small part in the grand scheme of it all. I got asked at a show a couple weeks ago what my biggest goals were as the inaugural judging coach of the Rams. I likely exhausted him with the length of my answer, but in my defense, it is a tough question to answer. Naturally, my primary goal as a judging coach is to harbor extremely talented students who can showcase their intellect through contest wins and individual accolades. Nothing feels better as an educator than seeing a student live up to their potential and accomplish what they set out to accomplish. However, there is a part of coaching that is not often seen at judging contests. There is a personal responsibility to be a servant leader; to do yourself what
me the ropes and prepare me for my next steps. This past summer, I was approached by a Colorado State University faculty member asking my interest in applying for the job. I was elated to even be considered and started to put together my application. After a long interview process, I was humbled to be offered the job in late October. I have spent a lot of time in the state of Colorado judging shows and working with the young people in their FFA and 4-H programs and have always been impressed with the quality of kids and the level of stockmen that called CO home. As a prideful Texan, I always thought my home state had the best representation, but it’s nice to be moving to a place where the bar is set just as high.
The school itself has a special feel to it. We tell recruits often how there is not a bad senior college to go to, but you will be hard pressed to find a place as physically beautiful as Fort Collins. In tandem with that, the entire faculty and staff share the same mission as me: to provide a top- notch education through hands-on experience and opportunities to generate future industry leaders that leave CSU ready to make a lasting impact. I am very fortunate the Dean and Department Head have been in full support of utilizing the livestock judging program to bolster the college and continue putting Colorado State on the right track. It takes a big vision to accomplish big goals, and luckily the whole team at CSU believes in a progressive vision that will take the program to new heights, and I am excited to play a
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Hard work, integrity, and a passion for doing things the right way are the values upon which I have built my career on.
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