About Coach Ramsey
Coach David Ramsey has conducted numerous leadership, health and fitness seminars, classes and clinics throughout the United States since 1983. Coach Ramsey helped establish the current leadership program at Kansas State University while serving as the first leadership coordinator. Coach Ramsey served two terms as Student Body President at Pittsburg State University before being named President Emeritus. While at Pittsburg State he served on and chaired numerous organizations and committees. Coach Ramsey has been selected as one of the Outstanding Young Men of America on several occasions as well as being named an International Rotary Foundation Scholar.
Coach Ramsey has helped both amateur and elite athletes as well as many major university teams achieve and implement a better level of health and fitness. He also founded and continues to direct the Brocaw Blazers as well as the Smarter Training for Faster Running Camp held each July in Colorado. Lifelong fitness, health and learning are the core principles with every organization he has helped establish. YES-Athletics and the Cross Country Coaches National Youth Championship are an important part of his dream to encourage individuals and families to achieve lifelong health and fitness in a positive learning environment.
Testimonials
I have known David Ramsey for MANY years. He is the original "Git R Done" guy. More talent, more irons in the fire, more energy, more diversity, more tenacity, more selflessness, more caring, and he can fix you if you break in the process of pursuing your dreams!!!
Obviously I have tremendous admiration and respect for David that comes from many experiences where he shared his talents with me, my family, and my athletes.
If anyone has the opportunity to have David Ramsey challenge their thinking, their commitment to excellence, their willingness to be a giver-not a taker I would hope they take it, and bring a future good friend. It will make your life, and those around you better.
There are many people that I am grateful to know in my life, but David Ramsey, I am fortunate to know. Last year, I went through a major health issue that at times left me wondering how I was going to physically make it through. David truly rescued me with healing hands and strength in words. Always with many pokers in the fire and a schedule riddled with those in need of his gifts, David would still create a 25th hour in his day even if it was late at night to tend to me and my needs were great. When he did, he never made me feel like I was inconveniencing him and as busy as he was he never rushed. What touched me the most was when he ended his usually lengthy time with me, always by saying "Is there anything else I can do for you?" That is his motto. He is a true people's servant with a huge heart, passion and a master when it comes to the important things in life.
Now that I am healed and returned to good health, I continue to give thanks for David and still wonder how I got so lucky to get to know him. He gave me the gift of peace of mind during that time and that was priceless. It's hard to think how my life would have been through that year if he were not there when I had needed help the most. The world is a better place with David Ramsey in it and I am a forever grateful person.
David played a huge role in the direction that my athletic career and life took. For eight years I counted on David to keep me physically and mentally healthy. He always takes the time to give great advice, puts everyone else above himself, and has a tireless energy that he expends on anyone who needs him. I have watched him and marveled as he coached kids, counseled parents, and healed anyone who needed him, usually all at the same time. In 2000, David invited me into town during the busiest weekend of his year and found time to put me back together again when nobody else could. It is not an understatement to say that I would not have made the Olympic team without my friendship with David Ramsey and could not have even stepped on the field for my last track meet.
David has literally saved my career, healed my body, and encouraged my soul on more than one vital occasion. During the years I worked with David as my therapist I would have never made it through a couple of championship track and field meets without him. That is no exaggeration, that is the absolute truth. Yes, he has an extensive knowledge of the body that has helped me do things I would have never been able to do without his help. But he also has an extensive knowledge of the human soul. I'm a spiritual person and during the times David worked on me or whenever we were just hanging out and talking you always knew how spiritually connected he was with people. He had an ability to put things in proper perspective, even when you didn't like the perspective he was usually right. I've never known David to be follower of the masses; I've always known him to be a leader. He isn't motivated by his ego, he has always been motivated by his love for others and that love for others compels many of us to want to follow him. He has had such an impact on my life on and off the track that I will be forever grateful and supportive of him for the rest of my life. Thank you Ramsey.
When there were times of self-doubt Coach Ramsey taught me how to reach beyond my physical abilities and utilize my mental capabilities to accomplish the tasks at hand. He always reflects on the positives and has taught me life is too short not to enjoy what you are doing. He has been a cornerstone to teaching and showing me what it means to stand up for what is right even if it goes against a social norm. When there was a goal needing to be accomplished, he instilled confidence, inspired, and motivated me to succeed. He introduced me to letting go of what I thought was possible and expanded my thinking to believe anything is possible.
Coach Ramsey is one of the most exceptional people I have had the opportunity to know professionally and personally. In addition to possessing extraordinary expertise and knowledge of the human body, Ramsey can be described as the consummate "life coach". His caring and compassionate character inspires him in all aspects of his interactions with people. I have found that he has a unique ability to inspire people in a variety of ways. He inspires greater thinking, expectations, reflection, decisions, and actions. Ramsey brings a sensitivity to people, situations and circumstances while challenging people to explore and develop purposeful and positive actions and decisions. In essence, he is a "life coach" who I have found to be dedicated by purpose to helping others help themselves. I personally value the perspective and teaching that Ramsey has shared in my interactions with him. Coach Ramsey is dedicated to bringing people to a higher level of thinking, decision making, exploring, analyzing, and in improving relationships and the impact people have in their lives as well as the lives of others.
