No Matter What

Good Morning World!

You know, as I begin to write this I find myself wondering about who reads it and if I am making any impact? I mean, who am I? I am just one of the hundreds of thousands of bloggers out there. I blog about my business, passion, dreams,  family, youth sports, challenges, entrepreneurism, philanthropy, homeless, those in need and more. I guess what I have realized is that if my blog is read by even one person who appreciates it, then I suppose that is all that counts right? 

So today I wake up thinking about my family, my children and the responsibility and blessings it is to be their dad. I have a duty to be a role model to them. To lead by example with hard work, smart choices and supporting them in all that they do as they grow. I have to tell you! being a Dad is the best gift in the world yet it is by the far the hardest and most difficult gift as well. What do I mean? Every move I make reflects their life and they are watching and learning from their Dad and I have made my share of mistakes and wrong choices along the way, that is for sure! 

I have always owned my mistakes with them so they see that I take responsibility and if they can learn to do the same then I suppose that is a good thing! I watched a show last night and on the show, the Dad asked his little girl who is 12 years old, in reference to a life and career choice he is faced with…… he said ” sweety, what should I do?” and she said, “Dad, do whatever you want, I will love you no matter what” and he later stated to himself, “Time is ticking by so fast and I have to make the right decision because one day she may not love me no matter what”!

That hit home with me and made such an immediate impact on me! wow, t.v. making an impact on my life in such a profound way! You see, I am faced with a decision in my own life right now that I am struggling with and hearing that last night on t.v. was an awakening of sorts for me. This decision will have an impact on not just my life but more importantly my children!

Parenting 101 is a tough class however the unconditional love I have for my children and that they have for me is the greatest reward and this is my focus. I am not where I want to be in my life right now and the decision I have to make will be for the best no matter what! This I do believe and my gut is what I have to trust. 

My children are 22, 17, 13 and 12 and I cannot believe how fast they are growing. They are what fuels my energy and that is pretty powerful! I embrace this energy and realize I would not be the person I am today without it.  

So to my children Tiffany, Samantha, Curtis and Madison, I love you with all I have and all of who I am. You inspire me, you drive me, you energize me, you help me stay grounded! Thank you for being my children! I am blessed beyond words and explanation to have you in my life! I love you!

So as I move forward I know I will reach my goals and make the right choices….as long as I keep their needs first and right in front of me! 

I appreciate those who read my blog and I invite feedback as always. 

Have a wonderful day everyone! Be kind to each other and lets make our world a little bit better everyday! 

Yours Truly,

Joe Drexler 

Follow me on twitter @BeTheGame

Like BE THE GAME on Facebook: www.facebook.com/bethegame.pro

 

 

WInds of Change

Happy January to everyone!

I trust you are all digging your heals in and making the start of 2012 all that it can be!

I wanted to post a quick blog to update you on a decision that has been made.

During the last few months, I have had to take a few GIANT steps backwards in order to get a better view of what is happening in and around my life. What did I see? what did I discover?

I saw a man ready for change! and…….

I saw a company, a brand that is well received but more importantly, I saw a company, and a brand that is so ready to expand it’s wings and fly! What do I mean? I mean that the “winds of change” are flapping and ready to jump out of its nest!

It is time that BE THE GAME becomes a household name across North America and this I know can be achieved if the right steps are taken! So in a couple short months, I am off on a journey! I want my children to tell their children that their Dad did whatever he needed to do! That their dad made mistakes but owned them and learned from them! That their Dad loved them unconditionally and made this little BIG dream of his a reality so that he could leave them with a lasting legacy.

It is time! it is time to step out from the ledge and fly! It is time to take that next step up the mountain because this peek is over. Wish me luck my faithful friends and know that I believe in the power of BE THE GAME and I believe in ME! I believe that my little big dream can create opportunity and give hope to those in need no matter where I go!

I will be journalling my “winds of change journey” and I hope that you follow along with me because I will not stop until………………………………

Yours Truly,

Joe Drexler
Founder,
BE THE GAME.PRO

The Power of A Sticker

Hello everyone!

I hope your week has been going well and can you believe it is December already? Time sure does fly when you are having fun that is for sure!

A couple of announcements that I would like to share with all of you.

