| Growing up in Peoria, Illinois, I played quarterback in | | | | football season. |
| high school behind New York Yankee skipper Joe | | | | Playing quarterback was awkward at my high school |
| Girardi and learned some of life's greatest business | | | | where 98% of the student body was white. My |
| lessons as a kid. I don't know if it was fate or not | | | | family and I were some of a handful of black kids |
| but even our names were similar: Joe Girardi. | | | | that went to the school and even the coaches were |
| Both of us went to high school in Peoria, Illinois at | | | | really against having a black quarterback. Joe Girardi |
| The Academy of Our Lady/Spalding Institute, a | | | | was different. He was hard working. He was |
| private catholic high school in downtown Peoria. I | | | | meticulous in his approach. His parents instilled both |
| grew up in a single mother household, Joe Girardi | | | | academics as the focal point and sports as the |
| grew up across the Illinois River in East Peoria, Illinois. | | | | secondary mission in his life. He put God first and |
| I had heard a lot about Joe Girardi in baseball because | | | | exemplified that in his young life. The summer leading |
| he excelled in little league and was considered one of | | | | into my sophomore year, Joe asked me what my |
| the best catchers in the little league circuit in the | | | | goals were. I said that I wanted to become a starter |
| Peoria area. | | | | on the sophomore team and play varsity football as |
| I met Joe Girardi my freshman year of high school | | | | a sophomore and one day beat him out as a starter. |
| when being a quarterback was nothing but a dream | | | | As a black kid, seeing a leader work extremely hard, |
| and a wish. I had already watched him play his | | | | play hard, and strive for the top colleges thoroughly |
| freshman football year and watched him play baseball | | | | changed my life and let me into the secret of |
| at Bradley Park which I would walk to with my big | | | | business. Joe Girardi taught me to throw the football |
| brother, Jeronimo Spinx. What struck me about this | | | | 500 times per day with no excuses. The secret was |
| kid was that he was very smart and extremely nice. | | | | in the work. Work hard and confidence would |
| He was strong as an ox, open minded, and willing to | | | | naturally come. Refine your craft every single day |
| help me learn everything about sports. I met him | | | | without fail. When discouragement comes and people |
| during summer conditioning down at the high school | | | | talk about you, keep your head down and keep |
| where our coaches ran us and got us into top | | | | working hard. Most importantly, he never focused on |
| football condition to prepare for the upcoming | | | | money. He focused on being the best he could be. |