"What will they say?" This reflection comes from a sermon I heard at church this morning. "What will they say about you when you leave this earth?" I often think about this and how I approach the human experience, from both spectrums. I've hurt people on my journey and still think about the times I shoulda, coulda, woulda done better. What I think about most is how do I counteract some of my early mistakes with good? What would my wife, children, close associates say on the inevitable day when I am no longer there to defend my actions? In my wiser years this is my guiding compass. I can't change the past, but I can learn from it. Not only can I do better, I can coach those who I see are facing similar circumstances by offering them a choice. The choice to make the same mistakes or take the wisdom and do better than I did. This week, a teenage student athlete pulled me aside during class to share his struggles with following his own path versus doing what his father wants. In that moment, I got to offer him my perspective while respecting his father at the same time. It isn't just philosophical, it's practical. With each high five, each time I listen without distraction, each time I message someone close just to let them know I am thinking of them, builds what I hope fills churches one day. "Coach Vern, Vernon, My husband, My daddy, My mentor, My friend was patient, always striving to do better than yesterday. He was a man who wanted to heal hearts and grow minds. He was a man who was relentless in the pursuit of community. His convictions revolved around kindness through the help of others, sometimes to his own detriment. He is and always will be a light and an example of, no matter the circumstances you can become undeniable." Accomplished this week - STORM team met over the weekend - 10 members in our SKOOL Community! Thank You! - Published a LinkedIn article about how parental entitlement impacts our kids. Click here! - Reviewed 6 chapters of the Powerful Parenting Playbook - Trained over at Neutral Ground HQ with some awesome teammates - Represented Utopia Martial Arts at Grafton High School career day - gave teens permission to not have it figured out yet and honored their potential instead of lecturing about my path

What is your weekly win as well as your weekly goal! Lets work together to get some roadblocks out of the way!

“Ego reminds me what I’ve done. Humility reminds me how much more there is to learn.” Accomplished this week - Competed against high-level opponents at the quintet, had strong moments and tough lessons. Even after coming this far, I’m reminded there’s always more to learn. - Stepped into leadership by picking the lineup and being the spearhead in the second wave, while watching my team show up for each other despite losses, fatigue, and the grind of competition. - Felt the power of community with one of our largest fan turnouts! Families, parents, and teammates showing up just to cheer us on. - Hosted a Girl Scout self-defense seminar, blending fun with serious skills. One parent told me, “Thank you for putting this together. Girls shouldnt live in fear,, but need to be prepared.” That’s exactly why we do what we do. - Proud of the effort I poured into preparing for competition while staying safe and healthy. What I need to accomplish this week - Shift focus from competing to building: represent at Grafton High School, lead STORM team invites and our weekend meeting. - Host a birthday party that doubles as an opportunity to welcome potential future members into the Utopia family. - Document more of the day-to-day journey of Coach Vern — showing both the grind and the gratitude. Closing thought:Humility keeps us coachable, teamwork keeps us accountable, and community keeps us grounded. What’s one way you can practice humilitin your own life this week? Drop it below ⬇️