By Andy Loigu

Glory days, pass you by, sang Bruce Springsteen in one of his many hit songs. The lyrics were about sharing “boring stories” about the good old glory days with a friend who could “throw that old speedball by you, make you look like a fool.”

For those of us who have understood that the world does not owe high school sports stars anything other than those varsity letters and tin pots collecting dust on the shelf top, commencement simply means life’s challenges are just beginning.

Former Hackettstown soccer player Peter Huryk and former North Warren pitching ace Nick Macaione , whose high school sports days were over a decade ago, now are college graduates who have continued to grow and achieve as professionals in writing and marketing.

“At my absolute core, I was put on this planet for one reason: to help people,” Huryk said. His most recent book, “Setting and Scoring Financial Goals,” can help anyone, athlete or not, manage their finances. The book uses soccer as a metaphor for the strategy and action it takes to achieve goals.

Someone whose only soccer connection may be cheering on the USA while watching World Cup games on TV, would be able to formulate a financial game plan by applying the information in the book into action steps.

Huryk gives his old college teammate and friend credit for the financial expertise. Huryk put common sense and soccer analogies into the book and did the writing.

One of his skill sets is cultivating and maintaining strong relationships. He sets high performance standards for himself and during his 24-year coaching career he has shown step-by-step patience with his slow learners while making his more advanced players focus on team goals and making their teammates better.

He is an experienced public speaker who has met with community groups in Warren County. This columnist attended one of his presentations in Blairstown, with many young soccer players and their parents paying rapt attention.

About a decade ago, he wrote a book titled “Fill Your Boots,” about the overlaps between soccer and life. The target audience was young soccer players balancing the challenges of playing competitive scholastic soccer, while studying in school and maintaining healthy family and social lives. The objective is to help them get the best out of themselves. He teaches that the ball does not “belong” to any one player. To achieve success and glory (which they will remember the rest of their lives) the ball must be shared and everybody needs to play a defined role.

Since 2019 he has been a Spanish teacher and head boys soccer coach at Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg. He has also coached at Belvidere High School and Drew University over the years,

For more information, visit www.hurykunlimited.com on the worldwide web.

LEHIGH LEFTY

The North Warren Patriots’ ace lefty pitcher, over a decade ago, was Nick Macaione. He was a productive hitter, too, and was also in the lineup on days he did not pitch, just like the All-Star pitcher/slugger from Japan who is drawing raves for his performances with the Los Angeles Angels these days.

Macaione played an award-winning role in helping Lehigh University win the Patriot League baseball championship in 2015.

He now works as the Director of Sales Operations at Cloudbolt Software. He has developed proficiency in global sales strategy and account management.

If he ever runs into Bruce Springsteen down the Shore in Asbury Park, he would have something to talk about besides “boring stories of glory days” when he could throw that speedball past the hitters.

Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.