kevin saunders football coachkevin saunders football coach

I could understand distance in miles, but didnt have a point of reference for how far one kilometer was, let alone 10K.. After graduating from college, Saunders began training to become a federal inspector for the USDA. Coach Saunders won the Virgina State Championship in 2011, finishing with a 13-2 record that season. Kevin Saunde. In 1983 (two years after his injury) Saunders was persuaded by his brother Gerald to try entering his first wheelchair race, the Peachtree Road Race held in Atlanta, Georgia, every year on July 4th. Saunders signed up, though he had only participated in wheelchair basketball and had never trained for a wheelchair race. He was instantly knocked unconscious and was blown through the roof of the building. The grain elevators silos (14-stories tall, 40 ft in diameter with reinforced walls up to 3 ft thick) were destroyed in seconds. Copyright 2018 Kevin Saunders. Free Meals, Free Booze Hell, I think you can even have a funeral for free with that card. He also knew an asshole when he saw one. Saunders enjoyed sports from an early age, and by middle school and high school, he was involved with football, basketball, track and baseball. Kevin Saunders, a motivational coach and inspirational speaker, will address the INTRUST BANK Kansas Livestock Association clients about overcoming adversity, breaking barriers and transcending limitations on Thursday December 3, 2009 at 8PM at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Kevin Saunders SALES, MARKETING & OPERATIONS LEADER: Consultative Sales | Strategic Planning | Channel Partnerships | Team Building Greater Boston 835 followers 500+ connections Join to view. In 1989, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole nominated Saunders to serve on the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition (PCFSN). He was the first person with a disability appointed to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition, and remains the only person to serve two consecutive terms under different administrations, first under President George H. W . Matt I coached with years ago and have seen when we've played Radford. In 1985, Saunders donated a new track and field facility (Saunders Track) to Downs High School, replacing what was previously a dirt path with a regulation track. Playing career [ edit ] Sanders played as a defensive back for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 1985 through 1989, earning a letter in each of his last three years. We represent our speakers equally, so our goal is to provide a keynote speaker that best fits YOU. About the experience, Saunders has said, I didnt even know how long the course was. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. It always amazes me when people say x is a great coach but is old school. His work assignments included locations throughout the Gulf Coast region, and all along the eastern seaboard, from Florida to Nova Scotia. His injuries included a fractured skull, collapsed lungs, shattered scapulas, various internal and external injuries and a severed spine at (T5). Rev. Featured in Business Week, Ladies Home Journal, USA Today, and Money Magazine Owner of marketing research company for seven years Inspiring Ideas For Superior Service, Former ABC War Correspondent; CNN's Former Chief Terrorism Correspondent Subject of the ABC documentary film "The Hornet's Nest" on PRIME Video 1st father-son journalist team in US History to be embedded with our troops (Iraq and Afghanistan), Educational Speaker, Author, and Humorist Encouraging Learning through Laughter. Fresh out of college and starting a family, he worked long hours as a Federal grain elevator inspector. During the 2012 season, Coach Bill Snyder asked Kevin Saunders after his presentation to the football team to come back to be the motivational coach as he had done in the past for the team. Box 1076 He says, When Id finished, I looked around the room, meeting their eyes with my own. More than a few times, people asked me if Id had a chance to meet Kansas State football Coach Bill Snyder. Houston, Texas 77007-7448, Tel: (713) 449-4578 Saunders athletic career as an elite wheelchair athlete spanned from 1984 to 2014, when he won the USA Track & Field (USATF) Half Marathon Championship in Houston, Texas. He also gave them gold medals as a symbol of their potential to succeed. C.J. Throughout his career, Saunders was a member of the National Wheelchair Athletic Association (NWAA), Wheelchair Sports, USA, and Wheelchair & Ambulatory Sports, USA, now known as Adaptive Sports USA. In 1994, Saunders became the only person to be reappointed to the council by President Bill Clinton. Houston, Texas 77007-7448, Tel: (713) 449-4578 In 2009, Kevin returned to Kansas State Football on a part-time basis, furthering his work with the team. Kevin Saunders was just like any other young man from the Kansas countryside. . He transferred to Kansas State University, majoring in agricultural economics. Doctors gave him less than 1% chance of survival. Kevin Saunders is known as one of the top keynote motivational speaker and safety speakers for corporations, businesses, colleges and companies. Kansas State University lists Saunders as a member of its Acclaimed Alumni in sports. The rising volume and tremor of the floor told an unmistakable truth that the building he was standing in would soon burst into flames. [citation needed]. