Last week I was invited down to Houston, TX to work with the STARskaters program and ended up having some great adventures while I was there! What started as my first trip as a motivational speaker turned into a weekend of fun and helped me realize why I decided to embark on this path.
Jim O’Neill, the founder of STARskaters, started the program as a chance to help people with disabilities get on the ice and have a chance for them to enjoy the freedom that skating can bring. What started as a few drop-in hockey guys staying late to help kids skate has turned into a full-fledged program that includes SkateTherapy and sled hockey. I was lucky enough to speak with the parents, instructors, and volunteers of the program and even though I was the one doing most of the talking, the passion and sheer number of people that come out on a weekly basis to give their time and help teach others to skate blew me away. It’s great to see the vibrant community blossoming down in Houston and how so many people are willing to give up parts of their weekend to give back to others.
I also had the privilege of skating with the Houston sled hockey team both outdoors (in 60 degree weather mind you) and at a clinic to help teach some of their players the ins and outs of high-level sled hockey. The game has come so far from when I first started and it’s great to see the growth in non-traditional markets like Texas. To see that they have so many different levels from recreational to competitive speaks to the many levels sports can cater to. Sled hockey is what I know best and I’m glad to have shared my knowledge and grow the sport throughout the country.
Hockey has given me such a platform to be myself and inspire others. The connections that I’ve made have served me well and I can only hope that we are able to continue to grow the game. In Houston I was lucky enough to speak with two groups of 14-16 year old hockey players about what it took to get to the national team, what it is like being captain, and some funny stories along the way. I hope they were able to take something from it and, at the very least, they were able to hold some gold medals. It’s amazing how many people you meet through something like that, but the trip to Houston epitomized that starting off with Jim O’Neill and ending with Kayla LaFrance and Jeff Stone.
My trip to Houston was ended by getting a VIP trip to NASA where Kayla, an ISO there, gave us an inside look to where the space program has come from and the intricacies involved in keeping the International Space Station running. Jeff Stone, a retired ISO, also came along which gave us an older and newer perspective on things. I have never met anyone so passionate in their jobs and I have no doubt Kayla will reach her goal of becoming a flight director one day. I even got the chance to masquerade as one.
My first motivational speaking trip outside of St. Louis was extremely fun, but I’m also glad I was able to talk with so many people and hopefully make an impact in their lives. I’d like to thank Jim O’Neill for taking a chance on me and having me down to Houston to work with his program and share my story and all of the people that helped make my trip an enjoyable one. If you’d like to get more involved in STARskaters please visit their website http://starskaters.org/. If you are looking for a speaker at your event please email me at info@joshpauls.com or send me a message through the contact form!