Royal Vision Podcast

Season 1, Episode 7 – The Champion’s Mindset with Cam Wilkes

• Coach Matthew • Season 1 • Episode 7

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In Season 1, Episode 7 of The Royal Vision Podcast, Coach Matthew sits down with special guest Cam Wilkes to break down the mindset of champions. From handling pressure to pushing past self-doubt, Cam shares his experiences and strategies for staying mentally strong in the face of adversity.

🔥 Discover what it takes to develop resilience, confidence, and the mental edge that fuels long-term success. Whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, or high-performer, this episode is packed with wisdom to help you level up!

Tune in now for game-changing insights! 👑🏀

Cam Wilkes

Social Media: camwilkess

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@coachmatthewofficial

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Coach Matthew:

To the Kingdom guys, this is episode seven of Royal Vision Podcast. I'm your host, coach Matthew got another special guest today. So he is a point guard slash shooting guard outta Pot State College. Been there the last two years. He's the first team region 20 Coplay of the year, and he's top five in scoring history of Pot State College. He graduated from Hedges, Ville High School. He is, or from Hagerstown, Maryland. So give it up for Cam Wilkes. What's going on? What's going on? What's going on? Thanks for coming. Yes, sir. Yes sir. Yes sir. Alright, let's go ahead and get started. So your basketball player, what initially led you to play basketball?

Cam Wilkes:

I think my dad was the main person who led me to play basketball. At first it was baseball. Baseball was my main sport. Yeah. Yeah. And I found it. I found that sport to be my first love. That's when I started everything. That's when I started my sports career really. And then it developed into basketball.'cause I was much better at basketball than baseball. So then I just shifted on my focus to basketball soon as middle school ended. And then, yeah, it was

Coach Matthew:

history from there. Now did you ever play football too? Or just I did

Cam Wilkes:

play football. Okay. I played football up until high school also. So I dropped baseball and football. Yeah. Going into high school.'cause then that 2020 year was the first covid year. Yeah. And. After that, it just went downhill for the two other sports.'cause I couldn't get in a get on the field or,

Coach Matthew:

yeah.

Cam Wilkes:

Outdoors.

Coach Matthew:

Now, so when you're playing baseball and football, what do you feel like you excelled at the best in those

Cam Wilkes:

football? I was a football, I was a quarterback, so did it all.

Coach Matthew:

I mainly ran the ball. We didn't really

Cam Wilkes:

throw in peewee football. Yeah, for

Coach Matthew:

sure. Yeah. And then for the baseball

Cam Wilkes:

aspect, I was a shortstop slash pitcher. Pitching was my main thing, but I started having elbow problems going to high school. Yeah. So had to limit that and

Coach Matthew:

stick to basketball. I gotcha. So you've originally from Martinsburg, right? So you played Martinsburg little League. Did you ever get any opportunities to play in the state tournament, play for state championships, anything like that? I did

Cam Wilkes:

my first year at Martin's work high school. I was on JV split and varsity time a little bit. We went to the state tournament my first year I saw the court for maybe 15 seconds. Yeah, maybe 15 seconds. They told me to go in, try to get a shot up real quick.'cause we were down I would say eight points. So that was my first like real go into the state tournament was my freshman year at Warrensburg.

Coach Matthew:

Oh. So the one at Hedges will, wasn't your only time Uhuh playing. Okay. That was my second time. Yeah. So your, was it your sophomore year, your freshman year? That was the first Texas State tournament.

Cam Wilkes:

Maybe it was my sophomore year.'cause. My freshman year was one of the covid years,

Coach Matthew:

so it would've been 2021.

Cam Wilkes:

Yeah, it would've been 2021 is when I went to the state tournament

Coach Matthew:

with more. All right. That's cool. I didn't realize that. So explain your experience at the state tournament, but both your fresh or both The first time and the second time.

Cam Wilkes:

The first time was more like laid back. I was just happy to be there. Yeah. I wasn't really like a key focus on the team, so obviously I would. Like still study over the practice plans the game plan or whatever we got going on. But then when it was hedges, yeah. I was one of the main guys. Yeah. So like I really had to be locked into everything. And just shift my focus to only basketball and the state tournament had to keep, had to take out all the outside factors. Really.

Coach Matthew:

So in that state tournament game with Hedges Bill, you guys were almost favored to win. But I know it was a bit of a rough game. Walk me through the process of like your mindset throughout the entire game.

Cam Wilkes:

I wanna say the first half, it was going well. Yeah. We were in the game, obviously some players got into foul trouble quick, which. Didn't help as much. Yeah. And then towards the end of the second quarter, I rolled my ankle the last, I wanna say, two minutes in the quarter. And I re res sprained it. I had a torn ligament in my foot already, so I res sprained that foot. Yeah. And I couldn't bring the ball up the second half, obviously. I still made a slight impact. Yeah. Shooting and stuff, but. Yeah, I think if I didn't sprain my ankle or re-roll my ankle in that second quarter, we would've definitely won that game

Coach Matthew:

for sure. Yeah, I agree. I know that some of your key players, they weren't knocking out shot like a couple botch layups, right? Yeah. But

Cam Wilkes:

Stefan got in foul trouble really quick. Yeah. Say you had three fouls maybe in the first quarter, so that was big too.

Coach Matthew:

So early in your sport, earlier in your career, what do you feel were some of the defining moments?

Cam Wilkes:

I would say. That's a good question. I would say

Coach Matthew:

oof that at least, shaped your mindset to how approach the game.

Cam Wilkes:

I'd still say my dad's a big factor in all this. He built my mind, I take up after him and every aspect when it comes to the sport mind and however that works. So I would say I was really like. Drilled into working hard every day. Drilled into practicing like it's your last practice, practicing like there's no tomorrow. Yeah. So I would say my dad is the big factor in pushing me into that. Into that mindset, I'd say.

Coach Matthew:

So did your college or did your dad play college basketball too?

Cam Wilkes:

He didn't. He played high school basketball and he was a real good high school baseball player at Jefferson.

Coach Matthew:

Okay.

Cam Wilkes:

So none of my, both of my parents didn't go to college. So I'm the first

Coach Matthew:

one. That's cool. That's probably something to be proud of. Yeah. That's neat. So in what way do you feel like he has had the most impact on you?

Cam Wilkes:

I'd say coach me as a kid. Okay. He's literally, since I've been, however small, yeah. He's just built me up through that whole time. He's been, my first coach still coaches me till this day. I still work out with him almost every time I come back home. It's, yeah.

Coach Matthew:

Do you think there's anything that you've. What? What do you feel like the biggest lesson you've learned from him as a coach?

