Velocity Success, says James F. Pomeroy II

James F. Pomeroy - internationally known finance entrepreneur, philanthropist, and sports and education mentor/motivator - founded Velocity. An organization designed to bring sports and education closer together, Velocity enables kids use sports to go to better colleges in the US. It is also where success stories happen everyday.

James F. Pomeroy is not one to toot his own horn. But then, others are doing it for him, in appreciation of his continuing efforts to help  young people through Velocity. Indeed, as an organization, Velocity has touched the lives of more than 800,000 kids in its 12 years of existence.

James F. Pomeroy II helps write success stories everyday. Here’s one of them in his own words.

Last month, a former player approached me while at a Cape Cod Baseball League game in Harwich, Massachusetts.  He saw me and joined me in watching the best Division 1 players in college baseball play in this prestigious League.  When I asked him how he was, he got upset and hung his head in his hands, telling me he had made some big mistakes. He told me that after leaving Velocity, he had discovered girls, partying, and skipping classes. The predictable results? He flunked  out of college, and lost his baseball scholarship at a D-1 school in New England.  

He told me he had all but been disowned. His parents were so upset with his immaturity that they had effectively cut off financial support and were  taking a “tough love” approach to his future.  He also said he had been looking for a way to go back to school - working three jobs just to survive in Hartford, Massachusetts. 

More important in my opinion was that he had taken full responsibility for his actions. He believed that he had fallen to his lowest point and would do anything and everything possible to get back to college. He said that if a baseball scholarship was ever an option again he would, in fact, be a great asset to his next school. He could set an example for younger players, drawing valuable lessons from his experience. He had now realized that going to college was a great opportunity - and by no means a “right” - that he had lost and was trying to regain.

I was so impressed that I worked out with this young man for an entire month.  I made arrangements for him to interview and get into Lasalle College in Newton, Massachusetts.  He worked out for the coach there as well.  Today, he is now enrolled as a junior at this college and is on academic probation for one semester.  If he maintains a B average, he can play baseball and will be expected to help younger team members as an on-and-off field leader.

What people whom he has touched say about James F. Pomeroy

In an interview with James F. Pomeroy, he shared with this writer parts of some recent voice mails.

“Jim, this is John Malone.  I know how busy you are, but I just wanted to thank you for the personal interest you have taken in my kid, Jake.  You are a positive role model in his life, from helping us select the best college fit for him, to just going out of your way to step in and make him know that he is important.  Thanks.”

“Jim, this is Donny May.  Thanks for everything you do for me.  Because of you I got a great opportunity at Fordham University in New York and got a great financial package.  Thank you so much for everything, Coach.”

Robert South, an English churchman, once said, “If there be any truer measure of a man than by what he does, it must be by what he gives.” A truly apt statement about James F. Pomeroy.