00:28:06],879
the the building at that point was
probably fifty percent at capacity

380
[00:28:06],880 –> [00:28:10],720
you know to get that to a hundred
percent capacity and did it take a lot

381
[00:28:10],720 –> [00:28:12],940
of you know dedication a lot of work

382
[00:28:12],940 –> [00:28:18],880
it was it was rewarding knowing that we
we had a hundred kids playing in our

383
[00:28:18],880 –> [00:28:24],370
program we started last year we got to
our kids in our program and you know

384
[00:28:24],370 –> [00:28:31],270
that that is rewarding you know but not
so much from my perspective from a

385
[00:28:31],270 –> [00:28:36],670
monetary standpoint because I tell my
friends and my family I’ll tell anybody

386
[00:28:36],670 –> [00:28:44],710
the business and the money as has never
never really drove me it never driven by

387
[00:28:44],710 –> [00:28:45],620
making the money

388
[00:28:45],620 –> [00:28:49],399
much written by you the business do I
love it

389
[00:28:49],400 –> [00:28:54],140
yeah i love this i was always driven by
the people I i told you earlier you know

390
[00:28:54],140 –> [00:28:58],790
one of my things what inspires my
genuinely enjoy meeting people and i

391
[00:28:58],790 –> [00:29:03],710
genuinely enjoy watching people get
enjoyment and coming in my building

392
[00:29:03],710 –> [00:29:07],790
talked about this earlier before we
won’t hear that fulfills me is to watch

393
[00:29:07],790 –> [00:29:15],440
some kid come into this program and get
enjoying it and it’s it’s been rewarding

394
[00:29:15],440 –> [00:29:21],470
and in that respect that got a lot I
mean I can I can’t begin to tell you how

395
[00:29:21],470 –> [00:29:27],500
many great people I’ve met in this
business and people that I not only

396
[00:29:27],500 –> [00:29:34],970
consider my customer but friends that
that i will know forever and it’s it’s

397
[00:29:34],970 –> [00:29:38],390
been it’s been good so many parts of
your dream that haven’t quite worked out

398
[00:29:38],390 –> [00:29:39],260
yet

399
[00:29:39],260 –> [00:29:43],970
well yeah I’m sure I mean I’ve ever i
have i written these things down and

400
[00:29:43],970 –> [00:29:46],490
kind across the office of go along

401
[00:29:46],490 –> [00:29:52],760
no should I have probably but I’m sure
if I if I really thought about it long

402
[00:29:52],760 –> [00:29:57],740
and hard there’s aspects of the business
that you know I I haven’t really struck

403
[00:29:57],740 –> [00:30:04],70
gold with get if you can use that term
so II conversion to the wood floor the

404
[00:30:04],70 –> [00:30:09],50
basketball volleyball and some indoor
soccer on wood surface has been has been

405
[00:30:09],50 –> [00:30:10],250
good for us

406
[00:30:10],250 –> [00:30:14],570
unfortunately for me personally that’s
not really my forte basketball has never

407
[00:30:14],570 –> [00:30:15],678
been my forte

408
[00:30:15],679 –> [00:30:23],150
as far as the sport I don’t know enough
people that drive that sport to make my

409
[00:30:23],150 –> [00:30:27],679
basketball program the basketball
program in the area so if there’s a

410
[00:30:27],679 –> [00:30:32],600
couple things yes that is something that
I’m them continually working on and

411
[00:30:32],600 –> [00:30:38],90
continually striving to meet people in
that industry that could drive that part

412
[00:30:38],90 –> [00:30:42],20
of our program and make that program
better particularly the best was such a

413
[00:30:42],20 –> [00:30:48],889
great sport that is embraced by so many
people of all races in any any cultural

414
[00:30:48],890 –> [00:30:53],179
background any social economic
background basketballs embraced by so

415
[00:30:53],179 –> [00:30:55],700
many so many people so many countries

416
[00:30:55],700 –> [00:30:59],149
I mean every country in the world pretty
much plays basketball

417
[00:30:59],149 –> [00:31:04],939
where a you you can’t really say that
with hockey hockey was always perceived

418
[00:31:04],940 –> [00:31:10],879
as being a sport for people that were
well-to-do that had money that where

419
[00:31:10],879 –> [00:31:14],29
they could put your kid in and it’s
always driven by is obviously because