Cam Wilkes:

I'd say just trying to stay locked in during the games and during practice. Trying not to have your mind wander off into other spaces. Trying to keep a good head space when you're on the court or doing whatever you're doing in life

Coach Matthew:

and day. For sure. And then, so your upbringing and your environment, so you have your mom, your dad. How do you feel like that influenced the way you approach sports and how do you think influenced your mindset? My

Cam Wilkes:

mom is more the. Like she's just happy I'm out there playing. Yeah. That is the one who's you gotta do this, you gotta do this to be whatever. So my mom's just in the background, like always happy for what I'm doing. Yeah. I just gotta be grateful for her. And Grandma's also a big part of that. She's. Another mom, she's second mom. So I'd say that, yeah,

Coach Matthew:

so you've always had, so you've always had the, I don't wanna say drill sergeant, but that like person in, you're like, Hey, you gotta do this, you gotta do this. And then the other trying in the right direction. And then you got the other person that's you know what, hey, proud of you. No matter which. I'm just happy you're there. Yeah. Yeah. That's good. So what do you feel like are some challenges that athletes commonly face early in their career?

Cam Wilkes:

Burnout I'd say. Some kids, if you're really young, some kids suffer from burnout, which is if you're doing something too much at a young age, yeah, you can build a lot of stress. And then when you get up to the, say middle school age, you're just done with it. Yeah. You don't want to really deal with the stress. You just wanna be laid back and calm. So I'd say burnout is the main thing.

Coach Matthew:

Have you personally ever had any of those experiences?

Cam Wilkes:

I would say midway through this year, I. I was in my head a lot. Personal problems. Yeah. But I'd say I'd suffered from burnout just a little bit there, but then I got my little mojo back, so we good.

Coach Matthew:

What about so early in your career, did you ever suffer from burnout or,

Cam Wilkes:

no, not early in my career. I would say soon as I got college.'cause that's my first time alone. Yeah, not alone. No family around me really. Obviously I'm an hour away from here, but it's still, now I'm living on my own. Doing everything I can on my own. So I'd say when I got to college, it was like that was my first real time and suffrage from burnout, I would say,

Coach Matthew:

I got you. Just like all this overwhelmed has hit you at one time.

Cam Wilkes:

One time. And I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to do, but I talked to people, got my mind. Obviously you're still gonna have bad days struggle. Whatever. But you

Coach Matthew:

just gotta keep going. How do you think being at. How do you think your coaches helped you kind of transition from that into normal high school around everybody to,

Cam Wilkes:

they were very welcoming. I could call my coach right now and he'd pick up and we'd talk about whatever. Yeah, really anything. I'd say Coach Brady my assistant coach was my guy. He was, yeah, he was more the one I would go and talk to if I need something or if I just need to talk. So I'd say they were very welcoming of that Potomac State. So I'm grateful for that.

Coach Matthew:

Are they younger? They were really young coaching staff, so do you feel like that makes like an easier impact and better influence on you? I think it

Cam Wilkes:

does because they

Coach Matthew:

know what I'm going through. They, yeah, they were probably

Cam Wilkes:

suffering from the same things I were,

Coach Matthew:

yeah. Three, four years ago. So I'd say, yeah. And were they the original coaches that recruited you initially? They were, yes.

Cam Wilkes:

Okay. That was their second year up there as a staff together, I believe. Yeah. Yeah, that was their second year up there together.

Coach Matthew:

How do you feel like, 'cause you notice, with the transfer portal and the constant switching around, how do you feel like that's had an impact on your relationships and with just in basketball and with chemistry and teams?

Cam Wilkes:

The portal is crazy. I think it, it messed a lot of things up for a lot of JUCO players, obviously. As you saw on the news or whatever. Yeah. Soon as. Teams ended in the tournament portal. Yeah. Like it kind of messes with a lot of JUCO players and a lot of high school players too.'cause they're taking their opportunities, scholarships whatever. So I'd say it's, that's a rough subject. Yeah.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. I can imagine it's it's touchy. Yeah. Yeah. But how do you maintain a level head and, keep a positive mindset despite going. Despite dealing with transfers and like the potential of not getting that spot,

Cam Wilkes:

knowing there's, knowing you always have a good support system. So meaning my family's always gonna support me, whether what I do, whatever I don't do. So I think, and then I obviously them leading me into talking to other coaches, my coaching staff. Keeping me in touch with certain people. So I think knowing I'm going to have a home eventually. Yeah. I think that's always kept me level headed in a way.

Coach Matthew:

So how does you're talking about it's really messed with jucos. So is that saying that so hired, so like division three, division two, they'll jump down to JUCO or

Cam Wilkes:

Possibly, but also like high D twos can just jump in the portal and then. They can transfer to another D two, say D two's talking to me. Yeah. And somebody who's already had the experience at a D two level. Yeah. Jumps in equivalent to me. Yeah. Obviously they're gonna want to go with the guy who's already had the experience. I gotcha. So it's rough, but yeah, it's

Coach Matthew:

rough. It's just trusting, you know what's meant for evil. Find you pretty much

Cam Wilkes:

coaching staff. Really wants me.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. So how do you feel like personal experience outside of sports affect the way an athlete competes?

Cam Wilkes:

I would say trying to balance the outside life and the sports life is, you got to try to level it out. Obviously it's never gonna be the same. Obviously you're gonna have more stress in the everyday life. You're still gonna have stress when it comes to basketball. Yeah. So I think just trying to find a way, obviously I'm still working to do that myself. Yeah. Still trying to find a way to balance everything out Is. It's work you gotta do on your own and you just gotta figure

Coach Matthew:

it out how it goes. So what have you done to start to move towards a balance or find a good balance?

Cam Wilkes:

Talking to therapists, talking to people. You gotta get out there and talk to people. If you just sit in your room and you're stuck all day, you are not gonna get anywhere. So I think talking to people, getting out there, trying to get out your room constantly, do something, keeping your mind going is a big

Coach Matthew:

thing. So what's your typical way to. Let's say you've got practice, right? And then you got classes. What do you do to wind down?

Cam Wilkes:

I obviously you, you gotta go to class, so I, yeah, do all those things. Go to class, and then typically I would go back to the room, chill for a little bit, try to, but if my mind starts going again, get out, go lift. Lifting.'cause when you lift you can't really, you can't really wander off. There's no

Coach Matthew:

thinking.

Cam Wilkes:

Exactly. You gotta pick the weight up or it's not going to move.

Coach Matthew:

So do you consider yourself an overthinker?

Cam Wilkes:

Yeah, of course. Of course.

Coach Matthew:

What do you, where do you feel like your thoughts revolve around the most? A little bit outta everything.

Cam Wilkes:

I could like anything you could think of. I think of

Coach Matthew:

A squirrel. Yeah, like squirrel almost. I could

Cam Wilkes:

just be on the court and. I'm just wandering just anywhere. It doesn't matter. Yeah.

Coach Matthew:

What This episode of Royal Vision Podcast is sponsored by Trophies Plus here in Martinsburg, West Virginia. If you're looking for sublimated mugs, trophies, awards, or even embroidered hats, go to Trophies Plus in Martinsburg, West Virginia to go cop all those needs. What have you found, so just so when you're working out, what do you feel, what is it about exercising or being on the court that just puts you at peace

Cam Wilkes:

When it comes to lifting? I think I. Working. Working out to build the best body for myself. Have the best health for myself is a main factor that pushes me. And then when it comes to basketball, I think just enjoying it with my friends. Yeah. Like at the end of the day, I'm on the court with my friends. We're gonna go home, we're gonna talk, we're gonna play a game. So at the end of the day, I'm with my friends trying to find that piece.'cause obviously they're probably struggling with the same things.

