Mike Coy grew up on the baseball field. From his early days of playing in Beaumont, Texas, to a long history of coaching, he has always been drawn back to the game. His dad was an umpire and coach that helped every kid in town with their game. Baseball is in his blood. And with good reason — his teams are winners!
After playing in college, Mike moved into the TX/LA Professional Baseball League where he hit .556 for a magical season in 1977, won the league championship, was named MVP and Offensive Player of the Year two years in a row, and won a contract offer with the New York Mets baseball team. Since then, he has gone on to coach Little League, Senior League, Big League and Select Baseball. Today, at 60+ years old, Mike is still playing and dominating Men’s Senior Baseball League with seven (7!) World Championship Rings!
Not only is Mike a winner, he coaches winners. A few of his accolades over 45 years of coaching include:
- 1986 Summer Big League Team placed 3rd in the World, which lead to a minor league hitting/scouting position with the San Diego Padres School of Baseball
- Won over 200 games in 12 years of coaching the Westlake High School American Legion Varsity and JV teams
- Won 55 games in four years coaching at St. Michael’s Academy in Austin, culminating in Two District Titles and Two Undefeated JV District Titles
- Won Three State of Texas Baseball Championships
- Won a National Title with the Austin Wings Select Program in 2011, and never finished out of the Top 4 in any year since 1999
- Coached several players that were able to move into professional major league sports, including: Drew Brees, future Hall of Fame Superbowl MVP Quarterback from Westlake High School where he played both baseball and football, along with his brother, Reid Brees, All-SWC: Baylor Baseball; Mark Petkovsek, who played 12 years for 5 different pro teams; Cory Knebel of the Milwaukee Brewers; and Justin Ruggiano of the San Francisco Giants, to name a few
Mike says that playing athletics is like a microcosm of life. Sports gave him the discipline, direction and purpose to move forward in life. Every “great” athlete he has ever coached had one similar trait – the “want” to be better. Drew Brees was a good hitter, but he wanted to be better. Mark Petkovsek was a great pitcher, but he wanted to be better. Mike’s success as a player, a coach, a salesman, a public speaker, or an author, is because he always wants to get better. Getting to be the best is great, but staying there is where hard work and persistence pays off.
If your team wants to get better, to be the best, invite Mike for a motivational presentation where he will share his lessons learned and help your team aspire to greatness.
Winners find a way to win. Losers only find excuses why they fail.
This mantra has helped Mike get through many challenging times in his life. Applying it to business has helped him become a member of the prestigious President’s Club with Aflac, where he achieved the #1 spot three different times and in the Top 5 twenty-two times in his career. Only 2% of the 10,000 Aflac agents are honored with this title. He is a winner, and cancer wasn’t about to change that!
Mike’s Commitment to Cancer Research
Mike has been asked many times by friends and family if he ever wanted to just give up when he was battling cancer. The answer was always no. He had a six-month-old grandson he wanted to be able to take to the park, play catch with and watch grow up. And he had not yet walked his daughter down the aisle. Now, everything has changed. In December of 2017 he proudly stood beside his daughter on the day she got married, and he has three terrific grandsons to spoil and love.
So, no, giving up wasn’t an option. However, he does understand why someone would want to quit. The pain associated with cancer could make anyone want to give up, and that’s why it’s so important to find a reason to live and to hold onto that reason for dear life. Mike’s reason to keep fighting was his faith that God had more in mind for him to accomplish. He had faith in his doctors and believed that they knew what steps and treatments to take to get him well. He knew he had to have a positive attitude because of what he had read about stress. For Mike, it was all about learning how to stop thinking about how stressed he was and remember how blessed he was instead. Mike will tell you; “You either ride life or it rides you. It’s your choice to see which one the rider is, and which one is the horse!”
After working in the Professional sales world and Healthcare industry for 40+ years, it was easy for him to find a new mission in life. His new goal is to raise awareness for cancer prevention, educate people about the need for early detection and reducing stress, and to consistently support cancer research. He wants to see a cure for juvenile cancer in his lifetime!
About Mike Coy
Today, Mike lives in Colorado Springs, CO as a Senior Benefits Consultant for Aflac and celebrated his 45th year with Aflac on November 1, 2021. He is recognized as one of the leading healthcare gurus in the nation and is a much sought after keynote speaker, with topics ranging from Aflac’s solutions to Heath Care Reform and Employee Benefits to personal stories about succeeding in business, in sports, and in life. He firmly believes that not including Aflac in your employee choices of health care is a huge mistake in today’s very confusing health care marketplace and will gladly explain WHY.
