The book “ Run to Win” by Donald T. Phillips is about the legendary Coach Vince Lombardi’s philosophy on leadership principles. I will use a paragraph from this book and will translate its meaning. Coach Lombardi spoke these words: “ Individual commitment to a group effort is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work. The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that, whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand. Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we will catch excellence. There is no room for the prima donna, no patience for those who put individual interest ahead of the team’s shared mission. Success is a direct result of discipline, mental toughness, and a relentless pursuit of our potential.” The essence of this paragraph is about character. The heart and soul are dedicated to being the best at what we do. Teamwork is paramount, requiring personal sacrifices for the benefit of the entire team. To be the best; to win is not a given, it demands consistent, diligent effort. It requires doing things right all the time. In the process, the team will find excellence and achieve its desired goal. Not everyone is willing to pay the price for success. Success requires discipline and mental toughness. It requires the will to prepare to win; to be the best! Everyone should strive to be the best; being the best is signified by winning. For the team to win, everyone must be willing to make sacrifices, pay the price, and put the team first; if someone is not, then they don’t belong on the team. Winning begins with each person's heart and will. Passion for what they do and the will to see it through. These two qualities then translate into pride and performance. Pride and performance are the difference in the team’s success. Lombardi’s philosophy consisted of basic principles relating to fundamental values of life. He molds character and helps his players see what they need to accomplish. Lombardi’s teams were the best in professional football, and his secret was ‘Love.’ He loved the game and his players. And in loving them, he did everything in his power to help them become the very best they could be. Leadership continues to be one of the most in-demand business skills today. Nobody fully embodies the leadership qualities like Coach Lombardi. “ Leadership rests not only upon ability, not only upon capacity; having the capacity to lead is not enough. The leader must be willing to use his authority. His leadership is then based on truth and character. There must be truth in the purpose and willpower in the character," Lombardi once said. The relationship between a leader and the team begins with building trust through empathy, example, and emotional intelligence. Leadership is teaching to inspire learning. Nothing motivates the team to learn more than when they know they are valued and that they have a voice. When they feel they matter, the relationship is strengthened through trust, which in turn builds the team's culture. Inspired teams then support one another, and supported teams are successful teams. With the right team dynamics and diverse personalities in place, everyone wins. When team members know that the leader values and cares about them and the leadership has their back, they will go above and beyond to achieve the team's goals. The leader’s vision is a clear plan of action to ensure that each member knows and clearly understands their role and expectations. This establishes mutual trust and creates a safe environment where employees can be themselves and inspire their will to deliver top performance. No one did this better than Coach Lombardi! Thank you to Ronne Gleason for this opportunity to earn a scholarship. I agree that reading comprehension is of great importance. I often use the translations of quotes in my storytelling to help my team better understand how to apply their meaning. God bless! Coach Hector

First, thank you, Wolley family, for this opportunity to earn a scholarship. My condolences to all who loved and were a part of Stephan’s life. I am a Coach and a Christian. Jesus Christ said, “ Whoever believes in me shall never die.” We can take comfort in knowing that Stephan is with him now. I understand the loss of a loved one. In January of 2024, I lost my mother, and in April of 2025, I lost my older brother. For me, coaching is teaching to inspire learning. It’s my passion to pass on valuable life lessons that will help others understand that our purpose in life is to live for Jesus Christ. All of our life experiences, good and bad, are lessons we learn that serve his purpose in guiding us through a path he has for each of us. Since my childhood, sports have been my passion. Since Jr. High, I played football, basketball, baseball, and ran track. I had coaches who inspired me, and now I have the blessings, experience, and knowledge to inspire others. To pass on what I have learned. My experiences playing sports and coaching athletics have allowed me to help others achieve things they thought were not possible. Not just in sports but in life. For me, there is no greater reward than to have a parent, student, or co-worker express gratitude and thanks for what I did to help them be the best version of who they are. My career path in coaching has been