HEAV
01-19-2008, 01:08 PM
Former Broncos linebacker discusses obstacles, dreams
Motivational talk was part of annual event set up by Windsor officials
BY DAVID PERSONS
Editor@windsorbeacon.com
Karl Mecklenburg believes success is the ability to overcome obstacles on the way to your dreams.
He should know.
The Minnesota native spent most of his youth and a great deal of his early adulthood chasing a dream to play in the National Football League.
He endured many obstacles - getting cut from his high school varsity football team as a junior, losing his partial scholarship at Augustana College and tearing up his knee while playing at Minnesota.
And yet, he never lost sight of his dream.
Mecklenburg was rewarded for his dedication and courage by being the 310th college player - John Elway was the first - drafted in 1983.
During the next 12 years, Mecklenburg would be a six-time All-Pro for the Denver Broncos and play in three Super Bowls.
His spectacular rise and determination to succeed in the NFL are now the basis of his "six keys to success" program - teamwork, courage, dedication, desire, honesty and forgiveness, and goal setting.
Mecklenburg talked Tuesday about those keys with Windsor-Severance firefighters, comparing what he did on the playing field to what firefighters do every day.
Mecklenburg said having the courage to try new things and be decisive was critical for him.
"I was always a lineman," Mecklenburg said. "So I was used a lot as a pass rusher, especially on third down, early in my career. Then, the Broncos came and asked me in my third year to be a linebacker and help on first and second downs.
"You know, when you've played one position most of your life and someone comes and asks you to play a new position, it could mean that you're not playing very well.
"But I was determined to play in the NFL. So I trained hard and I studied how to be a linebacker."
In the 10th game that season, veteran linebacker Rick Dennison got hurt and Mecklenburg was inserted into a game against the Oakland Raiders.
It was his chance to show he had the courage to try something new and be good at it.
"I got a big hit in that game that they still show on the Top 10 hits in the NFL," Mecklenburg said. "I wouldn't have had the chance if I didn't have the courage to try something new.
"And that's what I'm saying to you, as firefighters, unless you have courage to try something new, you'll never know how far you can go, how good you can become. Maybe it will save your life as a firefighter, or maybe you'll save someone else's life."
Mecklenburg told the firefighters they should have the desire to reach their dream and goals to help them get there. He then told them to be dedicated to working hard to reach their dream.
"Don't give up, don't quit," he said. "If it's a passion, if it's a mission, don't give up."
Mecklenburg, while mixing up his "keys" with anecdotes from his playing days with the Broncos, told the firefighters at the end of his hour-long talk that NFL players and firefighters had many of the same traits.
"There are so many similarities between football players and firefighters," Mecklenburg said. "You have to be decisive and you have to trust each other. Every single one of you is a leader, whether you're paid or a volunteer, a new guy or a captain."
When his talk concluded, Mecklenburg took questions from the audience.
Lucas Davis, 10, the son of Windsor Fire Marshal Mike Davis, asked Mecklenburg about setting your dream high enough.
"You shouldn't aspire to anything that isn't that great of a thing," Mecklenburg told Davis. "Set your dream; dream high. No one expected (me to play in the NFL) except myself. (Set your dream high) and you'll have a chance to get there like I did."
Mecklenburg's appearance and speech was part of an annual gathering set up by Windsor Fire Chief Brian Martens and Fire Marshal Davis.
"Every year, we look for a good, motivational speaker to come in and talk to our guys," Martens said. "Give credit to Mike, though; he met and suggested him."
http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080118/NEWS01/801180351/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02
Motivational talk was part of annual event set up by Windsor officials
BY DAVID PERSONS
Editor@windsorbeacon.com
Karl Mecklenburg believes success is the ability to overcome obstacles on the way to your dreams.
He should know.
The Minnesota native spent most of his youth and a great deal of his early adulthood chasing a dream to play in the National Football League.
He endured many obstacles - getting cut from his high school varsity football team as a junior, losing his partial scholarship at Augustana College and tearing up his knee while playing at Minnesota.
And yet, he never lost sight of his dream.
Mecklenburg was rewarded for his dedication and courage by being the 310th college player - John Elway was the first - drafted in 1983.
During the next 12 years, Mecklenburg would be a six-time All-Pro for the Denver Broncos and play in three Super Bowls.
His spectacular rise and determination to succeed in the NFL are now the basis of his "six keys to success" program - teamwork, courage, dedication, desire, honesty and forgiveness, and goal setting.
Mecklenburg talked Tuesday about those keys with Windsor-Severance firefighters, comparing what he did on the playing field to what firefighters do every day.
Mecklenburg said having the courage to try new things and be decisive was critical for him.
"I was always a lineman," Mecklenburg said. "So I was used a lot as a pass rusher, especially on third down, early in my career. Then, the Broncos came and asked me in my third year to be a linebacker and help on first and second downs.
"You know, when you've played one position most of your life and someone comes and asks you to play a new position, it could mean that you're not playing very well.
"But I was determined to play in the NFL. So I trained hard and I studied how to be a linebacker."
In the 10th game that season, veteran linebacker Rick Dennison got hurt and Mecklenburg was inserted into a game against the Oakland Raiders.
It was his chance to show he had the courage to try something new and be good at it.
"I got a big hit in that game that they still show on the Top 10 hits in the NFL," Mecklenburg said. "I wouldn't have had the chance if I didn't have the courage to try something new.
"And that's what I'm saying to you, as firefighters, unless you have courage to try something new, you'll never know how far you can go, how good you can become. Maybe it will save your life as a firefighter, or maybe you'll save someone else's life."
Mecklenburg told the firefighters they should have the desire to reach their dream and goals to help them get there. He then told them to be dedicated to working hard to reach their dream.
"Don't give up, don't quit," he said. "If it's a passion, if it's a mission, don't give up."
Mecklenburg, while mixing up his "keys" with anecdotes from his playing days with the Broncos, told the firefighters at the end of his hour-long talk that NFL players and firefighters had many of the same traits.
"There are so many similarities between football players and firefighters," Mecklenburg said. "You have to be decisive and you have to trust each other. Every single one of you is a leader, whether you're paid or a volunteer, a new guy or a captain."
When his talk concluded, Mecklenburg took questions from the audience.
Lucas Davis, 10, the son of Windsor Fire Marshal Mike Davis, asked Mecklenburg about setting your dream high enough.
"You shouldn't aspire to anything that isn't that great of a thing," Mecklenburg told Davis. "Set your dream; dream high. No one expected (me to play in the NFL) except myself. (Set your dream high) and you'll have a chance to get there like I did."
Mecklenburg's appearance and speech was part of an annual gathering set up by Windsor Fire Chief Brian Martens and Fire Marshal Davis.
"Every year, we look for a good, motivational speaker to come in and talk to our guys," Martens said. "Give credit to Mike, though; he met and suggested him."
http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080118/NEWS01/801180351/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02