Oklahoma Speakers 2023. There was massive loss of life as many grain elevator employees were either killed by the blast instantly or succumbed to fatal injuries in the moments that followed. On April 7, 1981, at the age of 23, Saunders identified and reported safety hazards at the Corpus Christi Public Grain Elevator, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Throughout his career, Saunders was a member of the National Wheelchair Athletic Association (NWAA), Wheelchair Sports, USA, and Wheelchair & Ambulatory Sports, USA, now known as Adaptive Sports USA. Avid Luton Town and Liverpool FC fan Show all results. Before he had time to even think or move, a blast rocketed the office and sent him over a 2-story building three hundred feet into the air. I told him what a fan I was of his work and the Kansas State football program, and he invited me to come and sit on the sidelines for an upcoming game. Southampton and Poole Pirates fan Kefaloniaman23 - @KevinSaunders23 loves anything related to Marilyn Monroe. Matt I coached with years ago and have seen when we've played Radford. Cave Spring basketball standout Dylan Saunders has flipped his commitment from Fairleigh Dickinson University to Iona University after former FDU coach Tobin Anderson jumped to Iona . Saunders continued to promote health and fitness after the PCFSN, serving as an International Ambassador for Health, Fitness and Proper Nutrition. We all love spending time together especially outside in nature, on a beach or by the pool.<br>My other . Saunders was in the USDA government building when the largest explosion struck. Later, Coach Snyder asked if Id be interested in staying on as motivational coach for the team, says Kevin. Last year, Saunders led the Anteaters to one of their best seasons in recent history. If youve ever felt down and out, discouraged, beaten or broken, Kevin Saunders has been there. Coach Leavitt was the co-defensive coordinator at Kansas State and Kevin Saunders was the motivation coach for the team. Houston, Texas 77007-7448, Tel: (713) 449-4578 But then, on a busy afternoon like any other, Kevin heard the sound he would never forgetone explosion, and then another, snapping like popcorn in the distance. Kevin Saunders (born December 8, 1955, in Smith Center, Kansas) is an American paralympian and author. During the 2012 season, Coach Bill Snyder asked Kevin Saunders after his presentation to the football team to come back to be the motivational coach as he had done in the past for the team. Saunders steps down as Gilmer High's football head coach | Times-Courier, Ellijay, Georgia Saunders steps down as Gilmer High's football head coach By News Staff on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 After two seasons on the job, Gilmer High football head coach Kevin Saunders has resigned. Your previous content has been restored. At graduation in 1974, Saunders met U.S. Deion Sanders' last game as Jackson State University's head football coach may end today (Dec. 3) after the Tigers take on the Southern Jaguars in the SWAC Football Championship title game.. Albeit unconfirmed, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that Sanders is expected to accept a position as head coach of Colorado University's Buffaloes football team. You cannot paste images directly. Saunders athletic career as an elite wheelchair athlete spanned from 1984 to 2014, when he won the USA Track & Field (USATF) Half Marathon Championship in Houston, Texas. The suspended grain dust particles instantly ignited, producing a series of powerful explosions that ripped through the facility at a speed calculated by experts at Texas A&M University to be in excess of 1,082 ft per second. [citation needed]. In 1991, Saunders began a collaboration with the Kansas State University College of Engineering aimed at prototyping a faster and lighter racing wheelchair. More than a few times, people asked me if Id had a chance to meet Kansas State football Coach Bill Snyder. Coach Snyder asked Kevin Saunders to stay on as the motivational coach for the Kansas State football team. In 1994, Saunders became the only person to be reappointed to the council by President Bill Clinton. Though untrained in the discipline and lacking proper material, he participated, and this led to his entering competitions, finding success at the regional, and then national levels. In 2009, Kevin returned to Kansas State Football on a part-time basis, furthering his work with the team. He transferred to Kansas State University, majoring in agricultural economics. Kevin Saunders (born December 8, 1955, in Smith Center, Kansas) is an American Paralympian, author, public speaker and athlete Saunders was the first person from the state of Kansas to make the Paralympic Team USA and also the first Kansan to medal at the 1988 Paralympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. We represent our speakers equally, so our goal is to provide a keynote speaker that best fits YOU. By sharpening his body and mind together, he became a world class competitor. Passionate about loving God and building meaningful relationships with people. only 1 person is calling him that. His two siblings were much older, with Gerald, the eldest, graduating from college while Kevin was still an infant. Join Facebook to connect with Kevin Saunders and others you may know. He transferred to Kansas State University, majoring in agricultural economics. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1996. Along the way, Saunders received over 100 official mayoral and gubernatorial proclamations declaring Kevin Saunders Day for his work in promoting greater health and fitness across the nation. Some of my duties as motivational coach included speaking and working with the team giving inspirational goal-setting talks. This guy earned that title long ago", "Department of Agricultural Economics - Alumni>Distinguished Alumni", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kevin_Saunders&oldid=1119230577, Paralympic bronze medalists for the United States, Paralympic track and field athletes of the United States, Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Paralympics, Athletes (track and field) at the 1992 Summer Paralympics, Athletes (track and field) at the 1996 Summer Paralympics, Paralympic medalists in athletics (track and field), Short description is different from Wikidata, BLP articles lacking sources from July 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2020, BLP articles lacking sources from January 2020, Articles lacking reliable references from October 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Motivational speaker, paralympian, author, This page was last edited on 31 October 2022, at 11:14. About the experience, Saunders has said, I didnt even know how long the course was. Senator Bob Dole, a fellow Kansan, who spoke at the commencement exercises for Downs High School. Premium Content is available to subscribers only. His injuries included a fractured skull, collapsed lungs, shattered scapulas, various internal and external injuries and a severed spine at (T5). Before he had time to even think or move, a blast rocketed the office and sent him over a 2-story building three hundred feet into the air. SPARTANBURG, S.C. The veteran coach always wanted all his players to go into multiple sports when they . Coach Snyder asked Kevin Saunders to work as the motivational coach for the Kansas State football team, and he did from 1991 until 2005, during what's been referred to as 'the greatest college football turnaround in history'. Saunders then presented these students with a gold medal in recognition of their accomplishments. Many others suffered severe, life-altering injuries requiring extended hospitalization. [1] [2] Saunders was once named one of the nation's top nine recruiters by ESPN.com 's Tom Lemming. Billy Graham at the White House. Graham served as spiritual counsel to the president, and the two men spent an hour talking and in prayer. I could understand distance in miles, but didnt have a point of reference for how far one kilometer was, let alone 10K.. In that capacity, Saunders met with government leaders at the city, state and national level in numerous European countries. An accident in April 1981, at a grain elevator in Corpus Christi, Texas, wounded him severely, and left him in a wheelchair, paralyzed from the chest down. Helping others and seeing them grow and achieve brings me the most joy.<br>I love my family and I would do anything for my 2 girls. . Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. In 1985, Saunders donated a new track and field facility (Saunders Track) to Downs High School, replacing what was previously a dirt path with a regulation track. Saunders has also won many road races throughout the United States and in other countries. The grain elevator's silos (14-stories tall, 40ft in diameter with reinforced walls up to 3ft thick) were destroyed in seconds. Last Update. While Kevin is shy about claiming any credit for the teams success, others seem to feel differently. In 2013, Kansas State University picked Kevin Saunders and a handful of other outstanding alumni to represent the University in its Wildcat Way campaign. In 1988, the City Council in Downs, KS voted to proclaim Downs the Home of Kevin Saunders World Champion Wheelchair Athlete, erecting signs on Hwy 24 East and West. All rights reserved. I know him, matt and their sister and 2 of the 3 are good peoplesome may like him and that's fine cause I'm sure people like himbut to each their own, He is a winner,he expects boys to be men or on there way to being a man, did he cures-yes, grab a kid by the facemask-yes, did he let little johnny's parent tell him "little johnny should play because I GAVE THE PROGRAM $$$$, ---NO.HE is better suited for kids that have seen a lot worse than a coach raising his voice at practice.I would dare to say that if JJ KELLY or CENTRAL would have kept SAUNDERS that they may have had a ring or two. Saunders attended college on athletic scholarships for football, track and field, and soccer. In 2009, Kevin returned to Kansas State Football on a part-time basis, furthering his work with the team. When rescuers found him, he was over 300 feet away in a parking lot, bent and broken at the chest. After graduating from college, Saunders began training to become a federal inspector for the USDA. Saunders spoke at hundreds of schools, encouraging students to stay in school in order to win the gold in their lives. His injuries included a fractured skull, collapsed lungs, shattered scapulas, various internal and external injuries and a severed spine at (T5). Kevin Saunders's Phone Number and Email. WLJA is your home for the best in Southern Gospel music. Kevin Saunders (left) was the kicker & punter for the Downs Dragons football team all four years of high school. He was the first person with a disability appointed to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition, and remains the only person to serve two consecutive terms under different administrations, first under President George H. W . Kansas State University lists Saunders as a member of its Acclaimed Alumni[3] in sports. Kansas State University lists Saunders as a member of its Acclaimed Alumni in sports. Anyone who has heard Kevin speak knows he believes that Sports is the. 4h Kevin Seifert. Kevin Saunders Motivational Speaker Apr 1984 - Present38 years 8 months 320 Jackson Hill Street Ste. Saunders has also won many road races throughout the United States and in other countries. Paralyzed from the chest down, he struggled to find a new meaning and focus for his life. old school is a rare find these days, always appreciated like a breath of fresh air. They went on to win that game. American Paralympian, Author & Motivational Speaker From tragedy to triumph, Kevin Saunders has risen to become one of the world's greatest wheelchair athletes and top inspirational speaker and motivational coaches today. 320 Jackson Hill St. #164 He also won field events including javelin, discus, swimming, air rifles and pistols, earning Best Athlete of the Games honors on several occasions. In 1989, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole nominated Saunders to serve on the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition (PCFSN). The 2023 Ohio State Buckeyes football team will represent the Ohio State University as a member of the East Division of the Big Ten Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season.The team is expected to be led by Ryan Day in his fifth season as Ohio State's head coach. As a motivational and safety speaker, Saunders speaks to different audiences, including corporate clients, non-profits, and students on topics ranging from motivation and peak performance to workplace safety and the importance of education. Overall, despite some showers at times, Penn State's spring game was played under decent enough weather conditions as the . Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. He is also a motivational speaker and inspirational coach who, speaks with passion, about improving safety in the workplace and overcoming . Kevin Saunders was just like any other young man from the Kansas countryside. Doctors gave him less than 1% chance of survival. In 2009, Kevin returned to Kansas State Football on a part-time basis, furthering his work with the team. In my opinion, an assistant coach can get by with a stern, old-school attitude nowadays, but a head coach cannot. Outside the K-State meeting theater meeting room in the brand new football locker room and facilities that were completed just before the start of the 2015 football season. Kevin is old school and most parents and kids can't handle that. His body was broken over at the chest like most people bend at the waist when they bend to touch their toes. If there's someone Allar should have strong chemistry with, Saunders is a likely pick. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Coach Saunders led the Bobcats to their first victory in 3 years on August 30th of 2019 with a victory over Towns County. The crackling and popping of the concrete being blown apart was so loud it felt like it was going to split my head wide open.. Houston, Texas 77007-7448, Tel: (713) 449-4578 Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Display as a link instead, [2] Twenty six years later, Dole would play a pivotal role in introducing Saunders to President George H. W. Bush, and recommending him for the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. Touring facilities day after day in the heat, he knew the job wouldnt be easy but he didnt know it would nearly take his life. Gilmer finished that season 4-6, ending up 5th in the region standings. k***@dist428.org. In 1983 (two years after his injury) Saunders, who had moved to Greenville, South Carolina, was persuaded by his brother Gerald to try entering his first wheelchair race, the Peachtree Road Race held in Atlanta, Georgia, every year on July 4. Aside from his athletic accomplishments, Saunders has received more than 100 commendations, proclamations, and awards for his work to improve health and fitness, education and nutrition, including the Torch of Freedom Award given to the years Outstanding Sports Figure or Team and the Distinguished Service Award presented by Arnold Schwarzenegger on behalf of the PCFSN. . In the report, the Baltimore Ravens and former strength coach Steve Saunders got by far the worst ratings of any team in the league with a grade of "F-" and a few players can explain why. Abused and abandoned by his young wife, his life fell into disarray. Saunders attributes that conversation with Graham as pivotal in helping strengthen his Faith and his desire to help others through philanthropy and his speaking work. In 1989, Saunders worked alongside Tom Cruise and Oliver Stone as a principal actor during the filming of the Academy Award-winning film Born on the Fourth of July.. Saunders injuries were so severe that he was black-flagged and not expected to survive. Doctors gave him less than 1% chance of survival. During the race he was unable to maintain pace with other competitors and was eventually disqualified once he was passed by the leading foot runners. Some of my duties as motivational coach included speaking and working with the team giving inspirational goal-setting talks He has captivated audiences at thousands of schools, colleges and universities, not to mention businesses of every size. Kevin Saunders is widely regarded as one of the most powerful motivational speakers alive today. Over the following months, I spent a lot of time on campus talking to engineering students, athletes and professors. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. All that means is that x was oncesuccessful in a certain time and place, but is unable to adapt. Aug 03, 2022 at 02:52 PM. Motivational speaker, paralympian, author. To know more, please view our, https://www.oklahomaspeakers.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/07/Motivational-Coach-K--State-Football-Team-Kevin-Saunders-giv1.mp4, https://www.oklahomaspeakers.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/07/Kevin-Saunders-The-Wildcat-Way.mp4, https://www.oklahomaspeakers.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/07/Kevin-Saundersa-top-Motivational-safety-Speaker-talks-about.mp4, https://www.oklahomaspeakers.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/07/Kevin-Saunders-top-keynote-Speaker-on-Peak-Performance-and-P.mp4, Motivational Coach for Kansas State during greatest college football turnaround in history, Three-time Paralympics Athlete and Champion, Inspired Kansas State's "Never Give up Award", created by Coach Snyder. We will update Kevin Saunders's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. He was the first person with a disability appointed to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition, and remains the only person to serve two consecutive terms under different administrations, first under President George H. W. Bush, and later reappointed by President Bill Clinton.[1]. He's a straight up assholehis brother matt is a good dude.night and day. Saunders signed up, though he had only participated in wheelchair basketball and had never trained for a wheelchair race. Kevin Saunders resigned from his position as Gilmer High Schools football head coach last Wednesday. Henry Russell (Red) Sanders, who died suddenly and shockingly in a downtown Los Angeles hotelroom last week, was one of the few men in football coaching who genuinelymerited the accolade "wizard." After winning the World Track & Field Championships in England in 1989, Saunders was declared "The World's Greatest All-Around Wheelchair Athlete". 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