with private schools, YMCA, and City Leagues. Coaching various sports, boys and girls, teens, and men and women. In May of 2021, I earned my associate’s degree in business management & leadership development. In 2024, I decided to return to college to pursue a bachelor’s degree in organizational management with the intent to help me get involved with a ladies’ professional softball league. There are a lot of talented girls who play softball, but after their college playing days, there is no place for them to continue. This is my goal when I think about how I can make a difference in the community and with those I serve; all I need to do is what I have done as part of who I am. With our heavenly father’s blessings, I should earn my bachelor’s degree in July of 2026. Then, I plan to continue to earn my master’s degree. I will keep you and Stephan in my prayers, and may God bless you all. Thank you. Coach Hector

First, my condolences to all who knew and loved Kyla Jo Burridge. It's always painful to lose a loved one, and nothing can take their place. The only comfort we can have is knowing that Jesus Christ has called them home to be with him. In January of 2024, I lost my Mom to pneumonia, as she had recovered from breast cancer. Then, in April of 2025, I lost my older brother to brain cancer. Before my brother's death, I knew little about brain cancer. He did, however, have the best brain surgeons work on him. But, they said he had the type that has no cure called "glioblastoma." I can recall the symptoms and how it all began as he discussed them to me. This gives me the knowledge to alert others who may experience the same. My brother said, one morning in October 2024, he woke up feeling good, had his cup of coffee, ate breakfast, and then he started to get dressed. When he tried to put on his pants, he felt awkward and couldn't. He tried and tried again, but still couldn't coordinate how to slip one leg on. His oldest daughter just happened to call, and her mother told her what was going on with her dad. She advised taking him to the emergency room. Which she did, X-rays were performed, and he was admitted. After numerous tests, it was determined that he needed brain surgery. After the surgery, he seemed to be recovering just fine. The medical staff were impressed that he was doing so well. After many weeks of rehab, by early December, he was sent home. A couple of months later, in February of 2025, he started to feel faint, and again he was admitted. After several more tests, he was sent to Houston, TX, where they could provide the best brain issue evaluation. It was here that the family learned about his incurable cancer. The family decided not to tell him the outcome, and the doctors said to comfort him as much as he was given only months to live. As far as he knew, he was going to be sent home to continue rehab. But before they did that, they needed to examine his ability to walk with assistance. The day before he was to be sent home, the family was with him in his room when the medical staff asked the family to step outside as they were going to bathe him. A few minutes later, they came out and informed the family that he had passed. We didn't get to say any last words of love or bye. So, within 15 months apart, I lost my Mother and Brother. My brother was a man of God. He preached the gospel in church. He held bible studies to teach all who would listen about the word of God. I learned much from him, and one of the things he taught me was that Jesus Christ has his reasons why things happen as they do. Most of the time, we never understand. He told me that the most important thing for us to know is to live for Christ. Do his will, teach others about him, and keep the faith always. Earning this scholarship will help me complete my degree, and wherever that leads me, I will always honor Kyla Jo by supporting, informing, and encouraging others to learn about breast and brain cancer. Thank you, and God bless! Coach Hector

I am proud to honor the memory of Nabi Nicole. My condolences to all who loved Nabi and were a part of her life. I am very familiar with losing a loved one. I have lost one of my sisters, my older brother, and my father and mother. What helps me through the pain and missing them is knowing that it is all part of Jesus Christ's plan. Nabi lived her life for Christ, as we all should. My career has been in retail store operations, and I have been blessed to achieve great success. Along the way, there have been many obstacles and challenges. I am Hispanic, and that may very well be one of the challenges I've had. For years, I struggled to find a direction, a purpose. But that was my fault. There was a time when I was walking on the dark side, being misled by the evil one. I have always believed in Jesus Christ, but I wasn't always near him. I misunderstood what baptism represented. In time, I learned about the two most important days of my life. The day I was born, and the day I found why. And that purpose is to live for Christ! There are several reasons why I've been successful. My passion for what I do, the talented employees I have worked with, and the number one reason is trusting Jesus Christ to lead me in decision-making. I take every opportunity to teach my employees about the teachings of our