What's Happening with Coach Hooks and the 480 Club?

Eight hours changed everything. Coach Joseph Hooks took 480 minutes of winter training and turned it into a movement that helps Montgomery County youth grow through sport, mentorship, and mental wellness. We sit with Coach Hooks to unpack how a grassroots idea became a reliable network that reaches kids where they are—schools, apartment communities, rec centers, and the fields they love.

We talk about the decision to keep programs free to families by funding through partnerships and contracts, not fees. That shift lowers barriers for underserved youth and raises the bar for consistency. Coach breaks down four core offerings: a student ambassador program that pays teen athletes to mentor younger players, out-of-school-time clinics on half days and weekends, apartment-based soccer that brings play and safety close to home, and Kids Fit sessions that teach movement and nutrition. The result is a ladder of opportunities that starts with a ball and leads to life skills, jobs, and leadership.

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Episode Transcript: https://www.buzzsprout.com/220748/18640050-what-s-happening-with-coach-hooks-and-the-480-club/transcript

Transcript

Meet Coach Hooks And 480 Club

Derrick Kenny 0:00

Come here. Do you know there's an organization in MoCov that helps empower youth through sports, mentorship, and academic programs? It operates under the motto Every Youth and Minute Matters. That organization is the 480 Club. And today we talked to its founder, coach, Joseph Hooks. Run the intro.

Announcer 0:21

Good day, and welcome to What's Happening Moco, an authentic, unscripted podcast from your Montgomery County government. Now, who's your host, Derek Kennedy?

Derrick Kenny 0:35

Good day, and welcome to What's Happening Moco. Today we're talking to Coach Joseph Hooks. He is the founder of the 480 Club and 48 Cares. Welcome to the podcast today, Coach.

Joseph Hooks 0:46

Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Derrick Kenny 0:47

So I just like to call you Coach or Coach Joseph or Joe.

Joseph Hooks 0:51

I'm known by Coach Hooks. Normally since I was a kid, it was Joey, but Coach Hooks, once you're a coach, you're always a coach.

Derrick Kenny 0:57

All right. All right. We'll go with that. Thank you, Coach Hooks. Yes, sir. What inspired you? Well, before we go there, to be called a coach is almost like being called a mayor. You're like a mayor for life, you're a coach for life. What was your journey, like athletic journey, like to become Coach Hooks? Just a little bit of background.

Joseph Hooks 1:15

Sure. I mean, thanks to you know, my mother keeping me in sports, you know, keeping me out of trouble, keeping that structure. Um, you know, for I grew up in a home daycare where she just took care of a lot of people in the community, um, really invested in childcare. And um, you know, just having an opportunity was a great way to connect with others, learn new things. And um, I played a lot of sports. I didn't play football until middle school, but I was doing karate, baseball, basketball, just trying different things, different seasons. And as I fell in love with football, I committed to that. Um, grew up playing Gummy Village Chiefs, a very prestige organization where a lot of guys that came out, like Stephon Diggs, uh wow Trayvon Diggs, Addison, Caden Prater.

Derrick Kenny 1:51

So... So, is that like... uh... is that like a uh affiliated with school? Is that a different thing?

Joseph Hooks 1:55

No, it's just grassroots. Actually lasted about 50 years. It just recently kind of took a pause. Um trying to like they're trying to like, I guess, remix it up a little bit. But I was proud to play there, played in high school and college, and I went back to coach for 10 years.

Derrick Kenny 2:08

Oh wow, all right. Now, when you're talking about all the types of sports there, you went back and you became Coach Hooks. Um what inspired you to go beyond coaching and to create your own organization, 480 cares? And and what's significant, of course, about 480?