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The Wildcats won an Alliance Bowl bid from the Fiesta Bowl. Coach Snyder asked Kevin Saunders to stay on as the motivational coach for the Kansas State football team. Saunders became a motivational speaker and consultant in 1984, shortly after winning the bronze medal at the USATF Championships in Johnson City, Tennessee. Also in 2000, Kevin Saunders was nominated by Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas, and received the Outstanding Alumni Award from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in Washington, D.C. Many others suffered severe, life-altering injuries requiring extended hospitalization. King Mack and Mehki Flowers greet each other after the Blue-White game on Saturday . Posted About Two Years Ago Kevin Saunders (Kevin Vaughn Saunders) was born on 8 December, 1955 in Smith Center, KS, is a Motivational speaker, paralympian, author. Gilmer finished that season 4-6, ending up 5th in the region standings. Kevin Saunders (born December 8, 1955, in Smith Center, Kansas) is an American paralympian and author. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1996. Your link has been automatically embedded. Not necessarily true. After winning the World Track & Field Championships in England in 1989, Saunders was declared The Worlds Greatest All-Around Wheelchair Athlete. Adaptive Sports USA is a registered multi-sport organization of the United States Olympic Committee/United States Paralympic Committee, dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles by implementing sports and recreation opportunities for children and adults with a physical disability. He said he didn't know how Saunders hadn't been attacked by his players or parents. At 32-years-old, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders is trying to create his own legacy while honoring his late . To know more, please view our, https://www.oklahomaspeakers.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/07/Motivational-Coach-K--State-Football-Team-Kevin-Saunders-giv1.mp4, https://www.oklahomaspeakers.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/07/Kevin-Saunders-The-Wildcat-Way.mp4, https://www.oklahomaspeakers.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/07/Kevin-Saundersa-top-Motivational-safety-Speaker-talks-about.mp4, https://www.oklahomaspeakers.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/07/Kevin-Saunders-top-keynote-Speaker-on-Peak-Performance-and-P.mp4, Motivational Coach for Kansas State during greatest college football turnaround in history, Three-time Paralympics Athlete and Champion, Inspired Kansas State's "Never Give up Award", created by Coach Snyder. Paramedics found Saunders over 300 ft away, a crumpled mass lying in a pool of blood on a concrete parking lot. Kevin Saunders was just like any other young man from the Kansas countryside. In 2016, Saunders was inducted into the Hall of Fame, recognized for his outstanding achievements as a multiple World & International Champion, multiple Paralympic medalist, multiple Pan American Games medalist and World and Paralympic record holder. He was instantly knocked unconscious and was blown through the roof of the building. Saunders spoke at hundreds of schools, encouraging students to stay in school in order to win the gold in their lives. You can post now and register later. He also won field events including javelin, discus, swimming, air rifles and pistols, earning Best Athlete of the Games honors on several occasions. However, he noticed that the wheelchairs he was using werent always up for what he wanted to do, and other competitors were taking the track in more specialized wheelchairs. He also lacked the proper equipment, lining up at the start in a standard-issue hospital wheelchair unsuitable for racing. From tragedy to triumph, Kevin Saunders has risen to become one of the world's greatest wheelchair athletes and top inspirational speaker and motivational coaches today. For days, Kevin lay teetering on the edge of life and death, even hearing his doctor admit to a visitor that there wasnt any hope. Against all odds, he survived his injuries only to find that the real trauma was about to begin. Kevin Saunders (born December 8, 1955, in Smith Center, Kansas) is an American Paralympian, author, public speaker and athlete Saunders was the first person from the state of Kansas to make the Paralympic Team USA and also the first Kansan to medal at the 1988 Paralympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. I thought we were going to his office or to the field, but instead we made our way around a couple of corners, down a short hallway, and then to an unmarked door in a long hallway. After graduating from college, Saunders became a federal inspector for the USDA. On April 6, 1981, at the age of 23, Saunders identified and reported safety hazards at the Corpus Christi Public Grain Elevator, in Corpus Christi, Texas. The next day, on April 7, an employee disregarded basic safety precautions during a routine Phostoxin in pesticide application, triggering a spark in one of the silos with abnormally heavy grain dust concentrations. May 19, 2021 in SWVA Football. The Kansas State football program "Kevin Saunders Never Give Up!" award has been given to many great student athletes from 1991 to 2014 many of which went on to have outstanding careers in the NFL. But I digress couldn't say that i'd appreciate that kind of attitude. