Out of the Mouth of Babes "Our Future Leaders"
Welcome to "Out of the Mouth of Babes: Our Future Leaders" with Kevin Handley Sr.!
In this enlightening and empowering podcast, we delve into the minds of the next generation—the brilliant and dynamic youth who hold the keys to our collective future. Join our host, Kevin Handley Sr., as he takes us on an inspiring journey through conversations with young visionaries, activists, innovators, and changemakers from around the world.
Each episode of "Out of the Mouth of Babes" brings you candid and thought-provoking interviews with these remarkable young individuals who are making a significant impact in their communities and beyond. From tackling pressing global issues to spearheading innovative projects, these youth leaders are reshaping the world as we know it.
Kevin Handley Sr., a seasoned and compassionate host, skillfully uncovers the stories behind these young achievers, delving into their motivations, challenges, and the transformative experiences that have shaped their journeys. Listeners will be inspired by the depth of insight and wisdom these young guests possess, proving that age is no barrier to effecting meaningful change.
Whether you're a parent, educator, community member, or simply passionate about youth-driven initiatives, "Out of the Mouth of Babes: Our Future Leaders" offers a unique platform to learn, engage, and celebrate the voices of the youth. Together, we can gain valuable perspectives and support the aspirations of these incredible young leaders, nurturing a brighter and more inclusive tomorrow.
Join us as we amplify the voices of the youth and discover the extraordinary potential that lies within "Out of the Mouth of Babes: Our Future Leaders" with Kevin Handley Sr. Be ready to be moved, motivated, and inspired!
Out of the Mouth of Babes "Our Future Leaders"
S1 EP7 pt1 - Building a Future on the Court and in the Community
What happens when a young athlete must choose between two sports and opts for the court over the field? Meet Mason Carpenter from Richmond, Indiana, a rising basketball talent who made this very choice. In our latest episode of "Out of the Mouth of Babes," Mason opens up about his passion for basketball, the excitement of meeting people through the sport, and how a life-changing trip to Florida shaped his dreams. He shares the mental strategies he's honed by drawing inspiration from legends like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, and explains how he models his game after the skillsets of Darius Garland, Allen Iverson, and Stephen Curry. Mason’s story is one of dedication, showcasing his belief in hard work, goal-setting, and the power of a strong mindset.
But the conversation doesn't end there. We turn the spotlight on other promising talents like JJ Johnson, a standout defender for the Richmond Red Devils, delving into the dynamics and potential of their team this season. Mason also reveals his ultimate goal of going professional, with coaching as a backup plan, emphasizing a commitment to helping his family and community. As we wrap up, Mason reflects on those who have supported him along the way, reminding us of the vital role of mentorship and empowerment for young athletes. Tune in to hear how Mason Carpenter and his peers are carving their paths in the world of basketball, driven by passion and purpose.
We're live, live. Welcome to Out of the Mouth of Babes, the podcast for our youth. Today I have a special young man in the booth. I have known this young man since he was a baby. I had the pleasure of seeing him at his first basketball camp. But enough said, I'm going to let him introduce himself. Introduce yourself to the listeners out there.
Speaker 2:You know what's going on. It's Mason Carpenter. I'm from Richmond, indiana. I grew up playing basketball. I grew up loving the game and I played all playing basketball. I grew up loving the game, you know, and I played all the sports, but, you know, basketball just stood out to me the most, so I just stuck with it. You know, in middle school I played football too and it was kind of hard picking which one I wanted to go with, but I thought basketball was the best decision for me. That's where I am now.
Speaker 1:I can tell you that Mason was a phenomenal football player. I still wish that I could have seen him flourish into a tailback for the Richmond Red Devils. But, mason, I got a couple questions for you as a basketball player. What is your favorite aspect of the game and why?
Speaker 2:I think just being able to meet new people and seeing how I develop is the best part about it. I think meeting new people just because it can take you a long way and it's just people that, can you know. When I stop dribbling the basketball, they can help you out as well. So you know that's the best part about it.
Speaker 1:Now, mason you and your family have traveled the United States for basketball. You have, I mean, I could just name a few that I know of Minnesota, california, naturally, indianapolis. Indianapolis should be your second home, different parts of Ohio. Tell me about one of those trips that was very memorable for you.
Speaker 2:That was very memorable for you. I think Florida was the best time to be out there. I went out there to go see a family member that just moved out there recently and just being out there and seeing a couple of universities like University of Florida and South Florida and a couple others, and it just it just raised the standards for me and raised some goals and it just being able to see it was a good, was a good look for me and it definitely raised my confidence just to be able to work a little bit harder.
