Jim Morris was born in January 19, 1964 into a nomadic naval family that would move 29 times during his childhood. Along with a difficult relationship with his father, this nomadic experience made Jim insecure, withdrawn and his transition into adulthood difficult. Fortunately, Jim had two saving graces as a child (1) a love for baseball that enabled him to gain respect from others wherever the family went and (2) his relationship with his grandfather Earnest Morris, who became Jim’s role model in life. Nevertheless, Jim struggled with decisions about relationships and career and failed as a professional baseball player because of immaturity and injuries.
Once retired from baseball, Jim went to Angelo State in Texas and got his degree in kinesiology and psychology and became a science teacher and high school baseball coach. He also got married and started a family. He loved his job and his family but he continued struggling with issues of unfulfilled potential and happiness. Jim just couldn’t figure out how to put his life together.
When coaching his Texas high school baseball team in 1999, Jim had an epiphany: he was too focused on himself instead of helping others. Jim buried himself in his work, throwing batting practice to his rag tag team, but they couldn’t hit the pitches of their 35 year old baseball coach! They responded by telling Jim that he needed to go tryout for a big league club. In an effort to motivate his rag-tag team, Jim made a bet with his kids: if you win a district championship, I will go tryout for a big league team. The bet was born. And with it so was Jim Morris.
The players won the district championship and Jim fulfilled his end of the bet, going to a tryout and throwing 12 consecutive pitches 98 miles per hour! Three months later, 35 year old school teacher Jim Morris was striking out big league hitters in front of his high school players and family. Jim’s meteoric rise from 35 year old high school teacher to flame throwing major league pitcher in 3 months made cinematic history with the release of “The Rookie” starring Dennis Quaid. This heartwarming and unforgettable Disney blockbuster about chasing your dreams and keeping your promises won the ESPY for Sports Film of the Year. Sports Illustrated also voted it one of the five greatest baseball films ever made. Jim has been a public speaker for 10 years and has participated in such prestigious speaking events as The Million Dollar Round Table, numerous other speaker showcases, and he is also the author of “The Rookie.”
Jim Morris is living proof that you can totally transform your life and your business if you put others first and find a mentor in life. No longer living in silence, Jim is the best inspirational speaker around. We hope you enjoy how he draws on his own life experiences to inspire others to become leaders and mentors in life and business and that you find his story compelling and entertaining!
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Speech Topics
- Never Giving Up On A Dream
- Living Your Life With Integrity
- Taking Advantage of Second Chances
- Getting The Most Out Of Who You Are
- Finding a Mentor and Becoming A Leader
- Remembering Who You Are
