Create the Courage to be Fearless
Create the Courage to be Fearless
How Basketball Builds Confidence, Character & Community w/ CeJay Bromell EP 195
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How Basketball Builds Confidence, Character & Community w/ CeJay Bromell EP 195
A packed gym, a sudden collapse, and a moment that changed everything. At seventeen, CeJay Bromell’s playing career ended—but his mission didn’t. He transformed his love for basketball into a training movement that builds confidence, discipline, and community for kids across the county. Today, NEXL is known for skills training with a soul.
In this episode, we break down the fundamentals that actually move the needle: protecting the ball, reading space, and building decision-making through clear, repeatable reps. CeJay shows how small, consistent wins teach patience, grit, and focus—and why the “little things” create big separation on and off the court.
We dig into:
- Corrective coaching without shame
- Rewarding effort instead of perfection
- The village effect of older players mentoring younger ones
- Parent involvement that strengthens family bonds
- The heart behind the Good Ball Movement, a daily dose of motivation for kids
The result? Better grades, steadier moods, stronger leaders—and a belief that hard work pays off.
If you care about youth development, coaching fundamentals, or practical mindset tools, you’ll walk away with ideas you can use immediately.
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Passing The Torch: CJ’s Why
SPEAKER_00That type of love and affection and passion that I had when I was their age. So once they get a taste of that just from me being myself, you know, it just brings a spark in their eyes. Like this guy gets me. This guy sees me. He understands that it's not an easy game, but if I just keep believing myself and putting in the work that I can win, not just on the court, but in life too.
SPEAKER_01Today's guest is Coach CJ Bromel, founder and CEO of NEXL, which is his own acronym for next level basketball training. He's passionate about inspiring children with the fundamentals of basketball, fostering critical thinking, hand-eye coordination, and teamwork skills to unleash their inner greatness and become unstoppable, well-rounded players. Welcome, CJ.
SPEAKER_00Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_01It's an absolute pleasure. I'm really excited about the things that you do, and I'm passionate about helping children as well, being a youth coach. Yes. So this is really close to my heart. So with that said, what is one of the most courageous things that you have done?
Founding NEXL And Community Impact
SPEAKER_00Coming to uh basically the most courageous things I have done, I would say basically is starting next level itself. Um it helps gives the kids insights of hope within the community, and it gives them better outlets for being a good basketball player by learning their skills and harvesting them and taking upon themselves when they get older. So I'll say that's probably it.
SPEAKER_01That's brilliant. So what took you on that journey of being a basketball coach?
SPEAKER_00I always had a good work ethic and I always had people who motivate me as coaches, and they kind of just made the game fun for me and challenging, so I figured I could do the same thing with the youth.
SPEAKER_01Where are you based in America and you're helping children?
SPEAKER_00I am in the Myrtle Beach area in South Carolina, but the little small town is called Conway, South Carolina.
SPEAKER_01Tell me about inspiring children with their fundamentals for basketball. How does that actually all go about? And what actually is it? How do they get inspired by playing basketball? Do they have to have other skills first? How does that or is it a passion of theirs?
SPEAKER_00A lot of kids, they're smart, and I feel like a lot of coaches they overlook how smart a kid can be when it comes to just basic common sense. If you got a defender on your right, you keep the ball away from them. Keep the ball on the other side of the defender and learn how to maneuver that and just make smart IQ decision-making decisions on the court. You know, so I try to also make the game more engaging, very fun for them. Because I mean, of course, they want to learn. So I just try to make it very simple as I can be. Um at that point, I just make it fun and engaging for them. And when they're making mistakes, they can always overlook the little small details and then be like, oh, and it actually clicks with them, and then they start to harvest that when they get older and it makes them better.
SPEAKER_01Okay. And how does basketball unleash their inner greatness and make them unstoppable? Is that in all areas of their life or is that just in basketball?
SPEAKER_00It goes both ways. It just mostly builds their confidence on and off the court. So even in the classroom, things at home, and just in other sports as well, what they decide to do.
SPEAKER_01So I know you played basketball as well, but unfortunately with your health, you've had to give it up. Do you want to just say why? Because you've got an incredible story.
