Ray Schoenke has used the warrior mindset throughout his life to achieve success. He was among the earliest Polynesian NFL players and wasinducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame in 2015. He had a 12-year career as an offensive lineman in the NFL and developed a multi-million-dollar business while he was still playing football. During his business career, he was very active in public and civic affairs, including playing a significant role in the founding of the Special Olympics, and actively campaigning for three US Presidents. He has been named in the top 100 players in the history of the Redskins. Bill Clinton describes him as someone who “has led a fascinating life…[who] has never failed to stand up or speak out for what he believes.” His memoir, Fat Girl Sings, launched on Amazon in May, 2023.
Ray Schoenke has used the warrior mindset throughout his life to achieve success. He was among the earliest Polynesian NFL players and was
inducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame in 2015. He had a 12-year career as an offensive lineman in the NFL and developed a multi-million-dollar business while he was still playing football. During his business career, he was very active in public and civic affairs, including playing a significant role in the founding of the Special Olympics, and actively campaigning for three US Presidents. He has been named in the top 100 players in the history of the Redskins. Bill Clinton describes him as someone who “has led a fascinating life…[who] has never failed to stand up or speak out for what he believes.” His memoir, Fat Girl Sings, launched on Amazon in May, 2023.
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Contact Info
- Website: www.RaySchoenke.com
- Book: Fat Girl Sings: Discovering, Embracing, and Leveraging Racial Identity on the Football Field, in Business, and in Life by Ray Schoenke
Most Influential Person
Effect On Emotions
- Emotions and mindfulness are a critical part of life. When you're going into a football game with 60 plays and then you have to know a variety of defenses. So when you walk up to the line and you have a play in mind, you have to know you are against a variety of defenses. All of a sudden they can change the defense. So then your mind has to switch over real quick. And you've only got seconds to execute.
- This goes on 60 times in a game. So mindfulness is incredibly difficult, and you have to keep up with it. And you have to practice and practice. And because of my versatility, I played all the backup positions on the line.
- So if anybody gets hurt, I'm the first up. So I might be on the regular left guard start, but then the right tackle gets hurt and suddenly I'm now going to play right tackle. In the middle of the game I have to remember everything on that side.
Thoughts On Breathing
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As far as breathing is concerned, you have to be able to keep calm because you're under enormous stress. The defense is trying to create more stress. So they're changing positions.
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And also because if I just came in to replace somebody, then they're really trying to mess you up even more because you just got there. When you're in the middle of the game, they're trying to mess with your mind and screaming at you, and you're trying to remember the play.
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It's a big game, and you've got to be able to erase all that confusion and execute. Your mind has got to be strong. And I would have to work prior to the game and spend a week going over things mentally.
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I would rehearse the whole game in my mind. To me, 80% of the game was mental, and 20% was my physical ability.
Bullying Story
- Fat girl sings is the name of my book. People used to call me fat girl when I was 10 years old. I was fat and I was brown, I was in Texas. I was in grade school and all the kids were white. I was different. I was bullied.
- They started calling me fat girl and making fun of me. The older kids in the 6th grade would gang up on me. They would surround me and pull down my pants In front of everybody. That was a big thing, and it was very humiliating to me.
- I didn't know what to do and I didn't know how to deal with that.
Suggested Resources
- Book: Fat Girl Sings: Discovering, Embracing, and Leveraging Racial Identity on the Football Field, in Business, and in Life by Ray Schoenke
- App: n/a
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Are you experiencing anxiety and stress? I’m Bruce Langford, a practicing coach, and hypnotist who helps fast-track people like you to shed their inner bully and confidently move forward. Book a Free Coaching Session to get you on the road to a more satisfying life, feeling grounded and focused. Email me at bruce@mindfulnessmode.com with ‘I Am Determined' in the subject line. We'll schedule a call to discuss how you can move forward to a better life.
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