420
[00:31:14],29 –> [00:31:15],649
that’s the thing to figure out

421
[00:31:15],649 –> [00:31:20],149
it’s always been driven by people that
are a little bit more well often other

422
[00:31:20],149 –> [00:31:22],518
people and it was kind of like it

423
[00:31:22],519 –> [00:31:27],619
oh wow make that their kids place on
like that was a that was a big deal but

424
[00:31:27],619 –> [00:31:34],668
basketball like i said is is a sport
that embraced by by everybody and that’s

425
[00:31:34],669 –> [00:31:42],769
one thing that at this juncture i still
need to get a better grip so something I

426
[00:31:42],769 –> [00:31:48],499
get hey so the project like work behind
keep keep me going for the next eight to

427
[00:31:48],499 –> [00:31:50],960
ten years there’s always something isn’t
there

428
[00:31:50],960 –> [00:31:55],399
yeah yeah well I asked the big but
that’s what makes it fun like my in my

429
[00:31:55],399 –> [00:31:58],369
industry that’s what makes it fun I mean
it’s like any other business it’s

430
[00:31:58],369 –> [00:32:02],629
constantly evolving constantly changing
you know the faces to come into the

431
[00:32:02],629 –> [00:32:08],119
building may remain the same but sports
as a whole are changing and in a lot of

432
[00:32:08],119 –> [00:32:12],678
different ways big thing right now is
what do we do as an indoor sports

433
[00:32:12],679 –> [00:32:17],179
facility what do we do and I I don’t
want you brings you know conversation to

434
[00:32:17],179 –> [00:32:22],849
a duel . 3 you know a blood . if you
will but you know what do we do is an

435
[00:32:22],849 –> [00:32:28],519
industry to protect our our athletes
what we do to minimize injury what do we

436
[00:32:28],519 –> [00:32:35],719
do equipment wise or facility wise how
can we make it so nobody gets her it’s

437
[00:32:35],719 –> [00:32:40],909
all over the news I mean you know the
concussions used sports particularly

438
[00:32:40],909 –> [00:32:43],429
like football hockey is a big one

439
[00:32:43],429 –> [00:32:48],830
kids getting head injuries kids get neck
injuries and from that standpoint

440
[00:32:48],830 –> [00:32:50],839
there’s there’s a lot to learn

441
[00:32:50],839 –> [00:32:55],428
I mean injury is not like it used to be
back when I was a kid playing sports you

442
[00:32:55],429 –> [00:33:00],799
know it was like oh what happened oh
I’ll smash my head I rub some dirt on it

443
[00:33:00],799 –> [00:33:06],80
will be fine you know that was it you
know I now it’s like you know you you

444
[00:33:06],80 –> [00:33:10],519
really have to be cognizant if you know
you do have you know prior to suffers

445
[00:33:10],519 –> [00:33:12],490
some sort anything any injury

446
[00:33:12],490 –> [00:33:16],510
injury back injury arm neck you know it
doesn’t matter what it is

447
[00:33:16],510 –> [00:33:19],990
so from that perspective there’s there’s
always stuff to do to move forward

448
[00:33:20],559 –> [00:33:25],000
yeah definitely definitely you already
kind of touched on it so why don’t we

449
[00:33:25],000 –> [00:33:28],179
just follow through with the question
what are your dreams for the future look

450
[00:33:28],179 –> [00:33:34],420
like I have two children that both
collectively and individually have

451
[00:33:34],420 –> [00:33:39],490
expressed interest to me that they would
like to continue on in the business they

452
[00:33:39],490 –> [00:33:43],990
want to wrestle the old man for control
of the business and send me off to see

453
[00:33:43],990 –> [00:33:51],850
if you will and 52 or 53 years old not
this work for me per se air quotes

454
[00:33:51],850 –> [00:33:57],189
people here cuz it’s not work for me but
i would i would like to one day you

455
[00:33:57],190 –> [00:34:04],450
retire and not have to have to the
stress and worry of running not only

456
[00:34:04],450 –> [00:34:08],860
building 46 where 46,000 square foot
facility here not only running a

457
[00:34:08],860 –> [00:34:12],310
building but running the business within
the building so my vision for the future

458
[00:34:12],310 –> [00:34:20],139
would be to have one or both of my
children take over the business from me

459
[00:34:20],139 –> [00:34:27],129
and I can kind of drift off if you will
to the right never really relinquish in

