Transforming Struggles into Strength | Tank Giles' Journey

Tank Giles, a Daytona Beach native, shares how sports helped him navigate a challenging childhood, including family violence that led to being taken from his parents twice and periods living with a football coach and later with his sister. He explains earning the nickname “Tank,” excelling in football, missing a Division I opportunity due to credits, taking a gap year, then moving to Arizona in 2012 to play at Mesa Community College, where an ankle injury ended his playing career and led to a dark period. Tank describes finding purpose coaching at Athletes in Training, eventually becoming owner after serving as YMCA sports director and returning during COVID, and outlines AIT’s recess and after-school multi-sport programs across 73 schools. He also discusses Humble Savage club basketball, Humble Cares nonprofit support for kids in need, leadership challenges, and his mission to teach hard work, discipline, respect, and character.

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:23

None of us get paid um just because we have the love for it. And it's not about money for us. We just want to give back to the next generation and help the next generation and making sure they have an outlet, just like we did.

SPEAKER_00 0:35

Hey there, welcome back to Above and Beyond where Excellence Meets Elevation. I'm your host, Jan Simon, and this season we're raising the bar, diving into the passion, purpose, and defining moments of leaders who don't just aim high, they live there. Big ideas, real stories. Let's get into it. Today's guest is Tank Giles, a Florida native whose journey brought him west to Arizona in 2012 to play collegiate football at Mesa Community College. But what started as a move for sports quickly became something much bigger. From early on, Tank poured himself into athletics and training, learning under the guidance of its previous leadership and building deep relationships with people who helped shape its foundation. Today, as owner, he's carrying the legacy forward while bringing fresh vision and innovation to the next generation of athletes. Tank is also a devoted husband, a father of four daughters, with a son on the way. Congratulations. A coach, mentor, and leader whose passion goes far beyond wins and losses. Whether through AIT, Humble Savage, Humble Cares, or coaching high school basketball, his mission is clear to help young people build confidence, discipline, character, and a belief in who they can become. Tank, welcome. Thank you. I really appreciate you coming on. I'm excited about this. You you've been a client of mine for a couple years. I kind of inherited you, but I don't know a ton other than the little bit we've talked. So I'm really excited about learning more about your story. Well, thank you for having me on. I really appreciate it. Yeah. So can I ask you where Tank comes from?

SPEAKER_03 2:12

Oh, yes.

SPEAKER_00 2:13

You're tank mechanic.

SPEAKER_04 2:15

Everybody always asks that question. So my real name is Lotharius. Okay. Which makes very difficult conversations. Yeah. Especially when I'm first meeting somebody saying my name is Lotharius, and then they remembering Lotharus. Yeah. So I go by tank. I got the name back in the day when I was one, two years old. Okay. Um just because you're a little fire plug. No, unfortunately, I had a big head. Oh. So they called me Tank Head. That was my nickname growing up, Tank Head, and I kind of just grew into it. Nice. Um, the tank, because it's with football, just my character and what I stand for, I am a tank. Nice. So it kind of stuck with me as well. There you go. It's easier to say than look at it.

SPEAKER_00 2:57

It's much easier. I I thought maybe you were like, you know, tank mechanic. Tank head. Tank head. Tank. There you go. So take me back. You grew up in Florida. Yes, sir. Where in Florida were you?

SPEAKER_04 3:10

So I'm originally from Daytona Beach, Florida. Okay. Yeah, it's kind of like 45 minutes away from Orlando. The popular Disney spot. Yeah. But yeah, Daytona Beach, Florida. Yeah, I love my city. I say that. I love my city.

SPEAKER_00 3:24

A little bit more humidity there than here. It's definitely hot. It's definitely hot. So what was what did growing up in Daytona, Florida look like to tank?

SPEAKER_04 3:34

I say it was challenging, but it was good. It was sweet times. It was bad times, just like anybody else's times. Life is a roller coaster. Brothers and sisters? I have actually five brothers. Oh wow. And I have five sisters. What? So I'm the baby boy. No kidding. Yes. You're the youngest. I'm the youngest. I'm the baby. Wow. So yes. So you're the youngest of 11? Yes. It was kind of rough in my household. No kidding. Love my brothers and sisters to death. You know, I mean, we all super close. We all stay in contact. But yes, uh, we kind of had each other back growing up, but yes.

