Norm's Notes for November 2023
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Norm Cates
■Hello Everybody! This is your Club Insider Founder and Tribal Leader Since 1993 checking in with our 359th monthly edition of this 30+ year running club business publication I refer to as: A Labor of Love! I'm very thankful that you've tuned in again for this iteration of Norm's Notes, as I proceed on my keyboard with my longtime habit of "Telling-It-Like-It-Is!" I'm really happy that you're reading this edition, and I want to THANK YOU ALL for sticking with us every month! As usual, we have a bunch of health and fitness club industry news, so please read on!
■Is AMERICA a GREAT COUNTRY, or WHAT!?!? Hmm... hmm... hmm! And, as usual, let me start these Norm's Notes with my normal monthly salutation to you all: GOD BLESS AMERICA and GOD BLESS YOU, YOUR FAMILY and YOUR BUSINESS!!!
■CECIL SPEARMAN is my long-time friend, and he is one of the key people long ago when we added "H" for Health to the acronym IRSA. Cecil not only helped RICK CARO, JOHN McCARTHY and I grow IRSA to become IHRSA, Cecil was also one of those in Chicago at the Faust Roundtable Meeting when we created Club Insider, now over 30+ years ago.
On October 31, 2023 (Happy Halloween Y'all!), I got a call from Cecil. He shared some important news from his organization which I'm going to share with you all now. At age 92, Cecil has reached a point in life where he wants to turn over his four fabulous California clubs entirely to his sons. He shared the following with me:
"Norm, since the beginning of Spearman Clubs, with the opening of the Lake Bluff Indoor Tennis Club in 1971, I have been the CEO and COO. Also, JEAN, my beloved wife who died in January 2023, was serving as the only Member of the Board with me before she passed away. Today, I'm announcing that starting next month, in December 2023, my three sons will replace Jean as Members of this Board.
Also, starting in December, my oldest son, MARK SPEARMAN, will take over as COO for our four clubs as a result of his outstanding performance as GM of our Laguna Niguel Racquet Club. Mark will take over all of the club operations as I step up to the single role of Chairman of the Board CEO only. We anticipate great results from Mark's leadership."
Congratulations Mark, and Good On Ya' Cecil!!!
■Throughout the month of November, UFC GYM and UFC FIT will honor Veterans with complimentary recovery services, membership promotions and retail discounts. UFC GYM, the first major brand extension of UFC, and UFC FIT will honor active duty and retired military personnel with complimentary recovery services, complimentary passes, membership deals and more at select locations. Participants may redeem the special offers beginning on Saturday, November 11 and throughout the end of November. Veterans who are members can take advantage of complimentary recovery services for the month of November or two personal training sessions with a professional coach. Those who are not currently members may claim a complimentary Champion Pass to use from Veterans Day through the end of the month, or they may become members with joining fees waived and a $10 discount on dues for any month-to-month membership. Veteran members, and non-members alike, will be eligible to receive a 30% discount on all retail purchases. Additionally, a variety of specialty classes and programming will be offered at selected locations.
Folks, as the son of a great U.S. Air Force man who retired after 21 years of service, and me being a former U.S. Air Force Jet Instructor Pilot for four years, I have something I want to say about this: I find what UFC GYM and UFC Fit is doing by honoring Veterans throughout the month of November to be a downright GREAT THING! I TIP MY BLACK HAT to the UFC Folks all across the land!
■Nautilus Changes Corporate Name to BowFlex in Turnaround Bid - The struggling fitness equipment maker is rallying behind its most popular brand as part of CEO, JIM BARR's comeback plan. The name change took effect on November 1st and includes an NYSE ticker change from NLS to BFX.
Pete Moore
■PETE MOORE and DAVID GANULIN have announced that over 200 HALO Executives have sharpened their skill set through their Executive Bootcamp. Moore and Ganulin invite you all to join this group and hone your financial and strategic knowledge skill sets over two weeks. All classes are taught live by HALO Talks Podcast Host, PETE MOORE, Founder and Managing Partner of Integrity Square.
