Brad Minns

Photo

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:27:00 -0400

2010 Starkey Gala

Brad with glamorous Tani Austin

The one and only Justin Osmond!

Astronaut Scott Carpenter and wife.

10th man on the moon, Charlie Duke.

Sponsor appreciation party.

Frankie Vali and the Four Seasons.

President Clinton

Steve Martin, Steep Canyon Rangers.

Ali, Magic Johnson.

Starkey 2010 Gala

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:09:00 -0400

Starkey 2010 Gala:

Enjoy photos of the Starkey 2010 Gala.

“Champions aren’t made in gyms. They are made from...

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 15:18:00 -0400

Have a goal!

Train with passion!

Enjoy the journey!

Dream, desire, persevere!

Go inspire someone!

Church first! Gym second.

“Champions aren’t made in gyms. They are made from something they have deep inside of them-a Desire, a Dream, a Vision. They have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.” World Champion Boxer

Photo

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:47:00 -0400

10SNE1?

Hydrate!

Duck!!!!

Nicee swing!

Tennis is a great sport!

Follow through!

Health Benefits of Tennis: Why Play Tennis?

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:00:00 -0400

Health Benefits of Tennis: Why Play Tennis?

By Jack L. Groppel, Ph.D.

Its historic moniker has been the “sport for a lifetime”. But is this really true? According to world-renowned scientists from a variety of disciplines, there is no doubt that tennis is one of the best sports for you to play.

Here are the facts:

1. People who participate in tennis 3 hours per week (at moderately vigorous intensity) cut their risk of death in half from any cause, according to physician Ralph Paffenbarger who studied over 10,000 people over a period of 20 years.

2. Tennis players scored higher in vigor, optimism and self-esteem while scoring lower in depression, anger, confusion, anxiety and tension than other athletes and non-athletes according to Dr. Joan Finn and colleagues at Southern Connecticut State University.

3. Since tennis requires alertness and tactical thinking, it may generate new connections between nerves in the brain and thus promote a lifetime of continuing development of the brain, reported scientists at the University of Illinois.

4. Tennis outperforms golf, inline skating and most other sports in developing positive personality characteristics according to Dr. Jim Gavin, author of The Exercise Habit.

5. Competitive tennis burns more calories than aerobics, inline skating, or cycling, according to studies on caloric expenditures.

With these results in mind, let’s take a look at 34 specific reasons why you should consider playing tennis regularly!

Physical Reasons to Play Tennis

Tennis helps your:

1. aerobic fitness by burning fat and improving your cardiovascular fitness and maintaining higher energy levels.

2. anaerobic fitness by offering short, intense bursts of activity during a point followed by rest which helps muscles use oxygen efficiently.

3. ability to accelerate by practice in sprinting, jumping and lunging to move quickly.

4. powerful first step by requiring anticipation, quick reaction time and explosion into action.

5. speed through a series of side-to-side and up and back sprints to chase the ball.

6. leg strength through hundreds of starts and stops which build stronger leg muscles.

7. general body coordination since you have to move into position and then adjust your upper body to hit the ball successfully.

8. gross motor control through court movement and ball-striking skills which require control of your large muscle groups.

9. fine motor control by the use of touch shots like angled volleys, drop shots and lobs.

10. agility by forcing you to change direction as many as 5 times in 10 seconds during a typical tennis point.

11. dynamic balance through hundreds of starts, stops, changes of direction and hitting on the run.

12. cross-training by offering a physically demanding sport that’s fun to play for athletes who are expert in other sports.

13. bone strength and density by strengthening bones of young players and helping prevent osteoporosis in older ones.

14. immune system through its conditioning effects which promote overall health, fitness and resistance to disease.

15. nutritional habits by eating appropriately before competition to enhance energy production and after competition to practice proper recovery methods.

16. eye-hand coordination because you constantly judge the timing between the on-coming ball and the proper contact point.

17. flexibility due to the constant stretching and maneuvering to return the ball toward your opponent.