I am personally very proud to announce the following additions to the BE THE GAME ALL-STAR team. Our ALL-STAR team is a group of Pro and Amateur athletes who support our Power of Sport message and the foundation behind our brand of Leadership – Passion – Sportsmanship and Energy. I am proud to announce the following athletes have joined our team:

Victor Oreskovich – NHL, Vancouver Canucks
Marcus Foligno – AHL, Rochester Americans, top prospect of the Buffalo Sabres.
Chad Owens – CFL, Toronto Argonauts. Pro footballs first back to back 3000 all purpose yard seasons.
Spencer Watt – CFL, Toronto Argonauts.
Dale Mitchell – AHL, Toronto Marlies. Top Prospect of the Toronto Maple Leafs

Our athletes will be assisting us in promoting our campaigns, camps and our in school programs and I am super pumped to have these outstanding athletes and individuals as part of the vision here at BE THE GAME!

Now, I would like to talk to you about the power of a little sticker. As some of you may or may not know, we launched our ” The Power of Sport, the Power of ME” campaign in June of 2011. We are selling $5 Be The Game Power of Sport decals to raise awareness to the fact that 1 in 3 North American Families cannot afford minor sports for their children. We are using these funds to sponsor disadvantaged children in minor sports across Canada and the USA!

So please, if you would like to order a decal or two to support our vision and mission please contact me directly at bethegame1972@gmail.com and I will personally tell you how simple it is to help!

Or simply visit www.bethegame.pro/powerofsport.html to learn more and to order.

Many minor sports teams have ordered a decal for each member of the team and we love this as it is teaching the children on the team that small acts of kindness can go such a long way in the life of someone less fortunate.

I am simply proud of my teams efforts thus far and we will not stop until we have sold 1 million decals within North America.

Please become a part of the solution today and join our ALL-STAR team of athletes, our community leaders and myself to get more kids in the game with BE THE GAME!

Thank you!!

Joe Drexler
Founder – BE THE GAME.PRO
bethegame1972@gmail.com

Building Business with Passion

I woke up this morning feeling tired, soar, headache, body aches and all the other lovely stuff that comes with being sick. I rolled to my left and looked at the framed picture of my children and said to myself; “Get up sicko, you have a business to build and run!” I cannot simply take a day off!

It is a good thing that I have passion towards what I am doing otherwise I would have just rolled over and went back to sleep however I love what I do and if I don’t work, I don’t build my business! It is really that simple!

So my question to you is, do you love what you do? are you passionate about what you do? It is funny how people have different definitions and visions of success. Some feel power and money is success, some feel you have to be an entrepreneur to be a success. Some feel you need a University Degree to be a success. I have two words for all of that! DEAD WRONG!! Allow me to explain….

I know many people with power and money and they are miserable! They tell me they would trade it all in for happiness! I know fellow entrepreneurs who regret leaving their 9-5 job to go into business on their own, and you know why? it is not for everyone and that is totally ok!! and as for University? I believe and promote education in all that we do and the children that we speak with, don’t get me wrong! However many students come out of University in debt beyond belief and no direction and a high percentage end up in a completely different field in which they went to school for!

Now, allow me to tell you what success really is! Success is doing what you love and what you are passionate about REGARDLESS of what that is! The world needs auto mechanics! We need engineers, we need City and Parks workers, we need welders, baristas, event planners, hydro workers, fire fighters, police and more! do you get it? If you love it! and you are happy! then guess what? you are successful!!!

Focus on this and watch what happens! do not try to force something that is not for you just to be successful because you will end up miserable!

For me, BE THE GAME was built on passion! Why? because sport provided so many positive life skills for me and I want to make sure all kids get this chance! From confidence to communication skills, to team work and on and on it goes. When we, as a family could not afford to register our daughter in hockey that one year back in 2000 I felt the need for positive change! Our daughter did play that year through the kindness of a community who sponsored her and we did bounce back but the passion for BE THE GAME was born then! Today, BE THE GAME exists to promote the power of sport through team fundraising programs, in school programs, a clothing line and more and with our sales, we donate 10% of our profits to support disadvantaged children in minor sports! You can find our programs across Canada and the USA but enough about that…

my point being is this….live a life built on passion and purpose and you will be successful and happy beyond your wildest dreams!

“If life is like a song, make sure you are writing your own lyrics”
- Joe Drexler

BE THE GAME my friends!

From me to you…with passion!

Joe Drexler

My Mentor , Pinball Clemons

Minor Sports Fundraising and Leadership

Happy Fall everyone!

I for one cannot believe how fast the Summer went! Minor soccer and basketball for my kids came and went faster then I realized! It was a great summer for my children and their sports! They not only further developed their skills but also and more importantly they further developed their social and team skills while having a lot of fun! Lessons that they and all of their teammates will carry forward with them as they continue to grow! I hope you all had a great summer also!