SPEAKER_00 4:10

What what is what is the age difference in that? I mean, what's how old is your oldest?

SPEAKER_04 4:16

Uh my oldest is literally, he's 10 years older than me. So it trickles down. We actually have twins in the family as well, too. Okay, okay. So that's a little bit better.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 4:25

Yes. Your mom was. So my first, I say my first four, they're like nine months apart. Okay. And then the last four besides me, they're nine months apart as well, too. Wow. Yeah, and then yeah. Wow. Two years behind my sister. Oh my god. My older sister. But yeah. Holy cow. I'm sorry. I'm like in shock. It's fun though. Yeah, oh, absolutely. Level door moment. Yeah. You had a full basketball team plus the bench. Plus the bench, yes. And all us play sports. Um, that's I give my shout outs to my brothers. That's why I was able to play collegian football. Um I give it up for them. They they made me tough. They made me who I am today.

SPEAKER_00 5:05

That's awesome. Yes. That's awesome. Okay, so 11 brothers, or excuse me, five brothers, five sisters, and tank. Yes. And me. Tank. Um played sports. When did you start playing sports?

SPEAKER_04 5:17

I started playing sports at a very young age. Probably round four, to be honest. Um, competitively at five. Um, I was playing flag football at five, and I actually was playing on my older brother's team, which is three years older than me. I always kind of played up. That's that's why I said thanks to my brother. So once I played with kids my age, it was kind of fairly easy. Okay. Yeah, I was a young superstar, I can say. Was it was it always just football or did you play other sports? Uh, play football, play basketball, baseball, ran track. Okay. Um, yeah, it's kind of a sport. Did it all?

SPEAKER_00 5:47

Yeah, I did it all. Did you did you play instruments, music, sing?

SPEAKER_04 5:51

Um, no, no. My sisters are the singers. Okay. Um me, no, no, not so much. I got the name Tank, but I'm not a singer tank. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Unfortunately. Um I always wish I could sing though. Yeah. I can't sing. I can't play an instrument. That's one thing I do regret about growing up, yeah. Learning an instrument. I always think that's fascinating and cool tool to have in your I go back so I played saxophone in in high school.

SPEAKER_00 6:17

I played sports too. I was a very small town. She kind of did everything, right? Yeah. But uh my mom and my sister both, but my mom's a pianist and she's I mean, very, very good. My sister actually went to college to be a concert pianist, composer, whatever. And uh my mom started teaching me to play the piano when I was younger. I don't remember how old I was, probably eight, seven, nine, whatever. And all I wanted to do is go outside and play. Like I was like, no, I I you know, and I just I couldn't sit still, I never wanted to practice. And now I look back and think, I wish I would have learned how to play the piano. Yes, I mean I can pink you know little things out, but can't play. I actually played it, yes. Yeah. So um, all right, so so sports, tanqua sports. Yes, that was it. Um sports sports. Yeah, so at what point did you realize that you were excelling a little bit more, or was there one sport you accelerated more at?

SPEAKER_04 7:15

Um, it was definitely football. Okay. Um at a very young age, and I was definitely separating myself from the rest of the kids. Okay. Um even in high school, I was a very, very, very athletic kid. Um, especially for my height. As you see, I don't have a lot of height. Five's seven. But I always played like I was six five. Basketball, like that was my two main sports, football and basketball. But football was definitely the sport that I excelled at, and that was my ticket. That was my ticket out of Daytona Beach. Gotcha. Um, that was my ticket out of my circumstances that I was in, uh my family, um, and just growing up, yeah. I kind of it was kind of a traumatic childhood that I had. But, you know, sports kind of kept me grounded. Yeah. I mean, that was my getaway, sports. Um, and then my local rec center and just getting just that was my escape.

