Sports
10 things I learned while writing a book – Daily Breeze
After over four decades in commercial real estate brokerage and 10 years writing this column, I thought I knew how to tell a story. Then I decided to write a book.
And I’m pleased to say it’s published and available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle.
What started as a compilation of anecdotes turned into a deep dive into the systems, habits and turning points that shaped my career. I titled the book The SEQUENCE – A Personal Journey and Proven Framework for Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Success.
Along the way, I learned a lot more than I expected. About writing. About business. And about myself.
Here are 10 lessons from the journey:
1. Writing a book is different than writing a column. A column is a sprint. A book is a marathon. In a column, you land your point quickly. A book requires structure, pacing and a deeper connection with your reader.
2. Structure matters more than you think. You can’t just throw stories on a page and hope they stick. My book follows a framework I call SEQUENCE — a step-by-step system I’ve used to manage deals. That structure kept me on track and helped readers follow along.
3. Your voice gets clearer the longer you write. At first, I tried to sound like an “author.” Eventually, I realized my own voice — the same one I use in this column — is what people want.
4. The best stories are the real ones. Readers remember the deal that almost fell apart, the client who became a friend, or the early mistake that became a turning point. Vulnerability beats polish every time.
5. Time is the biggest hurdle.
Writing a book while managing a full-time career isn’t easy. But I treated it like a client appointment: scheduled, protected and consistent.
6. Good editing is worth its weight in gold. My first draft was… fine. My final draft? Clearer, tighter and much more readable, thanks to a professional edit and some tough love from early readers.
7. Legacy is a powerful motivator.
I wrote the book to help other brokers, yes, but I also wrote it for my grandkids. Every chapter is addressed to them. That perspective changed everything.
8. Publishing is easier — and harder — than ever. Technology makes it simple to self-publish. But standing out? That’s another story. Writing the book is just the beginning of sharing it.
9. Your network matters more than your launch plan. Colleagues, clients, friends, and family became my first readers, reviewers, and cheerleaders. A strong community beats clever marketing.
10. We all have a book in us. Whether it’s business lessons, life stories, or personal insight — everyone has something worth writing down. If you’ve been thinking about it, start. Even a page a day adds up.
Writing a book forced me to slow down and reflect. It reminded me why I love what I do and how much I still want to share.
If you’re on a similar journey, I’m cheering you on. It’s hard. It’s worth it. And you’ll learn more than you ever imagined.
Allen C. Buchanan, SIOR, is a principal with Lee & Associates Commercial Real Estate Services in Orange. He can be reached at abuchanan@lee-associates.com or 714.564.7104.
Sports
No. 1 seed Texas hosts No. 4 seed Indiana in the Sweet 16
The Longhorns also welcome welcome No. 5 seed Stanford and No. 10 seeWisconsin to the Forty Acres for the Sweet 16 and the Elite 8. Friday’s match marks the Longhorn’s 42nd appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the 20th-straight Sweet 16 appearance under head coach Jerritt Elliott, the longest active streak in the NCAA.
The No. 4 seeded Hoosiers stand No. 15 in the AVCA rankings and are making only their sixth all-time NCAA tournament appearance and second trip to the Sweet 16. Indiana is the only Power Four program who has three different players averaging at least 3.21 kills per set this season. On 10 different occasions this year, all three of IU’s top hitters have gone for 10-plus kills each with senior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles leading the Hoosiers with 3.54 kills per set. Along with Alonso-Corcelles, senior opposite hitter Avry Tatum and true freshman setter Teodora Krickovic received First-Team All-Big Ten honors. Krickovic has averaged 10.67 assists per set this year while Tatum has 353 kills and .324 hitting percentage which are both career highs. When Indiana blocks well, the Hoosiers tends to produce great results with a record of 17-1 when they record at least eight blocks in a set.
No. 1 seeded Texas ranks No. 3 in the AVCA and in the top five in multiple categories across the country, including fourth in hitting percentage (.316), third in kills per set (14.83) and third in assists per set (13.86). Outside hitter Torrey Stafford stands ninth in the country with her 4.74 kills per set average and 12th in the NCAA with 5.32 points per set alongside middle blocker Ayden Ames who holds the fifth spot in the conference with a .383 hitting percentage. Setter Ella Swindle sits ninth in the SEC in assists per set tossing 8.98 while libero Emma Halter holds the back line down ranking ninth in digs per set with 3.64.
