Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 14 No. 3 | December 2021

6 Inside Hokie Sports I am constantly amazed by all the times in my life that I didn’t realize a moment was significant until hindsight revealed the truth. And I am also constantly amazed that the smallest of instances can build into something lasting in my life, and in some cases, beyond that. I imagine it may be similar for you. A chance encounter on an airplane and a courteous smile one day. The person you smiled at is your spouse many years later. A job posting on the internet that you casually apply for becomes a career, and your life’s passion. In fact, the most significant things and people in any of our lives begin with the smallest of happenings. A greeting, a thought, a single step forward. In that fashion, I am about to jump on a Zoom call to finalize details of my partnership with Virginia Tech to consolidate the “Clean Mountain Air” brand that I never meant to create into an actual Virginia Tech licensed brand. A little backstory. In 2016, I used the touchdown call “there is nothing in front of him but clean mountain air” during the Hokies’ demolition of Virginia. I didn’t really think much of it beyond that, but I found that in the year that followed that was the call that really resonated with Hokies. We are of course proud of where and who we are. Not the biggest or glitziest area, but at our core, people of character in a community that reflects that. Simple but elite. Clean Mountain Air seemed to fit that. It wasn’t until the pandemic hit and life slowed down that I had the idea to do something with it. And it paired perfectly with something else I wanted to do. Aid the evolution of the conversation on mental health and its importance. I have at times been crippled by my own mental health. Depression, anxiety and the dependence on things that with Jon Laaser Behind the Mic: Clean Mountain Air they often bring. It seemed the perfect time, and being impulsive as my wife will tell you I am, one day I just decided to make t-shirts. It exploded. In the most positive way imaginable, and I have had hundreds of people reach out to tell their stories and the impact of mental health on their lives and their loved ones. It was overwhelming and I will admit I had dramatically underestimated the reach that this role and my voice can carry. It was empowering and at the same time frightening. Oftentimes the right path is I have discovered. But I didn’t want to shrink from that moment in time and instead decided to run full steam ahead into it. Along the way, I had a conversation with Dr. Gary Bennett, who works directly with our student-athletes at Tech and another light bulb went off. Why not funnel the proceeds directly to his department to enhance the resources available to our current Hokie student-athletes. And bang we were off and running again. By the time you read this we will have introduced a whole new line of Clean Mountain Air apparel and merchandise with the proceeds coming right back to Tech. And this time, they will be VT branded. So, from a simple highlight in a game that had long been over to a brand that I am proud to say honors who we are, what we believe in and our desire to help people. For me, that has provided fulfillment in my life that no game ever could. I have found my true calling through y’all, and I guess you could say I am breathing in the Clean Mountain Air. My mental health is better for it and I hope yours is too! I encourage you to reflect on your own significant moments and don’t hesitate to jump into whatever your cause may be as well. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did. Happy Holidays and Go Hokies!