Mark O'Keefe has spent a life in journalism. What does that have to do with coaching? Well, as a high school athlete he learned about the power of coaching from one of the legendary Cross Country coaches in his home state of Wisconsin. At Marquette University, he broke stories about the basketball team and its head coach. And in Virginia, he covered some of the better high school coaches in the state. In this wide-ranging interview, Mark talks about his own upbringing, the relationship between coaches and reporters and how to improve them, and his newest venture aimed at helping people get fired up about life and work after the age of 50.
5:00 Minutes - Mark talks about running for legendary cross country coach Donn Behnke, who took a moribund team and turned it into a state powerhouse, touching the lives of thousands of students in the process.
13:00 Minutes – Mark talks about his time spent in sports journalism, including breaking the news about the Green Bay Packers firing Bart Starr, and his story exposing advantages given to men's basketball players at Marquette University.
19:00 Minutes – Mark provides guidelines for how to deal with local sports reporters. High school coaches will learn the importance of honesty, transparency, and developing a relationship. They'll also learn more about the journalist's proper role, and what to do when things go awry.
29:00 Minutes – Mark's new venture if Fired Up After 50. He provides insights on how to manage your life and career in the latter stages of life and how to thrive.
