Here at Ted Russell Ford, we knew that our Shoot for the Cars 2016 event would be a big hit. What we had no way of knowing was just what a heart-warming story it would turn out to be. Truth is, we might not have known just how inspiring the story was if the winner’s friend hadn’t taken the time to fill in some of the details for us.
Micah Ballard of Maryville was the last man standing in the free throw shooting contest and took home a brand new 2016 Ford Mustang. More about that later…
Get the Fundamentals Right
According to a letter received by a lifelong friend of Ballard’s, Micah has basketball in his genes. His father, Stan, was a standout basketball player in high school and went on to play for Roane State and Maryville College. He followed that up with a distinguished high school coaching career in East Tennessee.
Micah caught his father’s love of the game from an early age. According to the letter, Coach Stan “emphasized the fundamentals.”
Unfortunately, Stan passed away after a battle with cancer between eight and nine years ago. The loss is undoubtedly still felt by Micah and the rest of the Ballard family, as well as the many young people to whom Stan “emphasized the fundamentals.”
We could not agree more with Coach Stan’s emphasis.
Whether on the basketball court, the car lot or in any other endeavor in life, you can’t go wrong when you get the basics right. The fundamentals are always the building blocks that make for winners.
For basketball players, that means dribbling, practicing form, passing and – of course – shooting lots of free throws. Clearly, the emphasis on the fundamentals worked with Micah, who outlasted more than 60 competitors during the Shoot for the Stars Apr. 11. In the car dealership, getting the fundamentals right means knowing your product, providing superior customer service, and giving people no-nonsense, no-pressure treatment.
The Rewards of Getting it Right
For Micah, the rewards of getting the fundamentals right were, ultimately, his pick of six brand new vehicles from Ted Russell. Ballard was invited to take his pick of:
- 2016 Ford Fusion
- 2016 Ford Focus
- 2016 Ford Fiesta
- 2016 Ford C-Max
- 2016 Ford Taurus
- 2016 For Mustang
Ultimately, he chose the Mustang (and, seriously, what young man wouldn’t?).
At Ted Russell, knowing that we’ve served our customers well and that they are happy and satisfied with their new or quality pre-owned vehicle is its own reward; we realize that the only way to stay in the game for the long haul – in basketball or car sales – is to do the right things right.
It Takes a Team
It takes a team to put forward a winning effort or to put on a top-notch event or promotion. The 2016 Shoot for the Cars was no exception. Some of the other businesses and organizations partnering with Ted Russell Ford include SouthEast Bank, KIVK FM 107.7 – The Frog, Food City in Mayville, Hardee’s on Emory Rd., Popeye’s on Clinton and more. WVLT-TV also helped promote the event, including airing the final event on the 6 o’clock news.
While winning a brand new Mustang is undeniably the best way to get one, it’s not the only way by any means. At Ted Russell Ford, our friendly and courteous sales professionals are always happy to help put you in the driver’s seat of a new Ford or a quality pre-owned vehicle. And remember to keep your eyes and ears open for future promotional events from your friendly Ford dealership, Ted Russell Ford.
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