Coach Matthew:

Have you always liked lifting?

Cam Wilkes:

Yeah,

Coach Matthew:

I have. Have you really? I have. Okay. What's your, like what's your favorite part about lifting? What do you like doing the most?

Cam Wilkes:

Like what? What?

Coach Matthew:

Either what exercise or like what? Yeah, what body part do you like? What chest? Jess. You're a bench guy. A

Cam Wilkes:

chest guy. I don't know why. I love benching. I love it. I love it. I could do it every day if I wanted to.

Coach Matthew:

So walk me through your chest day. Okay. So

Cam Wilkes:

boom, get to the gym, obviously get the band stretch out a little bit. Yeah. And then go to the bench plate. Boom boom. Then you go up and wait three sets whatever. Then cable flies, dumbbell flies, dumbbell press. And then also I also add a little triceps into it and arms just a little bit, and then I'll do dips and then just burn out with pushups.

Coach Matthew:

So you're just killing your chest. Absolutely. Now you do that once or twice a week? Twice. Twice. Twice. So that's what you hit the most?

Cam Wilkes:

Yeah. I'd say that's what I hit the most. I try to, I don't like saying this, I try to stay away from legs but sometimes you just

Coach Matthew:

dug it out and do it. I gotcha. So what do you feel like, what lessons have you learned from your past that help you succeed in both sports and in life?

Cam Wilkes:

Lessons have I learned from the past. I'd say trying to, I'd say when I was younger, I really didn't have the stress factor in my life, so I'd say. Trying to go back to the younger me in the mind in a sense, to have that I don't care mentality or just Just play freely or live freely do however you do. So I'd say trying to rewire my mind in a way. Yeah. To get back to the younger me in a sense.

Coach Matthew:

What do you think you've, what do you think has been the biggest stressor for you?

Cam Wilkes:

I just think staying away from family. Obviously I've always been a mom. Mama's boy. Yeah, grandma's boy. Yeah. So I'd say leaving them was obviously a big factor and going up into Kaiser. Yeah, there's nothing. There's nothing there. There's nothing to do with the sheets. A Walmart and a McDonald's. Yeah. That's all you got. So there's, it's lift, gym, sleep, class. That's it. That's it. So I think getting away from the family was a little tough, but at the end of the day, you gotta grow up.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah I get that. But it seems like you're finding ways to manage it better. Yeah. I think it's good that you're talking to people too. Yeah. I didn't, would they have therapists on site or they have

Cam Wilkes:

a therapist up at campus? I've never talked to her. I did talk to one back home. Okay. So I have stopped, but I can still find a way to contact somebody

Coach Matthew:

if I need to. I gotcha. Yeah. So how do you feel like athletes develop a strong mental game, and why do you feel like a strong mental game so important

Cam Wilkes:

if you have a strong mental game? You're a different you're different. I think battling with yourself on the court is one of the toughest things ever. Finding a way to come down and be at peace when you're on the court is Is something crazy? There's some, there's something called the flow stage. Yeah. Yeah. You can somehow end up in the flow stage all game. Absolutely. That is the, that is top tier.

Coach Matthew:

That's good for you. Have you ever been

Cam Wilkes:

in that flow state? Oh, yes. State tournament. I felt like I was in heaven. Yeah. It was, lights are on me. Yeah, that's it. It's just everybody's watching me. You just go out and play the game you love.

Coach Matthew:

So I feel like it comes from just detaching yourself from what's going on.

Cam Wilkes:

Yeah. Detaching yourself from the outside world and trying to focus on one thing at a time, which is basketball.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. And what strategies do you feel like athletes use to stay focused and confident? Under pressure,

Cam Wilkes:

I'd say. I'd say pregame, listening to music and trying to just, always keep your mind going, but not in a sense where it's like, what am I doing after the game? What am I doing? Yeah. Whatever. Trying to just focus and just. Predict what's gonna happen in the game In a good

Coach Matthew:

way, in a positive way. Stay, staying, present.

Cam Wilkes:

Exactly. Trying to stay present in the moment.

Coach Matthew:

So you talking about pre-game? Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions? I

Cam Wilkes:

don't, but if I do have a good game and a pair of shoes, those shoes will be worn the next game

Coach Matthew:

for sure. Do you have a solid cycle to go through for shoes? I got

Cam Wilkes:

a decent little rotation. I got Kobe eights the Aunt Pearls. The Sabrinas are my favorite shoes. That is, that's, those are the shoes right there. What color? Sabrinas?

Coach Matthew:

I got the all neon green ones. Oh, okay.

Cam Wilkes:

Yeah. I don't know why they're so light on my feet and those are just my comfort shoes right there.

Coach Matthew:

Okay. I don't, I've never worn a pair of Sabrinas. Yeah. I've always been a LeBron person. I like the Sabrina Awesome. LeBrons are heavy to me. I get that. So walk me through a typical game day for you. What's your, from Sun up to sundown.

Cam Wilkes:

Are we talking on a weekday or a weekend game?

Coach Matthew:

We can do both. Okay. On

Cam Wilkes:

a weekday game, obviously go to class in the morning. Class typically ends for me at, let's say 1115 on Monday. I would then go get treatment at our physical trainer, the area or whatever. Then I would go back to the room, probably eat nap, wake up at about three.'cause normally we play at seven, but it. Fluctuates between the girls' games.'cause sometimes they get the late game. Sometimes we get the early game. Okay, so I wake up at three no matter what. Then I go down, eat more, go back to Korea, do whatever I gotta do, cupping, icing, whatever. And then watch the girls' game if they play before us. And then we go to our locker room at halftime or we're playing at the five o'clock game, hit the locker room about four o'clock, shoot around until games up.

Coach Matthew:

Simple. Yep, simple. Nothing much to it. Much to it. So do you have a go-to, like playlist you listen to before the game? Drake just straight Drake?

Cam Wilkes:

It is just Drake. Like I got a Drake playlist and it's just Drake. You just shuffle it and I got every song down to the T.

Coach Matthew:

You can just recite it like

Cam Wilkes:

that's it. That's it. Yeah. Yeah. Just straight.

Coach Matthew:

Is it? Just put you in that zen mode?

Cam Wilkes:

Yeah, it just locks me in 'cause obviously I don't wanna listen to the, the hard rap. Because then that could like Meek Mill or something. Meek Mill. I can get down with a little, a couple songs with him. Okay. But I'm saying like the, like you know the young people who are rapping now, what they talk about. I think that can wander your mind off a little bit. Yeah. So I think Drake keeps a steady flow. He just keeps you mellow.

Coach Matthew:

He talks about real stuff. He talks

Cam Wilkes:

about real life. Yeah.

Coach Matthew:

Really. Yeah. Yeah. So I think Drake is my go-to guy always. So how do you feel like athletes build resilience after tough losses or setbacks?