Speaker 1:Now, how do you approach the mental aspect of the game, especially during high-powered situations?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think just mentally I grew Mentally. I got stronger as I got older and as I got more mature. I think that after I watched a couple so like athletes, like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, you know, just hearing stories about them over and over again while on the phone or watching TV, it just helped my mentality a little bit more getting older and I just try to work on it and that's the main part about the game that will take you a long way is your mentality.
Speaker 1:Now, before I forget who's your who's, who, would you say, is the fate? Your arm is the, the greatest basketball player of all time.
Speaker 2:Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo, pressure drumroll please gotta go with Michael Jordan.
Speaker 1:Michael Jordan. Okay, Michael Jordan, okay, Michael Jordan. I would agree with you. And then the next question is who do you patent your basketball skills after?
Speaker 2:As of right now. I think that my game I model my game after Darius Garland off the Cavaliers. A popular player I wanted to get my game after is Allen Iverson or Stephen Curry.
Speaker 1:Yeah you are.
Speaker 2:Because I'm a point guard. So, as a point guard, allen Iverson had the handles I wanted to shoot, like Curry, of course, and the overall game I probably wanted is Stephon Marbury.
Speaker 1:Steph.
Speaker 2:You know I watched a documentary on him and I just loved the way he plays and how excited he looked and that's how I just wanted to play.
Speaker 1:And he was doing some great things over in China. You mentioned Darius Garland. Darius Garland is the son of who? Do you know that? Nah, all right I want you to do some research Winston Garland, one of the greatest basketball players that came through Gary Indiana, and so do some research on him and then let's further this discussion. So you spend a lot of time with the youth, right? Yes?
Speaker 2:sir.
Speaker 1:You spend a lot of time. I mean, I've seen you in occasions where the youth, when they see you, they just follow you and say you know, after your games they want autographs. What advice would you give to aspiring basketball players who want to play high school basketball and I also want to make sure you pub your little brother as well.
Speaker 2:Okay, you know, before I started playing high school basketball, I just always thought about how much I got to do, how much work I got to put in to be the best. And you know, just being no matter how much work I put in, I always wanted to be the best. So the youth just got to go out, work as hard as you can, just keep thinking about your goals. And just when we was talking about mentality that's the part of it you just got to mentally think that you're going to be the best. And you know just little things like going in the basement and working on your ball handling, laying on your back, shooting the ball 100 to 500 times a day, and that's just simple things.
Speaker 2:You don't need a goal of my little brother. You know I'm hard on him because I just want him to be the best. He can be as well and I want him to have the opportunities that I never had. And you know I take him up to test intermediate school and I take him and I'm hard on him. I want him to shoot the ball five more times if I told him to shoot ten times. I want him to if I tell him to do ten push-ups for missing a layup. I want him to do five more after he's done. You know, just little things like that will push you to the max, and you know it helped.
Speaker 1:Definitely helped. Grind grind mode. I just got a text from your dad that said all he said was grind.
Speaker 2:Talk to me a little bit about grind, and how does he instill that in you? Well, grinding means like you just got to blood, sweat and tears. That's the definition of it. You know you got to do whatever it takes. That I got is, you know I never. I never got, I never, just naturally got minutes and was the best around, humbly, and you know. You know I just I just had a grind for it. You know, if you, if you, if you know you can do the, you can be better and you can get better, then you just got to work at it because I had to as well when I was younger. So to the youth, you know, just know your goal and do what you can do, the best you can do.
Speaker 1:Game night. You're getting ready for a game. What are some of your pregame rituals and what do you do to get ready for a game? What are some of your pregame rituals?
Speaker 2:and what do you do to get ready for a game? Of course you got to get the rest before the game, because you don't never want to be tired before a game, and you got to stretch. You don't never want to be tight before the game and make sure your muscles are loose before the game. You want to drink the right things before the game and make sure your muscles are loose before the game. You want to drink the right things. You want to drink like a banana smoothie or, you know, you want a banana with peanut butter in it. You know anything to get your energy levels up. You don't ever want to eat no candy, no sugary things, because that will get your muscles tight as well. So you want to drink a lot of water. You want to drink some Powerade. That's the best thing and that's it.
Speaker 1:That's it right there. So what you've talked about is health, nutrition. Let's talk about mental health. How do you stay humble, how do you make sure you're taking care of yourself mentally throughout this journey? Because what you guys are experiencing, it's a cruel world out there with social media and people have comments on, let's say, you guys lose a game and a lot of people hiding behind the curtains will have things to say about you. What do you do for your own mental health?