I have to brag a wee bit here! My daughter Samantha, who plays Midget Rep Girls hockey was named Team Captain and my other daughter Madison who plays Peewee Rep Girls hockey was named assistant captain!
I would like to say they learned their leadership skills from their parents and while I hope some of that statement is true, they have also had some wonderful coaches and teammates along the way to learn from! I am a proud Dad!

Now that Fall is here, this mean hockey season in Canada and the USA is humming!! Skates are being sharpened, sticks are taped, equipment is checked and away we go to the rink for another long yet wonderful season of of stick and puck! There is something refreshing about going to the rink for the first time after a summer away from it and for those of you who do this, you know what I am talking about! We see the kids a little bit taller then last year, the parents all saying hello again and reconnecting, talking about the cottages, the summer sports and all the hockey, weekend tournaments, hotel stays and road trips we have to look forward to! Yup, nothing quite like it!!

With this comes the need for teams to fundraise and our program is growing and we want to connect with not only minor hockey teams across Canada and the USA but all minor sports leagues, teams, schools who need to raise funds!

So, after all the years of fundraising with others, why us? why BE THE GAME?

Simple answer: We believe we are leading the charge in child development through our brand and fundraising programs!

How?

Raise your funds, branded with your team name and more on our sport related products and not only will you raise the necessary funding for your team, your team will receive a credit from us and with this, your team will sponsor a disadvantaged child in your community! This program results in two things happening….

1.) Your players know their efforts not only helped their team raise their funds but they also will know that their efforts have now also provided the opportunity for a child of less fortune to access sport so he or she can enjoy the game the same way your players do.

2.) Your players/teams efforts will give access to a child in sport who did not have the opportunity to play! This child will now begin to receive the same life skills that your child is receiving from playing minor sports but most importantly, this child will get to be just that, a child and have fun with others while learning a sport!

We will then feature your team on our very popular website promoting their efforts in making a difference!

Our goal this Fall and Winter is partner with 100 minor sporting teams across Canada and the USA so please contact us today at fundraising@bethegame.pro or call us at 905-808-4093.

We are supported by many pro athletes who not just proudly wear the BE THE GAME brand, but they do so because they know what BE THE GAME is doing in communities and for the families within!

For more information about us please visit www.bethegame.pro and click on our fundraising link.

Thank you and enjoy your October!

We hope to hear from you soon!

Joe Drexler
Founder, CEO of BE THE GAME Sportswear & Fundraising Inc.

Why BE THE GAME?

Happy August to all of you!

It has been a while since my last post. I do have a good reason though! I have been out campaigning and building our “Power of Sport” Campaign across Canada and the U.S. with some great results to date!

Many people ask me this question during my days:
Why did I launch BE THE GAME?
Well, here is my answer!

- To promote the fun in sport
- To promote the gift of sport
- To promote the power of sport
- To teach our principles that BE THE GAME was built upon, LEADERSHIP – PASSION – SPORTSMANSHIP – ENERGY
- and most importantly, to be successful in business so that we can sponsor thousands of children and MORE in minor sports every year!

This is why our “Power of Sport” Campaign was launched and this is why we need and want your help so please read on!

Our campaign goal is to sell 1 million decals to raise over $2 million dollars to support children in sport, rebuild parks, arena upgrades and more! How will we get there? Well with individual orders, team orders, corporate sponsors and community events, we are gaining great speed and momentum! We will not stop until we reach our goal! I personally have vowed not to shave until we reach our first 10,000 decals sold so please visit our link and support our cause and help us help kids play!!

Why did I title todays blog “Why BE THE GAME?”

Well, in order to reach our goals and vision here at BTG, I have made the decision to put a lot more effort into building our minor sports team fundraising programs and really, why wouldn’t I? Check out the benefits!

- Help teams raise their funds to have a great year in sport!
- Teach the players about and what they learn by participating in minor sports; The “Power of Sport”
- Celebrate the teams accomplishments
- Promote the team on our site in the “Making a Difference” section! (kids love this!)
- The teams efforts not only raises their funds but in doing so, because we give back from our profits, every fundraising project always results in at least one disadvantaged child being sponsored in minor sports right in the teams community!
- This teaches the players/team many life lessons and leaves a long lasting positive impression on the players, coaches and parents!

As a parent, I am proud anytime my children learn valuable life lessons and I also know what my children learn from participating in minor sports so if we can combine the two together I believe that our fundraising programs can be a leader when it comes to minor sports fundraising and the company of choice every year your team needs to raise their funds!

