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Syracuse Mets GM Shares Player Tebow's Discipline to Inspire City Youth to Find their Passion

Courtesy of the Syracuse Mets

Local High school and college students have been working away earning some extra money and gaining job skills with the Summer Youth Employment program.  The collaboration between the city and the county to gives students some valuable job experiences that will hopefully get them thinking about their career paths.  The program ended last Friday with a picnic near the Everson Museum.  Syracuse Mets General Manager Jason Smorol tried to instill in them the hard work and dedication that it takes to succeed in life.

“Whaterver you choose to do, whatever your passion is.  Mine is minor league baseball, mine’s making people happy.  Is it technology, is it cooking, is it agriculture, is it doing community service?  You know, somebody out out here is going to be the next Mayor.  Somebody out here is going to be a police officer...  a fireman.”

Smorol told the students that failure along the way is actually a good thing that allows for learning experiences that leads to success.  Their eyes widened when he mentioned a famous athlete who was supposed to be there to surprise them but, is currently out for the rest of the season.

Credit John Smith/WAER News
Syracuse Mets General Manager Jason Smorol speaking to participants of the Summer Youth Employment Program held in Syracuse this summer. He's talking here about his own passions and the passion and dedication of Tim Tebow.

“I apologize in advance that you didn’t get Tim Tebow today, you get a regular human being, you get me.  But, I can tell you right now, Tim Tebow blew his pinky (finger) out.  He’s down in rehab right now in Florida and he’s working to get back to major league baseball.  And I can tell you one thing I learned about Tim Tebow this summer.  He’s the most disciplined, the most dedicated guy... and when he sets himself a goal, he goes and does that.  He’s so committed to his diet that he won’t eat one salt potato because it’s got carbohydrates in it.” 

Smorol added that Tebow says he won’t be disappointed if he doesn’t break into the majors because he will do everything in his power to get there.  The Syracuse Mets are currently on a 4 game winning streak.  More than 1,100 students participated in the program this year.  Some of the businesses and organizations who provided jobs for youth are TCG Player, The Allyn Foundation, Molina Healthcare, AME Zion Church and city and county government.

Credit John Smith/WAER News
Youth listen to Syracuse Mets GM Jason Smorol.
Credit John Smith/WAER News
Tim Tebow at bat for the Syracuse Mets.

John Smith has been waking up WAER listeners for a long time as our Local Co-Host of Morning Edition with timely news and information, working alongside student Sportscasters from the Newhouse School.