Speaker 2:Well, after a game, especially after a loss, you know, I just think to myself what could I have done better for the team and for myself? I think that mentally, mental health is just you got a, you got a thing. You just sit there and think about what the the pros of what you did more than the negatives. You want to think more positive than negative and because when you think about the negative things it kind of kind of downs you even more than what you are. So when you think more positive then it's just going to help you quicker and then help you mentally so that you can just move on. Because you know, when you just think about the negative things, that can just carry you on for the next couple of days. It's not good.
Speaker 1:So I know you to be a student athlete. Talk to us a little bit. What is your GPA? 4.1. 4.1. That means that throughout your entire time in school you have basically made straight A's. Is that correct? Yes, sir.
Speaker 1:And that means that not only are you a student athlete, but you're a student first. Is that correct? Yes, sir, now you also mentioned you talked a little bit about teamwork and making sure that you are there for your team, making sure that you are there for your team. Can you talk to me a little bit about the importance of teamwork and how you make sure that you guys are working together as a team?
Speaker 2:Well, it starts off the court more than on the court, I think off the court. We're always together. You always see us together. We're always positive around each other. We always build each other up so that when we get on the court it's not a down nobody's mind, that we're just going to stay together no matter what the circumstance is. And you know the squad, you know, as a leader, you got to just make sure that we stay together and yeah, that's it.
Speaker 1:Now you guys got a really good team. You got a bunch of kids. That again, I am fortunate that I have seen some of you all grow up from. You know at least four or five of you on the team. I've seen you grow up from middle school. I mean elementary football. If there were some guys that I need to get up here, tell me who do I need to get up here? And I want you to look in that camera and tell them you got to get up here on the Out of the Mouth of Bays podcast. Who would it be?
Speaker 2:Definitely got to be Cedric Horton.
Speaker 1:Cedric Horton, I'm calling the shots. We need you up here. Ryder Kate, ryder Kate, where are you, ryder?
Speaker 2:Zion Deloney Z. Where are you Got to get Julian Smith?
Speaker 1:Julian. I'm calling you out, julian, and you got to get Deontay Smith.
Speaker 2:Deontay, I'm calling you out when you at, deontay Smith.
Speaker 1:Deontay. I'm calling you out where you, at Deontay that's all I got. What about um from any other schools in the area? Who do I gotta get up here?
Speaker 2:right, now, right and.
Speaker 1:I'm, you know, I'm coming for you. Brayden Davion say Lundy, look, day, day, I'm coming for you, day Day.
Speaker 2:Wesley Hunt.
Speaker 1:Wesley Hunt. I don't know you, but my man, mason, gave me the plug. So where you, at what school does he go to? He goes to Northeastern, northeastern, wesley. Come holler at your boy.
Speaker 2:Gotta get. There's a lot of them, but it's tough, I know it's tough for you.
Speaker 1:Tell me a couple young ladies from the girls team. I need to get up here. There's a lot of them, but it's tough. I know it's tough for you. Tell me a couple young ladies from the girls' team. I need to get up here. Amari Jackson Jackson, I don't even know why Amari ain't been up here yet. Amari, I need you up here, can't be turfing CT.
Speaker 2:One of the best on-ball defenders that Richmond has ever had, jj Johnson.
Speaker 1:JJ's been up here once Okay. Jj's been up here.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:Mar and Boser, mar and Boser when are you J Diamond Jade?
Speaker 2:What about you If?
Speaker 1:you get Jade, you got to get Jazzy, got to get Jade. I cannot have Jade without Jazzy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's all I got.
Speaker 1:All right, that's all you got for the Richmond Red Devils. They got a great opportunity to be successful this year. I'm excited for them. Lastly, what are your future goals and aspirations as a student athlete, as a basketball player and I'm not going to put you on the spot and ask you what schools you're looking at Future goals and aspirations as a student athlete, as a basketball player, and I'm not going to put you on the spot and ask you what schools you're looking at. But I do know you already got one offer, right, yes, sir. And you got a couple about four or five knocking at the door. Is that right? Yes, sir, you don't got to give me all the tea. I don't want the tea right now because this is. I know these are private situations, but what are your aspirations and goals in basketball?
Speaker 2:Of course I want to stick with the game. I definitely want to go pro if I got the opportunity. But if going pro isn't an option for me, I definitely want to keep coaching and coach at the next level, at the Division, I level or a pro. You know, my main goal is to give my siblings and my family an opportunity to go explore and do what they want so that they don't got to work no more. That's just my main goal. You know I just want to help my family, no matter who it is, cousin.
Speaker 1:You know I just want to help however I can and all I'm gonna say is don't ever forget about big calf. You heard me?
Speaker 2:yes, sir out of the mouth of babes.
Speaker 1:The podcast for our youth. In the booth with my man, mason Carpenter. You like that?
Speaker 2:yeah that's tough.