Psychological Reasons to Play Tennis

Tennis helps you:

18. develop a work ethic because improvement through lessons or practice reinforces the value of hard work.

19. develop discipline since you learn to work on your skills in practice and control the pace of play in competition.

20. manage mistakes by learning to play within your abilities and realizing that managing and minimizing mistakes in tennis or life is critical.

21. learn to compete one-on-one because the ability to compete and fight trains you in the ups and downs of a competitive world.

22. accept responsibility because only you can prepare to compete by practicing skills, checking your equipment and during match play by making line calls.

23. manage adversity by learning to adjust to the elements (e.g. wind, sun) and still be able to compete tenaciously.

24. accommodate stress effectively because the physical, mental and emotional stress of tennis will force you to increase you capacity for dealing with stress.

25. learn how to recover by adapting to the stress of a point and the recovery period between points which is similar to the stress and recovery cycles in life.

26. plan and implement strategies since you naturally learn how to anticipate an opponent’s moves and plan your countermoves.

27. learn to solve problems since tennis is a sport based on angles, geometry and physics.

28. develop performance rituals before serving or returning to control your rhythm of play and deal with pressure These skills can transfer to taking exams, conducting a meeting or making an important sales presentation.

29. learn sportsmanship since tennis teaches you to compete fairly with opponents.

30. learn to win graciously and lose with honor. Gloating after a win or making excuses after a loss doesn’t work in tennis or in life.

31. learn teamwork since successful doubles play depends on you and your partner’s ability to communicate and play as a cohesive unit.

32. develop social skills through interaction and communication before a match, while changing sides of the court and after play.

33. have FUN… because the healthy feelings of enjoyment, competitiveness and physical challenge are inherent in the sport.

Summary and Reason #34

Is it any wonder that scientists and physicians around the world view tennis as the most healthful activity in which you can participate? There may be other sports that can provide excellent health benefits and some which can provide mental and emotional growth. But no sport other than tennis has ever been acclaimed from all disciplines as one that develops great benefits physically, mentally and emotionally.

Tennis is a sport for kids to learn early in life. What parent wouldn’t want their children to get these benefits through their growing years?

It’s not too late for adults and seniors too! The human system can be trained and improved at any stage of life.

Here’s the key… you must begin playing tennis now to get these benefits throughout your lifetime. And that brings us to reason #34: Tennis is truly the sport for a lifetime! It’s been proven.

Photo

Sun, 11 Jul 2010 15:31:00 -0400

NEVER GIVE UP!!!

Sun, 11 Jul 2010 15:00:00 -0400

NEVER GIVE UP!!!

By Brad Minns

“But as for you be strong and do not give up.” II Chronicles 15:7

“How can I be losing two sets to Love and 0-5 in the third in the best of five sets?” I was asking myself. I had beaten this guy numerous times in training and was pretty confident I would do it again, especially since it was the finals of the 1985 World Games for the Deaf. I had dreamed of this moment and had worked hard at training to prepare myself physically and mentally to win this event. It was my first time competing in the World Games for the Deaf, which is played every four years at various locations around the world. Jeff Osbourne, my opponent, was a fellow American and teammate from Texas who was a collegiate level player with an intimidating serve and volley attacking game. Jeff came out of the gate swinging, and after two hours of slugging it out he was poised to win in three straight sets.

For Jeff it seemed the wind was at his back. As for me, however, I had a mountain to climb that was bigger than anything I had ever seen. Over the years I have been down in matches before, but nothing compared to this. Being down two sets to Love and five zip in the third was like sparring for two hours with George Foreman, then having to go back in the ring for a 12 round bout with Mike Tyson. It just seemed impossible to win three straight sets from that point.