Why 480 Minutes Became A Mission

Joseph Hooks 2:27

Right. Yeah. So I always say, you know, create what we had and what we needed growing up. I mean, football was our foundation, how we create a lot of brotherhood, even sisterhood. My mom was a commissioner cheerleader, uh commissioner of cheerleading, and it just brought a lot of people together. Um, and so, you know, having a lot of the programs I had in high school, um, but also looking at things that we didn't have. And so Montgomery Village, where I'm from, we don't have as many amenities of resources that a lot of people do, not only in the county but in the country. Um, I say that yes, it's in Montgomery County. Um, small but you, you know, mighty village. And, you know, I was just inspired actually um just traveling the world, seeing all the different facilities and programs people had, and I want to come back to my community and do that. And so by coaching at Montgomery Village, I was able to really focus on the winter months and you know, realizing we didn't have an indoor rec center, we needed somewhere to keep these kids engaged and training and mentoring. And I got introduced to a location, Soldier Fit. Um, I saw the space, the owner said, How can I help you? And you know, it kind of grew from there where I was able to run that program.

Derrick Kenny 3:25

That's fantastic. So Soldier Fit is, I want to consider a friend of the program. We talked to them. Danny, one of the founders, came in, gave us tips on how to get fit in the new year. And um, and you take you're taking some of the same things, not necessarily the same things as gold, soldier fit, but you're you're using athletics and sports to benefit youth and and teens. How does that work? How does that um how does the sports and athletics benefit the youth?

Facilities, Winter Gaps, And Soldierfit

Joseph Hooks 3:51

I first say 40 club was the amount of minutes I first spent in my very first program. Oh. And so growing up, this is a story. My mom for Christmas, you know, every year, just to seem you know, richer, she'd make $100 into 100 ones. Okay. And that's how she made it, you know, something small would be bigger. And I'd look at more dollars instead of a hundred dollar bill. Right. So when I had the program, we had it one two days a week for one hour for a month. So I needed to find a name, you know, I created an LLC just for reliability, and I started thinking, well, we're getting stronger. And I was like 180, 360, and I was like, oh, it equals 480 minutes. Okay. So if you tell a kid eight hours or 480, what sounds bigger? Yeah, 480 for it. So I was like, 40 sounded really strong. We're working on the body and the mind. Right. And I kept that name for the amount of minutes we spent in my first program. I never changed it to stay rooted.

Derrick Kenny 4:38

All right. And so you were born in Montgomery County?

Joseph Hooks 4:41

No. Actually, I was born in upstate New York. Oh, wow. Came down to Montgomery County when I was three. Oh, wow. So I am New York on my passport, but uh, I'm a native, I I grew up in my hometown, it's Montgomery County, Montgomery Village. And um, like I was gonna say, with the the sports, my mom used to hide the medicine and applesauce. So you want to give kids and youth what they need, but also what they want at the same time.

Derrick Kenny 5:00

All right. What what are some of the programs? Uh before before that, though, I have a question for you. It's a very serious question. You're a football, I want to say a football expert. And um, there's this controversy in the area amongst locals. Um there's two great teams in the area. Well, great.

Joseph Hooks 5:17

What's a great commanders would say something.

Derrick Kenny 5:21

There's the Ravens and there's the Commanders, of course. Now I'm not asking you to pick pick sides, but you know, what do you think about the football, the the football culture in the the Washington, D.C. area?

Sports As A Gateway To Growth

Joseph Hooks 5:31

Now first it's exciting. You know, we grew up uh, you know, seeing the Redskins. I'm an 80s baby, so we saw a little bit of the last, you know, prestige times. But it's good to have two different ways you can go and see a good football game. Um hopefully Maryland catches up with that. But uh, you know, Baltimore can't go wrong, good defense, good, good, you know, good football. You got Lamar Jackson MVP, and then you got the upcoming Jaden Daniels and the commanders and them coming back home to DC. It's really great because I don't like driving the PG. So I think closer to the cities, it's good for the kids and the community to have two NFL teams. You can go to a lot of states where they don't have any. Right. So I think we're blessed to um to have those those two programs on a high.

Derrick Kenny 6:09

Awesome. And speaking of programs, uh the 480 program, uh, well, the 480 uh business, which I want to applaud you on having your own business. Sure. Um, and also having um programs that benefit the youth. What are some of the programs uh that you have and what are some of the characteristics of each program uh for people that might want to participate?