Cam Wilkes:

I think knowing that you're going to play again is a big thing. Obviously not, you're not gonna have a good game every game. Yeah.

Coach Matthew:

It's

Cam Wilkes:

quite literally impossible. Even the best players in the world don't have good games every game. So I think getting back into the gym, getting the right treatment after the games is always good. Try to keep the same after game rituals going. Yeah. Or whatever. So I think. Knowing you're gonna play a game is a big thing.

Coach Matthew:

So you talk about treatment a lot. Have you always been big into recovering and treatment?

Cam Wilkes:

I really haven't, I really didn't have access to that as much in high school as I do now Uhhuh. So like typically I try to get in with her every day if I can. If I got say a slight bruise or something's gonna get on it, something's good and try to help it. So I think just trying to treat everything properly is the best way.

Coach Matthew:

Do you feel like you've seen a boost in your performance just from using treatment?

Cam Wilkes:

I have a hundred percent. The coming factor. I really don't know what it does. But I enjoy it. It's good to me. Yeah, it fixes me up somehow, but the KT tape aspect helps also. Obviously, I'm, I've always had bad angles, so whatever she does in my ankles, it's been, it works, so it,

Coach Matthew:

Hey, that's good. Have you had any moments where you've had a setback, like an injury or like you've been out for a couple games?

Cam Wilkes:

No, I didn't sit out. Of course I was supposed to sit out a game. Yeah. Yeah. I'm not sitting out any games, any practices, I try to just push through it or whatever.'cause off seasons when you rest, in my opinion. So my hand, currently I have a broken bone in my hand. So you just take the fingers up? Yeah, pack the hand up and play.

Coach Matthew:

Which? My shooting hand. My pinky. Your pinky? Yeah. How did that happen?

Cam Wilkes:

We were playing Montgomery, the number 12 team ranked in the country at the time. Yeah, we beat him by 20. I would say it was like the fourth, not fourth quarter, second half, probably two minutes left. I swiped down at the ball and I don't know what I did to it, but like I, I just thought it was jammed. Yeah. At the point. But after the game, I was like, something ain't right with my hand. So I got a x-ray later that night. Slight fracture in my finger, in my hand. It's not even in my finger. It's in my hand. Oh. It's tough. There's not really

Coach Matthew:

Oh, so it's in one of the meta card? Yeah, exactly.

Cam Wilkes:

It's right here. Yeah. Yeah, it's right there. And then sometimes it like shocks my whole hand. So so your hand will go down. I'm constantly doing this on the court, trying to get the feeling back. So I would say that's a setback, but there's nothing to complain about.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. I still did my thing. You didn't let it stop you. You just like Absolutely not the mind over matter, honestly. Exactly. So what role do, does self-talk and internal dialogue play in your performance?

Cam Wilkes:

I'm always talking to myself on the court. Constantly trying to put myself in that at peace stage. Talking to myself just like you're good. Like what? What sort of stress about, you're on the court, you're doing what you love. Yeah. There's nothing to be worried about. The outside world is what's going on the outside, being

Coach Matthew:

present kind of thing. So what do you feel like, what words or what phrases do you use the most to. Get yourself, let's say you've missed a couple shots in a row, or get yourself back.

Cam Wilkes:

Keep shooting. I try to think of other games in the past where I've had rough starts. Turned it around, how the, I want to, yeah. Garrett, we played Garrett in the first round of the Regent 20 playoffs and I got a foul, triple quick, never been a foul triple the whole year, had three quick fouls in the first half. I was down at halftime, but I knew I had to do something Yeah. That we wanted to do in this game. So I came back out at 25 in the second half. Kind of just

Coach Matthew:

brought myself

Cam Wilkes:

to peace.

Coach Matthew:

So you pretty much, like you brought yourself, you brought a past good experience to the present. Exactly. To just remove the cloud so that you could just focus

Cam Wilkes:

Exactly. That's exactly what I do. Try to, even if it, even if I'm thinking about a high school game. A high school moment. Think about that. Try to. Block all the bad clouds I, you would say, and just play basketball.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. So have you always been somebody to do that or did you learn that from like a mentor or a coach?

Cam Wilkes:

I learned that going into high school,'cause when it was. Not going into high school, going into college.'cause when I was in high school, I was always in that flow stage. Oh, I'm playing, all my friends are watching me. Yeah. The kids I see every day. Yeah. When it comes to college, I don't know these kids really? Yeah. It's just whoever comes, people in the community. I don't have a really, I don't have a relationship with the people in the community there. Yeah. As much as I do here. So I'd say it started going into college and I talked to my therapist and self-talk was a big.

Coach Matthew:

Big thing and it's working out. I think he ended up averaging what, like 24 this season? 2.4 points a game. Yep. Yeah, it was solid. Plus he had I think, what, six rebounds? Couple of sis.

Cam Wilkes:

Yep. Six rebounds, four sis. Yeah.

Coach Matthew:

So how do athletes manage the highs and lows of competition without losing focus?

Cam Wilkes:

That's a, how do you think the highs and lows trying to always think as. Trying to think as highly as possible every time. Trying not to think of the lows is a big thing. Trying to just keep the high, what's the word I'm looking for?

Coach Matthew:

Highs in focus.

Cam Wilkes:

Yeah, highs in focus. Trying not to bring yourself down constantly. So I would say that, I

Coach Matthew:

guess so like focusing. Emphasizing the highs while still keeping,

Cam Wilkes:

realizing the lows are there. But yeah, trying to just manage it. Yeah.

Coach Matthew:

And

Cam Wilkes:

just keep thinking of the highs.'cause then eventually the lows are just gonna disappear.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. So yeah. Yeah just putting your focus on the highs, like acknowledging that the lows are there, but those aren't what define you. It's the high moments. Exactly. So that's good. What are some mental habits that separate the best athletes from the rest?

Cam Wilkes:

I'd say, talk to somebody. I keep praising that. But talking to somebody, keeping your mind right is obviously the best thing you can do for yourself. Sinking yourself in bad thoughts every day, constantly. It's gonna sink you in a hole. Yeah. It's gonna be hard to come out, but eventually you're gonna come out the hole and it's gonna be good. At the end of the day, it's life.

Coach Matthew:

So you think like having a mentor, like a personal life coach is a really big thing? I

Cam Wilkes:

think that's a big thing. And I'm gonna continue to try to preach that whenever the time comes, I'm gonna always try to have a therapist on hand. If I need one. Always talk to somebody when I need to talk to somebody. Yeah.

Coach Matthew:

That's, Hey, that's good. So what are some common mental challenges that athletes face throughout their career?

Cam Wilkes:

Falling outta love with the sport is a big thing. I know a lot of people maybe it comes to the coaching staff. Like maybe the coaches aren't playing as much as you should be playing, aren't treating you equally as other players. So I think coaching is a big thing that they can try to take, take the love out of the game for you at the end of the day.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. Have you ever had moments where you fell outta love with the game or any sport that you played?