Texas has improved its blocking in the back half of the season — in their last five matches, the Longhorns have totaled 51 blocks, compared to the previous five where they tallied only 38 with Ames at the helm with help of true freshman Taylor Harvey and sophomore Nya Bunton to total 201 of the team’s blocks.
Setter Rella Binney and outside hitters Devin Kahahawai and Cari Spears are just a few of the individuals that keep the machine running for the Longhorns. Libero Ramsey Gary, a transfer from Indiana was on the All-Big Ten second team in her first two years as a Hoosier, now faces her former team and could give some insight and understanding on the Indiana game.
First serve in Austin is at 11 a.m. Central on ESPN.
Sports
Nebraska Volleyball sweeps Kansas; advances to NCAA Regional Final
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – The Nebraska Volleyball team handled business on Friday night sweeping 4-seed Kansas (25-12, 25-11, 25, 25-12). NU will face Texas A&M in the Lincoln Regional Final playing for a spot in the final four.
The Huskers were led by Rebekah Allick who finished with 9 kills on just 9 swings, a perfect 1.000 hitting percentage. Andi Jackson added 9 kills as well and Harper Murray recorded 7 kills with 10 digs.
Bergen Reilly was reportedly sick throughout the week but played through the illness. True Freshman Setter, Campbell Flynn, was OUT for the match and potentially the season as the Huskers Radio Network reported she has a broken pinky finger.
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Sports
Husker Volleyball dominates Kansas, advances to Elite 8
Nebraska Volleyball is back in the Elite Eight for a third straight season. The Huskers swept Kansas in the Sweet 16 in Lincoln, Neb. on Friday night. Nebraska won set one 25-12. Nebraska continued to dominate in set two, earning a win over the Jayhawks 25 to 11. It was more of the same in set three as the Huskers earned the sweep with a 25-12 victory over their old Big 12 foe. “A lot of it is our mentality and how we practice,” said senior Rebekah Allick after the match. “We’re creatures of habit.”Nebraska will play Texas A&M on Sunday in Lincoln. The match will be televised on KETV at 2 p.m. “Here at Nebraska, we feed our middle blockers,” said middle blocker Andi Jackson. “Credit goes to our passers because they put us in great positions.”The Huskers hit .450 while holding Kansas to .029. Nebraska had six aces and only three service errors. Nebraska’s middle blockers had 21 kills on 28 attacks. Both Jackson and Allick led the Huskers with 9 kills. Head coach Dani Busboom Kelly spoke with media on Thursday, stating they have a team-first mindset with one goal in mind: hanging a sixth national title banner in the Devaney Center.PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Nebraska volleyball is ready to take on Kansas as they continue their national title chaseThe Huskers will look to advance to their third straight Final Four. They’re now three games from a sixth national title. Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
Nebraska Volleyball is back in the Elite Eight for a third straight season. The Huskers swept Kansas in the Sweet 16 in Lincoln, Neb. on Friday night.
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Nebraska won set one 25-12. Nebraska continued to dominate in set two, earning a win over the Jayhawks 25 to 11. It was more of the same in set three as the Huskers earned the sweep with a 25-12 victory over their old Big 12 foe.
This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
“A lot of it is our mentality and how we practice,” said senior Rebekah Allick after the match. “We’re creatures of habit.”
Nebraska will play Texas A&M on Sunday in Lincoln. The match will be televised on KETV at 2 p.m.
“Here at Nebraska, we feed our middle blockers,” said middle blocker Andi Jackson. “Credit goes to our passers because they put us in great positions.”
The Huskers hit .450 while holding Kansas to .029. Nebraska had six aces and only three service errors.
Nebraska’s middle blockers had 21 kills on 28 attacks. Both Jackson and Allick led the Huskers with 9 kills.