Joseph Hooks 6:28

Sure. Well, just like you said, historically, 400 40 club started with a free and accessible um indoor training during the winter months. Free? Yeah. All right. Yeah, yeah. Um I will say the very first year, uh shout out to the parents, we kind of split the cost for rental. So 40 Club as a business, I always had a nonprofit approach. I still to this day never take uh check or cash from people. I I get funding or contracts to deliver services. Oh wow. So um I don't charge for anything I do. Um sometimes people are shocked. Um and so I've grown from there. I've done some work in the schools, MCPS. We've served at five school-based wellness centers on providing youth development and case management. But since then, right now, currently, I have four core programs. One is my student ambassador mentoring program, where I have student athletes get paid and trained to become mentors to younger grassroots youth football players. The second is um I do a lot of out-of-school time events with like free clinics during non-school days and weekends and evenings to kind of fill the gap. The third is um, you know, a soccer program I do in an apartment complex I'm really proud about. And then the fourth, I do a uh kids fit program at two rec centers where we teach the kid fitness and teach them healthy nutrition. So just ways to really use out-of-school time, youth sport, and definitely with a youth development lens.

Derrick Kenny 7:47

All right. So let's take this from the the broad or the macro levels down to the personal level. Um you've been uh working with 480 since 2014. Um you've had several innovations of children that come through. What are some of the stories that you can share, um, success stories with young people, but you not not sharing the too much uh identifying information, but just some examples of how kids benefited from the program.

DMV Football Culture And Role Models

Joseph Hooks 8:14

Yeah, I mean, on a strength-based approach, you know, leaders creating other leaders. I mean, many people who've been in my program are now in position or positions, not only either working for me or in the county, in the school system or county government, you know, shout out wellness trainers, shout out free outreach network. I mean, I think a real leader and a real program sets up other leaders to do that and you know, coach. Many of them are now coaching back at the youth league. So we want to create that legacy of and be able to live to see it. Um so that's successful with creating other leaders. Um, secondly, I would say um, you know, when you're asked to come back, when you're asked to serve more, um, a lot of kids, you know, have made it to become successful fathers, go to college, and even to the pros. Um, and start their own thing. I think it's all about being that example for them that you can start small and build and build nothing, something to nothing. But also I would say, you know, one thing that's really personal is, you know, I've referred some kids, let's say, to get mental health services, and maybe they haven't accepted it or received it yet, but they come back and say, you know, I just want to talk to you, Coach Hooks. And so just being someone that they can trust and lean on and and then, you know, plant that seed to receive services have been something that I don't take lightly because I know, you know, we could be the last bridge to some of the great things that we do offer in Montgomery County.

Derrick Kenny 9:27

Wow. You mentioned mentioned mental mental health support. Uh how do you how do you see, and this is not necessarily a qualified um uh portrayal or characterization of how things are, um, but what what is the state of our young men? I know there's been a lot of studies about the state of underserved youth, um African American youth in some cases, uh, Latino youth. What what do you think are some of the challenges that youth are facing these days?

Core Programs And How They Work

Joseph Hooks 9:53

Yeah, I mean, for all of us, I would say technology, you know, social media, there's a lot out there that they can get into and not get into very accessible, just not having the right information. Um, there's a lot more, I guess, recreational things they can, you know, get into too. That's really, you know, the vaping, uh, a lot of going on with the with the opioids. Um, so some things that's kind of grown. Oh, wow. But I will say, um, you know, I'm glad you said that. Uh for five years I've created and founded an athlete wellness summit. And I will say the student athlete, you know, we we're not immune. Um, we actually have a lot of pressures and resources that are needed. And sometimes we don't step up because we grew up where we were saying, tough it out, don't cry, don't say nothing. Yeah, rub some dirt in it. Yeah, I mean, it's still a need for representation. I would say there's still a stigma. Um, and I will say I would call it a crisis for our boys. I've lost a lot a lot few players to suicide. Oh no. Yeah. And I'm glad you said that. I would just say, you know, for the last couple months, I read I did something with the Brookhage Institute and the Collaboration Council on Black Wellness, and I was able to have Dr. Bridges and Dr. Davis attend to kind of learn about some of those findings.

