A Little Inspiration

This is a great video of Zach Lipshitz: SPFHS Alum, two-sport college athlete at Drew University (Baseball & Soccer) and Foundation Fitness athlete. While at home and quarantined, he's still making fitness a priority.

Jon and I have known Zach’s dad Jerry since we were kids. We all grew up playing ball together. We’ve worked with Zach over the years and watched him develop into not only a great athlete but a great young man. Zach’s achievements on the field are directly correlated to his work ethic off the field, when only a handful of people are watching him push himself physically the way he is in this video. I truly believe this work ethic is learned behavior. I can remember many times when Zach was no more than 11 or 12 years old and I would see Jerry with him on the baseball field at a local park taking BP or fielding grounders. Just a father and son. I can say with certainty that Jerry’s time spent with Zach on those fields was all about teaching his son how to become the best player and person he could be through hard work & dedication, and not about collecting awards & accolades. Because of their dedication, Zach’s dedication to perfecting his God given ability and Jerry’s dedication to his son, they not only received the awards & accolades, but something greater - the wherewithal to work hard when no one is watching. This message is about working hard and doing your best, even when no one is looking. It’s the right thing to do and it builds character that will hold up when it’s tested and, right now, we are all being tested.

Zach’s stellar playing career concluded last season but the lessons he learned from his dad with only an empty baseball field as witness remain with him. The more I think about the name Foundation Fitness, the more I’m convinced that Foundation comes from stories like that of Jerry and Zach or Jon and Jack. The Foundation starts at home with a parent teaching a child about the value of hard work, which leads to achievement. That achievement could be being named to the All Conference and All Region teams but, more likely, it’s about doing one more rep than you did last time and finishing that rep in the driveway just outside your home gym with a light drizzle falling. That’s the kind of achievement that’s built on solid ground and if you’re fortunate enough to witness that, it always provides a little inspiration.

Awards & Accolades

· Drew University Shortstop (4 year starter)

· Rawlings Division III All-Mid-Atlantic Region Second Team

· First-Team All-Landmark Conference

· 2018 Drew University Baseball MVP

· Current Assistant Baseball Coach, Drew University

· 2014 All Area Boys Soccer Team, 2nd Team