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30 September 2011
At some point, we all need a John Gagliardi in our lives. The legendary coach of the St. John’s University Johnnies in aptly named Collegeville, Minn., has led the team since 1952. He’s just shy of career win No. 500; a conservative, John Wooden-like figure who teaches his players more than the game of football, instilling integrity and responsibility in his team, and preparing them for challenges and successes that lie ahead—on and off the field.
Overwrought? Maybe—until you meet a former charge. Advisor Jason Good still looks like a college player; hardly the stereotypical Al Bundy, stuck reliving his “glory days” as his hairline recedes and his waistline grows. We’ll skip the obvious pun with his name, but Good has those rarest of skills; left-brain analytics to decipher pages of spreadsheets combined with right-brain creativity to hone his people skills (and let’s not forget a healthy competitive streak). And Gagliardi is the first thing Good mentions when he’s asked how he’s come so far, so fast.
“Coach prides himself on teaching his players more about life than football,” Good says with obvious affection. “It sounds simple, but we had a lot of guys go out for the team and he always said, ‘If you don’t do the right thing, someone’s waiting to take your spot.’ He instilled the values of hard work, determination and perseverance. He taught me a lot about the Golden Rule and how to treat people. It was six years ago that I played for John, but I still feel that connection to him.”
Read the full article on the Investment Advisor Magazine website: http://www.advisorone.com/2011/10/01/as-good-as-it-gets
