Four Years Later - ELITETRACK

Today marks the four year anniversary of a real and a metaphorical journey for me. It is four years since I left the Nike Oregon Project; it was supposed to be my dream job, coaching elite athletes in a sport that I love. It was far from a dream, it was a horror story, a scary movie. Without a doubt one of the worst experiences of my life, but a defining moment none the less. I decided to drive back home to Sarasota and use the time to think and evaluate my future. It was a wise decision. I resolved to get back in the saddle and finish my book- Athletic Development, which I finished that fall. I started writing this blog to get me focused on writing each day. I took a little break from day to day coaching and just consulted. I got back on the metaphorical journey of the functional path after taking a turn down a deadend street. The experience taught me many lessons. I learned who my friends really were. It reaffirmed what is important professionally, how important it is to stand for what you believe ethically and what I have to do to be happy. Sometimes life’s lessons are hard, I thank God that four years later I am a better coach, and hopefully a better person focused on what is truly important in life. To paraphrase the George Strait song – happiness was Portland in the rear view mirror!

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Vern Gambetta

Director at Gambetta Sports Training Systems

Vern is the Director of Gambetta Sports Training Systems. He has been the a conditioning coach for several MLS teams as well as the conditioning consultant to the US Men's World Cup Soccer team. Vern is the former Director of Conditioning for the Chicago White Sox and New York Mets. He has lectured and conducted clinics in Canada, Japan, Australia and Europe and has authored six books and over one hundred articles related to coaching and sport performance in a variety of sports. He has a BA in teaching with a coaching minor and an MA in Education with an emphasis in physical education from Stanford University.