Cam Wilkes:

I wouldn't say. Maybe for the day, not not, it's not something I pondered on the whole time, maybe for a day or so. Do I really want to do this today kind of thing. So I would say like sometimes practices aren't as serious as they should be. Yeah. Like we're joking around coming in late. Obviously you shouldn't do that. Yeah. Like I think your coaches need to tell you like, yo be here on time or. You're gonna run. Yeah. Like you can't just come in 20 minutes late on your phone in slides. Yeah. Not ready to practice. It's practice. We got the court for two hours, let's get it done. Get out.

Coach Matthew:

So one of those, so you've only really had moments where it's I'm not trying to be here today, I'm a show of anyway.

Cam Wilkes:

Exactly. Yeah.'cause the team needs you at the end of the day. So like in at Potomac State, we had 10, roughly 10, 11 players. Mainly the whole year due to people quitting, flunking off, whatever the situation may be. So you have to be a practice or you're uneven. You got coaches running up and down with you and you don't wanna play coach. It just don't make no sense. You're not playing them in the game.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. So I think getting the good repetition is a big thing. How do you feel like, what was the biggest difference you saw between high school and JUCO practice wise? I know your practices were a little bit different because I knew you with the hedges will, so I know practices, the hedges were different from juco, but what's practice wise? Atmosphere wise?

Cam Wilkes:

Practice wise, hedges will, oof. Practices at hedges bill are intense. Yeah. Always. Yeah. Always. If he, even if it's when it comes down to the sticks, six people on the court, they got sticks, so they're now seven feet tall. Yeah. The hedges will practices shaped me to be who I am. Yeah. Going into the college practices and the college atmosphere. So yeah, I'd say hedges, will's practices are intense and fun. And

Coach Matthew:

fun. So what was, so what's your college experience of practice been?

Cam Wilkes:

It's more kind of laid back. It's not as intense as hedges though. Sometimes you get those intense things like, yeah, when we're scrimmaging we're like, oh yeah, we're scrim. Let's go, blah, blah, blah. But when it comes to the small things like boxing out Yeah. Coach church emphasizes boxing out. Yeah. Yeah. You put the thing on the rim. Yeah. You put the bubble, the ball goes anywhere. Yeah. When it comes to college, it's dang, we gotta box out today. Like we really gotta do this right now. Yeah. Obviously I'm the one like, yeah, like we gotta box out. Yeah. We're not getting rebounds. Yeah, they're averaging eight

Coach Matthew:

to 10 offensive rebounds a game. Like we gotta box out. Yeah. So with Coach Church's probably, you might box out for an hour and a half, you still got another the whole time. Yeah. But it ends up working out in the end. At the end of the day, it always works out, so you can't even be mad at 'em. So what are some, how do you feel like athletes navigate self-doubt and. Stay mentally strong under pressure? No.

Cam Wilkes:

As long as you have a good support system. I can only speak from that because I have a good support system. I think if you have a good support system it's big cousin. They're like the ones like, you're good. Say you got crowd crowds talking to you whatever. Yeah. You got your parents in the section like, like you just give 'em the look and they know yeah, you're good. Just lock in. You're good. Don't worry

Coach Matthew:

about the outside people just. Focus. So what experiences with external pressure have you dealt with, like on the court, off the court? Social media. Zina is a big one.

Cam Wilkes:

Yeah. When it comes to high school student sections were on me. Yeah. Because I was Yeah, you're the guy. Yeah, exactly. I was the main guy. And, I'm walking into the, to the games. This is, we're not even on the court yet. I'm, they're like, just chirping, blah, blah, blah, whatever they may say.

Coach Matthew:

I'm not gonna say too much on that. Yeah. But. Whatever they may say. Just trying to stay focused. I know it's a little bit harder for you 'cause you transfer schools so then that creates even more. Exactly. When we play Martinsburg, it's, yeah. Ease a trade or whatever the situation may be. Yeah. So it's tough, but that's what comes with the sport. Yeah. That's what you signed up for at the end of the day. Yeah, that's what you signed up for. Has there ever been moments where you were like, like it got to you, but you like just pushed it away?

Cam Wilkes:

I'm trying to think of a game. Spring Mills is, was always a tough spot to play at. For some reason. Something's wrong with those hoops out there. It's spring mills. The ball doesn't go in the hoop sometimes and there's nothing you can do about it. So I say Spring Mills gets to me the most 'cause I'm like, 'cause I go into the game jump ball on face guard. Yeah. There's No breathing room or rip. Yeah. So it's like trying to just

Coach Matthew:

just breathe in a way. And just. Hopefully things pan out. Plus they have their ESPN thing too. Yeah. I think they went away from it recently, but yeah, they're all decked out in their suits and ties. They're screaming at you screaming, but just the

Cam Wilkes:

whole game. I don't know how they have that much image, but they got it. Kudos to them.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. Are they the ones that they had a cut outta your face, didn't they? That was Musclemen. Musclemen, okay. Musclemen got me with that one. But that's an honor though, isn't it? Depending on how you wanna put it.

Cam Wilkes:

Yeah. In a way, at the, when we played Muscle Men, I wanna say it was our second year, my, so my senior year to go to the state tournament, I think it was.'cause we did beat Spring those. And then we played, yeah. So we played Muscle Men and I took a picture with the guys at the end of the game. Yeah. So I was like, it's a cool thing, like at the end of day we're gonna be cool. People like,

Coach Matthew:

yeah, y'all don't hate me, y'all just hate me 'cause I'm on other teams. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So how can ath athletes recognize and reframe thoughts that might be limiting their potential?

Cam Wilkes:

Say that again?

Coach Matthew:

How do athletes recognize and reframe thoughts that might be limiting their potential?

Cam Wilkes:

I'd still say thinking about the highs and limiting the lows at the end of the day, it's gonna be, it's gonna be tough. Every year's not gonna be perfect.

Coach Matthew:

You just gotta push through. And just if you're a shooter, keep shooting, like the ball's gonna go in eventually. Yeah. It's not that game. It's gonna be the next game. You just keep shooting at the end of the day yeah. Have there ever been like moments where you've been cycling through bunch, like negative thought after negative thought and then you recognized it and reframed it?

Cam Wilkes:

Yeah, I'd say like when I'm playing bad, obviously the negative thoughts are gonna come up more and more. So I think. Say I'm missing shots constantly. If I get to the hoop, get a layup, get a foul, get free throws and the ball, I see the ball go in the hoop. I'm like okay. It's the ball can go in the hoop. Yeah. So how is it gonna start going in the hoop? And I think just just trying to go back to your practice. Go back to what you're good at and just focusing.

Coach Matthew:

So what are some of the biggest mindset shifts that lead to long-term success in sports? Best. Say that again. What are some of the biggest mindset shifts that lead to long-term success in sports?

Cam Wilkes:

Knowing your full potential. If you put in the work off the court, it's gonna translate on the court. If you don't do certain things, if you don't shoot the ball when you try to go in the game and shoot, it's not like it's just not gonna work. There's just no way. So I think refraining back to practice, refrain, thinking about what you do off the court. In your sport is a big thing. So I think, yeah. Yeah, I'd say that.