Coaching Philosophy And Basketball IQ
SPEAKER_00So what happened was that was um when I was 17 years old, this is 2015, I was playing basketball at the Conley Rec Center, and I was practicing on my game all day. I don't know exactly how many hours, but I know it was for a very long time. And um, next thing you know, at the end of my little workout, I decided to go play pickup ball with the with the guys from school, guys from other schools, local guys and professional guys, etc. So the gym was packed. A lot of people were there and they was watching us like as if it was like an NBA Finals game. So that's how packed it was. Very packed crowd gym. But anyway, so me and my team, we played a couple games and we were doing great, moving the ball around, playing how the game's supposed to be. Then next thing you know, at the end of the last game, I started feeling bad. Then uh I started to try to walk to my bag where my stuff was, and then next thing you know, I just collapsed on the court, I just blacked out. Um, then I woke up in the hospital in Charleston, South Carolina, and then the doctor came in and told me I was not able to play anymore. Then when I did try to get out in the hospital, almost I did get released, I let about a week or so go by. Then I felt like I was good enough to go back out there and try to play again. So that didn't work. I kept going back into the hospital, came out the hospital, try to play again, try to repeat that cycle. So it took me a couple years to realize this just wasn't cutting it for me. I love the game. So with me having that mindset, I was willing to die for it again. But I had a dream that I want to have some type of purpose. I didn't know what my purpose was. So I had a dream that God basically came into that dream and said that you can do other things than just play the game. You can make an impact still on the court, but not as a player, but as a coach. And then I just didn't really think too much of it at the time. And then once I started coaching kids and I started to see them grow for the things that I'd done when I was their age, and I'll make up things along the way that's helping them make the game more fun and engaging for them. I want to show that type of love and affection and passion that I have when I was their age. So once they get a taste of that just from me being myself, uh, you know, it just brings a spark in their eyes. Like this guy gets me. This guy sees me. He understands that it's not an easy game. But if I just keep bleeding in myself and putting in the work that I can win, not just on the court, but in life too. Um, so that's what gave me the vision to do next level basketball skill development training. I feel like coaches too need to take time and do things outside of teamwork of the schools or rec centers or whatever, and focus on fundamentals. So I think fundamentals will definitely take you far in life. It'll teach you discipline, it'll teach you structure, and it'll prepare you for games, and it prepares you to be a professional athlete if they decide to be that when they get older. Um, so I feel like with me adding that into the city, it's made a huge impact in other communities around the area as well, even the whole state. So we end up becoming the number one uh training program in the county and in the state. And so that's where next level came from.
Collapse, Recovery, And A New Calling
SPEAKER_01Absolutely brilliant. And honestly, what a journey you've had with your health. I understand why you want to you're so passionate about helping the youth and doing the work you're doing. So I can absolutely tell me more about next level training. What is that all about?
SPEAKER_00Next level is a skill development basketball training program where kids could come in and learn how to dribble the right way, expand their IQ, learn how to become a good teammate to other people as well, and just harvesting new skills that you know you can always take it to the next level. You can't just sit up and only learn how to dribble with just one ball and just one hand, which is nothing wrong with it, but you can learn how to cross over, you can learn how to go between the legs, work on critical thinking. It teaches you confidence and makes you more outspoken, stand out from the other kids. Because not too many kids like to practice. They don't like to work on the little things. So with the kids that come in the next level that tends to work on those little things, they extend to meet that really big leap. They they excel. And even in all their sports, because they know learning your mistakes through the littlest details will make you overcome, you know, just low self-esteem, and it makes you overcome like your weaknesses as well.
SPEAKER_01That's really good. Yeah, definitely. It's not just about playing the game, it's how you become as an individual and how you are developing as well, your mindset. Because in any game, mindset plays a big role. So, how does this help with their mindset and even their education?
SPEAKER_00It helps build their confidence and gaining knowledge of the game. And the things that I teach them within the game, it resonates the off-the-court things too, as well, like things at home, things at school. Be a good teammate to others, and you get rewarded. You put in the work, you get rewarded. So I tend to get on little rewards and things like that, so they understand that if they stay out of trouble and work hard, you get rewarded. You get acknowledged, you get validations from other people, and then my older kids, they'll come and support my younger kids, and that boosts their confidence. You know, like I have people in this village that sees me, that sees us. You know, they want us to do better in this sport and off the court as well. So it just brings a lot of hope within the city within the kids.
SPEAKER_01And does this give them a place to go as well as like teenagers sometimes? I mean, they can misbehave and oh yeah, into trouble. So this'll be really a good way to keep them occupied, keep them even on the straight and narrow sometimes. Tell me a bit about that. How does that affect them?
Fundamentals, Confidence, And Growth
SPEAKER_00Um, I've came across some troublesome kids, but then it's I don't call it I call it basically constructive criticism behavior. It always too starts with the home, you know. Um kids are gonna be raised of how they're raised, coaches are gonna coach of how they coach, but with me, I don't tolerate no bullying, no disrespect. But then once I see that within my program, you know, and feels like a judgment zone, I tend to discipline the kids by just telling them, you know, that's not cool. That's not right. And then once I break it down to how they see it affects other people, then they start to feel bad themselves for doing those sorts of things. Um, sometimes the kids who are doing bad in school, parents will reach out to me and say, hey, we know you're a good mentor around the community. Is there any way they can get my kid involved in this sport to do X, Y, and Z? So even if they don't train with me, I'll just have them be my little assistant coach and they see that it's good to help others and it makes an impact on other people like they know this kid did something bad, but it gives them a second chance to do something for the community, do something right, especially towards the youth. So they look at them as like a big brother or a big sister type of thing. So that's something I instill within my system of next level, and it helps them out a lot. And once they go back to school, when they're off the probation period or whatever, they tend to do excellent, they tend to get good grades. That was pretty much it, just basically overall just corrective training. That's why I got to call it just corrective training. Because you've always correct them your mistakes, um, whether if it's skill development or whether if it's you know being a human being as well, and if you have that mentor and that coach, it turns them more into life things, so it changes for who they are, and they see the better with meant within themselves.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Do you go into schools and do talks or um help with programs in schools as well?
