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I love to sweat. It’s a lifestyle and a living. However when others invite me to sweat on my off time I am usually not down. My muscles are begging for a break come the weekend, so “no I can’t join your running club” and “no I don’t want to go on a fit date with you.” However when one of my favorite neos, DeAnna’s brother, asked me to join his coed touch football team for a one day tournament last year I was ready to run through my excuses on why I would have to pass on running in the end zone with him and his crew.

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Matt and DeAnna Munn – 2015 ZogSports Summer Football Classic

But before I could get the “N” in “no” out of my mouth Matt says, “DeAnna will be in town for it!” Well then. That settles that. I had always admired their relationship via social media and thought why not officially meet Brother Munn (that’s what I called him in my head when I would triple like their photos on Instagram). Plus I hear these rec teams drink beer after they play. So I said yes.

And I am so glad I did.

Last year was great, and while we did not win a single game the friendships and experience won me over. I was beyond down for round two this year and let’s just say, we won more than one game. More like we won the entire tournament yall! Little Giants style. The underdogs come back as the top dogs 365 days later!  

So obviously I couldn’t let this real life Summer Sixteen moment go unshared.

May our victory inspire you to unleash that champion deep down inside of you too!

Start With Your Heart

Yes I may of been a “walk-on” for Brother Munn’s team (let’s call him by his real name now that I know him IRL, Matt) but the real deal team is his actual in real life team. His family and closest friends. See Matt plays on the Ballz Of Fury ZogSports touch football team season after season. However for the Summer Football Classic, these past two years, he decided to depart from his competitive team in order to organize a team made out of love. Not a total shocker since I knew Matt had a big heart well before I met him. Born a week apart, we share the same zodiac sign (Cancer) thus the same desire to care and be with the ones we love. So I was honored to bear witness to this lovely football gathering. Over half the team is a Munn and the rest of us are the honored homies of the Munn family. However on one Saturday in August it feels like we’re one big happy family.

Champion Takeaway: We are all a part of the human family. Life is a group experience, do your part and start with your heart.

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Planning our 2016 revenge in 2015…

You Can Start With Nothing And Still Win Everything

Yo! I’m always an advocate for a comeback moment. A second chance. A moment of redemption. However my hopeful demeanor has never been present stronger than it was on Randall’s Island last Saturday. Like I said, we did not win a single game last year. We did our best, shook it off, threw back a few beers and called it a Saturday in August. So when the awesomeness that went down 365 days later last Saturday went down, I think we were all initially in shock. No games were being played (pun’s wild). We lost our first game, and while it resembled the beginning of last year’s experience we collectively unleashed our inner champion. Passes were being thrown like we were training for the NFL. Our QB was beyond on point. The girls were killing it! We were communicating and executing plays with true grit and by our third win the other ZogSports teams knew we were nothing to mess with. So one by one, we won. Immersed in the moment game after game and determined to walk away champs in the end. And that we did.

Champion Takeaway: Focus on the present and always leave room for the unexpected. It’s amazing how powerful things can be when we drop into what is happening as opposed to what happened. 

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Who run the world…

Your Circumstances Are Irrelevant

If there is one thing I’ve learned in both fitness and in life it is this – victory is never easy. The difference between success and failure usually depends on two things. Your confidence in the things you can change and your ability to surrender to the things that you cannot. So in relation to Saturday’s victory, the things we couldn’t change were definitely alive and well. 1) It was literally the hottest day of the summer. Google it. 2) We packed plenty of water, Gatorade and snacks. But very few of us had a substantial meal since our team breakfast at Matt’s apartment (P.S. We played from 10am to almost 6pm – do the math). So believe me when I say that these two elements came for our lives on Saturday. However we rose above. Yes our circumstances were present, but thanks to determination, they were also irrelevant.

Champion Takeaway: No matter what you may be facing today, remember who you are and what you are made of. No weapon formed against you shall prosper.

Speak It Into Existence

This powerful practice has been my main focus this year. I claimed 2016 to be “my year” and have been backing this truth up with positive affirmations nonstop. So when we hit the field on Saturday I was very aware of how positive the vibes were within our team. Most of us hadn’t seen each other since last August, so when we were catching up in between plays and games I was overwhelmed with joy in regard to how great everyone was doing. This was the first sign that we were on the path to victory. Our attitudes were undoubtedly in agreement both individually and collectively. So when we huddled up time and time again to do our team chant, I knew we were speaking that trophy into existence.

Champion Takeaway: Believing isn’t enough. First speak it, then walk in it. 

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Believe In Second Chances

Second chances are often missed because we are too busy replaying the mistakes of the first shot while in the midst of the second. This too has been heavy on my heart this year – the ability to forgive, learn and move forward. Well, this powerful lesson was present on the field on Saturday too.

Like I said, we lost our first game. But guess what team we played during the final championship game? That team we lost to during our first game! Cue Summer Sixteen again. Yo we were so amped about this moment of redemption that we knew we only had two options: to win or win. Long story short, the championship game was major. There was no fear, no mention of the past and therefore no problems. We just played hard and finished strong. Which in my opinion is the only way to approach a second chance.

Champion Takeaway: It’s not over until it’s over. Second chances are a blessing, fear is the curse.

Well, that’s all RADicals. Champion life is a RAD life, so may you have the courage to say “yes” when you normally say “no.” And may your life forever be changed because of it.

Thank you Brother Munn for showing this pro fit girl how to have a little recreational fun! See you on the field in 2017. 

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