Head coach Dani Busboom Kelly spoke with media on Thursday, stating they have a team-first mindset with one goal in mind: hanging a sixth national title banner in the Devaney Center.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Nebraska volleyball is ready to take on Kansas as they continue their national title chase
The Huskers will look to advance to their third straight Final Four. They’re now three games from a sixth national title.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
Sports
USC Men’s Volleyball Set for Inaugural MPSF Media Day
Nygaard and Klein are scheduled to take the stage in Costa Mesa, Calif., for the 11:20 a.m. PT slot and will be available to attending media for 20 minutes. Media unable to attend in person may submit questions via a private Zoom link. All 10 of the MPSF’s head coaches and at least one student-athlete from each program—BYU, Concordia, Jessup, Menlo, Pepperdine, Stanford, UC Merced, UCLA, USC, and Vanguard—will be available for interviews and questions.
2026 MPSF men’s volleyball media day can be viewed in its entirety through MPSF volleyball live stream partner Big Ten Plus and will be moderated by Rob Espero, who has handled play-by-play for numerous collegiate volleyball events and serves as the public address announcer for the MPSF Beach Volleyball Championship. Former AVCA Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year and B1G+ color analyst Sarah Pavan will interview student-athletes.
The 2026 conference championship tournament will be held at BYU’s Smith Fieldhouse (April 22-25). The champion receives the MPSF’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship set to be played May 9-11 at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion.
Since its inaugural year (1993), the MPSF has won 18 NCAA championships in men’s volleyball. The conference enters 2026 with 114 NCAA championships, which leads the nation among non-power four conferences.
2026 MPSF MEN’S VOLLEYBALL MEDIA DAY INFORMATION
Costa Mesa Marriott · Costa Mesa, Calif.
Monday, December 15, 2025 | 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. PT
9:30-9:35 a.m. MPSF Commissioner Foti Mellis
9:40-10:00 a.m. VANGUARD: Brian Rofer (Head Coach) & Logan Freemon (Athlete)
10:05-10:25 a.m. JESSUP: Kyle Steele (Head Coach) & Colin Marks, CJ Osahon (Athletes)
10:30-10:50 a.m. UC MERCED: Chris Carter (Head Coach) & Kaleb Cole, Mason Stokes (Athletes)
10:55-11:15 a.m. PEPPERDINE: Jonathan Winder (Head Coach) & Jacob Reilly (Athlete)
11:20-11:40 a.m. USC: Jeff Nygaard (Head Coach) & Dillon Klein (Athlete)
11:45-12:45 p.m. Lunch break
1:00-1:20 p.m. STANFORD: John Kosty (Head Coach) & Theoren Brouillette (Athlete)
1:25-1:45 p.m. UCLA: John Hawks (Head Coach) & Andrew Rowan, Zack Rama, Sean Kelly (Athletes)
1:50-2:10 p.m. BYU: Shawn Olmstead (Head Coach) & Trent Moser, Jackson Fife, Tyler Herget (Athletes)
2:15-2:35 p.m. MENLO: Ali’i Keohohou (Head Coach) & Josh Friedman (Athlete)
2:40-3:00 p.m. CONCORDIA Jon Girten (Head Coach) & Connor Orrock (Athlete)
All times Pacific and approximate
In 2025, the Trojans (21-7) finished second in the MPSF regular-season standings (8-4) and were awarded the second seed into the conference tournament. There, USC finished as runner-up to Pepperdine, which hosted the championship in Malibu, Calif. USC opened the year with a nine-match win streak for its best start to a season since 1991 (28-0) and won 10 matches in a row (Feb. 26-April 3) for the program’s longest win streak since 2012 (18 in a row). It was the second 20-win season for head coach Jeff Nygaard and the 20th 20-win season in program history. The Trojans spent 13 weeks ranked in the top five and reached as high as No. 3 for the team’s highest ranking since it was also No. 3 in 2015. USC led the MPSF for many weeks in all statistical categories but aces and finished the season as the NCAA leader in blocks (2.86 bps) with 16 matches in double-digits. The Trojans set a new school record for hitting percentage in a match (.691 vs. Dominican, Feb. 8) and hit better than .300 in 19 matches, including north of .400 in 10 contests.
MPSF men’s volleyball information, including championship details, can be found at the conference website MPSports.org and on social media @MPSFSports. For more information on the USC men’s volleyball team, please visit USCTrojans.com/MVB. Fans of the Trojans can follow @USCmensvolley on Instagram, X, and Facebook.