SPEAKER_00Yes, of course. I've got invited to talk to my old elementary school, my old middle school, my old high school, and different other schools and colleges as well.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, because you're going around inspiring people. That's really fantastic. So tell me more about your ball movement project, because I know you're doing some really fantastic work in there.
SPEAKER_00Um, yes, so the good ball movement project is basically like for those who know basketball out there and they know what good ball movement is, like you're swinging the ball, it's a good thing. The defense is not getting it, not think that it's happening within that motion. So basically, I made it to where the basketball is basically moving on its own. So it's helping people not just to score at and on the court, it's to help them score, you know, off the court as well. It's like scoring life, basically showing like um that you can do anything if you just put your mind to it, um, if you just put in the work and it's just spraying positive quotes and love around the world. Um, and it's a daily post where it's always gonna be posted daily for kids. You never know what kid needs to see it, what kid needs to have just that little pick-me-up, because you know, kids are always on their phones, they're always on TikTok or Instagram, Facebook, or whatever. Um, and so I made it to where I can make an impact um through them, through a basketball. And I feel like it's doing a really good job because I get a lot of feedback through like um text messaging for those who know that I'm the one that's doing it, or through the social media platform, and they'll say my kids watch this video all day, every day, and it makes them go out there and just to do basketball, like training on their own, and to go basically harder for their team and do better at home. So I feel like it's a good uh start for this project to do that and it's gonna carry on, it's gonna change the world. I strongly believe in that.
SPEAKER_01That's absolutely fantastic, and absolutely, and what more conviction do you need than the work you're doing? That's absolutely brilliant. Yes. When you help the children, are the parents involved as well with that all-rands.
Mindset, School, And Rewards
SPEAKER_00Yes. Yes, so sometimes, because I don't have assistance really too much. So sometimes the parents who are able and then once they get involved, I'll have them do like little homework assignments for the kids. They'll teach them to go outside instead of being on the game or being on technology all the time. I'll talk with the parents and I have a sign that agreement that they will be my little assistant coaches. So sometimes the parents they'll come to the practices and they'll be like my little practice dummies for the kids or the cones or so, so they could teach them how to move without the ball, how to pass the ball to others, and how to do other things as well. And it builds a bond between that family, between the father and their kids, or the mother and their kids, aunts, whoever comes and brings them that are able, and it teaches the kids to enjoy the game for what it is. We share laughs, we shed tears, but we build bonds, and that's the number one thing, because in order for you to build a bond, you gotta go through those two things. And then um, there's times where some of the kids feel like they want to give up, then their parents are right there looking at them, and they the kids know that deep down inside they can't give up. They're not just giving up on their family, but they don't want to give up on themselves, and they see how it impacts their family. So it's like a deeper meaning within that. So that's where that bond structure comes from.
SPEAKER_01That's brilliant. So if someone's listening right now and thinking, I want to join a program like yours, where could they go? What can they do?
SPEAKER_00They can reach out to me on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok at NXTLBL, B Ball Training. And then you'll see uh a basketball logo up there, and you'll definitely see it's mine. You'll see my face and everything all over it. So if you want to join, I'm also working on doing virtual sessions as well. So for who you are, um just definitely inbox me, message me, and then we can definitely get started.
SPEAKER_01Because it's about the mindset as well. Do you have programs that are for mindset that aren't just for basketball?
SPEAKER_00I'm in the works of working on that, but for mindset, I will recommend going on the good ball movement. Um, I would definitely check it out. It's on Instagram and TikTok and YouTube at G-O-O-D.ballmovement. B-A-L-L-M-O-V-E M-E-N-T. And you'll see it up there. Um, but I am working on doing like more virtual stuff for the kids and for the professional athletes for their um for their mindset and their mental health.
SPEAKER_01That's absolutely brilliant. So, what is one of the most important lessons you've learned over your life so far?
SPEAKER_00Staying true to yourself and for those who have good games, they hustle the most.
SPEAKER_01If there was one key takeaway you want all the listeners to walk away with today, what would that be?
SPEAKER_00Be patient with yourself and breathe. A flower cannot grow to be its true self within a day. It takes time. It takes time, takes patience, takes love and sacrifice. But overall, it just takes patience.
SPEAKER_01Beautiful. Love that. And where can the listeners find you online, CJ?
SPEAKER_00You can look me up on Facebook at CJ C E J A Y Bromel B-R-O-M-E-L-L. You'll see my picture up there, and it has the links to the Good Ball Movement project, and it also has the links to the next level um basketball skill development training stuff. So just mess with me and we get to work.
SPEAKER_01Thank you for sharing your insightful wisdom and knowledge with us today. And by doing so, I know you've helped so many people and made a difference. I'd really like to acknowledge you for that, Coach C.
SPEAKER_00Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_01We are all about Create the Courage to Be Fearless podcast here. What is your definition of courage?
SPEAKER_00Definition of courage is having confidence within yourself, believing in yourself, and just going out doing something outrageous. Something that you've never done before, but in a positive manner.