460
[00:34:27],129 –> [00:34:30],940
total control because I think that’s
just not my it’s not my makeup but i

461
[00:34:30],940 –> [00:34:36],700
would i would love to have my kids take
the baton and and move forward with it

462
[00:34:36],699 –> [00:34:41],859
and at that point I’m not gonna go just
say okay well I’m going walk away i mean

463
[00:34:41],859 –> [00:34:46],629
i would always be there you know whether
it was for managerial expertise if they

464
[00:34:46],629 –> [00:34:49],899
need you know a yo we’re going on a
family vacation

465
[00:34:50],739 –> [00:34:55],330
can you can you work the week for me you
know i would step back in you stay here

466
[00:34:55],330 –> [00:34:59],650
for you know we two weeks whatever they
need or if they you know once or twice a

467
[00:34:59],650 –> [00:35:04],000
week a you’re listening can you can you
work wednesday night for me you

468
[00:35:04],000 –> [00:35:07],600
yeah sure I mean I would love to do that
i would love it i would love to be able

469
[00:35:07],600 –> [00:35:13],990
to take a step aside let one or two one
or both of my kids just like I say take

470
[00:35:13],990 –> [00:35:17],709
the ball and run with it and if they
need to call me from the sidelines from

471
[00:35:17],710 –> [00:35:21],460
from time to time to the the kind of
help out i will be more than glad to do

472
[00:35:21],460 –> [00:35:24],600
that and I can envision

473
[00:35:24],600 –> [00:35:31],920
myself being able to enjoy the business
even more at that point that i do now

474
[00:35:31],920 –> [00:35:36],900
because then you’re not in the trenches
every day you’re not you know as i like

475
[00:35:36],900 –> [00:35:39],300
to say to my my son my daughter all time

476
[00:35:39],300 –> [00:35:43],170
hey listen I’m the one taking the
bullets here you know I’m the one who

477
[00:35:43],170 –> [00:35:50],730
you know it stops here at my desk and it
will be nice to kind of step out of that

478
[00:35:50],730 –> [00:35:54],720
let those guys take the hits if you will
because you’re dealing with customers

479
[00:35:54],720 –> [00:35:58],169
you’re dealing with people you’re
dealing with a lot of people’s children

480
[00:35:58],170 –> [00:36:02],400
people’s children are the most important
thing to that particular person should

481
[00:36:02],400 –> [00:36:06],60
be mindful of that but you know not that
often another tangent but you know that

482
[00:36:06],60 –> [00:36:12],660
would that would be a very nice
transition for me i never want to fully

483
[00:36:12],660 –> [00:36:16],859
fully walk away never anything my kids
know that butBut I don’t wanna be the

484
[00:36:16],860 –> [00:36:20],370
guy I wanna be looking over your
shoulders either i want to be able to

485
[00:36:20],370 –> [00:36:24],990
step aside knowing that you know both my
children have have a good grip on what

486
[00:36:24],990 –> [00:36:28],979
was going on in the business have an
opportunity to drive the business

487
[00:36:28],980 –> [00:36:34],320
forward continue one for another
generation and maybe if they have

488
[00:36:34],320 –> [00:36:38],700
children maybe they want to do it or you
know who knows that’s where not only my

489
[00:36:38],700 –> [00:36:44],640
head but also my wife my wife kind of
shares in that vision as well we would

490
[00:36:44],640 –> [00:36:49],259
love to be able to watch our children
take something it that we’ve basically

491
[00:36:49],260 –> [00:36:54],540
cultivated from the ground up and say
now this is your be passing this on to

492
[00:36:54],540 –> [00:37:00],120
you don’t screw it up and you know I
think it should be easier than one

493
[00:37:00],120 –> [00:37:02],759
vacation time edition out there

494
[00:37:02],760 –> [00:37:08],700
yeah yeah so if you were stranded on a
deserted island with your with your

495
[00:37:08],700 –> [00:37:09],569
family

496
[00:37:09],570 –> [00:37:12],690
Oh what three things would you want to
have with you

497
[00:37:12],690 –> [00:37:17],100
that’s a good question Joe that’s a
really good question was deserted island

498
[00:37:17],100 –> [00:37:22],319
i guess i was probably probably need a
lifetime supply of sunblock forward a

499
[00:37:22],320 –> [00:37:27],240
tropical island somewhere so i don’t get
burned up i enjoy the beach when I can