Derrick Kenny 10:54

Oh, fantastic. Now, you you mentioned several partners uh over the course of our conversation so far. How important is it for those type of partnerships to support the cause or the mission of the 480 uh club and the 480 cares?

Joseph Hooks 11:11

It's it's interesting because I don't have a center, you know, I I have an office now, but you know, we're navigators, we're, you know, I call myself kind of like a Robin Hood, you know, we gotta kind of mix ourselves in the system, right? So we gotta use our schools, you gotta have a relationship with your principals, your community school liaisons, the local government, because without that trust, you can't be in their buildings. Um, you know, you gotta show improve, and and I think, you know, it takes a village, and I come from a sports background, and you know, nobody can do nothing alone. And, you know, we've used that to like again hide the medicine and applesauce. If it's I provide soccer, someone else provides, you know, educational support or enrichment or education, you know, mental health, that's what it's about. And I think, you know, as long as we have c collaboration instead of competition, we can do a lot.

Derrick Kenny 11:53

All right, collaboration instead of competition. That's that's very refreshing. Um speaking of refreshing, uh, how do you want parents or how do parents or kids contact your organization and to get started? And how do you suggest they get started with your organization?

Success Stories And Leadership Pipeline

Joseph Hooks 12:08

Yeah, so um being a contractor, you know, we serve where we're where we're contracted at. So if I'm at two middle schools right now, Gavisburg Middle School and Banneker, for example, and our after school boys and men program. So if you go to another middle school, you couldn't be in the program. You know, just how things unfortunately work. Um, you know, compliance and insurance and things. But I do have community events. Sometimes I have free up school clinics, so you can look at my social media at 40 Club on Instagram, okay, um, where I'm offering. Uh last year I did a free football clinic partnered with the Scoutland Foundation Juneteenth. So we do have community events, but a lot of my intentional youth development um programs are uh you know, school-based, location-based, right? Based on the need, you know, specifically Montgomery Village in that part of the county.

Derrick Kenny 12:52

That's great. Now, you mentioned that uh you partnered with schools or they'll bring you the contract with you. How do these schools or other programs uh establish partnerships or contract with your organization?

Joseph Hooks 13:03

Yeah, a lot of them will reach out via email, then we'll have a phone call. You know, I can think it comes down to the funding source. Um I partner, you know, out of school time McGummy Public Schools, Jennifer Schoba's great. Um DHHS, you know, Luis Cardona's team. So, you know, it's it's it's not I've been doing this for 12 years, um, you know, most of them six months. So, you know, I try to be very uh open-minded but also strategic, um, getting to know the sites. And so, you know, I'm always down for a conversation and see what's up, you know, opportunities. So things have come and go. Um, but consistency is key, especially when it comes to mentoring um and the things that we do. So, you know, I believe I'm you know reachable and you know, I always say if anything's positive, it's possible.

Derrick Kenny 13:46

Right. And so the kids at those schools, do they just sign up for it or what what is their approach to or something?

Joseph Hooks 13:52

Yeah, so we'll have staff um luckily either in the building or come after school, and we work with the school, you know, counselor or you know, stuff to take recommendations or referrals. Um, they put it out on their newsletters. So we try to usually be very visible. We know social media, flyers, QR codes, going the back to school nights, and you know, a lot of these wellness days. So definitely um we make sure that the all that stuff is out there and you know we do orientation interest meetings and you know, parents sign them up. We meet with the parents to kind of you know get that permission and and we kind of rock and roll.

Mental Health Pressures On Student Athletes

Derrick Kenny 14:22

All right. And you mentioned social media. I I've noticed you have a strong social media presence. As a matter of fact, uh one of the ways that we first became aware of uh 480 is through a uh a DM via, I think it was Instagram. Yeah. And I was like, wow, this is a great organization. Um, a sharp young man leading the organization. Uh what type of communications do you invite via social media and how do people connect with you via social media?