Lord and Savior. Mainly, that with Jesus Christ all things are possible, and without him nothing is. And if Jesus is with you, who can stand against you? This also applies to earning my bachelor's degree, which I also passed on to my classmates. With our heavenly father’s blessings, I should earn my bachelor’s degree in July of 2026. I would like to continue to earn my Master's, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. My plan going forward is to start a ladies' professional softball league. Just as the WNBA did with women's basketball. There are a lot of talented girls who play softball, but after their college playing days, there is no place for them to continue. This is my goal, and the business degree should open closed doors. Thanks for this opportunity to earn this scholarship in the name of Nabi Nicole. P.S. When I do begin this ladies' softball league, and whether or not I am one of the 5 winners, I invite you to be my special guest on the opening day. God bless! Coach Hector

Thank you, Debra S. Jackson, for this opportunity to earn a scholarship. I’m a coach and a Christian. Coaching is teaching to inspire learning. It’s my passion to help others understand what our purpose in life is: to live for Jesus Christ. All of our life experiences, good and bad, are lessons that Christ wants us to learn. Because they all serve his purpose in guiding us through a path he has for each of us. After high school, I served my country in the military for 9 years. After I was honorably discharged, I found menial and unfulfilling jobs. I got married, had children, and my wife encouraged me to try college. I didn’t do well at first. One day, as I was thinking about what my future would be, Jesus Christ directed me to start a new career in retail store operations, and after that, coaching athletics. I made it a career, over 30 years in retail store operations. I achieved all my goals and earned all the top honors. I had made up my mind to retire, but then, I felt this calling that I still had much value to offer in terms of management & leadership to others. As the following comments from my current classmates will attest to. Jenaly Beseril, Oct 7, 11:59 am I liked how you explained that a long ago, people didn’t use computers or cell phones, and how communication was done. I thought it was really important when you said managers need to help their teams understand and adjust to change. Your explanation of how HR helps with hiring and keeping employees was clear and easy to understand. The advice you gave at the end was very kind and encouraging. ________________________________________ Cynthia Glunk, Oct 5, 11 pm Coach Hector, You have a wealth of knowledge and experience! Thank you for sharing. You have a flexible and innovative way of thinking. You sound like you should be in places where your guidance and expertise are needed. Sincerely, Cynthia ________________________________________ Brody Bellows, Sep 20, 6:49 pm Hello Coach! I appreciate the knowledge you shared with me. You did a great job in breaking down the stages of development. Your take on each stage and how it relates to a leader's point of view. Your advice on conflict is helpful understanding that it's inevitable. It's best to learn and adapt from it rather than to ignore it. ________________________________________ Lynette Adame, Sep 13, 4:56 pm Hi Hector, Your attention to detail and the concepts you bring up each week never cease to amaze me. Your responses are always so thorough. You did a great job unpacking a lot of the key information from these chapters. I especially appreciated your thoughts on the book’s definition of motivation. Without a goal or clear direction, we can easily feel lost, and we don't go anywhere but in circles. Even with my outstanding track record in both business and coaching, without a bachelor’s degree, it doesn’t mean much to top-level hiring managers. So, in 2024, at the age of 72, I decided to enroll in college toward a bachelor’s degree in business management & leadership development. This scholarship that honors Debra, will help me continue to earn my master’s degree. My plan going forward is to start a ladies' professional softball league. Just as the WNBA did for women's basketball. P.S. Whether or not I am one of the 2 winners, I invite you to be a part of the opening day, because of what you are doing to help others and to honor Debra. God bless! Coach Hector

My heartfelt condolences for your loss of Kalia. She sounds like many young people I have been blessed to work with or coach in athletics. When considering how I can continue to do the kinds of things that I know Kalia would be proud of, I need only to do what I have already done as part of who I am. I’m a coach. Coaching is what I do; it’s in my DNA. For me, coaching is teaching to inspire learning. Since my childhood, sports have been my passion. I had coaches who inspired me, and now I have the blessings, experience, and knowledge to inspire others. To pass on what I have learned. My experiences and background in coaching athletics and retail store operations have strengthened me to help many achieve things they thought were not possible. Not just in sports but in life. For me, there is no greater reward than to have a parent, student, or co-worker express