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The Best Ever You Show welcomed Coach Aaron Izaryk as my guest! Coach Izaryk spent the hour with me talking about Bridgton Academy, the baseball program at Bridgton Academy, the Sanford Mainers and also gave us some insight into goal-setting and his philosophy around life and coaching. Thank you to Coach Izaryk for your time, energy and thoughtfulness.
To listen to the show click here for free replays. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/besteveryou/2018/03/08/aaron-izaryk--bridgton-academy-and-the-sanford-mainers The show is also available on iTunes and iHeartRadio.
Coach Izaryk was also so kind to answer some questions for this online article:
Aaron Izaryk is the head coach of Bridgton Academy Baseball and the General Manager of the Sanford Mainers. Aaron Izaryk came on as the Head Coach of Bridgton Academy baseball in 2010. Since then he has transformed Bridgton into the premiere prep baseball program in New England. With two NECBA Championships, six playoff appearances, and countless players placed in top-level collegiate baseball programs, Izaryk has changed the culture of baseball at Bridgton Academy. His efforts were also instrumental in the construction of our new, Division I-level baseball complex on the Bridgton Academy campus.
What motivates you?
I find myself motivated in a few different ways, but I love improvement and "moving the needle". It's a great feeling to finish a project, a day, a practice (or any other undertaking) and finish by saying, "We got better today." This is obviously intrinsic and something that I evaluate with my team, but it also provides a great time to self-reflect at the end of the day. When the motivation seems hard to come by, I always find myself looking at some of the success stories of guys who have played for me at Sanford, or graduated from Bridgton, to remind me that what we do every day - even though there is some delayed gratification - really matters and changes the lives of many.
What do you like to do in your personal life?
When I'm not coaching, you can find me staying busy with my boys and wife. We love the lake and the boys love the beach. It has been really fun to teach Parker how to fish, but also get him started in some of the Bridgton Rec sports offerings. I've loved hockey since I was very small, and I still play once a week here on campus, but it has been a lot of fun to get Parker started in hockey, golf and baseball - just like my parents did for me at such a young age. Youth sports can be so beneficial if they are done right.
What is your "BestEverYou" philosophy?
My philosophy is one that I ended up writing out many times, but after some tinkering and a lot of thought I ended up shortening it to two words - Be Better. I am always seeking out opportunities to improve and learn, and I encourage those around me to do the same. I am constantly surrounded by passionate, elite and talented individuals and I try to utilize their experiences to gain insight into things I have yet to be exposed to. If you find me on Twitter, you'll find #BeBetter on many of my tweets, as well on as some Bridgton Baseball gear we have here on campus. #BeBetter (Editor's note: Love it!)
If you won the lotto, what would you do?
I am like everyone else, and play this game often. It's amazing how the answers have changed over time. I used to want to buy all the things I couldn't afford like cars, houses, vacations and such - and I can't say that I wouldn't want to do that still. However, I find myself thinking about how I'd share that money with those who have invested in me over my lifetime. Parents, family, institutions, mentors, facilities - there are so many things that I've benefitted from and I would look to give back as much as I could - after I bought that dream house!
How do you help others to be their best?
The best method I've found to motivate others is to simply model the behavior you're hoping for, as much as possible. If I want my players to have integrity in all situations, show character and be accountable, I need to do those things myself and model how that looks. The "do what I say, not as I do" model is not something I've had success with, so I try to set expectations and guidelines that are not only reasonable and realistic, but also ones that I can and will follow with the groups I work with. If you can't do it yourself or your aren't willing to commit to doing it, it's hard to expect others to be motivated to.
More About Coach Aaron Izaryk
In addition to his duties as Head Baseball Coach, Izaryk also the Academy’s Director of Athletics and Athletic Recruitment, where he oversees the overall vision and programming of all athletic teams. Previous to that, he was Director of College Counseling, where he guided many of our young men through the college selection process, as well as helping to clear the sometimes murky waters of the NCAA Clearinghouse.
Outside of the Academy, Izaryk has been the Manager of the NECBL’s Sanford Mainers for seven summers, notching seven playoff appearances, 150 wins, a trip to the NECBL finals in 2014 and the 2015 Joel Cooney NECBL Manager of the Year award. Throughout his time at Bridgton Academy and the Mainers, over 50 of Izaryk’s players have been selected in the Major League Draft.
Izaryk lives on the Bridgton Academy campus with his wife, Jamie, son, Parker and their two dogs. He is a devout Toronto Maple Leafs devotee, so be gentle if you ever have the chance to meet him.
About The Best Ever You Show:
Host Elizabeth Hamilton Guarino & guests are on a mission to raise awareness - to inspire you to embrace the inner love, gifts, and talents that create the essence of who you really are - and to challenge you to share this uniqueness with the world. Best Ever You is a safe place to discover, or re-discover your authentic, best self - to create a vision and practice that vision, to really live - where each moment in your life matters. Our goal is assist you to connect with your true self, to others around you, and to the world as a whole, in peace - for peace.Your highest-best-self and best-life mean making a commitment to yourself to become healthy in all ways - mentally, physically, spiritually, financially and emotionally. Today, Best Ever You is a leading multi-media provider of lifestyle and self-help content. We are dedicated to helping YOU and all people across the globe live life to the fullest by being their best. We provide unique content, creative insight and tools you can use in your everyday life. Our network is a community of people making a difference. We are all dedicated to helping you be your best and create and live your best life. The show has several million downloads and is syndicated on iHeartRadio, iTunes and more.