Joseph Hooks 14:49

Yeah, I mean, my page is open. You know, I'll take a DM or I'll follow and show love and share as well. Um so I run my social media, don't have that. Um, you know, I wish I had an intern for that. But uh, you know, I think it's very important to be grounded and be communic you know, communicate, be able to screen and scan our youth and then what's you know, staying in tune, what's going on. So um Instagram is definitely heavy. Uh I'm on LinkedIn. Um, you know, I have a Facebook page, so I follow a lot of people, and people follow me. So, you know, it's it's all about sharing positivity, and I think you know, one thing leads to another. And um the best, you know, referral is just a word of mouth and just people sharing it and showing what you do.

Derrick Kenny 15:27

All right. Um now as you continue to um exist in Montgomery County, and kudos again for being a Montgomery County-based business and organization, and of course helping unserved youth, which is um one of the one of the one of the challenges that I've I've heard expressed by not only um uh public officials, um, but also uh employees that serve the needs of of the um people and residents of the county. Um how did how did you find that to be your niche audience um for your organization? And then what what what what do you what impression do you want to leave with students um or the people that have come to your program?

Partnerships Over Competition

Joseph Hooks 16:05

A couple things. Um if you solve a problem, you have a business. I saw a problem. I saw a problem where I'm from. Uh I saw a problem with uh who's helping those that not only look like me and have been through what I've been through, um, I saw a problem in opportunity. And I will say in my younger days, a lot of the organizations that I get to work with now once told me I didn't have experience or um didn't give me a job. Oh wow. And so the niche was I'm gonna create what they say I can't do, I'm gonna do what's needed. Um and you know, I take that with positive, you know, pride. But then so to be an example for these kids, I tell them, you all can start a business, you all can be a business. And you know, I did this for three years before that with nothing and free. Um and I think it's just show and improve, you know, failing fast, um being your passions. And if you do that, some opportunities, because as a funder uh has once told me, um, shout out to Carol Treywick Foundation and Bethesda, somebody's always watching. Yeah, you know, and so just do the good work and the good opportunities will come.

Derrick Kenny 17:05

Well, thanks for doing the good work. That's incredible. Um, and also I want to give a shout-out to one of my my friends, Coach, Coach Otis Matthews. He's one of the uh he worked with the community technology team here, and he would always talk about experiences with some of the students and relationships uh that have gone on for years and that type of uh uh uh connection between a coach and a player that continues on. What what is your experience like? Uh do you find that you have a or you have like a a long, uh like a broad community of young people that you've connected with over the years that keeps growing?

Joseph Hooks 17:38

It's a brotherhood, especially the village, you know, Chiefs, but it's um I still got group chats from 2017. I've been to baby showers, graduations, funerals, um you know, yeah. I mean, just you know, just being there for them. Like you said, it might be a uh former players, you know, fame member who've passed. So, you know, it's just not the good times and the tough times and that consistency. Of course, I got two little ones, shout out to my daughters, but you know, there's a lot of kids that have stayed in contact, and I'm always one message away. Um, and whatever I could do for them, they know I'll do if it's a letter, a referral, sometimes a quick job opportunity, and many of them work for me now. So um, no, it's it's definitely family, and uh, you know, I take that addict that really seriously too.

How Families And Schools Connect

Derrick Kenny 18:17

That's very cool that you have kids that, well, who were kids, people that were kids now because of your uh uh consistency and longevity, they're able to not only benefit from what you uh were able to sell into the young people then, right, but they're able to carry on your legacy and build on your legacy through 480. Yes. That's fantastic. Um, what what type of um uh events or activities do you have coming up that you might want to highlight or make people aware of as we head into February and March and April, uh different times of year where parents are looking for positive activities or uh endeavors for their kids?