So, having said that, in focusing on our programs, it is my personal goal to partner with a minimum of 100 minor sports teams across Canada and the U.S. this year to help them raise their funds for a successful year and to help them understand that they are not only raising their funds but also helping other children play sport! Something the whole team can be very proud of!

We believe our fundraising programs will speak for themselves!

Our fundraising programs are all form based so there is no money up front!
All products may be customized with your team name and logo!
One of our community leaders will be assigned to your team!
Choose your products (sports related) from our product list such as:

BE THE GAME “power of sport” decals (helps towards our campaign goal)
BE THE GAME “power of sport” bracelets
BE THE GAME “power of sport” shoe laces
BE THE GAME “power of sport” clothing line
Coupon books (coming soon)
and SO much more!

* NOTE: We DO NOT offer candy, food (frozen or fresh) ,energy drinks or bars for fundraising.

Bottom line? by choosing BE THE GAME as your fundraising company of choice, you are partnering with a company that knows and values sports and knows what it means to the young boys and girls who play and to their parents!

You are also telling your team that you care about helping children who cannot afford to play sports!
This is called leadership! Something the players will see, learn and carry forward!

So I ask you this, will your team be one of our first 100?
Will your team help BE THE GAME to help kids get IN THE GAME?
We currently offer our fundraising programs to all teams in all sports (including schools) in North America and if you are in Europe we want to hear from you too!

So email us today and get your team IN THE GAME with BE THE GAME!

Contact Information:
Email: fundraising@bethegame.pro
Phone: 905-808-4093

I look forward to speaking with you soon!

Joe Drexler
Founder, CEO
BE THE GAME Sportswear & Fundraising
www.bethegame.pro

Power of Sport Update

Hello everyone!

Please read this post if you believe in the power of sport………..

The Power of Sport:

“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair”
- Nelson Mandela

You can help children today experience this feeling! With one simple click today, you will be making a difference!
If you are involved with a sports team, we would love to have your team fundraise with this program to help children in sport while raising funds for your team!

Well the BE THE GAME “power of sport, the power of ME” stickers are in and we are well on our way at working hard to achieve our goal! If you recall, this campaign is all about promoting the power of sport and the power of ME, meaning what we feel sport provides to the children who play it and to make sure that as many children who want to play sport have the opportunity to do so regardless of their families economic challenges.

The goal:

To sell 1 million stickers to raise $2million dollars that will be put to work right away in many communities across Canada and the USA by registering disadvantaged children in minor sports, rebuild parks and so much more.

How will we achieve this goal?

We believe in the power of one, the power of team and through this synergy we are attracting Moms groups, sports teams, companies, small business’ and so much more and of course the attitude of one at a time, we will achieve our goal.

What can you do to help?

Email us at fundraising@bethegame.pro to place your order with BE THE GAME today.
We will reply right away with direction on how easy it is to send in your payment of $5 plus $2 shipping and handling.
Once payment is received, we will mail out your sticker same day.
Payment is easily sent through our PayPal account at fundraising@bethegame.pro, email money transfer, cheque and of course cash for those of you who are local.

CALLING ALL COMPANIES: We are rebuilding our website and adding the Power of Sport Campaign page to track our progress! We are offering two packages that can be mutually beneficial.

1.- Purchase 10 decals for $50 and your company name will be added to the campaign page as a proud supporter!

2.- Purchase 25 decals for $125 and your company name, profile and link will be on the campaign page under our proud sponsors.

This campaign page will be viewed across Canada and the U.S. as well as Europe so this is a great opportunity to get your name and brand affiliated with a great cause/campaign! Please contact me today to get in the game with BE THE GAME!

In addition!

We challenge you to embrace the power of paying it forward. Purchase two or more stickers, give them away to family, friends, neighbours and ask them to do the same thing.

If you have a company and would like to support this cause, order 10 or more stickers and we will promote your business on our new site (coming soon) and all of our social networking feeds as a company who supports our vision and mission.

In closing of todays blog, I would like to leave you with this….

1 in 3 Canadian Families cannot afford sport for their children.
Through this campaign, our vision is to stretch this stat to 1 in 4.
We are creating a new info page that you will be able to track our progress and how your purchase has been put to work.
We will list sticker sales, how many children have been sponsored to date and of course a gage to watch our progress with thanks to each and every one of you.
Companies who would like to sponsor this new page are asked to contact me directly.
905-808-4093 or email at captain@bethegame.pro

Together, we can and will make a difference!

We look forward to mailing you your sticker today!
Please share this post and pass it on to everyone you know as we need 1 million of you!

With many thanks!

Joe Drexler
Founder
BE THE GAME.PRO