Pete Moore is a Harvard Business School Graduate, and he has 25+ years of private equity, investment banking and entrepreneurial experience in the global HALO sector. Pete is the Founder, Managing Partner and Chief Dream Architect at Integrity Square (ISQ). ISQ is a leading boutique financial advisory firm focused on the $4.7T Health, Active Lifestyle, Outdoor ("HALO") sector. Since founding ISQ in 2010, the firm has played an active advisory role in 100+ mergers and acquisitions, private placements and advisory assignments across North America. Pete and his team have also invested in passionate entrepreneurs at HigherDOSE, XTEND and Promotion Vault.
ISQ's media and live education properties include: HALO Talks, a leading B2B podcast in the sector (250+ completed interviews and over 50,000 downloads), as well as HALO Academy, an Executive Education Bootcamp Series.
For enrollment information, contact David Ganulin, Integrity Square Chief Marketing Officer, at: dganulin@integritysq.com.
■COACH PRIME's Colorado University Football Team was robbed in their locker room during their recent game/visit at UCLA. That is sad news! Police are investigating allegations by Coach DEION SANDERS (a/k/a "Coach Prime") and Colorado University football players who said they were missing jewelry and other valuables following the team's 28 - 16 loss to UCLA at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. Both Pasadena Police and private security were in attendance at the game Saturday. "That's awful for anybody," UCLA Head Coach, CHIP KELLY, told local reporters on Monday after the incident. "You would think that when you go anywhere that your valuables are safe."
Folks, way back over 50 years ago, when I played football for N.C. State, every day before practice and before all football games, we would place our valuables in a small yellow envelope and write our name on the envelope. And, during all of our practices and during all of our games, those envelopes would stay in the backpack of our Team's Equipment Manager. The envelopes would only be given back to the players AFTER the practice or the football game! I can only give those Colorado University folks, including Coach PRIME a REAL BIG DUH on this one! With some good sense, those thefts should NEVER HAVE HAPPENED!
■Northwestern State University (NSU) in Natchitoches, Louisiana, announced that it has cancelled the remainder of the 2023 football season due to the recent death of junior safety RONNIE CALDWELL. In an announcement, the school cited the mental health and wellbeing of its student-athletes as the primary reason for its decision. Caldwell was a junior safety from Cedar Park, Texas. He had been persevering through an injury and traveling with the team in a coaching capacity, helping other defensive backs with their technique and schemes. His death remains under investigation by the Natchitoches Police Department. "Ronnie was a beloved member of our community, and we miss him greatly," said NSU President, DR. MARCUS JONES. "While our instinct was to return to the field of play following his death, we've since learned that the hurt on our team was too deep. It is in the best interest of our players, coaches and staff to pause and to take this time to mourn, to heal and to support Ronnie's family." Moreover, the school announced that it has accepted the resignation of BRAD LAIRD, who was in his sixth season as Head Coach of the Demons Football Team. Laird commented, "Due to the loss of Ronnie and the emotional burden it has caused me, I don't feel I can give my all to these players or this program. Any coach will tell you that their players become like family, so the loss of Ronnie was like losing a son. I love this program and this university, and I know it will persevere and move forward with the competitive spirit that is at the core of our DNA."
May Ronnie Caldwell Rest In Peace.
Credit to my friend, PETE BROWN'S fine Athletic Business Magazine, for providing this sad news item.
■From our family to yours, we wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! We hope all take a moment to reflect on the important things in life. Stay Tuned next month, as we close out 2023!!!
■JUSTIN and I want to say Thanks for reading Club Insider!
■God bless our troops, airmen and sailors worldwide and keep them safe. Thank you, Congratulations and Welcome Home to all of our troops who have served around the world. God bless America's Policemen and women and Firemen and women; keep them safe. Finally, God bless you, your family, your club(s) and your members. God Bless America! Laus Deo!