Coach Matthew:

And how do you, and how do you keep other people's limitations separate from what you know to be true for yourself? Meaning. So a lot of times we have hear outside noise like, Hey, he can only do this. He can only do that. He can't do that. How do you separate yourself from what is there? They think of me. Yeah. And, recognize what you're capable of.

Cam Wilkes:

Show them all I can do, sometimes some teams force me, for some reason I'm right handed. Yeah. Know. They know I like to go left more. Yeah. I like to use my left hand as much as possible. Yeah. So I think showing them that I can wonder will pull up to the right. Yeah. Off the rip. Like you can't force me one way now.'cause I feel good now. Like the ball's gonna go in the hoop. Yeah. I continue to do this all game. So I think showing them your whole arsenal in a way Yeah. Is big and

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. Yeah. And what are some key habits or strategies athletes use to build confidence and build resilience?

Cam Wilkes:

Confidence comes from maybe at home, like your parents just pushing you constantly. Telling you, not even telling you're good in a way, but like telling you, tell them, telling you your potential. Yeah, you can be this good if you just work. You just have to continue working. You're gonna be great one day and whatever you do, whether that's real estate, yeah, it's just go do what you want to do what you love, and we're gonna continue to push you to be the best.

Coach Matthew:

I, and so how do you feel like you keep your, or athlete, we keep their worth or their value separate from what it is that they're achieving? Say that again? How do athletes keep their worth and their value separate from what it is that they're achieving? I dunno how to answer that question. So one thing that I've recognized is that we tend to base if we're good enough or not off of what it is that we're doing instead of just who we are. So how do you feel an athlete? We keep that separate.

Cam Wilkes:

So I think going back to the practice thing I think just constantly drilling yourself, knowing you put in the work. Constantly telling yourself, like you, you do this every day. Say you miss a Leia, you make a hundred layers a day. Two oh layers a day. Like it's gonna go in. It was just a say, bad spin on the ball. Yeah. Cont contest. Like things happen. The ball's not always gonna find its way in the hoop. You just gotta reframe back to your work and it's gonna, it's gonna turn

Coach Matthew:

around. So just remembering who you are, just remembering who you are. Like Yeah. Recognizing that I missed that one layup, but what about the 3000 I've made that got me to this point exactly. Or I missed two three. Two threes in a row. What about the 5,000 that got me the school record or something like that. So what are, how do you feel like an athlete's belief system shapes their ability to perform on the court?

Cam Wilkes:

And are we saying. Spiritual innocence?

Coach Matthew:

No, not in religion sense and so like a belief system is something, it's everything you tell yourself, everything you tell yourself repeatedly until eventually it becomes either just like a belief where you, it's where you do whatever, that's where you act from. Or it's like a conviction where it's no, that's who you are.

Cam Wilkes:

I think drilling yourself with saying you're good over and over. Telling yourself you're good. You're gonna turn out to be good. Yeah. If you let yourself get to the negative thoughts and say. How long am I gonna be in this mindset? How long am I gonna be here? How long am I gonna be on this low? Like I think just telling yourself like you're always, you're gonna be good at the end of the day, you're gonna go to sleep,

Coach Matthew:

you're gonna wake up. Like it's just, yeah, it's just telling yourself you're good every day. So just focus or. Putting your energy where you or your, where your focus goes, your energy will flow. Exactly. So just putting all your focus towards the positives that way, that's all you're focusing on. It's trying to limit the negatives. You're gonna have negatives in life. It's life. It's yeah, it happens. So how do athletes especially, so you for example, balance your sport with your personal life outside out and your identity outside of competition. That's hard.'cause I think I'm known as a basketball player. Yeah.

Cam Wilkes:

People know me as a basketball player. Say I go to the Commons and Yeah. Yo, is that Campbells from Ville? Yeah. Yeah. Like they know me as a basketball player and which I'm more than a basketball player. Yeah. Know me. But sometimes you just got to yeah, I'm a basketball player. That's me. Yeah. That's my life. Yeah. Yeah. That's what I want to do with my life. That's the plan is to be a basketball player as long as I can. So it's hard, but you just gotta deal with it. It's hard to say, but you gotta deal with it.

Coach Matthew:

You're ready to feel like a king. Feel like a queen and wear that crown. Go copy your kingdom merch. We got gym tank tops, t-shirts, got sweatshirts. All that you can personalize and make them about you. You can put your name on it, your initials favorite Bible verse, something that means something to you so that you can truly. We're the crown. I appreciate you guys. Yeah. So how do you feel like you're able to emphasize and not necessarily prove, but just put an emphasis on Hey, I'm more than just the person you see out there on the court.

Cam Wilkes:

It's hard to do if somebody really doesn't know me as well, other than just seeing me on the court. But like my friends, like I'm more than a basketball player. I like going outdoors. I like staying out, keeping my mind going, as I said. Like just constantly doing things. Like I'm texting my friends constantly yo, what you trying to do? Yeah, let's get out the house. I'm not trying to be in here all day. I can't, I like playing games.

Coach Matthew:

It's more than just basketball. It's more than just basketball. But I coach now with Do you really? I do. I coach at South, no Hustle. He has a whole program now.

Cam Wilkes:

Somehow he started up quick. Hey, that's cool. Let's go here. So I'll end up taking over the 15 U team midway through the summer. So I think basketball's always gonna be me. Like I'm, yeah, it's gonna be me basketball, but. So I think, yeah, it's hard 'cause basketball's my life, so it's like I'm fine with being yo, is that cam, the basketball player? Yeah.

Coach Matthew:

I'm cool with that. Do you ever see yourself stepping away from the game or you just, that'll always be your focus. It'll always be a part of your life. I think

Cam Wilkes:

it'll always be a focus I want to coach after. If basketball doesn't work, say, God forbid I injure something. Tear you out. Yeah. You never know what happens. Yeah, I think I always wanna stay in the coaching basketball, whether

Coach Matthew:

that's even baseball, like in the sports world, I would say. So you wanna make an impact in sports like long term. Exactly. Could you ever see yourself being like on a media standpoint or just probably always some part of the coaching? I

Cam Wilkes:

mind a media stand. Like a broadcaster in a sense. Yeah. But I'd say coaching is more my. Because I know a lot yeah, my dad has drilled him. Like I've had great coaches in the past, coach church like I think coaching is the way if basketball, if the player aspect doesn't work out.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. So what's that kind of been like, I don't think you've gotten a little bit of an experience to coach. But what's your experience been, giving back to younger kids?

Cam Wilkes:

I think just seeing 'em happy.

