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Founder's StoryAs a young boy, Rickey Brady developed a love of athletics and began participating in organized sports as soon as he could. Rickey played some form of team sport all year long: soccer in the spring, baseball in the summer, football in the fall and basketball in the winter.
When he entered high school, his passion was primarily basketball where he was named Domino’s Player of the year, Oklahoma All-State and McDonald’s All-American. However, his play at tight end earned him the prestigious Oklahoma Jim Thorpe Award, Oklahoma All-State and Parade All-American in football. |
After graduating from Putnam City West High School, he enrolled in the University of Oklahoma and played both basketball and football as a freshman. After that, he dropped basketball to focus on football, lettering all four years and winning two bowl games, was named to the first Team All-Big Eight, and won the Chevrolet Scholarship Most Valuable Player. He graduated with a communications degree. Rickey was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 1994 and began the journey of Pro-Football which played a significant part in understanding and defining his role as founder of SpeakLife Ministries. He draws his inspiration from some great leaders in his life and from the ultimate leader: Jesus Christ, the author of this faith.
A decade after his football retirement, he started to put together a new approach to leadership that was greatly influenced by all of his early experiences. He realized that leadership stems form the ability to empower others by speaking life into their lives. The best leader, according to Rickey, is the person who makes everyone else better by encouraging them to succeed and inspiring them to act. Instead of pinning everything on talent, which can be an elusive or impossible task, Rickey works to refocus young athletes on the areas they can truly dominate: effort, attitude and sportsmanship.
A decade after his football retirement, he started to put together a new approach to leadership that was greatly influenced by all of his early experiences. He realized that leadership stems form the ability to empower others by speaking life into their lives. The best leader, according to Rickey, is the person who makes everyone else better by encouraging them to succeed and inspiring them to act. Instead of pinning everything on talent, which can be an elusive or impossible task, Rickey works to refocus young athletes on the areas they can truly dominate: effort, attitude and sportsmanship.
He draws his inspiration from some great leaders in his life and from the ultimate leader: Jesus Christ, the author of his faith.
Rickey is married to Stephanie and together they have 5 children: Meg, Ethan, Skylar, Breck and Rocky.