Mike is an honest man who puts his money where his mouth is, personally donating funds to the Aflac Children’s Cancer Hospital throughout his tenure with the organization. Since 1995, Aflac has raised and donated more than $110 million to fund cancer research. Much of Aflac’s support comes from its independent sales agents, such as Mike, who contribute donations from their monthly commission checks, as well as Aflac employees who contribute each month through payroll deductions. And it is making a difference. Leukemia is the biggest killer of children. Fifteen years ago the survival rate was a mere 36%, today the survival rate is 80%. But no one will be satisfied until there is a 100% survival rate for these young kids.
Mike’s Inspiration to Support Cancer Research
Mike’s inspiration comes from the Jerry Lewis telethons, which raised billions of dollars to fund research for a cure to Muscular Dystrophy. He used his celebrity to help others, even though he didn’t have to. Mike may not be a celebrity, except in his own mind, but he has been through cancer, survived it, and wants to give back to find a cure.
Mike’s Motivational Books
Mike’s first book, “Incredible Business” was a labor of love and a great co-author collaboration on how building relationships and gaining referrals beats cold-calling all day long.
His second book, “I Chose…Live” recounts his battle with Cancer and how he is winning the war. He raises awareness for Cancer prevention and early detection; discusses modern advances in Cancer research and treatment; and reminds the reader to keep smiling no matter how much “life’s challenges” come their way.
In his newest book, “A Random Act of Kindness”, Mike speaks to how simple gestures might help change a life plus it just might save a life.
Life Is about Choices
I Chose … Live
How I Learned to Cope When Faced with the Stress of Cancer
I’ve been asked many times by friends and family if I ever wanted to just give up when I was battling cancer. The answer is no. I had a six-month-old grandson, and I wanted to be able to take him to the park. I wanted to be able to play catch with him and watch him grow up. No, giving up wasn’t an option for me. However, I do understand why someone would quit.
It is hard to explain to someone who has not gone through cancer why some people fight (sometimes to the death) and why some people give up (sometimes immediately) – why some win and some lose in the battle. The pain associated with cancer could make anyone want to give up, and that’s why it’s so important to find a reason to live and to hold onto that reason for dear life.
Cancer destroys your whole body, and you have to keep your mind strong because if that goes, everything goes. My reason to keep fighting was my faith that God had more in mind for me to accomplish, as well as my desire to see my grandsons grow up. I had faith in my doctors and believed that they knew what steps to take and what treatments would get me well. I knew I had to have a positive attitude because of what I read about stress. For me, it was all about focusing on how to stop thinking about how stressed I was and remember how blessed I was instead.
Sitting out on my balcony in Chattanooga, TN, watching it snow, watching the Tennessee River flow below me, seeing the kids play and lovers walk hand in hand meant so much to me during some really tough times. But my tough times were physical. I was not going to allow them to be mental too.
Life is about choices – decisions we must make every hour of every day. In some cases, it’s all about culture change, which is not easy to do. But in many cases, it’s the only thing to do. I had to figure out why there was so much stress in my life. I had to figure out where my stress was coming from. Then I had to figure out what to do about it.
I can think back on a day when everything was going south – a tough day at work, an appointment that did not work out the way I expected it to work out, and then going home and taking it out on my (then) wife. But the point I am trying to make is that you need to find what is causing the stress in your life and figure out what you are going to do to fix it. It might be holding your grandbaby in your arms. It might be stopping at Dairy Queen one afternoon and picking up your favorite ice cream. Or it might be spending some time alone and thanking God for all your blessings. I know that works for me. Try it. It just might work for you too.
Finding the cause and taking steps toward relief are both important factors in stress management and can greatly aid in the fight against cancer. For anyone facing the trials and tribulations of this world, try to stop focusing on how lousy life can be and remember how blessed each and every one of us truly is.
As I said, life is about choices – decisions we make that can be good for us or maybe not so good for us. And if I can reach out to just one person with my words, then all of this has been worth it.
Today is all we’ve got. Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow is never promised. The canvas we paint can be a blessing or a curse. I hope you value your life and the people in it enough to get checked regularly and remain healthy. Stop to embrace this opportunity we call life. Remember to thank the loved ones who get you through the tough times. Enjoy the good times. Remember that, even if you have cancer, cancer doesn’t have you. And, when life throws you a curveball, my prayer is that you’ll knock it out of the park and proudly proclaim, “I chose … live.”