gratitude and thanks for what I did to help them be the best version of who they are. My career path has truly been blessed. I have gained knowledge and wisdom, collaborating with talented young people and achieving my goals. My work ethic helped me advance through the ranks. In the process of teaching others, I learned from them as well. My skills began to develop as I learned from my mistakes. Mistakes that were made with good intentions. In May of 2021, I earned my associate’s degree in business management. I thought then that would be enough to go along with my years of successful work experience, but I was mistaken. Even with my outstanding track record in both business and coaching, I have learned that without a bachelor’s degree, it doesn’t mean much to top-level hiring managers. So, in 2024, I decided to enroll in college toward a bachelor’s degree in business management. With our heavenly father’s blessings, I should earn my bachelor’s degree in July of 2026. My plan going forward is to start a ladies' professional softball league. Just as the WNBA did with women's basketball. There are a lot of talented girls who play softball, but after their college playing days, there is no place for them to continue. This is my goal, and the business degree should open closed doors. Thanks to Kalia, for this opportunity to earn a scholarship. If and when I begin this ladies' softball league, and whether or not I am one of the 2 winners, I invite you to be a part of the opening day, because of what you are doing to help others, in Kalia's honor. God bless! Coach Hector

I love sports. I've always had a passion for sports. I was born with a competitive heart. I learned very early about my weakness in that my competition was often bigger, stronger, faster, and in most cases, more talented than I was. But there was one area in which no competition could defeat me. And that was my passion for playing. So to overcome my weakness, I understood that I needed to find an edge, something that would put me on the same level of play. During the summer, I worked out, ran to build my endurance, and stayed in good physical condition. When the school year began, I was more ready than my competition. That gave me the edge I needed. I played in various sports throughout my junior High and High School years. Then, in the military, I played softball and not only made the All-Star team, but also hit a home run in the game! After being honorably discharged, I began coaching various youth sports: boys' football, & basketball, teenage girls' fast-pitch softball & volleyball, in city leagues and the YMCA. Then, I coached adults, both men and women, in city softball leagues. I was a P.E. Coach for a private school from 2013 to 2020, until the pandemic. I watch sports on TV all the time. I enjoy watching both college and pro sports. But when it comes to volleyball and basketball, I prefer to watch the girls more than the men's because the girls use the fundamentals better than the boys. However, pro football is my favorite. Now my goal is to earn my degree and start a professional girls' softball league. I feel there is a great need to help young ladies continue displaying their talent for playing softball after their college days are over. Just as the WNBA helped grow women's basketball, so will women's softball become. My success is owed to my faith, trusting Christ to lead me and help me in decision-making, my passion for what I do, and the talented people I have had the opportunity to teach and learn from. Let my legacy be in continuing to make a positive difference in people's lives by passing on the great values that allow people to achieve success in all areas of life. There is no greater reward than when someone thanks you for helping them learn real-life lessons and for achieving their goals. This is what motivates me each day! Thank you and God bless! Coach Hector

Thank you, Sloane, for this opportunity to earn a scholarship. When thinking about how I can make a difference in the community, I only need to do what I have done as part of who I am. I’m a coach. Coaching is what I do; it’s in my DNA. For me, coaching is teaching to inspire learning. Since my childhood, sports have been my passion. I had coaches who inspired me, and now I have the blessings, experience, and knowledge to inspire others. To pass on what I have learned. My experiences and background coaching athletics and employees in retail store operations have given me the opportunity where I can and have help many achieve things they thought were not possible. Not just in sports but in life. For me, there is no greater reward than to have a parent, student, or co-worker express gratitude and thanks for what I did to help them be the best version of who they are. My career path happened by accident. I started a career in retail store operations. My work ethic helped me advance through the ranks. First to Department Supervisor, then Assistant Store Manager, then Store Manager. My skills began to develop as I learned from my mistakes. During this time, I also had the opportunity to coach in City Leagues. Coaching various sports, both men and women, boys and girls. In May of 2021, I earned my associate’s degree in business management. I thought then that would be enough to go along