High school can be tough for teens. Going from kid to adult in just four years, trying to find yourself and target your future, and don't forget about internet bullies and acne. All of this on top of summer jobs, extra curricular activities and getting that A+ is enough to make even the most focused teen lose sight of her priorities.
The road to college is especially precarious for student athletes with schedules as strenuous as their team practices. According to Coach Chris Buck, however, making the goal and making the grade is totally realistic for students.
The brokerage firm owner turned life coach now dedicates his life toward helping student athletes raise their expectations of themselves and reach their highest potential through Get It Done consulting.
"I once had a student tell me 'I'm just a B student' and I said, 'No, you're an A student putting forth B effort,' and it just clicked for him. I help identify and tear down barriers they didn't know existed," said Buck.
Buck, a current New Canaan resident, went back to school for his Masters in Sports Psychology and uses his knowledge of brain development to develop the most effective means of communication with teenagers.
"I work from the future backwards," said Buck, "I ask them where they want to be when they're 30, and then I tell them, 'OK, well you need have a good job at 23 if you want to be there when you're 30, and you need to get into a good college if you want a good job at 23, and you need good grades if you want to get into a good college, which is why you need to study right now for that quiz tomorrow.'
"I also focus on learning to learn and not just to get an A. I'll say 'Don't study Spanish like you have a quiz tomorrow. Study Spanish like you're spending the summer in Spain and you need to navigate the country," said Buck.
Buck says he started to consider a new career path after 9/11 when he starting thinking about what he'd like to do everyday for the rest of his life, even if he didn't get paid for it. He eventually left Wall Street to pursue a life helping kids succeed and started Get It Done consulting in September of 2008.
"It's awesome. It's just the best," said Buck, "I get to change their perception of self where they don't think they can do it, find out why and change that. When a student goes from a 2.6 to a 3.5 in one quarter, he thinks of himself as a different person. It was tough starting from scratch, but I love it and wouldn't change a thing. It's the best job ever."
Buck works with students for a ten-month period, meets with them once every two weeks for an hour, and is available to mentor his students 24/7. While his focus is generally on academics, Buck is also a sports coach and helps guide athletes through their chosen sport as well.
There are numerous testimonials on the Get It Done website, one from a parent reads:
“Chris Buck coached our daughter for three years in high school. Her freshman year coach told her that she should not expect to play Division 1 lacrosse. However, under Chris’ guidance, she made the Arizona All-star team for three years, was named First Team All-American and Academic All-American her Junior year, and her senior year was named First Team All State Midfielder of the Year and led the league in scoring."
Another from a student reads:
"Coach Buck's "Get it Done Experience" has proved to be invaluable. In the two years since I stared working with Coach my grade point average has improved 5 percentage points. Not only has he improved my GPA but he has helped me to become a more focused and objective individual on and off the field. He has stayed on top of my grades and athletic schedule at all times helping me to keep things in order. He is always available and willing to help. I credit much of my new found academic and athletic success to Coach Buck. "
For more information on what Coach Chris Buck does and how he does it, he can be reached at (917) 930-3734 or via email.