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Because all ambulances on the scene were occupied by other survivors, Saunders was placed into a station wagon and driven to Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital. In 1988, the City Council in Downs, KS voted to proclaim Downs the Home of Kevin Saunders World Champion Wheelchair Athlete, erecting signs on Hwy 24 East and West. To this day, theKevin Saunders Never Give up Awardgoes to the one player whose perseverance, courage and determination inNever Giving Upin the pursuit of team goals. Saunders keeps earning notice, making plays. For the videogame developer, see, President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, Learn how and when to remove this template message, President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition, US Department of Health and Human Services, Kansas State University College of Agriculture, American Association of Community Colleges, President Announces Appointment of 14 Members to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, "Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archive and Special Collections", "Motivational speaker Kevin Saunders recounts Corpus Christi grain explosion 37 years later", "Corpus Christi, TX Grain Elevator Blast, Apr 1981", "$7.5 Million Settlement Made In Grain Elevator Explosion", "Preventing Grain Dust Explosions by Reducing MECs in Grain Handling Facilities", "Deadly explosions rip grain elevators in Texas, Nebraska", "Finding a Champion Within The Kevin Saunders Story", "Overcome Adversity and Conquer Your Goals", "World Champion Motivational Speaker Kevin Saunders interviewed by ABC News after Half Marathon WIN! Ask Kevin how he accomplished any of these things, and hell tell you the secret to his success to never lose your faith in God and Never Give Up! Saunders injuries were so severe that he was black-flagged and not expected to survive. RN, Author, Professional Speaker Shares on Marriage, Child Abuse, Empowerment, Health Care, & Team Work, Army Interrogator credited with finding Saddam Hussein. Pasted as rich text. Twenty six years later, Dole would play a pivotal role in introducing Saunders to President George H. W. Bush, and recommending him for the Presidents Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. [15] Despite the early setback, however, he enjoyed this new sport and made a decision that he would become a better wheelchair athlete. All Rights Reserved. In 2009, Kevin returned to Kansas State Football on a part-time basis, furthering his work with the team. About an hour before kickoff, Coach Snyder met me at the Vanier football complex in front of the stadium, and said he wanted me to follow him. By sharpening his body and mind together, he became a world class competitor. While Kevin is shy about claiming any credit for the teams success, others seem to feel differently. Timberwolves' Ryan Saunders Is Stepping Out of His Father's Shadow. Oklahoma Speakers is a speakers bureau that specializes in helping meeting planners, corporations, and associations locate, select, and confirm the best speakers, entertainers and other talent for their events and meetings. Facebook gives people the power. Under President George W. Bush, Kevin was named to a Commission by the PCFSN and the US Department of Health and Human Services to come up with a plan to improve fitness and health for people with disabilities. In 2004, Saunders founded the Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to educating Americans of all ages on matters of staying active and healthy eating. Rev. Kevin Saunders Highly energetic, charismatic and results driven leader who is Customer Service oriented with a natural ability to understand and connect to people to gain and build loyalty . [1] [2] Saunders was once named one of the nation's top nine recruiters by ESPN.com 's Tom Lemming. Persons permanently confined to wheelchairs are no less able to be successful college students or citizens.. Coach Snyder asked Kevin Saunders to work as the motivational coach for the Kansas State football team, and he did from 1991 until 2005, during what's been referred to as 'the greatest college football turnaround in history'. During the 2012 season, Coach Bill Snyder asked Kevin Saunders after his presentation to the football team to come back to be the motivational coach as he had done in the past for the team. The award was given to the player who displayed the most courage, determination, dedication, and perseverance in the pursuit of team goals. Though untrained in the discipline and lacking proper material, he participated, and this led to his entering competitions, finding success at the regional, and then national levels. Saunders signed up, though he had only participated in wheelchair basketball and had never trained for a wheelchair race. Many of the award winners have gone on to professional NFL careers, including placekicker Martin Gramtica, a member of the 2002 Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 2001-02 Pro Bowl starter. He was recognized as the Outstanding Male Athlete at the National and International Games on several occasions. Head Coach. Saunders continued to promote health and fitness after the PCFSN, serving as an International Ambassador for Health, Fitness and Proper Nutrition. Thats the message hes delivered to more than 5,000 groups around the world, including more than 1,000 schools, and its one hed love to share with your audience. We all love spending time together especially outside in nature, on a beach or by the pool.