From the time he was six years old up until today, soccer has played a big part in the life of Reid Carr, our President & CEO. Read this Share & Tell edition to hear about the sport's importance to Reid and his family.
My We:30 item to SHARE is soccer. I started playing soccer when I was six, though it wasn’t until much later when I realized the joy it brings me. Growing up, I wanted more than anything to play football, but wasn’t allowed to play formally until I was in high school, so I never really embraced it the way I do now. I was probably more into “sports” in general than I was into one particular sport (I was a four-sport letterman and Athlete of the Year in high school). Soccer is a big part of today’s daily life.
I play twice per week personally, and it is something that I share with my family, as both my wife and son also play. It has been the constant in every location I have lived, from college in Oregon, to LA, to San Diego. In LA, I played on a team where I was the only English speaker, therefore pre-game and half-time speeches were delivered first by the coach in Spanish, then the relevant parts translated to English for me. (I hate to admit, but I did four years of Spanish in high school, began a minor in Spanish in college and live in San Diego. I generally had the gist, but the details helped. Soccer is filled with colloquialisms). In San Diego, I have been playing with the same core of friends for about 15 years and, as a result, have adapted to all of life’s changes (families, injuries and the aging process) together.
Regardless of which sport I play, I always appreciated being part of a team and the support, camaraderie and energy that good teams provide. Personally, soccer feeds both my competitive spirit and drives my sports-oriented physical fitness. It brings balance to my life and, if I have a few weeks away from a game, I can definitely feel a void.
Every Wednesday at 3:30 we gather to celebrate an employee who exemplifies our core values to inspire, share, evolve, exceed, and be 100% jerk-free. In our Share & Tell edition, we invite the employee to share their unique story, or simply something that inspires them.