500
[00:37:27],240 –> [00:37:28],49
get to it

501
[00:37:28],50 –> [00:37:32],640
nothing better to be on a deserted
island i guess if if you had you know as

502
[00:37:32],640 –> [00:37:37],170
much as much cold beers you could
possibly have and some great reading

503
[00:37:37],170 –> [00:37:38],70
material

504
[00:37:38],70 –> [00:37:44],100
and having something I need to read
something so i would have to if it was

505
[00:37:44],100 –> [00:37:48],180
me I’d like to have some frosty
beverages something to read and some

506
[00:37:48],180 –> [00:37:50],100
some good tunes and that’s that

507
[00:37:50],100 –> [00:37:54],330
OBO be happy music reading material
something something something something

508
[00:37:54],330 –> [00:37:57],330
to drink and maybe be totally happy

509
[00:37:57],330 –> [00:38:01],290
I mean I guess some people have a
satellite dish in the flat panel TV and

510
[00:38:01],290 –> [00:38:06],390
second nobody said that yeah yeah yeah
but with the iphone you can it’s music

511
[00:38:06],390 –> [00:38:12],89
or movies your your TV shows you’re
reading everything I mean everything is

512
[00:38:12],90 –> [00:38:16],440
what we’re gonna do is we’re gonna do
this we want or just signal it’s all

513
[00:38:16],440 –> [00:38:25],350
theoretical I’m okay so i would have a
signal i’ll have my iPad a now i’m

514
[00:38:25],350 –> [00:38:30],390
telling you i would i would be more than
happy if I knew that I could you know

515
[00:38:30],390 –> [00:38:36],600
enjoy enjoy a nice beverage have some
pants and some good tunes listen to and

516
[00:38:36],600 –> [00:38:41],910
and and be able to read whether it’s
paper form and ipad whatever but those

517
[00:38:41],910 –> [00:38:45],660
days are probably do three things and i
have my family course so you already

518
[00:38:45],660 –> [00:38:49],529
have yes that’s why it’s included
throwing shit at so they’re gonna bring

519
[00:38:49],530 –> [00:38:52],680
three things too so yeah so they always
bring a flat file

520
[00:38:52],680 –> [00:38:58],470
hey you got something there right before
we get into your last thoughts I i just

521
[00:38:58],470 –> [00:39:01],740
wanted to go real quick into for people
who don’t know what the difference

522
[00:39:01],740 –> [00:39:06],419
between roller hockey and ice hockey is
could you give a few examples of of the

523
[00:39:06],420 –> [00:39:10],200
differences you know that the basic
premise of the sport is is exactly the

524
[00:39:10],200 –> [00:39:16],49
same stick talk with the puck in the net
put a gold the scoreboard but there are

525
[00:39:16],50 –> [00:39:20],310
some nuances that are different
obviously you know equipment-wise it’s

526
[00:39:20],310 –> [00:39:24],60
it’s essentially the same other than
what you’re wearing on your feet to the

527
[00:39:24],60 –> [00:39:29],910
boot is pretty much the same of your
skate whether it’s ice or roller but

528
[00:39:29],910 –> [00:39:34],500
rather than skating on a skate blade
you’re skating on a blade has wheels but

529
[00:39:34],500 –> [00:39:41],190
the sport itself ice hockey is played
with five skaters and going on each team

530
[00:39:41],190 –> [00:39:46],170
roller hockey is just for skaters and a
goalie on each team

531
[00:39:46],170 –> [00:39:50],730
I sake is predominantly a checking sport
where you know

532
[00:39:50],730 –> [00:39:54],210
if you don’t know checking is it’s where
you physically use your body up against

533
[00:39:54],210 –> [00:39:58],560
another person’s body and pump them if
you will either offer Parker into the

534
[00:39:58],560 –> [00:40:04],859
boards or you can physically check
somebody where roller hockey at any

535
[00:40:04],859 –> [00:40:09],600
level at any level whether it’s kids or
adults whether its in-house league where

536
[00:40:09],600 –> [00:40:13],380
there is professional leagues that are
being run for Rocky there’s no checking

537
[00:40:13],380 –> [00:40:19],830
in roller hockey at all so you got 44 no
check and there’s no offside so

538
[00:40:19],830 –> [00:40:24],29
basically the entire ring is wide open
to do whatever you want to do and where