In order to get some encouragement during the changeovers, I gazed over to the stands, where my coach and only a handful of spectators were sitting. Just a few minutes earlier there weren’t many seats available because so many people came out to watch, but since the match was a blowout up to that point, many headed for the exits. Who can blame them? I looked over to my coach for some kind of mental boost but since Jeff and I were both on the same team he was reluctant to favor one of us for the other, so there I was alone with a million thoughts racing through my head. Mom, Dad and cousin Mark were supposed to be coming to see me play. Every couple of points I would look up to the top of the hills of Malibu from the Pepperdine University tennis court to check and see if they had arrived yet. Nothing. Later I found out their plane was delayed. That was okay since I figured it wouldn’t be any fun for them to watch their son losing so badly.

With no support coming from my coach, spectators in the stands, family, or anywhere else, I decided I try to pray and ask God for some kind of help. At that time, I wasn’t a church going, bible reading Christian, but I did pray to God and ask for help in tough times, so why not now. I pretty much just lifted my head and asked God to help me. I then stopped thinking about the score, put one foot in front of the other and played on one point at a time. I finally managed to get a break in the third set to make it 1-5 and continued to just play tennis the way I always had. My thoughts were not focused on the score but on the point I was playing.

As I continued to press forward one point at a time, I gained momentum and a few games later took the third set to a tiebreaker. Along the way I had fought off match point after match point until I was able to win the third set in a tiebreaker. All those hours spent in the gym began paying off as I escaped with the fourth set as well. I could easily sense my opponent getting physically and mentally tired after having been so close to winning his second consecutive championship. With the score tied 2 sets each and the fourth set just starting, word got out that I had a comeback in the making. The spectators who had left earlier had begun returning and the fans where now rooting for me to win the whole thing!!! What a difference a few hours make. One minute at the brink of defeat and losing with no support. The next minute closing in on victory and everyone cheering you on!!! The fifth and final set was pretty close going back and forth on serve. With Osbourne’s stamina going downhill, I decided to come to the net more since he uncharacteristically started staying back at the baseline. After holding my serve to make it 5-4 in my favor, once again I found myself sitting at the changeovers completely amazed at what had just taken place.

Jeff was showing obvious signs of disgust and frustration after losing such a commanding lead. Still I needed one more game to finish this thing. The last game turned out to be the most difficult. With Jeff serving, we battled back and forth, point after point, until the score was deuce then, my add. Only one point away from the biggest comeback of my life. My head started wandering a little bit with so many different kinds of thoughts that I had a hard time focusing on the point. Needless to say, it was deuce again. In the blink of an eye it was now advantage Jeff. My head started playing games on me again picturing winning thoughts, then losing thoughts. What a mental battle I was going through. I reminded myself once again what I had done earlier to get to this point. One foot in front of the other.

One point at a time. A little prayer…help! A look to see if Mom, Dad and Mark had arrived, a look at the stands, and it was back to business. I decided to charge the net after returning his serve. My heart must have been going a hundred miles an hour as it takes a lot more guts to charge the net, especially in the fifth set. I managed to hit a volley deep enough that it was unreturnable. We had been through at least 8-10 deuce/add points and now it was once again match point for me. This time I managed to keep my head calm and stay focused on the task of winning one more point for the championship. The serve came to my backhand, which had been a little shaky. I hit it back pretty cleanly. After trading a few tight strokes, Jeff netted a ball. My arms shot up into the air triumphantly!!! I had won my first Deaf Olympic Championship.

At the time, winning this match seemed like a great accomplishment. However, I have come to realize over the years that it was more than a tennis match. It was a test about life. Over the years, I have replayed this match in my head a thousand times. I’ve used it as encouragement to others who seem at the brink of giving up. It was so much more than winning a match. I learned how to win at life. To stand strong and put one foot in front of the other when the mountain in front of you looks insurmountable. When we cry out to God with all our hearts, He hears us. He cares about every aspect of our lives, whether it’s our marriage, our family, our careers, or even a tennis match. He wants to be a part of our lives in every way and is just waiting for us to ask.

Congratulations Cath on completing the 12 week Body for Life...

