Our speaker for 2011 was be Brad McCoy, who has coached three teams to multiple state championship games. He is Colt McCoy’s father and mentor.  Colt is known for his character and his athletic accomplishments. Coach McCoy is guided in his life, his parenting, and his coaching by certain principles that are proven.  He will share those principles at the Christian Prayer Breakfast.

Brad McCoy joined The Flippen Group after twenty-seven years as a coach and teacher in the public school system.  During this time, he gained extensive knowledge about factors that determine the success of athletic programs and developed a passion for growing athletes into great leaders.

Our speaker for 2010 was Michael Franzese, a man with a past who has a hope for the future. Listen to the audio of the event

Just a few years ago, Michael Franzese was “one of the biggest money earners the mob has seen since Al Capone, and the youngest individual on Fortune Magazine’s survey of The Fifty Biggest Mafia Bosses” (Vanity Fair Magazine), ranking #18, just five behind John Gotti. His autobiography Blood Covenant, tells his story from the early days in the mob and rise to power through his Damascus road experience that changed his life forever and led him to do the unthinkable, the unexpected, and by some, the unbelievable – Quit the Mob and follow Jesus.

Michael tells us that there are two truths - You can’t escape the long arm of the law, and you sure can’t escape the longer arm of the Lord!

Click here to listen to the audio

Josh Hamilton
Josh Hamilton, Major League Baseball player for the Texas Rangers, was the first player chosen in the first round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was considered a “blue chip prospect” until injuries and addiction almost destroyed his career. It would seem that he was fated to be one of those rare superstars with “high character.” But in 2001, working his way from the minors to the majors, all of the dreams in life for Josh went off course in a moment of weakness. What followed was what he describes as a four-year nightmare of drugs and alcohol, estrangement from his family and friends, and his eventual suspension from baseball.

Josh Hamilton shares his redemptive story, and wonders if his life had taken an easier path if he would have reached as many people as the clean-cut super athlete from North Carolina. He also wonders how many more he has reached because of his 20-something tattoos acquired during his rebellion “traveling to hell and back.” The life story of his reconciliation with God, family and friends is heartwarming and encouraging.

Jim Sundberg
Jim Sundberg is Senior Executive Vice President after joining the front office of the Texas Rangers in January 2004. As a member of the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame, Sundberg returned to baseball in 2002 as he coordinated several community programs for the Frisco Roughriders. He also served as the organizations minor league catching coordinator from 2002-2004.

2008 – Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell
Birdwell is a survivor to the terrorists’ attacks on September 11, 2001. Brian was rescued from the ruins of the Pentagon and rushed to the hospital where he had more than 30 operations and endless therapy for burns over 60% of his body.