By John Ingoldsby
Engagement Insider
STERLING, VA November 13, 2014 – Eddie Mason considers himself to be blessed.
Not only did he live the dream of playing in the National Football League, he then took that expertise and inspiration into his NEXT career.
“It is rare to do something you love once in your life, but I have had the good fortune to do something I love twice,” said the former linebacker for the New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Washington Redskins.
His second career since football started 12 years ago when a shoulder injury ended his on-field gridiron days in D.C, and he found fitness to be his calling.
But not just fitness for the body, also fitness for the mental and spiritual side as well.
So what began from humble beginnings 12 years ago in the basement of his home has now become MASE Training (www.masetraining.com), a thriving facility in Northern Virginia that for the past seven years has served countless clients from elite all-star athletes to youngsters beginning their ascent.
“Our objective here is to build the next generation of leaders by instilling leadership and character that will help them throughout the game of life,” stated the 2001 NFL Unsung Hero Award winner. “We have created an atmosphere that builds people up from the inside out.”
That faith-based approach has clearly caught on, as he and his staff of a half-dozen have impacted all ages, from helping household names reach the Pro Bowl and prep and college stars go to the next level to pre-teens sharpening their skills and even parents simply getting in better shape.
“I have found the one common ground between football and business to be how important the power of relationships are in life,” stated the University of North Carolina alumnus. “I believe in my vision of being a servant to inspire people in all areas of their life by integrating a system of accountability and teamwork that people personally take to heart.”
That means to Mason that he fits the right people together based on fitness levels and such, leading to each of his trainees adopting an attitude that they must show up for their sessions.
“I want them to feel that they don’t want to let down their teammates, their coaches, and most importantly, themselves,” he emphasized.
This team approach has also extended beyond his business and into his being the Director of On-Field Operations for NFL Player Engagement’s (NFLPE) popular PREP 100 Series, as well as serving as an NFLPE Ambassador.
“It is never easy for any player transitioning from the NFL to real life, but I hope to help former players carry on into their important personal journey after football,” declared the North Carolina native, who is also a youth football commissioner and coach.
A journey that Mason has walked so well, that he has written a book entitled “Training for the Tough Game of Life,” which he hopes to have published by the Super Bowl.
“I recently finished writing the book which consists of life lessons I learned through sports that help us all win in the game of life,” he noted. “We all make good plays and bad plays, which we can learn from, but we can always apply both to inspire us in life and never give up, which I try to capture and embody in the book.”
By writing the book, Mason hopes to reinforce for the masses what he preaches to his protégés.
“I try to help young people see things better, especially now when we are dealing with a different culture, where I believe they need to know who and where they are in life,” he asserted.
Seeing is believing, and those who follow Mason need not look far for inspiration.