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:06:00 -0400

Back to the basics.

It's time to train!

Strong body, strong mind!

Fit for Life!

ONE MORE REP!

Visualize success!

Congratulations Cath on completing the 12 week Body for Life Challenge!!!

"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all of your..."

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 05:16:33 -0400

““Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.””

- Proverbs 3:5-6

LIVE YOUNG FOREVER! Mr. Marino as seen in the photos above is 89...

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:44:00 -0400

Develop a positive attitude!

Set an achievable goal for yourself!

Organize your day! Train daily!

Eat well and exercise for well being!

You gotta work at living!

Drink plenty of water!

Get a training partner!

Get off the couch and get moving!

Get Fit!

LIVE YOUNG FOREVER!

Mr. Marino as seen in the photos above is 89 years young! He gives alot of credit to his longevity, and quality of life to living a healthy, active lifestyle. Mr. Marino spends time daily exercising. He loves to swim, lift weights, and walk. In addition to his daily exercise regiment, Mr. Marino believes it is important to supplement your daily healthy eating plan with supplements like fish oils, vitamins and minerals. Let Mr. Marino inspire you to be fit and happy by getting started today on an exercise program and healthy eating plan. No excuses!

The benefits of regular physical activity:

1. Exercise improves your mood, and outlook of life. Exercise stimulates certain chemicals in the body helping you to feel better and prevent depression.

2. Regular physical activity helps prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoperosis and a whole bunch of other diseases.

3. Exercise helps remove excess bodyfat and maintain a healthy bodyweight.

4. Physical exercise promotes better sleep. Need a good nights rest? Exercise might be the key!

5. Exercise is fun! Get moving!!!!

www.LiveYoungWithJackLaLanne.com

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY DAD!!! Father’s Day Poem God...

Sat, 19 Jun 2010 20:06:00 -0400

French River hunting.

Pro fisherman.

Best Dad and friend.

Teacher, mentor, coach.

Big game hunter, trapper, outdoorsman.

World class business executive.

Best father-in-law.

Korean war vet.

Married 50 + years.

Family man.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY DAD!!!

Father’s Day Poem
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle’s flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it…
Dad
- Anonymous

Dear Dad,

I am so blessed to have you for my Dad! I wish every son could have a Dad like you. Thank you for all of your hard work, sacrifice and encouragement. I am and will be forever grateful for your unwavering love and support. God bless you on Father’s day and always.

Love,

Brad

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.” Philippians 1:3

Muscle Building Protein Pancakes that taste great! Lately...

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:22:00 -0400

Muscle Building Protein Pancakes that taste great!

Lately I’ve been eating alot of these pancakes! No they’re not making me fatter. In fact they are loaded with muscle building protein from egg whites and cottage cheese. I don’t even like cottage cheese, but you don’t taste it after cooking these things with the oats and egg whites. They are great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They are also good after training. You don’t need the sugar substitute and they still taste great. Just throw on some all natural syrup and enjoy!

Rocky Balboa’s Inspirational Speech to His Son...

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:05:14 -0400

Rocky Balboa’s Inspirational Speech to His Son

“When Things got hard, you started looking for something to blame. Like a Big Shadow.
Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it…

You’ve gotta hit as hard as life. It ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much can you take and keep moving forward? That’s how winning is done.

If you know what you’re worth, Go out and Get What Your Worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits. And not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him or her or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that.”

——Rocky Balboa

INTEGRITY! “To give real service you must add something...

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 19:23:00 -0400

Jim's own recipe!

Quality, Service, Integrity

High Protein!

Best Jerky around!

Elk, Alligator, Chicken, Beef

INTEGRITY!

“To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money and that is sincerity and integrity.”

