New Year’s is traditionally a time to reflect, a time to look back over the previous 12 months and assess our situation.
It's a time for resolutions … changes that might help us chart a better path in our personal and professional lives.
One of the “resolutions” I’ve made for myself as a writer this year is to spend more time seeking out everyday heroes. I strongly believe that their stories need to be told, moreso now maybe than ever before.
From the moment we wake up in the morning until the moment we turn off our phones at night, we’re bombarded by negative news. Wars. Fires. Murders. Inflation. Republicans screaming at Democrats. Democrats screaming at Republicans.
Some days it wears on you. It's overwhelming. It's just too much.
Everyday Heroes
In my opinion, it's the humble, unassuming folks among us, those who quietly go about the business of making the world a slightly better place … they're the ones who deserve the headlines.
Not the tech billionaires. Not the millionaire athletes. Not the megachurch pastors and certainly not the crazy, self-serving politicians.
Let's be honest: When you get right down to it, none of those people would lift a finger to help any of us in our time of need.
You know who would, though? Your neighbors. Your family. Your friends. People like Grace (Manzione) Ruckinger who is the reluctant star of this first column featuring everyday “heroes.”
I've known Grace for nearly 20 years now. She's a remarkable young woman who's on a constant quest to make herself a better person and, in so doing, make the world around her a better place.
Grace is a teacher, a coach, daughter, wife and mother … the type of woman who somehow crams about 32 hours of work into each 24-hour day.
While many of us know Grace from the local sports scene, an ever-growing number of folks are being positively influenced by her passion for promoting a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
Grace is the founder of RuckFIT, a community that strives to help folks from all walks of life “become better versions of themselves.”
She's a tireless advocate for fitness, nutrition and an all-around healthy lifestyle. This is her story...
Teaching and Coaching
Grace Ruckinger was a standout multi-sport athlete during her high school career at Honesdale.
She played soccer, basketball and field hockey, earning numerous accolades and laying the groundwork for a fascinating journey.
Becca Maciejewski is the current Lady Hornet field hockey coach ... a longtime colleague and friend who has nothing but praise for Grace.
“As a player, she was quiet and intense,” Becca said. “Grace was always a student of the game, the kind of kid who just worked hard every day and never complained. Everything mattered to Grace and she upheld her role on the team to the highest degree.”
Grace graduated from HHS in 2008 then continued her academic and athletic career at East Stroudsburg University. There, she played four years of field hockey while also excelling in the classroom.
For the vast majority of her collegiate career, Grace lined up on defense. However, she tallied three goals during her senior season at ESU, each of which turned out to be the game-winner.
“I was never really a standout player,” Grace said. “I never got much recognition, so being out there on the spot during such tense situations truly built character in me.”
Grace worked at a daycare and as a waitress while pursuing her degree. She wound up graduating with a dual major in Elementary Education and Special Ed, then earned her Master’s in 2016.
After graduating from college, Grace immediately embarked on a career in education. She's worked at Honesdale and Paupack as a long term substitute and in the Emotional Support programs.
“Everyone knew I was going to be a teacher and a coach,” Grace said. “I’m very passionate about helping people. I truly think it’s something innate in me.”
Grace embraced coaching right after college, spending countless hours with both the Honesdale field hockey program and Pursuit. In each case, she worked side-by-side with Maciejewski who once again is quick to sing her praises.
“The biggest thing about Grace is that she’s all-in,” Becca said. “You get 100 percent of her 100 percent of the time. Grace is very focused on details and very organized. She always promotes overall well-being with the kids she coaches.”
From Lost to Found
Grace's evolution from athlete to teacher, to coach and now to lifestyle mentor seems absolutely natural in retrospect.
She's been involved in the fitness “realm” since 2014 when she took on the role of Group Instructor with The Lodge at Woodloch.
It was during this time frame that Grace began to understand that many of the things she'd been taught over the years weren't just counter-productive, they were downright wrong.
“I was honestly lost when I left college,” she said. “After 20 years, no one was telling me what to do. No one gave me a program to follow. No one cared. I was lost...”
And so, Grace went back to square one. She set aside everything she'd learned over the years and began methodically compiling her own program from the bottom up. It's an ongoing process, but one that's led to life-changing results … results that she loves sharing with others.
“I realized that I could actually help people who might be confused or lost like me,” she said. “So, I grabbed all the resources I could and began building my own at-home gym.”
It wasn't long before word of Grace's passion for fitness spread. Family and friends witnessed the amazing transformation that was taking place. The smile on Grace's face and the fire in her eyes were captivating … and inspiring.
“I started RuckFIT in 2020 by helping eight people who signed up with me,” she said. “One thing led to another and pretty soon I was picked up and eventually sponsored by a health and fitness company.”
Now, less than three years later, Grace has worked with more than 300 people from all over the Unites States and Canada.
“I've built a community that helps surround those who want to improve with like-minded people so you don't have to feel so alone on the journey,” she said.
“Health is an investment now to avoid the bills or the consequences later. But, we as a society are impatient … and many of us don't believe that we're worth the investment. But we are!”
Grace's approach to health and fitness is practical and common sensical. It leans heavily on making small changes that over the course of time lead to a brand new lifestyle.
Here are a few hard-won truths that she's learned on her journey.
•Any change requires, well, change. If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll continue to have the same results you've always had.
•Consistency and patience are a winning combination. Most people aren't successful because they don't give it enough time.
•Consistency doesn't mean perfection. For a plan to work, you don't need to be perfect seven days a week, 365 days a year.
•Stay open-minded. A lot of people struggle putting their ego aside and letting someone else suggest a few changes. Asking for help is by far the hardest part of getting started.
“Happiness looks different on everyone!” is one of Grace's mantras. She's a big believer in celebrating small victories that eventually snowball and lead to big victories.
Small Town Values
Grace is the daughter of Anthony and Jennifer Manzione, Honesdale. She has two siblings, Dominic and Alicia.
Over the course of the past decade, Grace has journeyed far and wide in conjunction with local field hockey teams. And while those travels have provided invaluable experience, she’s always happy coming home to Honesdale.
“I love that my neighbors are family and cows,” Grace said with a smile. “I love this small town because the people in it are some of the hardest working people I’ve ever encountered. And, everyone always watches out for each other.”
The truth of that last statement became crystal clear to Grace about halfway through her first pregnancy. Complications arose that required her to stop everything she was doing and go on bed rest.
It was a terrifying ordeal that thankfully had a happy ending when she gave birth to a healthy son. However, the experience has been yet another lesson in humility and another chance to grow.
“My world was rocked when my son entered it,” she said. “I had anxieties galore because of all the things I couldn't do anymore. I felt like I was letting everybody down.
“But, I'm gaining perspective. What was life before him? I can't be Miss Independent anymore, but I'm a better coach, I'm a better friend. I'm a better daughter, sister and wife all because of him. I don't take anything for granted anymore.”
Grace is sincerely grateful to her friends and family for all the support they've shown over the years. She'd like to give a special shout-out to her husband, Nathan, and her son, Luca.
“I wouldn't be able to be this far along on my journey without my husband,” she said. “He truly believes in me and encourages me to follow my passion.
“My son is also a big inspiration. He motivates me to live a life full of meaning and to be a model worth watching.”
Grace Manzione Ruckinger is an "everyday hero." If you know someone who fits that description, please contact Kevin Edwards at kedwards@gannett.com