Joseph Hooks 19:01

Sure. Um I have two out-of-school time basketball clinics scheduled with Forest Oak and Gatesburg Middle School on February 27th. It's a half a day. Um I have one scheduled in April with McGun Village and Nillsville. So I just really try to target the communities that definitely have some gap. Um I do run a 707 program as well. I have kids from all over the county, from Bethesda to Waggers Mill.

Derrick Kenny 19:22

Now, for people that aren't aware, what's a 707?

Joseph Hooks 19:24

707 is like two-in-touch football. Okay. Uh non-contact, but it's a free um, you know, opportunity to bring, you know, not only brotherhood and development, and we play in some local tournaments. We even travel to some colleges. So we're headed down to Myrtle Beach um February 14th with about 20 men and I and uh from all different high schools. Oh wow. Yeah, so something I do every year.

Derrick Kenny 19:46

Like an all-star team.

Joseph Hooks 19:47

Yeah, yeah, but it's also a brotherhood, and um, you know, we get to see colleges, you know, shout out to Coastal Carolina. Um, and I've done that since 2017. Um so just different ways, but um, you know, hopefully, you know, maybe we come back with the free football clinic on Juneteenth with the Scotland Foundation. Um, we did it at Churchill last year. So definitely follow me on Instagram. Anything that's public and available be a flyer or some way to contact me and sign up.

Derrick Kenny 20:11

Fantastic, fantastic. Um, as we head on to wrapping things up, uh, what is something that you'd like to leave out there? And um, and I I I kind of want to ask this question, and it's kind of a painful question. Um, you've you've experienced loss in your program where um young people um may have died to suicide. Um how does how has that affected you and how has that helped you to identify mental health, health crises in some of the youth that you um work with?

Finding A Niche And Solving Problems

Joseph Hooks 20:46

Well, one of my coaches, he tells me, you know, Joe, you can't save everybody, but I try. Um and I try by just creating opportunity. And I say as long as the kid has an opportunity to make either a good decision or not, or have a resource or not use it, um, I think that's what we all can do. And, you know, I'm not gonna say I'm numb to it, but I would say that um, you know, I've done a lot of work to recognize, you know, uh to do them that extra referral, to ask the kid how are they? I asked a lot of our young men, when's the last time someone asked you, how are you? Not to do something. Yeah, just how are you? Right. Not how is your grades or how are your your stats, but just how are you? Right. And a lot of them say it might go two to three weeks before someone has asked them that. Oh my gosh. And so, you know, I'm also just an advocate. Uh, I do a lot of testimony on, you know, getting our underrepresented or more representation in the school buildings and programs so that we can impact through social work and mental health. Um, but also just being a partner, you know. So been uh really blessed to, you know, work within the schools and organizations to, you know, hey, check on this kid, or this kid hasn't been showing up, we're not saying too much, you know. So definitely always staying in in the loop of trainings, just stay informed. But having that communication, having a safe space where kids can kind of, you know, talk to you on the side, and either or an assistant coach is very key. Because kids sometimes, you know, just really sheltered and we got to create those opportunities where they can feel a way to uh communicate. And it's not always verbal, right? And so, you know, just being aware, right? And just actually having younger people on my team because, you know, my generation is kind of moving up. There's different Lango and different, you know, swag and all this thing. So you gotta just um don't be your worst enemy and just be open-minded to stay flexible for this new generation that's going through a lot.

Lifelong Bonds And Giving Back

Derrick Kenny 22:26

All right. Well, that's what's happening, Moco. Thank you for all that you do for the young people and also for, of course, we really, really, really love to support uh Montgomery County-based businesses and residents that are um worthy of the spotlight, the What's Happening Moco spotlight, like yourself, the resident, uh business owner, um, outreach specialist, helping underserved communities, all the things we love to see in Montgomery County, uh, Maryland. Um, and that's what's happening Moco. Please like, share, subscribe, and reach out to Coach Hooks uh and see if you can partner with, support, or help further the good work of the 480 Cares and 480 Club.

Joseph Hooks 23:03

Well, thank you. Glad to be on here, and I hope everybody takes a look and follows what's happening on the Moco.

Announcer 23:09

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