I first met Jim of Jim’s Jerky at a Farmers Market. After my wife and I spoke with Jim and sampled his jerky it seemed as if we had known Jim for a long time. The jerky, which comes in many meats and flavors including Elk, Alligator, Cherry Chicken, Hillbilly beef to name a few, is the best I’ve ever had (made with their own recipe smoked over real hickory wood weekly). It is so good that for Christmas I wanted to send some to my dad and brother as a Christmas gift. I waited till the last minute to do my shopping so I wasn’t sure how I was going to get the jerky to my dad and brother in time for Christmas morning. After speaking with Jim on the phone he assured me that he could get it to me on time to overnight it. Much to my surprise Jim drove it himself all the way from St. Cloud, Florida to our house, easily an hour drive in the midst of a busy holiday rush. To me, Jim is a man of quality, service and integrity.

www.jimsjerky4u.com or www.jimsfamousjerky.com

EXCELLENCE! “Paint a masterpiece daily. Always autograph...

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 16:06:00 -0400

Synergy of Mt. Dora.

Stephan and staff.

Husband and wife team.

A salon with a view.

Make friends for life.

Come by plane, car or rail!

Southern Hospitality

Small town U.S.A.

Beautiful Lake Dora!

Work with passion and creativity!

EXCELLENCE!

“Paint a masterpiece daily. Always autograph your work with EXCELLENCE!”

When I first moved to Central Florida over 20 years ago, I went through my fair share of stylists. That is until I met Stephan, owner of Synergy Day Spa in Mt. Dora. Synergy is the newest and largest day spa in Mt. Dora. It is always inspiring to me to see someone who does their work with passion and excellence! Stephan is one of those people. From the first time I sat in Stephan’s chair 20 years or so ago until now, Stephan’s unwavering enthusiasm for his craft stands out. Stephan makes an ordinary haircut an extraordinary experience that leaves one feeling inspired to do their best with whatever it is they do.

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with Excellence.!” Ecclesiastes 9:10

www.synergysalonspamtdora.com

Play to WIN! “The most important thing is to love your...

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:46:00 -0400

A winner never whines.

You gotta believe!

Be thankful.

Conentration is important!

Think like a winner!

Never give up!

Persevere!

Press on!

Dreams do come true!

Walk the walk!

Play to WIN!

“The most important thing is to love your sport. never do it to please someone else -it has to be yours. That is all that will justify the hard work needed to achieve success. Compete against yourself, not others, for that is truly your best competition.” -Peggy Fleming

"People say that I’m still around because I have alot of heart, but I know all the heart in the..."

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:42:29 -0400

““People say that I’m still around because I have alot of heart, but I know all the heart in the world couldn’t have helped me if I wasn’t physically fit.””

- Jimmy Connors

Praise the Lord for Billy Graham and his ministry. This is a...

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:33:03 -0400

Praise the Lord for Billy Graham and his ministry. This is a great family movie about Billy’s younger years. Thumbs up from Ginny and Brad! Rent it or buy it!

Golfing is fun! “I’m a firm believer in the theory...

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:44:00 -0400

Hey Brad, how much are lessons?

That close to a hole in one. Mannn!!!

Beauuutiful!!!!

GRIP IT and RIP IT!!!

Noooo Problem.

Whadaya lookin att?

Home of the Tavisstock Cup

300plus driiiiive!!! Wow!

Eat Clean!

Birdie Putt. Sink it!!!!

Golfing is fun!

“I’m a firm believer in the theory that people only do their best at things they truly enjoy. It is difficult to excel at something you don’t enjoy.” Jack Nicklaus

DON’T QUIT!!!! “When things go wrong, as they...

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 08:13:00 -0400

It's time to TRAIN!!!

6 am workouts paying off!

We did it!!!

1 rep at a time!

Rise and Shine!!!

Wow, I'm getting ripped!

Gotta train the glutes!

Speak with my agent before taking photos

The squat is King!

Think about the beach.....

DON’T QUIT!!!!

“When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, when the road you’re trudging seems all uphill, when the funds are low and the debts are high, and you want to smile, but you have to sigh, when care is pressing you down a bit, rest if you must, but don’t you quit.”