I first learned of Ramsey through his work with world class track and field athletes. Over the course of the last 15 years we have utilized Ramsey to treat players who have had chronic and/or acute physical conditions, injuries or pain that other treatments had not helped. Ramsey's results for our player's have been immediate and in lay man's terms "miraculous", however Ramsey simply defers his results to an understanding of human physiology, function, structure or biomechanics. In a single session, players who had had pain for weeks would leave Ramsey's treatments functional and pain free, with techniques and advice for prevention. I would enthusiastically recommend anyone to attend a Coach Ramsey seminar. I believe those who attend will come away from their experience feeling their time and money was well invested.
Here's what I've learned about David over the past 25 years:
Integrity - - - David demonstrates integrity - by bringing out the integrity in others.
Communication - - - Others listen to David's ideas because they know he listens to theirs.
Leadership - - - David's leadership starts with respect for others and ends with trust from others.
Improvement - - - David's personal satisfaction comes by helping others find and/or create their own opportunity for improvement - - - whether it's personal, financial, business or health.
I have known David Ramsey for 20 years. During that time he has helped several members of my family including myself. I have brought special friends to him who were also helped by him. I will never forget the day I met David. I was walking toward him to be introduced and and he immediately noticed that there was something wrong with my foot that only a keen eye could have detected. I had had surgery on my foot years earlier and I thought I was fine. He corrected my walk and alleviated the pain in my hip and back area. David has helped me with numerous problems and has changed my life in doing so. I can't imagine what my health and life would be like without him in it.
David is a very caring, selfless and sincere person who rarely makes time for himself. Even with his very busy schedule he takes time to answer all phone calls even if it's just to say he will call you back. He is a very unique individual and inspires everyone who meets him. I feel privileged to be his friend and to have him in my life. He truly is a "special gift".
I first met David Ramsey 20 years ago when conventional options were exhausted in treating a chronic athletic injury. Immediately, I appreciated the unconventional approach he has to health and life. Almost just as immediately a few changes and my chronic injury disappeared. David Ramsey has committed his life to studying, teaching, and coaching about health and fitness. Undoubtedly he is an expert on these things. Over the past two decades it has been an honor knowing David and consulting with him regularly not only on health, but also life and career.
I first met David in 2000 while visiting my family in Kansas City. My first introduction was David's therapy work on several running issues I had been experiencing. After having David work with me that first time in Kansas City, my relationship with him has evolved on many different levels. Not only has David continued to work to keep me healthy and fit, but I have helped him at his Cross Country Camp, taken his advice on running (in many different areas) and my husband and I have enjoyed spending time with him in a more relaxed atmosphere.
David is one of those individuals that no matter how busy he is or what he has going on in his life he "always" has time for you. The compassion, positive attitude and enthusiasm he projects to all of us is indeed special.
I spent a week one summer helping at his Smarter Training For Faster Running camp. I was extremely impressed with his interaction among each and every participant at the camp. His rapport and ability to deal with people in general and runners of all abilities is amazing. Whether you run a sub 4 minute mile or a 10 minute mile he makes you feel you are important and can achieve any goal you set your mind to.
His door is always open for you to talk to him on almost any subject. His guidance leaves you not only with a direction but helps instill a confidence level within you that says you can overcome any obstacle that may come your way. David is truly one of those individuals you find is a very "special" gift in your life.
My wife and I have known David since our days at Pitt State over 30 years ago. We have always found him to be a caring, trustworthy individual who has demonstrated a life long commitment of putting others needs in front of his own. His outstanding work with our youth through the Brocaw Blazers is nationally known and is highly respected.
With David's long standing commitment to the development of our youth in particular and people in general, we know that the 4L's organization will be very successful.
I first met Coach Ramsey in the summer of 2003 when I was 13 years old. I was just getting into running, and in Kansas if a kid is a runner it is all but inevitable that his or her path will cross with Coach Ramsey's sooner or later. Lucky for me, that encounter was sooner, and our relationship continues today.
Under Coach Ramsey's tutelage I progressed into a successful runner. In just two short years, he coached me from mid-packer to national champion. When an unforeseeable health crisis occurred during my senior year of high school his support stayed strong - morphing seamlessly from coach to counselor and confidant. Today, Coach Ramsey is helping me learn the science of proper training and the passion of proper coaching. I can only hope that someday I am half the coach he is.
Coach Ramsey has the ability to make each runner feel special. In addition to the knowledge and experience necessary to put people in the position to excel, he has the unteachable talent of getting the best effort out of his athletes when it's crunch time. The excitement and love of the sport and life he possesses is passed on to everyone fortunate enough to spend time with him.
Over time the role Coach Ramsey has played in my life has changed. From coach, to second father, to mentor, he has taught me some of the most valuable lessons I have learned. When I reflect on my experiences and acquaintances it is amazing how many of them involve Coach Ramsey in one way or another. The doors he has opened in my life are certainly too numerous to count and the knowledge he has imparted is too plentiful to quantify.