with my years of successful work experience, but I was mistaken. Even with my outstanding track record in both business and coaching, I have learned that without a bachelor’s degree, it doesn’t mean much to top-level hiring managers. So, in 2024, I decided to enroll in college toward a bachelor’s degree in business management. With our heavenly father’s blessings, I should earn my degree in May of 2026. My plan going forward is to start a ladies' professional softball league. Just as the WNBA did with women's basketball. There are a lot of talented girls who play softball, but after their college playing days, there is no place for them to continue. This is my goal, and the business degree should open closed doors. Thank you again, Sloane. P.S. If and when I do begin this ladies' softball league, and whether or not I am one of the 6 winners, I invite you to be a part of the opening day, because of what you are doing to help others! God bless. Coach Hector

Thank you, to the Neal Hart Family, for this opportunity to earn a scholarship. When thinking about how I can make a difference in the community and those I work with, I only need to do what I have done as part of who I am. I’m a coach. Coaching is what I do; it’s in my DNA. For me, coaching is teaching to inspire learning. Like Neal, it’s my passion to help others achieve their goals. Few people in the world can honestly say they have earned a living doing exactly what they love. I’ve been blessed that I am one of those people. My experiences and background coaching athletics and employees in retail store operations have given me the opportunity where I can and have helped many achieve things they though were not possible. For me, there is no greater reward than to have a parent, student, or co-worker express gratitude and thanks for what I did to help them, using my faith in Christ as my foundation. My skills would soon develop to the highest level. However, I soon learned that a degree was still needed to go along with my experiences. So, I enrolled in school and from 2018 -2021, I earned my associate’s degree in business management. As I was job surfing, I noticed that many of the jobs I was interested in required a bachelor’s degree. Despite that I am fully qualified to do the job and meet/exceed the job ID, they still want a bachelor’s degree. So, in August of 2024, I enrolled towards a bachelor’s degree in business management. Now, I'm two semesters away from earning that degree. Since the pandemic in 2020, hundreds of businesses, stores, and companies have closed their operations. They blame it on the pandemic and now they blame it on the supply chain issues and other factors that do play a role but are not the main reasons for the downfall in businesses. Businesses were in a downfall before the pandemic. I know the reasons and much of those reasons is still affecting businesses today. Corporate leaders think they know the answer, but the answer in right in front of them and they can't see it. They are too busy looking at the big picture that they miss the little things. I have an excellent career track record in retail store operations earning all the top honors, including the prestigious Company Chairman’s Award with two companies. Here an example. My last assignment as store manager was with JCPenney. In a district of 21 stores, my store was the leader in the top 5 KPI's. Sales Increase, Payroll & Expense Control, Customer Satifaction, Employees Engagement, and Best Inventory Improvement. After the recession of 2008, my store was one of only two in the district that came in above profit plans, and my store was the only one to achieve a +2 overall customer satisfaction score. In addition, my store was one of only 33 in the company with a perfect score of 100 in the employees engagement survey. These stats are a testament to my passion for what I do and to the people I work with. I possess a lot of knowledge and wisdom that I desire to pass on to tomorrow’s leaders in the retail industry. There is much work to do to help the retail industry not only to survive but to prosper in these difficult times. I know what is missing and the expectations to be successful. This scholarship will help to achieve doing exactly that. Thank you and God bless! Coach Hector

Thank you, Mr. Vazquez, for this opportunity to earn a scholarship. When thinking about how I can make a difference in the community and with anyone I connect with, all I need to do is do what I have done as part of who I am. I’m a coach and a Christian. Coaching is teaching to inspire learning. It’s my passion to pass on valuable life lessons that will help others understand what our purpose in life is: to live for Jesus Christ. All of our life experiences, good and bad, are lessons that Christ wants us to learn. Because they all serve his purpose in guiding us through a path he has for each of us. I have been blessed with great success in both coaching athletics and in retail store operations. In both fields, I have had the opportunity to share my life lessons that Christ has taught me. Through storytelling, my players and employees understand why we are each put through challenging times, to teach us, to strengthen us, and to learn that with Christ, all things are possible and without him, nothing is. After high school, I served my country in the military for 9 years. 