SPEAKER_00 8:04

Yeah. Yes. Yeah, you know, I think that's that's cool. And I think uh for a lot of kids, you know, I mean, we say idle hands is the devil's work, you know. So so sports I think is a good thing. Number one is the discipline, right? The the mindset that you need in order to excel in sports, but also the self-belief and self-promotion, I guess if you will, in some fashion. I mean, I'm I've never been a self-promoter, but that whole inner belief of being able to say that yeah, no, I'm better than that, you know, or making the choices of not going down the bad road, so to speak. So which is very easily. Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. And you know, pressure, teenage pressure is is a is is real.

SPEAKER_04 8:50

Especially especially in your senior year.

SPEAKER_00 8:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 8:52

As you start to realize, like, oh, my time is running out. Yeah, exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 8:58

So Daytona Florida were you born and raised in Daytona? Yes. I was born in um Daytona Beach and I was raised in Daytona Beach. And then you decided to come to Arizona?

SPEAKER_04 9:07

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 9:07

To play football.

SPEAKER_04 9:08

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 9:09

At Mesa Community College. That's correct. Okay, so walk me through that decision. Because that's I mean, I've heard of people going across country to play, you know, D1 or D two or whatever. But to come to a junior college across country, were you recruited?

SPEAKER_04 9:24

Um, yes, but just to give you a little backstory, um, out of high school I did have a couple of scholarships to go D1. Okay, but unfortunately I didn't have my credits in order. Um my transfer credits just because I switched schools my senior year to a different school and I didn't have my two foreign language classes. So unfortunately I couldn't go D1. Um wish that as a senior, like you said, the pressure. Um I thought I was a D1 athlete. Yeah. Couldn't tell me otherwise. So it kind of got to me that I couldn't go D1. Yeah. So I ended up not going to college at all, to be honest. I actually started working at a restaurant for a whole year. Because before I decided, I was like, yeah, this life is not for me. We just call that a gap year. Yep. So you know I took my nice little gap yeah, and then I was like, all right, uh, let me reach out to a couple schools and see what I can do. Um, one of my best friends, one of my close friends, Dominique, he was actually coming up to Arizona as well too. Okay. Um, he got recruited. So I sent the film to the coach as well too, and there you are. There we are.

SPEAKER_01 10:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 10:28

And he brought me up as well, too, and we both came together. What position? I got recruited as a cornerback. Oh, really? Okay. Everybody in my back back home, they know me as a running back. I was gonna say, I would have thought running backs. Yes, I mean I played running back all my life. Yeah. Um, I got recruited as a corner because my senior year, nope, my senior year, I broke my right hand. Oh the first game of the season, actually against my former team. Okay. Nice. Um, is that karma? I think it was karma. I think it was karma. Or somebody did it on purpose. Yeah, yeah, you're right. Go out, bust his hands.

SPEAKER_00 11:00

Exactly, exactly.

SPEAKER_04 11:01

I've never been in one of those situations ever. Exactly. So I so I end up switching positions. All right, I thought my senior year was over, actually, because you know, I mean, the next morning I woke up, my hands all swollen fat, and I end up tearing three bones in my hand.

SPEAKER_01 11:14

Wow.

SPEAKER_04 11:15

Yes. So they move me to corner, and I end up having six interceptions about the season and fifty fifty-four tackles, and yeah, and I end up making it too much.

SPEAKER_00 11:25

Do you think that was because having spent so much time in the backfield understanding what's going on back there, you could start seeing coverages or yes, that and I'm just be honest, I was just a competitor.

SPEAKER_04 11:37

Okay. And I was just, like I told you, I was just a step above everybody. Gotcha. Yes. Okay. So any position you put me at would have selled at. I say, because I mean 5'7, that's not very tall for a quarterback. No, it is not. So you gotta you gotta be quick. That's how that's how I got a lot of my interceptions though, because you know, quarterbacks or receivers, they see me over them, be like, oh, or we finna try him.

SPEAKER_01 11:57

Yeah, and we'll go over the top of that.

