On January 26, 2024, Lincoln South Rotary Club heard from Raymonn Adams. He primarily spoke on the Olympus Track Club but shared other transformational thoughts.
Raymonn thanked us for inviting him and for all that we do in Rotary. He commented that he did not realize how he was surrounded by so many individuals helping our community and all under the motto of "Service Above Self".
As recorder for the meeting, I was trying to carefully follow the development of the Olympus Track Club. It obviously was not an intentional goal but one that grew out of life experiences and challenges that our speaker and family faced.
Raymonn Adams shared how he struggled to just be a spectator when his daughter was training with a track club. He could see that her skills were not developing and, in fact, she didn't enjoy track. He ended up being a volunteer coach, the number of sprinters increased, and they greatly improved. What he primarily wanted was for his daughter to enjoy the sport and improve her skills.
He thought this track club was not providing the experience and support that would help the athletes excel - to truly develop athletes. He wanted to create a club that was more than just kids out running.
Reflecting on his life, he recalled the support and encouragement of his mom. She always encouraged him to dream big. He recalled that there were many times when they were hungry, and did not have heat. But, his mom was a consistent force in his development - she praised him for doing good things and discussed changes needed when he had things that needed to be addressed. In all cases, he was encouraged to dream big. He was the first member from his family to graduate college.
Stay True To Form ended up being a driving mantra. He found that it was not only important to him but, by sharing - mentoring others - he could help them become the best version of themselves. Staying true to form means marrying emotional, physical and spiritual being.
The Olympus Track Club started based on these important characteristics. Even in the early time of the club athletes and coaches could see that there was something unique about the club - the athletes and coaches of the club. After every event, coaches and athletes asked what they were doing - what was unique. Raymonn stated that it was basically developing mind before body. Nothing is achieved physically until it is developed mentally.
Within three years of starting the club they earned 3 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze metals as well as over 40 all American athletes at competitions. This past year they went to the junior Olympics where they got a gold, a bronze and 14 all Americans.
The story got a little more personal when Raymonn shared a photo of his son running hurdles. Raymonn talked about his son (Xavier Adams) and how he was winning regularly. But, that changed one year and Xavier was losing to a team-mate. Raymonn learned that his son was afraid - afraid of losing.
That brought another component to Raymonn's training and mentoring - conquering fear. Fear (quote from Raymonn's presentation) is a learned emotional response to an imagined event or experience we interpret as dangerous, painful, or uncomfortable.
Raymonn worked with Xavier on his fear - trying to help him overcome those fears. They talked about the fear - the perceived issue - and how that could be eliminated. He assured his son that it was not important that he win - it was important for Xavier to become the best athlete he could be, show up for the race, and enjoy the experience.
According to Raymonn's presentation, beliefs are created from experiences, which "tell a story". That story is told and relived which is an affirmation. Eventually this ends up as a belief. We cannot take away our past experiences, but we can influence our current and future experiences. We can create more positive experiences and "change our story".
Raymonn's son, Xavier, ended up earning gold in the Junior Olympics and he broke the national record for running hurdles.
Continuing on his journey, realizing that there were more people that could benefit from the belies and training, Raymon founded a program he calls Buffalo Status - Face The Storm (buffalostatus.com), He has written and book (Affirmation to Transformation) and is developing an app. By trade he is a web designer in addition to being an athlete, coach and a sports dad.
BIO:
Raymonn Adams is an entrepreneurial force with a knack for inspiring change, an advocate for those seeking to empower themselves. With a positive attitude that's proven unshakeable in the face of adversity,
Raymonn has achieved what many might consider impossible. He's the first in the history of his family to graduate college, a three-time All-American in Football, a National Champion in Track and Field, a collegiate Hall of Fame inductee, and a former NFL player signed by the New York Jets. In just seven years, he has led a nationally recognized track club to impressive achievements, coaching over 600 athletes to earn 3 gold medals, 2 silver medals, 2 bronze medals, and 64 All-American honors at the Junior Olympic level.
Beyond his record setting achievements, Raymonn is dedicated to helping others realize their own personal power. Through transformational thinking, his story encourages people to pursue what inspires them, even amidst life's toughest storms.
Now, as a father, author, and the founder and CEO of two innovative technology companies, Raymonn continues to inspire others to face their fears, heal from the lies they’ve been told, and redefine their life story. He’s not just a motivational speaker. He's a transformation seeker.