Here is my "7 in 7":
Growing up in PolandI was born in Poland in 1964. My mom was a Chemist with a PhD and my dad a Gynecologist and General Practitioner. You would think I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but there was one problem; Poland at the time was still communist. Doctors, Lawyers and Scientists, earned as much as the people who swept the street in front of our apartment building. We lived in a two bedroom apartment. We were encouraged to keep our grades up, study music, and take part in physical activity. My Dad passed when I was 6. He was only 42, but our mother continued to do as much as she could to give us the best life possible. Each summer my sister and I went to the country where my mom rented a room from a local farmer. I remember we had to get water from a well and the only bathroom was an outhouse in the side of the house. It was a very modest upbringing, but we appreciated everything we had.
Moving to EnglandMy mother wanted her children to learn English. We were granted a 3 month visitor’s visa and left for England in the summer of 1974. I was 10 years old. After staying with relatives for three months we decided to apply for a six month extension and moved into a one room apartment in London. When I say “one room apparent” I really mean “one room”…we shared a kitchen and a bathroom with five other families. The room had two beds. My mother had one and my sister and I shared the other. Even though we had very little, our time in London was very memorable. We made the best of what we had and learned how not to take anything for granted. My mom and sister worked in a restaurant to make ends meet. Then came our big break.
The Land of OpportunityOur stay in London was approaching a year and a half when my mom received a letter from a friend who moved to the US years ago. She was an anesthesiologist at a Boston Hospital. The two were friends and skied together on a team in Poland. Included in the letter was a job posting for a PHD in Chemistry at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on Cape Cod. My mom applied and out of 60 applicants, she got the job. I often say I’m the luckiest man on earth. Being accepted to the US legally was like winning the lottery!
SoccerI played since I was a little boy. It was my life throughout high school and college. I became a coach of UMass Dartmouth at the age of 24 after graduating. As a player, Soccer taught me the power of teamwork and dedication. I realized early on, the benefits of practice and skill development. As a coach I learned that helping kids develop into productive young men was more important than the wins. It has made me a better person.FamilyMy wife Sandra, children Alex, Andrew and Ashley mean the world to me. Sandra and I met while I was in college. We fell in love, got married in 1990 and started a family a year later. We built many homes together. Sandra is everything to me. She’s the best mother and wife in the world!
MentorsI am very lucky to have had many great people in my life who cared about me. Soccer coaches, teachers, bosses, customers and friends. I have learned so much from them all. Some lessons were tough to take, but I always knew every mentor had my best interest in mind. My mom is my biggest mentor. She's always been the anchor in the family. She's a sales woman in a scientist’s uniform. She's the kindest and most giving woman on earth.
AwarenessIn 2003 I signed on with a coach. At the time it was a business coach, and once we got to know each other, he became more of a life-coach. I worked hard on myself and my awareness. Today I'm a student of the game. Personal growth is my passion.