SPEAKER_04 11:59

Yes, and halfway through the season, yeah, they wouldn't try me anymore because they saw film, and you know the scouting report tells you a lot. Yeah. It was like, yeah, stay away from number 22. Yeah, you got a good vertical?

SPEAKER_00 12:10

Yes. Okay. Yes. Nah, yes. I got I I got you now. Yes, yes. Well, okay, so you come out here. I mean, we could go into high school, we could go about background. I don't know how far you want to dig into what trauma might have come from your childhood. What talk talk me through that because I think and and especially with what you do, and we'll get into that in a little bit, with al athletes in training, but I I mean you you're the youngest of eleven, right? So I would assume at this point, you know, I can only imagine because I've only had two kids, so I don't know, but I figure I was in the middle of three growing up. I would assume at that point your parents, it's like, yeah, whatever, go and let the brothers and sisters take care of you. Or were your parents involved? Or well, my parents was very involved at a very young age.

SPEAKER_04 12:59

Um I only grew up with seven. Okay. So it was seven of us that grew up. Oh, gotcha, okay. The rest of them is my dad's kids. Uh, grew up kind of separately. But we still still stayed in touch. Yeah, still my brothers and sisters. But my parents were very involved at a very young age. But I'll say around when I was like around 10, that's when the trauma begins. You know what I mean? Um parents were very involved. They used to come to the basketball games, football games, all of that. And then it kind of went downhill, um, as many relationships does nowadays, unfortunately. Yep. But yeah, nothing a child should never experience, but you know, experienced my my my mom and dad fighting all the time, like physically, verbally, to the point where we saw our parents kind of try to chill kill each other. Oh wow. Yeah. It happens right in front of our eyes. So that's that was the tr traumatic part um to make the state step in and actually take us from our parents. Wow. And the first time it happened, because it happened twice, the first time it happened, my football coach actually stepped up and took me in. Oh, nice. Me and my brother. Okay. Yes. My older siblings, they was already of age, so they was already at the house. Um, but my two sisters, they actually went and stayed with our pastors, okay, which was my best friend that I actually moved up here with. Okay. They went and stayed with them. Gotcha. Um, so I did split up. We did split up for a little bit. But my football coach, Coach Scott and Miss Pippi, I mean, they they was everything for me. That's great. They took me in, they had a son my age, Daniel. Um, and they did a lot for me. I actually learned a lot, you know what I mean? I learned how to surf. Um, we lived five minutes away from the beach, walking distance. Um, I went gator hunting and hunting. Yes, so I actually learned a lot of things, and it actually was like a cool experience besides the traumatic part. But like I told you, like my escape was sports. So as a kid, you know, you're oblivious to a lot of things. And at nine, ten years old, I was oblivious to uh what was going on. Yeah. Like I kind of really didn't know what was going on, but I kind of just got lost in sports and and just been in a good place. I was in a good place with my football coach, as I'm telling you, and like it was it was a good place. Yeah. Um but then I went back home. Um they had us for like a year and a half, two years. Um then I went back home. My parents did what they had to do to to get us back. And then unfortunately it happened again.

SPEAKER_01 15:23

Oh no.

SPEAKER_04 15:24

Yep. It happened again, and then we ended up getting taken again when I was around 13, um, 14, and that's when my sister actually stepped up. She was only 18 at the time, with a child already.

SPEAKER_01 15:36

Wow.

SPEAKER_04 15:37

And she took uh younger siblings in, all four of us. Which me, I was what, twelve, my sister was what, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, and then my sister was eighteen. So we lived in a two-bedroom apartment. Um, you know, we all four the four little ones had to share one room, and and that's what made us strong as a family. Yeah. The siblings well. Yeah. Um that made us super close because we was going through this hardship all together and it just was an unfortunate event, but you know, that what made us uh strong today. I I I like to say.

SPEAKER_00 16:11

What what do you think? I mean, you've said sports and obviously the relationship with your siblings, but you could have very easily gone down the path of getting into trouble. What do you think? I mean, was it was it just sports and the siblings? Your head just wasn't there. I mean, because I can only imagine the pressure as as a young teenager to to go that direction.

