Mike Ricci, an English teacher and Football coach, worked most of his 38 years at Garnet Valley High School, located in southeastern Pennsylvania. A Hall of Fame Coach, Mike Ricci cultivated and developed a football program recognized as one of the most successful and respected in the tri-state area - compiling an impressive 261-121-1 overall record while at the same time engineering an incredible 114 wins versus only 12 losses in 14 years of Central League play. Under his leadership, the Jaguars were proud 3-time District 1 Champions, were consistently ranked as one of the top ten teams in Pennsylvania, and made appearances in the state playoffs for 15 of 16 seasons, including the state championship game in 2007.

Encouraging his players to be selfless, to work hard, and to have character, Ricci utilized these foundational principles to help create sustained excellence. Adhering to his admonition that “football is the least important thing that we do,” his program successfully used football as a vehicle to usher young players to become better people, first, better students, second, and better football players, third. A speaker at numerous clinics, various businesses, parent groups, colleges, high schools, and other venues, Ricci’s universal motivational messages and blueprint for how to develop high powered teams, a successful dynamic culture, and programs that sustain excellence, ironically, have little to do with football!

After retiring in June of 2022, having influenced thousands of individuals in his tenure, he started Achieving Oneness so that his proven methods that consistently allowed individuals and teams alike to exceed their goals and expectations could be shared on a greater level.

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