For the way he has brought the subject of mental health to the forefront and made it a subject OK to discuss for an entire profession, Paul MacCormack has been named a finalist for the TurfNet Superintendent of the Year Award, presented by Syngenta. The following four paragraphs are taken from a nomination submitted by Frank S. Rossi, Ph.D., of Cornell University.
"Paul MacCormack's story is one of a guy from a small island off the coast of a northern town in Canada who transformed an industry from experience gained from failure and desperation. His public honesty alone seemingly gave permission to hundreds of his colleagues to express their own feelings of sadness, anxiety, grief, joy and love for each other.
In this expression our industry has come together, cynics and nappers, to address mental health concerns. Paul is the reason. He started it with the mindful superintendent blog, then speaking engagements, then seminars, then a retreat and now he is the face of mindfulness in the golf turf industry.
Most Superintendent of the Year finalists are recognized for things they did at their own place, with their crew or in their local community. Paul's work is nothing short of an international movement committed to sharing the burden, lightening the load and giving each other a break.
Some superintendents are great grass growers, others master communicators, and a rare few are true leaders, not just of their own operations but leaders in every sense that they have a vision and a plan. Leaders face obstacles and overcome them, but along the way sometimes leading will hurt, it will frustrate and will demand sacrifice. Paul's journey is out there for all to see, success and challenges. He shares that journey so honestly and it is resonating with many."
Paul's journey is out there for all to see, success and challenges. He shares that journey so honestly and it is resonating with many.
MacCormack entered into the world of mindfulness years ago after losing a job.
"My experience with mindfulness meditation practice began a decade ago after a major shift in my career," MacCormack said. "I had lost a job after a long two year renovation project and knew that if I was to continue in the industry things had to change. My wife, Jill, presented me with a book that introduced me to mindfulness, and I knew immediately that it would be an important piece of a healthier lifestyle."
Initially, his goal was to help himself. It soon turned into something more.
"The overall goal with mindfulness practice was to move toward living a life with more balance," he said. "It has become so much more and has grown into a vital part of my life.
"The feedback from other supers with regards to the blog and the speaking has been very positive and rewarding. Many folks have shared their own personal stories and talked about their own struggles. Knowing that the message helps in some small way inspires me to continue writing."