Mentors

"Never put the referee in a position to determine the outcome." -Coach Keith Maurer

The first step into the wrestling world for a beginning wrestler involves a soft, cushioned step as his toe hits the mat for the first time in the wrestling room. This brief comfort is quickly countered by a rush of warm air that hits the lungs and instantaneously conveys the level of intensity that will change the life and viewpoint of that young wrestler forever.  The wrestling room becomes the arena in which the mind and body will be tested, pushed, and challenged in ways the new wrestler never thought possible. Most athletes quickly realize the value of sports like wrestling in teaching the important ideals of goal-setting, determination, tenacity, leadership, and teamwork. Coaches, teammates, practices, pressure, success, and failure forever change the athlete who experiences them in the arena of competitive sports.

The most important lesson a wrestler learns is the power of self-determination, a sentiment of which is encapsulated in the opening quote by Coach Keith Maurer (current Hazleton Area High School Head Coach and Penn State Wrestling alumnus).  In fact, every coach who sat in my corner (my father, Chris Shaud, Joe DeLuca, Jeff Sweda, Dave Shafer, Joe Clifford, and many others) reinforced this value. When a match is won or lost, it is typically very clear which wrestler was able to impose his will during that match. In the very rare instances when a match is close and lost as a perceived result of a bad call by the referee, Coach Maurer's quote taught us that only one person is, in fact, responsible for allowing the match to be close in the first place.

The brand of self-determination crafted on the wrestling mat includes personal responsibility, ownership of success and failure, avoidance of excuses, and inspiration to never consider yourself a victim of circumstance. Continuous learning, focus on improvement, relentless hard work, reliance on teammates and mentors for support, and wrestling hard until the final whistle are powerful habits that are easily transferred and applied to the wrestling match of life.

Wrestling will teach the beginning wrestler mentioned previously many lessons but none more powerful than the art form of self-determination. In the art of wrestling as in the art of life, when the artist paints a masterpiece, each brush stroke represents a decision made by the person holding the brush in front of the canvas. The freedom and the clarity that result from owning all of our outcomes are very powerful. Thank you to my wrestling coaches, teammates, and mentors for teaching me this life-changing lesson.

"Never put the referee in a position to determine the outcome." -Coach Keith Maurer

Published in the Fall 2016 UCLA Orthodontics Newsletter

Harmony, balance and rhythm. Author Daniel James Brown observed that the oarsman obtains these qualities from rowing and carries them throughout his life.  These traits provide the oarsman with the ability to take on life’s challenges with ease.  A rich legacy of friendship, loyalty and consistency is what Dr. Eric Loberg leaves behind. For decades, the residents at UCLA had the opportunity to observe the habits and qualities of Dr. Loberg, an eight-time US National Champion oarsman.

Harmony, balance, and rhythm- those were his greatest lessons which he so aptly applied on dry land and incorporated into his artful craft as a teacher. He mentored and played a pivotal role in the development of hundreds of UCLA Orthodontic Alumni during his career as a member of the faculty of the UCLA Section of Orthodontics.  The impact on the lives of the residents he mentored is truly incalculable.

Residents remember a father-figure who was a personal and professional role model.  Members of the Bruin orthodontic alumni family share in the same fond feeling that to know him was to love him.  Dr. Loberg had a unique way of approaching life with a compelling combination of kindness, levity, strength, intellectual curiosity and grace. Although we have lost an extraordinary teacher and friend, we were fortunate to have all been touched by such a wonderful human being. We now have the honor and privilege of bearing the bright torch of his rich legacy, always remembering the personal and professional lessons he instilled.

He taught us to strongly follow our convictions, to defy the status quo, and to be true to our own cadence as individuals and as professionals. In a commencement address to Stanford University of 2005, Steve Jobs said the following:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma—which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

This quote sums up Dr. Loberg’s profound impact perfectly.  We will miss him, and we will NEVER forget him.  Harmony, balance and rhythm.