Topics Include:
Overcoming AdversityEmpowering YouthAnti-Bullying ProgramsParental InvolvementDisability AwarenessPositive Decision MakingDrug PreventionBecoming a Leader Self-Esteem EnhancementPeer PressureAthleticsFinding Positive Outlets to EscapeParent and Youth WorkshopsCareer DaysAfter School Programs Available
NOTE: Topics and Programs Include Exciting Skill Demonstrations
Biography
"Mighty Mike" Simmel is no stranger to adversity. Born in Glendale, CA, Mike developed epilepsy at the age of 2. As his family moved to NJ, he struggled as a youth and was debilitated to the point where he could not participate in "regular" activities. Mike could not do the simple things other kids could do, like hop on one leg or skip because of his condition. Young Mike could not eat normal meals at the dinner table or with sharp utensils and even need helped going to the bathroom at times, for fear that his head would smack downward and he would get hurt, as a result of a violent seizure. In school at age 6, he was placed in special education gym class because of his slow motor skills and development.
Mike out grew his early "drop attacks" at age 7 and his father gave him a basketball to see if his motor skills could develop. It worked and Mike dreamed big. Still, Mike's epilepsy came back in high school in the form of grand mal seizures. In high school, he was a 3-year varsity starter, standout point guard, and captain at Don Bosco Prep High School and was a starter and assist leader at the prestigious Hun School in Princeton as a postgraduate. Fortunately, despite dealing with epilepsy and bipolar disorder later on, which could have forced him to walk away from the court all together, Mike has been able to overcome all obstacles and be quite successful on the basketball circuit. His attacks would continue through college, which led him down a tough road where he would eventually finish and get his degree in Liberal Studies at SUNY Purchase, a 2-year captain, assist and steals leader. Mike also got "very lucky" as he would say, and became a part time ball boy for the New York Knicks working games at Madison Square Garden.
"Mighty Mike", who is now seizure free and a model picture of healthy living, currently has been a member of the world-famous entertainment basketball team, the Harlem Wizards, since 2001. In addition, he has been featured on TV news and radio shows including Bloomberg Radio, voiceamerica.com, ESPN radio, RNN News and MSG Network.
Mike has performed live on NBC's It's Showtime at the Apollo and at the NBA's Rhythm n' Rims Festival. Mike also performs one-man halftime shows and is a leading speaker at summer basketball camps across the country speaking at over 350 camps throughout the past 8 years. He is a national spokesperson for Epilepsy Awareness, speaking at events all over the country for the Epilepsy Foundation of America and its affiliates, and is currently a spokesperson for Eisai Pharmaceuticals and their Changing Faces of Epilepsy campaign.
Currently, Mike has developed his new project, "Bounce Out the Stigma." The inspiration for the project was a result of creating a summer camp for children with special needs, as Mike was once a child that was almost forced out of a summer camp for having an epileptic seizure at 16. The project has taken on a life of its own from Mike's annual summer basketball camps, to workshops, assemblies and even after school programs. The approach is stressed in "Mighty Mike's" concept of children empowering themselves against all odds in a healthy setting.
For scheduling and booking of "Mighty Mike" Simmel, please inquire within.
Program Titles
Bounce Out the Stigma: Where Everyone Wins!In-School Assemblies ProgramParent and Youth WorkshopsHigh School and Young Adult Seminar SeriesSummer Camp
TESTIMONIALS
"Mike Simmel 's energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Your experience with Mike is sure to be an unforgettable one." -- Mike Saunders, New York Knicks
"He was very entertaining and showed our campers several fundamentals of the game of basketball mixed with a flair that only Mike Simmel can add." -- Bobby Gonzalez, Head Basketball Coach, Seton Hall University
"Through (Mike's) work and his personal experience, he teaches the children that although they may have obstacles, that they can accomplish great things." -- Nichelle Schoultz, State Relations And Grassroots Manager, Epilepsy Foundation of America
"Mike has taken his experience with Epilepsy to give meaning to his life and is passionate in his mission to show others that they can also live a productive and meaningful life." -- Patrick Connelly, Director of Marketing, Epilepsy Foundation of New Jersey
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