A Banquet Talk Worth the Twenty Minutes Before the Awards
Athletic banquets are for the athletes, their families, and the coaches who got them there. Chris Sund gives that room something honest about what a season actually taught them — and gets out of the way of the trophies.
What the Room Takes Home
Most athletes in the room will not play their sport after this level. The banquet is one of the last times anyone tells them what the season was for. Chris talks about what actually transfers — showing up when it is not fun, being coachable, and carrying a standard when nobody is checking — without pretending every kid is going pro.
- What the season taught them that has nothing to do with the sport
- Why being coachable outlasts being talented
- The teammate role nobody hands out an award for
- A message parents in the room connect with, not just athletes
- Timing that respects the awards program rather than delaying it
Programs for Athletic Events
Every talk is customized to the sport, the season, and the occasion.
You Are Capable of More
The signature talk — the ceiling athletes set for themselves before anyone else does.
The Power of Small Moments
Practices nobody watched, the teammate you picked up, the habits that became you.
Assembly & Awards Talks
For all-school events beyond the athletic program.
Coaches Clinic
For the coaching staff — leadership, culture, and keeping a program together.
Athletic Events Chris Speaks At
Related pages: High School Speaker · Coaches Clinic Speaker · Student Leadership Speaker
What Athletic Directors Ask
How long should he speak?
Fifteen to twenty minutes. A banquet runs long by nature and the awards are the point — a speaker who does not know that is the reason people dread this part of the program.
Is he a former athlete?
Chris does not build the talk around his own playing career, and he will not pretend to a highlight reel he does not have. What he brings is what happens after sports: how the habits either transfer or do not.
Will it work for multiple sports in one room?
Yes. The material is about what a season demands rather than a specific game, so it lands the same for a wrestler and a golfer.
Parents and younger siblings will be there. Is that fine?
Yes, and he builds for it. Families should leave understanding why the season mattered, not just watching their kid get a certificate.
Where Chris Speaks to Student & Athletic Audiences
Booked and past engagements with student, athletic, and young-professional audiences.
You Are Capable of More
The bestselling book behind the talk — ten principles for closing the gap between who you are now and who you are capable of becoming.
A signed copy makes a senior gift that outlasts a plaque. Programs regularly pair the talk with copies for graduating athletes. Bulk pricing available.
He Coaches for a Living Now
Chris is President & COO of Uniti Med, GQR Healthcare, and Nebula. His job is essentially what a coach does — getting a group of people to perform beyond what they thought they had, and dealing with it when they do not.
He took Uniti Med from startup to one of the largest healthcare staffing firms in the country, with a Fortune Best Workplaces award along the way. He is also a Maxwell Leadership Certified coach and a bestselling author.
He lives in Fremont, Nebraska, and speaks at school and community events across the Midwest.
As Seen & Heard
Television, national business press, and the podcasts where Chris talks potential and performance.
Bring Chris to Your Banquet
Tell Chris about your athletes and the program. You’ll get a fast, straight answer on fit, budget, and availability.
Check Availability & FeesResponse within one business day · Speaker kit, bio & headshots