Responsible Leadership.  That’s the foundation of New Balance’s approach to business, and philanthropy, and the reason all of us here at Positive Coaching Alliance in New England are grateful and proud to have New Balance’s support.  New Balance strives to have a positive impact in the communities in which it operates, and New Balance’s support of Positive Coaching Alliance here in New England does exactly that.

Joe VanBuskirk brings responsible leadership, with a smile, to PCA’s New England Board.  For New Balance, Joe builds and manages relationships with New England’s top professional teams and high character athletes. He does it well, and has his own fan base among the who’s who of New England sports.  For PCA, Joe steps up and provides support wherever it’s needed.  Joe is quick to respond to every request, and knows how to support PCA in its mission to help schools and organizations do sports right so that kids build the character, leadership, grit, resilience, compassion and so much more they need to thrive today.

Since joining the Board of PCA/NE, Joe has taken a leading role in supporting PCA’s annual Harvard STADIUM STAMPEDE.  He does the workout too, as the photos here prove.  Thanks to Joe and New Balance, each year stadium event participants receive good-looking event t-shirts, which are also soft, and long-lasting.  Joe makes sure we have an array of New Balance prizes and thank you gifts ranging from hats, to bags to, of course, shoes!   Every year, New Balance earns the first of the huge “character banners” we hang around Harvard Stadium to inspire participants as they work their way around from Character, Leadership, Respect, and Teamwork through Grit and on to the final banner, Joy.

This year, with the pivot to a virtual stadium event, Joe stepped up.  To help us make the now digital banners come to life, Joe arranged for his friend, New Balance athlete, and Boston Bruins captain, Zdeno Chara to give us a video clip about how sports builds CHARACTER.  With Chara on board, a dozen more respected New England athletes, coaches and leaders added their voices to the cause talking about how sports shaped who they are.  Chara’s message, can be found here together with messages from the McCourty twins, Gevvie Stone and more.

The father of two active athletes, Joe coached them until they were about twelve, and then he says “it was time for them to get experience with the experts.”  Joe has spent many days during the pandemic on the fields with his kids, training and keeping it fun.  That’s not a hardship for Joe who is committed to staying active, every day.  Joe’s athleticism is on display every year in PCA’s Harvard STADIUM STAMPEDE, and comes from his background as a hockey and tennis player.

When we ask Joe why he supports PCA, his answer?  “Because building character and creating a positive environment, will build not only better athletes, but better people for future dreams and life goals.”

Thank you Joe and New Balance for supporting Positive Coaching Alliance and #SportsDoneRight.