SPEAKER_04 16:33

I would say God put a lot of positive people in my life. Okay. Whether that's being a coach, whether that's being a family friend, or whether that's being just a role model. Um, because I also, like I told you, Coach Scott, Miss Pippi, they was in them in my life throughout my childhood. Same thing with Miss Pam and Mr. Eddie. Um, they was in my life as well, too, and helped me and guided me in the right way and and actually showed me what parents should look like and how they should treat a child. And so I had very positive people in my life, thank God. All all glory to him. Oh, for sure. He put very positive people in my life just to take care of me. Um positive coaches as well, my high school coaches, they was always there for me, always doing stuff for me, giving me rides, picking me up. Just I think the foundation of my community and just the people along the way, they really helped me get through the traumatic and just the stuff that I was going through at the time. Well, that's great. Yes. That's that's incredible. Without those folks, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I would probably have gone the wrong way. Yes, I would have definitely gone the wrong way. I even had a little, I'll share this with you as well, too, because yeah, I mean it's it's this is for the next generation as well, too. I always like to share my story, just uh show them like it's a way out of everything. Uh I had a little scare as well, too, uh, when I was younger. I went to Juvie. Okay. I went to Juvie for a little minute. I went to Juvie for like two weeks um over some stuff that we did that I shouldn't have did uh with my a couple of my football buddies, and they ended up dropping everything because it wasn't nothing huge. It was just teens being teens. Um but yes.

SPEAKER_00 18:42

Well, it but it's a learning, and maybe maybe one of those things that you know when you're presented with another opportunity to do something similar, you went, eh, yep. I don't want another two weeks in there.

SPEAKER_04 18:55

Like, nope, I can't live that lifestyle.

SPEAKER_00 18:57

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. So so you move out to Arizona, you go to J uh Mesa Community College for a while.

SPEAKER_04 19:04

How how long did you go to Mesa Community and Um I actually went to MCC for two years. Okay. And then I actually I got hurt, tore through ligaments in my ankle. Ooh, okay. Um, yep. Yep. So was that the end of the career at that point? That was kind of the end of the career. Okay. Okay. And then did you go on to finish college at that point or did you just say I transferred to ASU. Um, I took a couple classes, and then I kind of like just stated. I I I'm gonna be honest, after football, I kind of went through a dark, depressing time, and you know what I mean? Because I thought football was my ticket out. I didn't see any other thing that I could do or want to do.

SPEAKER_01 19:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 19:42

Um, that was kind of like I banked all my money on football. Yeah, it was like this is my opportunity, let me take advantage of it, and this is how I'm gonna feed my family.

SPEAKER_00 19:51

So I I think as a uh a younger person, and and I was the same. I mean, I I finished school because I thought that was what I was supposed to do. Yep. But it was it was really always about playing sports. I mean, I still to this day don't know what I want to do when I grow up, you know. Going through life, you know, gotta pay the bills, I just keep working. But uh, you know, it's it I think I think though as as a young person, it's it is hard, and I guess this is uh wisdom with age, maybe I guess, but looking back and realizing it's such a blip in your life, those years. Whether it's just high school, junior high, high school, getting into college and doing it in college, and maybe even going to pro level, it's I mean, it's all just a blip. There's there's very few and far between Tom Brady's who play for 30 years or whatever it was. You know, I mean most guys, most pro athletes are a couple years if they if they even get that, you know. And that's a blessing. Yeah, absolutely. And and it's you know, to be able to I and I don't know you know how you change that. I think it be i i it comes down to coaches being in a position to be able to go, okay, I'm going to develop these players, but I'm also going to develop these young men and women to understand that this is this much time in your life. Enjoy it. Do it hard.

SPEAKER_04 21:15

Exactly. To be honest, even as a young athlete, because my coaches try to tell us that, but you know, it goes. No, no. You're like, no, bro, I'm going to the NFL. Exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 21:24

What are you talking about? It's the dumbing numbers. So you're saying there's a chance. It's like one in a million. There's that's the one. I'm the one. I'm the one. I will be there. Yeah. So you come to MCC, you go for a couple years, you try ASU, you're like, yeah, I'm done. Yep. What happened?