Sports
Pennsauken sprinter Sianni Wynn tabs Florida as college choice
Dec. 12, 2025, 8:48 p.m. ET
Pennsauken senior Sianni Wynn addresses the crowd in the Pennsauken gymnasium where Sianni Wynn revealed her college track and field choice. Dec. 12, 2025
Tom Rimback/Cherry Hill Courier-Post
Pennsauken senior Sianni Wynn (center) speaks about father, Eric, with mother, Nakia, by her side in the Pennsauken gymnasium where Sianni Wynn revealed her college track and field choice. Dec. 12, 2025
Tom Rimback/Cherry Hill Courier-Post
The Wynns, father Eric, Pennsauken senior Sianni and mother Nakia go the Gators’ Chomp in the Pennsauken gymnasium where Sianni Wynn revealed her college track and field choice. Dec. 12, 2025,
Tom Rimback/Cherry Hill Courier-Post
Father Eric Wynn and Mother Nakia watch as Pennsauken senior Sianni Wynn does the Gator’s chomp in the Pennsauken gymnasium where Sianni Wynn revealed her college track and field choice. Dec. 12, 2025
Tom Rimback/Cherry Hill Courier-Post
Father Eric Wynn watches as Pennsauken senior Sianni Wynn thanks her mother Nakia in the Pennsauken gymnasium where Sianni Wynn revealed her college track and field choice. Dec. 12, 2025
Tom Rimback/Cherry Hill Courier-Post
Father Eric Wynn and mother Nakie hold up a University of Florida flag behind Pennsauken senior Sianni Wynn in the Pennsauken gymnasium where Sianni Wynn revealed her college track and field choice. Dec. 12, 2025
Tom Rimback/Cherry Hill Courier-Post
The stage is set in the Pennsauken gymnasium where Sianni Wynn revealed her college track and field choice. Dec. 12, 2025
Tom Rimback/Cherry Hill Courier-Post
Pennsauken track and field coach Clinton Tabb speaks to the crowd in the Pennsauken gymnasium where Sianni Wynn revealed her college track and field choice. Dec. 12, 2025
Tom Rimback/Cherry Hill Courier-Post
Pennsauken junior Sianni Wynn (left) crosses the finish line to win the 100 meters at the NJSIAA Track and Field Meet of Champions at Pennsauken High School. June 4, 2025
Tom Rimback/Cherry Hill Courier-Post
Sports
Coach Hosack Announces Four Signings for Men’s Volleyball
Derrick Campbell (State College, Pa.), Patrick George Verdes (Zalau, Romania), Brodie Heshler (Harrisburg, Pa.), and Aldis Kins (Chicago, Ill.) represent the 2025 recruiting class.
“We are excited to bring in these four top recruits to George Mason,” said Hosack. “Each one brings a high caliber of playing, and will contribute immediately to the level of play in our gym, and our team culture. We see each of them as high contributors as soon as they walk in the gym next year. The future is very bright for GMU men’s volleyball! “
Student-Athlete List:
Derrick Campbell
- Height: 6′ 4″
- Position: Setter
- Hometown: State College, Pa.
- High School: State College Area High School
- Played club for Yorktowne Volleyball Club
- Accolades: 2024 PIAA All-State Team, AVCA High Riser, 3x NTDP Participant, 4-year team captain, 2,000 career assists, 3x First Team All-District, 3x Mid Penn First Team
- Academics: AAU Middle Atlantic All-Academic Award, National Honors Society, High Honors, National Business Honors Society
Patrick George Verdes
- Height: 6′ 6″
- Position: Outside Hitter
- Hometown: Zalau, Romania
- Previous School: Colegiul National Silvania
- Pro club: CSM Bucharest
- Accolades: Member of the National Championship Super League with Clubul Sportiv Dinamo, Bucharest, U20 Cup and National Champions with CSM Buchest, U17 Champion with CSM Bucharest, Best Outside Hitter Award several times; at Balkan Cup U17, U19 Romanian League.
Brodie Heshler
- Height: 6′ 7″
- Position: Middle Blocker
- Hometown: Harrisburg, Pa.
- High School: Central Dauphin High School
- Played club for Yorktowne Volleyball
- Accolades: USA U19 Team, First-Team All-State, 2x First Team All-Conference
Aldis Kins
- Height: 5′ 10″
- Position: Libero
- Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
- High School: Loyola Academy
- Played club for MOD Volleyball Club
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