Scott Touzinsky was well on his way to a great career in volleyball, when he severely tore his ACL in 2004. Doctors feared he wouldn't be able to play again. Through hard work and determination, he returned to competitive action by the end of the year. Touzinsky made his Olympic debut at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and won a gold medal.
As devastating as his injury was, Touzinsky admits there are far worse things in life. He would have been just fine if he never stepped on a volleyball court again. That might make his comeback even more impressive. He didn't have to comeback. He could have easily just gone on with life, but he didn't.
Touzinsky's story is one of fifteen featured in Champions, a wonderful book of overcoming obstacles, written by my friends George Castle and John Schenk through Signature Strength. Champions is entertaining, inspirational and heart-warming. The athletes featured have all beaten the odds and have positive stories to tell.
I had the honor of interviewing Touzinsky at the book launch party for Champions. He couldn't have been more gracious, even allowing me to wear his Olympic gold medal.
It may seem silly to be excited about wearing someone else's Olympic medal, but it was a special moment. I'm not a huge fan of the Olympics, but I recognize the significance and the history behind that medal. This specific medal also represented the effort of Touzinsky in reclaiming his volleyball career.
Check out SignatureStrength.org for more information on Champions and the rest of the good things happening at Signature Strength. I promise you will be seeing more wonderful projects from Signature Strength.
Scott Touzinsky and me in Chicago, IL-February 2018.
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