Coach Matthew:

Like

Cam Wilkes:

just seeing'em smile, like they're trying to get out the house and just have fun like. We go to Orchard View every now and then, and we get the little kids. Nine news. So those are the kids who little crazy sometimes. Yeah. But it's fun. They're happy. As long as they're smiling. I'm happy. It that removes all my thoughts, like just helping other people, helping the little kids, showing them what I know.'cause I'm like, I'm not gonna say it's right, but I know some things. Yeah. Yeah. So I think just seeing them happy and. And that's the main

Coach Matthew:

thing, just seeing 'em smile. It just brightens my whole day up. And how do you separate the Hey, we gotta work hard. Hey, we gotta do this, but also maintain that fun aspect so they're not miserable while they're at practice.

Cam Wilkes:

We're talking about the little naive kids.

Coach Matthew:

Any of the kids? Any of the kids. Any kids. Yeah.

Cam Wilkes:

I like the nine U kids a lot. I don't know why, but they're just funny. Yeah, like things they

Coach Matthew:

say, they don't know what say they, they don't, yeah, they don't have a filter. They're just.

Cam Wilkes:

Just in a cloud. Just,

Coach Matthew:

yeah. So I think just

Cam Wilkes:

obviously they know when to work. Obviously they're gonna wander off sometimes look at mom and do whatever they may do. Yeah. So I think just telling'em, like constantly drilling it into 'em. We gotta come on right hand ballhouse. Left hand ball pound let's go like me, I'm constantly working with them, so I'm not just telling them like, alright, do right hand ball pounds. They're like, yeah. And then I'm constantly like with him going down the court the whole time. Come on, let's go. Eyes up. Eyes up. Holding numbers up. So it's it's good for me too.'cause it's given me the experience, the coaching the coaching feel, and I'm still working out. Yeah. So it's cool. It's all good.

Coach Matthew:

And have you, how do you feel like you've created like a positive, uplifting environment for them? One that helps them grow and doesn't feel like you're shrinking them in any way?

Cam Wilkes:

Constantly telling 'em like. You could be something one day. If you keep, if you want to be something in this sport, keep working, keep coming to practice, try to focus. They're not gonna focus 20. Yeah. They'll have their moments. They're gonna have their moments. So like just constantly telling them like Focus, let's go. Come on, you can do this. You're good. So I think just giving them positive feedback is big. Obviously you gotta throw a little negative in there 'cause you're not gonna tell 'em like,

Coach Matthew:

oh, you're gonna be the greatest ever. But

Cam Wilkes:

like just telling them like, you're good.

Coach Matthew:

Let's go. Has there been a moment that stood out to you the most where you've,

Cam Wilkes:

I'd say the first practice, I I wouldn't say I ran it, but like the first time I saw the kids, they were like, shoot half court, go shoot three. They can't get it up there. So yeah. So me and my dad are like the only ones who can get it up there. Yeah. So obviously they're gonna come to me 'cause they see

Coach Matthew:

the shirt. College. Yeah. Like how old are you? I'm like. Okay. I'll shoot a half court for you. So it's it's fun. Yeah. Like as long as they're happy. I'm good. So what impact do you feel like athletes have beyond their sport and how can you use your platform effectively?

Cam Wilkes:

Are we talking about in a social media

Coach Matthew:

way? It could be a social media aspect. It can just be like a social, like global aspect, I think

Cam Wilkes:

So are you talking about how basketball isn't their only thing in a way?

Coach Matthew:

So yeah. So like the impact you have, not only on the court, but how you impact off the court.

Cam Wilkes:

I think getting into the community is big. If you go to church, which I need to get back into, but if you go to church, like getting into the youth groups, Uhhuh constantly going when they have events or like even that's, even if it's going to the. Carnival. Like just get out. Yeah. Like you don't want your whole personality to be Yeah, I'm basketball, but sometimes it is what it is. That's me. I'm basketball.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. At the end of the day. So do you feel like you have a bigger influence because of your athletic platform?

Cam Wilkes:

I do, because some kids come up to me like, yo, Ken, can you work me out? Yeah. Can we go work out sometime? I'm like, yeah, get my contact. Boom boom. Like this summer I'm gonna be working kids out. So I think. It's a plus and a negative. Yeah. But I take it as the plus trying to limit the lows at the, so

Coach Matthew:

Yeah, for sure. So how do athletes, I don't think you have any plan of slowing down anytime soon, but how do you feel like athletes prepare for life after sports and what challenges do you feel like will come with that transition?

Cam Wilkes:

I think knowing I think waking up, knowing you don't have practice the next day, it's like a summer thing. So like me waking up like, dang, I ain't got no practice today. I gotta. I gotta go work out or something. Yeah. So I think life after basketball is gonna be tough, but I think I'm always gonna be in the atmosphere. And I'm always gonna be like a coach or a broadcaster, like I said. So I think just, it's gonna be hard. It's gonna be, I don't, it's gonna be hard.

Coach Matthew:

It's gonna be hard. What can you do? So what do you feel like your purpose is? Probably through the, your tool's, probably basketball, but what do you feel like your purpose would be to ignite and not feel like you're missing that piece of you after playing sports?

Cam Wilkes:

Just constantly being around it. Like obviously everybody wants children. Bringing up your children in a sports world, showing them what you do. I think constantly having like old clips of you is gonna be a big thing. So I think just constantly reminding yourself like. Yeah, like you play basketball, but it's over. You gotta deal with it because when you get old, you're not gonna be able to play basketball no more. Like it's gonna be hard, like when you get to the upper age of 60 whatever, it's gonna be hard to play basketball. So I think just remembering it's the memories. Yeah. You're building memories. That's what life is. You build memories

Coach Matthew:

I know there's some of those, like I think Shaq just dunked the other day. Yeah. See so, and he's almost 60. Yeah. He's doing solid though. Yeah. So for you, beyond just winning championships, what does long-term success look like for you?

Cam Wilkes:

Just building the best body and mind for yourself. Like championships, it's a medal. Yeah, there's another season, there's gonna be another champion. So I think just building the best you is a big thing. Whether that's. The mental aspect or the body aspect. So I think constantly taking care of yourself is big.

Coach Matthew:

So finally like putting an emphasis on your personal growth outside of your achievements. Yeah.

Cam Wilkes:

Obviously enjoy the achievements. Yeah. So if you win a champion, yeah. Go have fun. Yeah. But when the next season starts, like that's out the door yeah, yes, y'all are the champions, but there's gonna be a new champion. Or if y'all do it again, congrats. Yeah. There's another season. Yeah.

Coach Matthew:

How do you feel like you've put an emphasis on growth? Or how do you feel? Feel like somebody could put an emphasis on growing over just striving for achievements. Say that again. How do you feel like somebody would emphasize growth over the destination? So eliminating, not focusing so much on. The ultimate destination or achievements, but focusing on the growth throughout the process. Yeah, I think

Cam Wilkes:

the small things are what is going to, if you want to win the championship, you have to do the little things. Like whether that's boxing out every day in practice, not every day in practice, but yeah. Defenses lies, like those are little things you have to do to win championships, so you have to preach the little things.'cause they're big things at the end. At the end of the day, they're huge things. Preaching the small things will get you to your ultimate goal.

Coach Matthew:

Is there a moment for you personally where you either an aha moment or you're just like, you know what, I've came a long way, or I've grown a lot?