1 year in Vietnam. After I was honorably discharged, I found menial and unfulfilling jobs. I got married, and my wife encouraged me to try college. I found it too challenging to handle both work and school. I didn’t do well in my first year. I think I just wasn't prepared mentally for college courses. I decided to wait before I would try again. One day, I was in an empty space thinking about what my future would be. Soon, Jesus Christ directed me to start a new career in retail store operations, and after that, coaching athletics. I experienced many tough emotional times. I was a lost soul. That’s because I didn’t have a relationship with Christ. I always acknowledge him and the Godhead, but I didn’t know him. I had no idea that these career fields would be my calling, but Christ did! My older brother, who recently passed, inspired me to learn about our lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Of course, Satan didn’t like that at all. He threw at me all the reasons to doubt Christ and how he has failed to help me. Time passed, and I became strong in my faith and my relationship with Jesus. The more I learned about Jesus and what my purpose was, the more peace I felt inside me. Today, I don’t claim to be an every-Sunday attending Christian. I don’t claim to know scripture by chapter and verse. But I do preach to anyone willing to listen, all that I have learned about Jesus Christ, and that I’m living proof of how much Jesus loves us all, even when I wasn’t close to him, he never left me. He never leaves us; it’s we who pull away from him. I know I have helped others to reconsider where they stand on their faith. To teach them that every day is a gift from Christ, allowing each of us to show him how we love him and are thankful for all of his blessings. To acknowledge that we all fall short of what he expects from us, which isn’t much, but as humans and sinners, we fail him. But because of him, we can be forgiving and expect that one day we will live with him. My reason for applying for this scholarship is to earn my bachelor’s degree by May of 2026. But, Christian, I understand there may be young people in more need of this scholarship than I, so please consider them first. My goal after graduation is to start a Professional Girls Softball league in Texas. So many young ladies after college have no place to showcase their talent. Thank you and God bless! Coach Hector

Thank you, Howie Family, for this opportunity to earn a scholarship. When thinking about how I can make a difference in the community and those I work with, all I need to do is keep on doing what I have done as part of who I am. I’m a coach. Coaching is what I do; it’s in my DNA. For me, coaching is teaching to inspire learning. It’s my passion. Few people in the world can honestly say they have earned a living doing exactly what they love. I’ve been blessed that I am one of those people. My experiences and background coaching athletics and employees in retail store operations have given me the opportunity where I can and have help many achieve their goals and helped them understand the expectations of many real-life lessons. For me, there is no greater reward than to have a parent, student, or co-worker express gratitude and thanks for what I did to help them. After high school, I served my country in the military for 9 years. 1 year in Vietnam. After I was honorably discharged, I found menial and unfulfilling jobs. I got married, and my wife encouraged me to try college. I found it too challenging to handle both work and school. I didn’t do well in my first year. I think I just wasn't prepared mentally for college courses. I decided to wait before I would try again. One day, I was in an empty space thinking about what my future would be. But, through my faith, Jesus Christ directed me to start a new career in retail store operations. My work ethic was soon noticed and helped me to advance. First to Department Supervisor, then Assistant Store Manager, then Store Manager. My skills would soon develop to the highest level. A decade later, I went back to school and did somewhat better, but by then, I had children to look after, and my work schedule didn't allow time for school, and online wasn’t yet available. Years passed, and in 2018, I went back to school, and this time I loved the classes I was taking, and the teachers were just outstanding. In May of 2021, I finally earned my associate’s degree. I thought then that would be enough to go along with my years of work experience, but I was mistaken. As I was job surfing, I noticed that many of the jobs I was interested in required a bachelor’s degree. A few interviews also told me that even though I am fully qualified to do the job and meet or exceed the job ID, they still want a bachelor’s degree. So, in 2024, I heard that Del Mar College was offering a bachelor’s degree program. I jumped on that wagon and now I am one year away from earning that degree. So, this is what brings me to you in applying for this scholarship. Taking all the classes that I have up to this point shows me there is a need to teach the students in business the practical side of what this curriculum is teaching and what it looks like in real-time. There are no classes that teach that. I might even continue towards my master’s degree. Thank you and God bless! Coach Hector