SPEAKER_04 21:44

Well, in the process of all of that, once I got hurt, I kind of realized like, this ain't I'm not playing football for the rest of my life. This is kind of over for me. What's next? So I started working. I actually my first job was AIT. Athletes. No kidding. Yes, it was. Okay. I did not realize that. Yep, that was my first job in college. So I was still a college student and working at um AIT as well, too. Okay. Um, and that's when Kendra, she kind of noticed me just because I was catching the bus. I didn't have a car. Okay. Um, but she didn't notice at first. Um, she didn't find out till like a couple months of me working. I was walking to the schools, I was getting out. But I was always a great coach. I was always excited, you know what I mean, just enthusiastic and just give just ready to give back to the next generation. Like I couldn't play no more, but at least I can have fun with this. Yes. I can help the next kid get there. Yeah. So I enjoyed it. I had fun with it. And yeah, that's my first job, man. Nice. When did you meet your wife? Um, I met my wife actually within AIT. Oh, really? AIT did a lot for me. Nice. There's no reason to leave.

SPEAKER_03 22:49

Ever. Exactly.

SPEAKER_04 22:51

Um, I actually met her through AIT. Um, she was a she was babysitting. her her um cousin o which was one of our camp kids okay um so she was picking him up from camp um but i really never said anything to her and you saw her and you're like yes um but i never i never really said anything to her but besides hey i mean uh then fast forward like three years after that i was still coaching him but he was on my basketball team now okay um and then she used to I used to also train him as well she used to bring him to training and then one day that was her ticket she was using him she was she was she was and then one day I I built up the courage yeah you know what I'm saying to approach her and ask for her number yeah and she had the audacity to say why really yes she hit me I said because someday I'm gonna need a doctor and you're the one I want she hit me one why to this day we still laugh about that because she was like I don't know why I said that why would you want my number let me think about this why do you think but I made up a lame excuse I was like so I can get in contact with you in case I need to yeah right yeah of course now you're using him too it was like the pawn in the relationship she called me off course I was all confident I was like finally built it up I was like asked for her number and then she said why like why wasn't expecting that it was a yes or no question throw in the why that's too funny so that's awesome that is awesome yeah it was it was it was it was pretty funny man yeah how long you guys been together now ten years no eleven years okay yes okay eleven years now was it first date within two months you decide to get married and you're done because you've spent two years building this up the courage up and man I'm gonna be honest um we we hung we it took us a while to hang out oh okay it actually took us like two months we were talking on the phone for like two months and then we finally hung out and then yeah after we hung out the rest was history I kind of I kind of told her she thought I was crazy. Yeah I'm I'm gonna sound crazy because yeah I told her that the first time we hung out no kidding yeah girl like you the one you gonna have my babies you got nice hips you got nice hips girl like girl it's it's me and you for the for the end of time that's awesome I had somebody else on the show that that basically did that too like he took a gal out and he and he's like on the way back or something he like looks at you and goes so yes or no it's like we're like damn dude that's awesome yeah we put a lot of pressure on him a lot of pressure off jump you got five minutes nope figure it out I'm not wasting any more time that's awesome now five kids here we go well there you go five kids so and you're you're she's pregnant with a boy yes how finally how do I ask this are you done after because now you've got your boy or are you going for you gonna go for the easy dozen man I'm trying to if that's me I'm trying to catch up to my parents I'm trying to have the 11 now no but all seriousness um I think we're done yeah but you never know but you never know we haven't had our oops yeah well there you go God's got a plan so yeah maybe we haven't had the minute you sell all the cribs and baby furniture and all that she come to you and be like you'll come home from work one day and should we sit in there exactly on the couch. Like I'm ready baby crying I'm gonna be honest what what what I say I don't know because she kind of shocked me I'm all the way the one be like oh we gonna have another one can we have another one can we have another one she'd be like no no no this is close like and she finally this last time when we our baby now was like yeah this is the last one I finally said yeah this is the last one and she was like I don't know maybe like three years down the line like I'm having baby fever maybe we can try again it was like no no we're dipping into retirement now like I have another one you gotta have it back to back to be back to back like I don't want to be seven years old and have a baby and no it's awesome too funny.

