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Future headline: Shale Crescent leads in income a third year

Imagine this headline on the front page of the Parkersburg News & Sentinel on August 12, 2025, just seven years from now;

Fantasy? Not at all. It won’t be easy. Nothing good ever is. Walt Disney said, “If you can dream it. You can do it!” I believe we can make this happen. For years, I have been working with young people who believe in dreams. In 1999 our high school soccer team’s captain and only returning starter said, “Coach, we want to play for the State Title.” We had never even won a section championship. All we had going for us was a dream. Our boys began to practice at a higher level once they believed in the dream. Against all odds, this Team played Morgantown High for the State Championship. A big dream is powerful.

The 1999 season changed how our Team thought. They knew now that anything was possible. Since then we have won 5 Boy’s State Championships. Our 2012 Team was remarkable. Their dream was to win the State Championship. I don’t recall a single bad practice we had that season. That had never happened before or since. They actually practiced at what was game speed for most of our opponents. They were focused. This Team not only won the State Championship. They went undefeated and were ranked 11th in the nation by Max Preps. (part of CBS Sports) They had a big dream. They believed it was possible and then did the work to make it happen. It drove them to work at a high level. Dreams aren’t limited to the athletic field. Also in 2012, my wife was in a serious car accident and broke her neck. The seat belt and air bags saved her life. In the ICU, she could barely move when she whispered to the head Trauma Surgeon, “Doc, we have a trip planned to Disney World with our grandchildren the middle of next month. Is there any reason why I can’t go? The doctor laughed. “It might be uncomfortable if you are driving.” I responded, “I have plane tickets.” “Then no problem.” Was his reply. One month later she was at Walt Disney World with me and the grandchildren. She even rode some of the rides with her wheelchair and neck brace. She worked hard to get there. That is the power of a dream.

This isn’t about the individuals, the Teams or me as a coach. I share these only as three examples of how a big dream can energize and motivate people to go places and do things that most people would think impossible. The Shale Crescent USA opportunity has done that to me. My wife remarked recently, “Shale Crescent has consumed you.” I can probably make that statement for the entire Shale Crescent USA Executive Committee. We know that what we have is a once in a generation opportunity to generate career high wage jobs that can actually change the lives of people in the Region and produce the headline in this article. We have a huge dream and it has energized the entire Shale Crescent USA Team.

These are just a few of many stores like this I can tell you. They all start with a person or group with a high dream that they believe they can achieve. They do the work and never quit when things get tough. Steven Covey says we should, “Begin with the end in mind.” At a Shale Crescent USA planning session this week, Tom Heywood, successful attorney and businessman told us, “Create the future from the future.” This means working backwards from our dream to the present and determining what actions we need to take. Shale Crescent USA is now in process of putting together a plan to do this that will take us as an organization to the next level.

This process is important to you as an individual. Where do you want to be at this time next year or on August 12, 2025? We need to create our future from the future. This is the time of year when high school football and soccer teams are getting excited about the new fall season. The time to think about November is now. If the Shale Crescent USA Region is going to lead the US in per capita income what will need to happen? What actions would each of us need to take to make this happen? Do we believe it is possible? I know what my wife and high school soccer players would say. “Do you believe?”

The world has changed for the better. This Region is responsible and that is very cool! Thoughts to ponder.

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Greg Kozera is the Director of Marketing for Shale Crescent USA www.shalecrescentusa.com. He has over 40 years of experience in the energy industry. Greg is a leadership expert with a Masters in Environmental Engineering and the author of four books and articles.

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