Thank you, Diane, for this opportunity to earn a scholarship. When considering how I can make a difference in the community and with the people I meet or work with, all I need to do is continue doing what I have done as part of who I am. I’m a coach. Coaching is what I do; it’s in my DNA. For me, coaching is teaching to inspire learning. It’s my passion. Few people in the world can honestly say they have earned a living doing exactly what they love. I’ve been blessed that I am one of those people. My experiences and background coaching athletics and employees in retail store operations have given me the opportunity where I can and have help many achieve their goals and helped them understand the expectations of many real-life lessons. For me, there is no greater reward than to have a parent, student, or co-worker express gratitude and thanks for what I did to help them. After high school, I served my country in the military for 9 years. 1 year in Vietnam. After I was honorably discharged, I found menial and unfulfilling jobs. I got married, and my wife encouraged me to try college. I found it too challenging to handle both work and school. I didn’t do well in my first year. I think I just wasn't prepared mentally for college courses. I decided to wait before I would try again. I was in a state about what my future would be. But, through my faith, Jesus Christ directed me to start a new career in retail store operations. My work ethic was soon noticed and helped me to advance. First to Department Supervisor, then Assistant Store Manager, then Store Manager. My skills would quickly develop to the highest level. A decade later, I went back to school and did somewhat better, but by then, I had children to look after, and my work schedule didn't allow time for school, and online wasn’t yet available. Years passed, and in 2018, I went back to school, and this time I loved the classes I was taking, and the teachers were just outstanding. In May of 2021, I finally earned my associate’s degree. I thought then that would be enough to go along with my years of work experience, but I was mistaken. As I was job surfing, I noticed that many of the jobs I was interested in required a bachelor’s degree. A few interviews have also taught me that even though I am fully qualified to do the job and meet or exceed the job ID, they still want a bachelor’s degree. At present, I'm semi-retired, and maybe now my age will become a factor. I have struggled the past 2 years to find the right job that I want to do. So, in 2024, I heard that Del Mar College was offering a bachelor’s degree program. I jumped on that wagon and now I am one year away from earning that degree. So, this is what brings me to you in applying for this scholarship. Taking all the classes that I have up to this point shows me there is a need to teach the students in business the practical side of what this curriculum is teaching and what it looks like in real-time. There are no classes that teach that. Thank you. Coach Hector

Thank you Jimmy for this opportunity to earn a scholarship. When thinking about overcoming an obstacle, I think about right now as a student with one year left to earn my Bachelors degree. You see, in grade school; Jr. High and High School, I was an average student. My grades were a mix of Bs,Cs, and Ds, very few As. I admit that a lot of that came from me not putting great effort to studies. So, I didn't see myself attending college. After high school, I serve my country in the military for 9 years. 1 year in Vietnam. After I was honorably discharge, I found menial jobs that were unfullfilling. I got married and my wife encouraged me to try college. I thought I could handle both work and school but I was wrong. I did not do well in my first year. Did ok in some classes and failed in a couple. I got discourage with some classes that I just couldn't connect with as they were too difficult to learn. On top of that I wasn't prepared mentally for college courses. I decided to wait before continuing and by chance, I started a new career in retail store operations. My work ethics soon would be noticed and helped me to advanced. First to Department Supervisor, then, Assistant store Manager, then, Store Manager. My skills would soon develop in the highest level. A decade later I went back to school and did somewhat better, but by then I had children to look after and my work schedule didn't allow time for school. Years past and in 2018 I went back to school and this time I loved the classes I was taking and the teachers were just outstanding. In May of 2021, I finally earned my Associates Degree. I thought then, that would be enough to go along with my years of experience, but I was mistaken. As I was job surfing I noticed that many of the jobs I was interested in required a Bachelor's Degree. A few interview also told me that even though I am fully qualified to do the job and meet or exceed the job ID, they still want a Bachelor's Degree. So, in 2024, I heard that Del Mar College was offering a Bachelor's Degree. I jump on that wagon and now I am in pursuit of earning that degree. So, this is what brings me to you in applying for this scholarship.