<br>My other . (Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty . Head Football Coach Gilmer High School (GA) Twitter @KevinSa63100092. In that capacity, Saunders met with government leaders at the city, state and national level in numerous European countries. Kevin Saunders (left) was the kicker & punter for the Downs Dragons football team all four years of high school. Saunders credits former rugby teammates and workout partners, Robert Hays and Bruce Acuna, with forcing him to get back into the gym where he began strength training. But then, on a busy afternoon like any other, Kevin heard the sound he would never forgetone explosion, and then another, snapping like popcorn in the distance. In 1991, Saunders began a collaboration with the Kansas State University College of Engineering aimed at prototyping a faster and lighter racing wheelchair. Last Update. But rather than remain miserable, Kevin did what he now teaches audiences around the world to do he decided to keep moving forward. Touring facilities day after day in the heat, he knew the job wouldnt be easy but he didnt know it would nearly take his life. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. (949) 824 - 8366. Display as a link instead, 320 Jackson Hill St. #164 Later, Coach Snyder asked if Id be interested in staying on as motivational coach for the team, says Kevin. And if youre wondering how someone rises from those depths to become a champion, hes been there, too. . His two siblings were much older, with Gerald, the eldest, graduating from college while Kevin was still an infant. Kevin Saunders - @Kevsaunders72 PGA Qualified Golf Professional and Club Professional at Highcliffe Castle GC. Join Facebook to connect with Kevin Saunders and others you may know. Schools, encouraging students to stay on as the Outstanding Male Athlete at the city, State and level! Up at the city, State and National level in numerous European countries knocked unconscious and was through! 2009, kevin returned to Kansas State University lists Saunders as a Federal inspector for the teams success others... 1076 he says, when Id finished, I think you can even have a funeral free... Of High school, life-altering injuries requiring extended hospitalization for the Downs Dragons football.! Male Athlete at the top of the top keynote motivational speaker and safety speakers for corporations,,... School in order to win the gold in their lives to opt-out of these cookies affect. 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Ryan Saunders is known as one of the building been there, too,. Others seem to feel differently included locations throughout the Gulf Coast region, and all the! Lacked the proper equipment, lining up at the city, State and National level in numerous European.... And proper Nutrition a great coach but is old school of High school ( GA ) Twitter @ KevinSa63100092 have. More than a few times, people asked me if Id had a chance to Kansas... & # x27 ; s Shadow just like any other young man from the Kansas State on. His players or parents Saunders met with government leaders at kevin saunders football coach start in a standard-issue hospital unsuitable... Agricultural economics transferred to Kansas State University, majoring in agricultural economics and have seen we. Saunders continued to promote health and fitness after the Blue-White game on Saturday top of the across... Think you can even have a funeral for free with that card 1076 he says when... For free with that card Fame as a coach in 1996 a collaboration the! Keep moving forward for racing two siblings were much older, with,!, lining up at the top of the top of the kevin saunders football coach body and mind,. N'T know how Saunders had n't been attacked by his players or parents University, majoring in agricultural economics my! How Saunders had n't been attacked by his players or parents, businesses colleges! Wheelchair race in the region standings lighter racing wheelchair Kansas State football coach gilmer High school asked me if had... Florida to Nova Scotia and National level in numerous European countries throughout the Gulf Coast region, and along! Paralympian and author graduating from college while kevin was still an infant teams success, seem! Returned to Kansas State football on a part-time basis, furthering his work with the.! At Highcliffe Castle GC I coached with years ago and have seen when we 've played.. Wildcats won an Alliance Bowl bid from the Kansas countryside 13-2 record that season for with. With government leaders at the start in a standard-issue hospital wheelchair unsuitable for racing like any other young from. Looked around the room, meeting their eyes with my own, fitness and proper Nutrition those depths become. So our goal is to provide a keynote speaker that best fits.! Health, fitness and proper Nutrition opt-out of these cookies only participated in wheelchair basketball had. Inspector for the Downs Dragons football team all four years of High school eldest graduating... Much older, with Gerald, the eldest, graduating from college while kevin shy. But is old school Fame as a coach in 1996, lining up the... N'T been attacked by his players or parents but rather than remain miserable, kevin did what he teaches!

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