My primary motivator for competing in The D10 is feeling part of something bigger than myself. My whole life, whether it was playing on an organized sports team in high school and college, or serving in the United Stated Army, I have always had a bigger purpose to help me push through those though moments and continue driving, even when it was easy to quit. The D10 and its charitable mission provides me the same motivation. It’s very easy to give less than your-all during a lift or skip a workout completely, but when you’re a part of a team, competing and fundraising for a cause as important as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, you’re forced to push yourself to limits you never thought possible.

Most of my motivation comes from the charitable mission of The D10. Knowing that my fundraising efforts and my training for each event, benefit something as important as Pediatric Cancer research, forces me to reach out to more individuals and push through each and every workout. 

I first got involved in The D10 through a colleague of mine at work. He was in the process of forming a team and overheard that I played football in college and was an extremely competitive person. After hearing about The D10 and all that it stood for, I knew it was an opportunity that I could not pass up and one that I would compete in for many years to come. 


There is no height to which Stephen won't leap to reach his fundraising goals.

Training for The D10 has been extremely different than my training for college football for multiple reasons. In college I had a professional coaching me on everything from strength and conditioning, nutrition, rest etc. Now, I use what I have learned, but I have to hold myself accountable. Additionally, most of my training in college was geared towards gaining mass and strength, whereas the training I do for The D10 is more focused on repetition and working on my muscle endurance. I would say the motivation though is roughly the same, both college football and The D10 force you to be selfless by knowing that if you don’t train as hard as you can you’re not just hindering yourself from become better, but more importantly, you’re jeopardizing the success of your team. 

The D10 has greatly enhanced my performance at work. During my months of training for The D10 I force myself to get as much sleep as possible in order to allow optimal muscle growth and optimal recovery. This in turn helps me be more awake and work and allows me to focus for longer periods of time with less distractions. Additionally, the training has forced me to continue my lifestyle of healthy eating which in turn provides me more energy at work and leaves me feeling less lethargic. 

Have you made new lasting friendships, or strengthened your professional network, as a result of your D10 experience?

Although I have only been a part of The D10 community for about a year, the people that I met at the competition last year were extremely easy to connect with. Knowing that other people take fitness and competition as serious as I do makes building friendships that much easier. The D10 has provided me with professional connections that I do not believe I would have been able to form anywhere else. I am truly grateful for The D10 Community and look forward to continuing to build long-lasting friendships and increasing my professional network. 

Former Army Lieutenant Stephen Ricciardi and Team T/CIO are halfway toward their amazing goal of fundraising $25,000 for MSKCC. Help them get to their magical charity mark!