Our graduating senior was fortunate to be in the group of young men selected by Coach Ramsey to participate in his first Four L's (Life, Love, Leadership and Learning) Program. It was presented as a "Senior Boys Life Project". Billy seemed to mature over the one weekend he spent with Coach Ramsey. He was able to see first-hand how blessed he is not only in the material things in his life, but the love, support and education he has received from his family, his friends, his school, his coaches, his church and his entire community. After that weekend, Billy made an effort to re-connect with old friends and to show his appreciation for his current friends. He is open to giving back through community service. He is willing to accept leadership where he can and to enjoy life's journey. And he realizes that learning doesn't end at age 18 or 21 and doesn't stop at the classroom door.
As an athlete, Billy places great weight on what his coaches tell him. We were lucky to have David Ramsey give Billy his time, effort and guidance in such a positive way. We think it made a life-long impression on our son. Thanks, Coach.
Flatter me, and I may not believe you.
Criticize me, and I may not like you.
Ignore me, and I may not forgive you.
Encourage me, and I will not forget you.
William Arthur Ward's final line truly describes Coach David Ramsey.
I met Coach Ramsey when I was a teenager eager to excel in track and field. He was beginning his coaching career with various individual athletes in the area. I was lucky enough to be one of the first recipients of his tutelage. An unfortunate car accident took the lives of three athletes and their parents in our group. Coach Ramsey was inspired to create a cross country/track and field club named in their honor. This was the beginning of "Brocaw Blazers". I have been a part of this team for many years as an athlete and today continue as an assistant at various meets.
Since our first meeting I have witnessed his passion for helping others. During his coaching sessions he always found a way to teach a fun fact or life lesson. I remember traveling to a meet one time when out of nowhere he said, "Did you know that each small white stripe on a highway is the length of a car?" Of course we didn't believe him and had to stop the car to prove him wrong. Much to our surprise, he was right. To this day, he always finds ways to encourage you to think for yourself while having fun and learning about life.
Coach Ramsey has spent his life giving more of himself and helping others than focusing on his own needs. I admire him for the time, commitment, passion and encouragement he has given to thousands of people both individually and through a variety of organizations. I, like so many others, am honored to know him as a friend, mentor and most importantly someone who will always be there for me ... no matter what.
Lou Holtz is credited with telling his players, "The only thing in life that is important is to WIN." He further explained that WIN is not an outcome to a sporting event, but an acronym that describes an attitude about life: What's Important Now! It is the ability to understand life is broken down into moments of time providing opportunities to do the right thing at the right time. David Ramsey personifies this statement. He is passionate about life. His mission in life is to give others the skills necessary to be winners. I have known David for over thirty years and witnessed his efforts at developing athletes that are not only passionate for their sport but also equally enthusiastic for life. His goal is to enable young people to not just see the glass as half full but to see the remaining potential. His leadership skills permit him to embrace adversity and challenge others to live, love, and leave a legacy.
To bad you can't bottle all of your energy, enthusiasm, and excitement about life and sell it. You would be so wealthy.
One of my fondest memories of my time with Coach Ramsey (and there are many) was working for him as an official at the AAU Region VIII Track & Field Championships. Ramsey's administrative style is a prime example of leading an organization by serving it. Rather than delegate and walk away, he was in the trenches with his volunteers around the clock to ensure that the competitors, parents, and spectators saw nothing but a seamless, professionally presented event.
When one of the officials became ill during the meet, Ramsey somehow found time around the "firefighting" inherent in meet management to make sure that she was taken care of, sacrificing the few hours of sleep he might have had instead to get her back on her feet. Every person counted. No matter how many balls Coach Ramsey was juggling at the time, he approached each encounter - whether it was troubleshooting with the timing crew, encouraging one of the participants, or joking with a member of the medical staff - with a depth of thought and a singularity of attention suggesting that this was only thing that mattered in the world.
When the four-day event was over, every soul on the crew was dead on their feet. We met at the concession stand after packing the last of the equipment when Ramsey began to walk the stadium parking lot, picking up trash. I yelled to him, "Didn't you pay for that service as part of the facility rental?" He called back over his shoulder, "I always believe in leaving things better than I found them."
Well, he can add me to the list. He took a broken shot putter that everyone thought was finished in the sport and returned me to national championship form, better than new. More importantly, though, I came away a better person as well as a better athlete.
David Ramsey exemplifies the valuable lesson of "paying it forward". Live your life "others-focused"; give of yourself in whatever way you can, as often as you can. Depending on where you are in life and what your means are, it can be something as great as a healing touch or as simple as a word of encouragement or a moment of your undivided attention. Learn to revel in these acts, no matter how simple, and you'll see first-hand the happiness you give others when you allow them to help you. Working with Coach Ramsey makes the "community service" resume bullet come to life; with him, it's not just a college application booster but a gift you give yourself.