539
[00:40:24],30 –> [00:40:29],220
an ice-hockey there is off sides and
there is no such thing as ice into

540
[00:40:29],220 –> [00:40:33],359
pockets as they say in ice hockey ice
hockey can’t shoot the puck from your

541
[00:40:33],359 –> [00:40:37],770
own goal always down the other end of
the rank and just dump the puck down

542
[00:40:37],770 –> [00:40:41],730
there that’s called icing on the whistle
we pick up the puck and bring all the

543
[00:40:41],730 –> [00:40:45],359
way back down to where you dumped from
many faces off and start again when

544
[00:40:45],359 –> [00:40:47],160
roller hockey you can just dump it

545
[00:40:47],160 –> [00:40:53],100
you know all day so there’s during the
big differences it’s a 44 game as

546
[00:40:53],100 –> [00:40:56],880
opposed to five on five there’s no
checking in roller hockey there’s no

547
[00:40:56],880 –> [00:40:58],109
offsides there’s no ice

548
[00:40:58],109 –> [00:41:01],410
other than that it’s all the basic same
concept well thank you for that

549
[00:41:01],410 –> [00:41:05],220
so do you have any last thoughts to
share with the audience well the one

550
[00:41:05],220 –> [00:41:11],310
thing I could say you know for anybody
whatever whatever you know walk of life

552
[00:41:16],650 –> [00:41:24],570
that but you know if you find something
that that that drives you that you enjoy

553
[00:41:24],570 –> [00:41:31],920
doing that you want to do do it do it
whether it means you’re going to be the

554
[00:41:31],920 –> [00:41:35],220
poorest person in the world or the
richest person in the world or you want

555
[00:41:35],220 –> [00:41:41],399
to fall somewhere in between the money
is only a material thing you got to do

557
[00:41:46],200 –> [00:41:49],529
money in the world to be miserable if
you find something you like to do is

558
[00:41:49],530 –> [00:41:54],540
find something that you enjoyed it
really really motivating drives you do

559
[00:41:54],540 –> [00:41:59],700
it and do it to the best ability because
what’s going to happen you’re going to

560
[00:41:59],700 –> [00:42:01],529
eventually reap the real

561
[00:42:01],530 –> [00:42:06],210
Ward’s of that you will reap the rewards
I promise you if you find something you

562
[00:42:06],210 –> [00:42:09],300
like to do and you do it to the best of
your ability

563
[00:42:09],300 –> [00:42:12],900
someone’s going to take news someone’s
going to call you on it and someone’s

564
[00:42:12],900 –> [00:42:15],210
going to give you a reward for doing it
that way

565
[00:42:15],210 –> [00:42:19],680
that’s my last final thought you want to
share your website Facebook Twitter

566
[00:42:19],680 –> [00:42:23],759
while we are on Facebook choice sports
arena i do not have a twitter account

567
[00:42:23],760 –> [00:42:27],960
because i don’t understand it but we do
have a facebook account and we do have a

568
[00:42:27],960 –> [00:42:31],590
website our website you can you can get
to our website a couple different nation

569
[00:42:31],590 –> [00:42:40],710
go to www.myspace.com you can go to
www.petland.com either one of those will

570
[00:42:40],710 –> [00:42:42],180
bring you right to our webpage

571
[00:42:42],180 –> [00:42:44],910
well thanks so much for coming on the
show my care really appreciated thank

572
[00:42:44],910 –> [00:42:45],420
you

573
[00:42:45],420 –> [00:42:49],350
great it’s been a pleasure thank you for
joining us for this episode of the

574
[00:42:49],350 –> [00:42:51],520
dreamers podcast

575
[00:42:51],520 –> [00:42:57],370
follow us on twitter and dreamers
podcast join us on facebook at

576
[00:42:57],370 –> [00:43:00],370
facebook.com slash dreamers podcast

577
[00:43:01],300 –> [00:43:05],470
if you or someone you know would like to
be a guest on the dreamers podcast

578
[00:43:05],470 –> [00:43:13],509
please send an email to j and j parr .
co this podcast is copyright 2014 by j

579
[00:43:13],510 –> [00:43:16],510
parr . code

580
[00:43:17],609 –> [00:43:21],660
yeah

Super Joe Pardo

A sixth-generation business coach who works with owners to help them build their business for their lifestyle. Click here to learn more about my story!