Hello, my name is Hector Torres. Most people address me as 'Coach' or 'Coach Hector.' Coaching is my passion, it’s what I do, and it’s in my DNA. Whether I'm coaching a team in retail store operations or coaching a team in athletics, it's all about teaching to inspire learning. I earned my associate’s in general management & leadership development from Del Mar College in 2021. I’m in my senior year toward my bachelor's. Very few people in the world can honestly say they are/have earned a living doing exactly what they love. I have been blessed to be one of those few. The legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers, Vince Lombardi, taught his players that 3 things in their lives are critical. God, Family, and the team. I, too, believe in these 3 things: most importantly, faith. Because with God all things are possible, without him nothing is. And if God is with you, who then can stand against you? Coach Lombardi’s philosophy consisted of basic principles relating to fundamental values of life. He molds character and helps his players see what they need to accomplish. Lombardi’s teams were the best in professional football. His secret was ‘Love.’ He loved the game, and he loved his players. And in loving them, he did everything in his power to help them become the very best they could be. Leadership continues to be one of the most in-demand business skills today. Nobody fully embodies the leadership qualities like Coach Lombardi. Throughout my career, I implemented Lombardi’s philosophy principles, and I owe my success to that. “ Leadership rests not only upon ability, not only upon capacity; having the capacity to lead is not enough. The leader must be willing to use his authority. His leadership is then based on truth and character. There must be truth in the purpose and willpower in the character" (Lombardi, 1970). I have been in the retail industry for over 30 years. I have been blessed to have achieved the highest awards in retail operations, including the prestigious Company Chairman's Award with two companies. My success is owed to my faith, trusting Christ to lead me and help me in decision-making, my passion for what I do, and the talented employees I had the opportunity to teach and learn from. High performance is a process and a mindset. The challenge for a coach is to evolve into a new mindset that relies on human skills, integrity, and teamwork. There are three things in the mindset of coaching. Trust, Honesty, and Belief. TRUST: In the relationship between the team and the coach. When team members trust you, they learn at a much higher level and follow you with their hearts. HONESTY: Always communicate with truth. Storytelling with real-life examples to which the team members can relate. This will build trust and confidence in the relationship. BELIEF: A coach must believe in the team’s potential. Each member has a specific talent to offer the team. Find a balance between what they need from you and what you need from them. Let my legacy be in continuing to make a positive difference in people's lives by passing on the great values that allow people to achieve success in all areas of life. There is no greater reward in a working relationship than when someone thanks you for helping them achieve their goals. This is what motivates me each day! Thank you and God bless! Coach Hector

I possess many years of management experience in retail store operations. I have highly developed skills and an excellent track record of success in the business. But, in today's world, one needs a diploma to go along with that experience and those skills. I've seen the evolution of the retail industry. It's not in a good place, as stores have fallen from being a fun and exciting place to visit and shop that it once was. As I visit stores today, I can see many areas that are determining their demise. Customers are not being engaged when they visit; there is little to no salutation given, and usually, no one is around when a customer needs assistance. When there is someone to help, they are not well informed to be of any assistance. Then, there are long lines at the checkout, no wonder people prefer to shop online. And usually, you get better deals online. The key here is a lack of training. Employees are not engaged themselves. I know store managers have their hands full. Full of pressure with very little support. But still, they need to find a way to establish customer relationships that build and solidify their customer base. And that starts from the time a customer enters the store to the time they leave. Coaching is the key. I love coaching and leading a team to achieve things they thought were not possible. To help them achieve their individual goals and prepare them for leadership positions of tomorrow. I'm beginning my senior year towards my bachelor's and thinking of continuing towards my master's. Completing my education will open several doors of opportunity to continue to help develop young people and inspire them to reach for the stars. There is a huge need to teach proper work ethics if we expect things to change in the retail industry. For that matter, in any people business. Employees need to be trained on how to establish a relationship with their customers. But first, employees need to be engaged to feel good about doing their work and what the goals are. They need to feel they are valued and that they have a voice. Then, they need to believe in the leadership and trust the direction he/she will take them. Once you're at that level, then the employees will engage the customers. And when customers are engaged in your store, they will return... This is my goal: to teach and inspire learning. To make a difference in people's lives, today and tomorrow! Coach Hector