Jeff Strong: Transforming Dreams into Reality Through Sports and Life

Get ready for one of our most unique episodes yet of Beyond the Game as host Mike Lacey kicks off Season 6 with Jeff Strong, former BYU baseball pitcher turned track coach and hurdles competitor. After playing for the Mighty Red Devils at Springville High School and pitching for BYU in the 1980s, Jeff's career took him through Procter & Gamble and around the world before becoming a mission president in Arkansas. At age 50, a surprising challenge from his son's track coach led Jeff to take up hurdles himself, even overcoming a devastating knee injury when doctors told him he'd "never get full use back." This unexpected journey into competitive hurdles led to multiple podium finishes at US National Championships in his age group. Jeff shares powerful stories of coaching high school hurdlers like Jake Hill and Jensen Rudd, who transformed from unranked athletes to state championship contenders through the power of dreams and consistent effort. Through his own competitive journey and coaching experiences, Jeff offers profound insights about how dreams can power us through failures, how effort matters more than results, and why it's never too late to pursue meaningful goals. His message that "a man doesn't begin to grow old until his regrets become bigger than his dreams" captures the essence of his inspiring philosophy about sports and life!

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