Cam Wilkes:

Yeah. I think realizing, like I just finished, I'm finishing my two years at college. Yeah, I went into college like, oh my gosh, what do I do? Like I don't know what's going, I just finished two years of college, first person in my family to do it. So I think it's something to be proud of and I'm gonna enjoy it. My

Coach Matthew:

family's gonna be happy for me, my mom, dad. Yeah. Yeah. So I think just, yeah. Yeah. Because you have your associate's degree, right? I

Cam Wilkes:

will,

Coach Matthew:

yeah.

Cam Wilkes:

Okay. I'm going to another school and

Coach Matthew:

we're back at it starting all over. So now, last time I talked to you, I know you had I think two or three offers, division two. Yep. What are you looking for in a school?

Cam Wilkes:

Just a family atmosphere. Something like I feel comfortable in, like that's a big thing. Like when I went to Kaiser, I didn't visit Kaiser, so it was new like yeah, the first day was like, dang, like this is a lot. Not even a lot, but yeah. So now going to a D two school, like I think just a comfort thing is gonna be big. Obviously all offers are gonna be different, so whichever's the best one at the end of the day is gonna ultimately where I'm going. So I think just as long as I'm comfortable there, knowing my family supports it, I'll be good.

Coach Matthew:

And is there like a distance that you're comfortable with, uncomfortable with? No

Cam Wilkes:

I'm cool. I'm pretty much cool with going anywhere. Obviously I don't wanna be on the west coast. That's a little too far. Like I don't wanna have to fly back home. Like I drivable distance, like I think six, seven hours is cool. That's drivable for me. So I'd say six, seven hours is probably my range. So I'm cool with that. Yeah. Nothing goes, I don't.

Coach Matthew:

Nothing on the West Coast? Nah,

Cam Wilkes:

not, nah, not yet. Not

Coach Matthew:

yet. Have you ever been to the West Coast? No,

Cam Wilkes:

I have not. Farthest I've known was Florida, and that was with Hedges,

Coach Matthew:

so Oh, your senior year, right? Yeah. Yeah. So did you ever get, you played a U before, right? I did. So where was your favorite place to travel? In A-A-U-A-A-U.

Cam Wilkes:

I'd say Pittsburgh. Like I really didn't go far. I really wasn't a big. Like I didn't really care for the EYBL things or the going way out there to try to get noticed or whatever. Yeah. Because I knew where I was going at the end of the day. So I think just getting out there, I'd say Pittsburgh, Baltimore, maybe the farthest I went, so

Coach Matthew:

I was like, no more than like maybe two and a half, three hours. Yeah. No

Cam Wilkes:

more than two and a half hours.'cause then that's my parents having to drive all that way and more money.

Coach Matthew:

That I got you. You know where I'm going. So how do athletes define their legacy and what do you personally wanna be remembered for?

Cam Wilkes:

As a good person, that's what the whole thing is. I just think being a good person, being a big person in the community, whether that's going out, showing your face wherever that may be. If you see somebody in public. Saying What's up? Like you good? How you been? I think that's a big thing. Just being a good person is the main thing I strive to be at the end of the day.'cause basketball is gonna end. So I think just being a good person is always the best option.

Coach Matthew:

And how do you, 'cause with basketball, sometimes you have that kind like coach church has this persona on the court and persona off the court. How do you keep that persona, that cam persona off on the court separate from your off the court personality?

Cam Wilkes:

I think it's the same. I'm all. I hate to say it, but I am cocky. I'm a cocky person. So I think me off the court and me on the court is similar in a way. So I think it's just me like, yeah, I can't really change the cockiness in me. I wouldn't say cocky. It's confidence. Yeah. So I think just, I'm just confident in everything I do. Like whether that's, say I try new jobs, say I'm. Welding I'm gonna think I can do this, I can do this. Yeah, like this is gonna get done somehow, some way it's gonna get done. Yeah. And that's just confidence in my opinion.

Coach Matthew:

I don't portray that as cocky. Cockiness is more I just, I think I'm better than you. I think I'm, I think I have more value than you, yeah. I don't think there's anything wrong with being like, no, I can do this. I know who I am. I'm more than capable of doing this. That's what I do. But on the

Cam Wilkes:

court, I would say I have a more cocky

Coach Matthew:

behavior. Yeah. So I

Cam Wilkes:

think confidence off the court, cocky on the court. Yeah, like when I'm on the car I'm like, okay, you can't guard me like this is done. Yeah. So yeah, I'd say it's cocky on the court, confidence off the court,

Coach Matthew:

and even on the court, I wouldn't even say that. It's so much cocky. It's just like you just know that you're better than him. Exactly. This is the work. Like I don't need to, I don't need to prove to you though I'm better. I just know that I am like I do this. Yeah. So we about to see. Yeah. So for the next generation of athletes, maybe even your nine U kids what advice would you give to those athletes that are striving for maybe playing college or wanna play overseas? Playing professional

Cam Wilkes:

working it's not gonna stop. Like people are gonna get up every day. If you don't work one day, somebody else is working, like somebody else is gonna be constantly working. So you need to get up every day, put in the work, whether that's running. Do something

Coach Matthew:

athletic every day.

Cam Wilkes:

In my opinion.

Coach Matthew:

How do they, how do you feel like you'll be able to balance that everyday thing? I always preach exercise every day. Yeah. Even if it's only 45 minutes. Exactly. Do moves, moves something

Cam Wilkes:

every day. Moves something every day. Like it don't lay in the bed all day. Yeah. Obviously I've str sometimes, you gotta rest. You have those days. Yeah. Like you have those days, but the next day make sure you're going hard to make up for that rest day. You need to Yes. You need to exercise every day. In my opinion. You Yes. Keep reaching that.

Coach Matthew:

Do you have a streak of exercises?

Cam Wilkes:

Yeah, I have a lifting plan or whatever I run, so I can do what I gotta

Coach Matthew:

do. Like when was the last time you took a day off from exercising?

Cam Wilkes:

Sunday? I normally take Sunday's, normally the off day. Okay. Like I still try to do something like, yeah, even if it's 50 pushups, 50 set up, like just do something. I don't deem pushups as a exercise constantly every day, so I deem that as my rest day. I just think doing something small is

Coach Matthew:

cool. Yeah. I mean I feel like pushups, I mean I do it for my live pushups are big. Yeah. I don't think people realize how big pushups are and you can do different variations of pushups.

Cam Wilkes:

Yeah. You can do wide diamonds.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. There's a whole lot. And if you want to grow your chest or get, just get some chest definition. Do pushups. Exactly. Do pushups.

Cam Wilkes:

Exactly. And I think me doing pushups every day, that's the chest thing.

Coach Matthew:

Plus the bench, the two the killing your bench two times a week. So I get it. Yeah. Yeah. All right. That's all the time we have guys. Cam, you wanna say anything to the kingdom before we head out? I appreciate you for having me here. Thank you. So guys, this has been episode seven, Royal Vision Podcast. Cam Wilkes, coach Matthew, peace out. Love you guys.