SPEAKER_00 27:06

All right so athletes in training I mean you got into that right out the gate. Yes super early what made you what at what point did you relize that if not actively playing sports you wanted to be I mean where was the shift because you know I I could see that being okay I'm gonna do this in college you know make a couple bucks whatever the the shift was AIT like literally started working for the kids and it kind of like opened my eyes was like oh this is fun I like I enjoy doing this like this is not work for me.

SPEAKER_04 27:41

This is just something I truly enjoy. Yeah and to this day it still feels like that. That's awesome. Feel like I'm going to work some days it does because of my employees. It's the only reason it does you know what I'm saying it's not because the kids exactly it's like deal with the damn employees. Exactly especially when you have 50 employees that you have to deal with and most of them college kids and yes they they call in sick some of the excuses mad yeah and to be honest but that's how I got AIT um just because I was a college kid and Kendra recognized from my earlier that I was actually like a go-getter. Like I really wanted it um I wanted to excel at life I want a better life I was a good coach I wanted to coach I wanted to be a role model and all of this so she kind of saw that earlier me. I kind of left AIT for a bit and actually went to the YMCA. Okay I was the sports director for the at the YMCA because I had to get a real job because I started a family. Yeah um and AIT was kind of a part-time fun job but I had to get a real job yeah which was AIT which was the YMCA YMCA So I was been I was the sports director over there for two and a half years almost three years um and then COVID kind of then COVID hit. Oh gotcha yes and that's when Kendra she approached me and she was like well do you want to learn the business and come be my director of operations and I couldn't say no to that. Yeah she was like with the potential of being the owner and I said yes yes I would love that so she brought me on and taught me the business and gave me the company.

SPEAKER_00 29:16

She gave me the company wow and yes and now we have a contract and yes how how long how so that was what a couple three years ago four years ago it was four years ago. Okay okay and talk to me a little bit about let's let's dig into AIT athletes in training for those listening let's talk about that a little bit what exactly is that and what do you do?

SPEAKER_04 29:42

So athletes in training is an after school sports program. So what we do is what we provide is we have two different services we have a recess program and then we have the after school program. My after school portion is we actually I send coaches to the schools so I make it we make it super convenient for the parents they don't have to drop off they don't have to pick up well they have to pick up after the program but they don't have to drop off or anything like that. The program happens right at school okay on campus right after school. So as soon as that bell rings my coach is there they come to the coaches and then we do organized sports for the kids. It's a multi-sport company so we do like soccer for six weeks then we jump to flat football for another six weeks then we jump to basketball for an another six weeks so that's the that's the just of it for the recess program we do the same thing we go to the kids school during their recess time to do organized sports for the kids during their recess. Oh nice um yes um I wish I had this back in my day because you know that's where a lot of trouble happened during recess. A lot of fights happen during recess because kids cheating and stuff so that's why they hired us kind of they kind of they hired us um to come on campus and just give the kids a positive experience during recess and to learn a sport and to be exclusive. So the girls are playing flat football the boys are playing volleyball and stuff like that. Just uh so the kids can learn and get an organized game and learn how to play and and work as a team and learn sportsmanship and the correct way to lose. Oh for sure. Learning like the grace of losing like they don't understand the importance of winning without losing.

SPEAKER_01 31:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 31:21

They just think they should win all the time and that's not life. You can win in life all the time you you gotta lose.

SPEAKER_00 31:26

I was just having that conversation with somebody with regards to that exact thing that that I feel like we've gotten so far down this rabbit hole of making everybody feel good. Good. Right? And and and they don't and I say they I'm just broadly saying they there's no understanding of what it feels like to be in defeat. And sit in that and understand it but still be gracious in the aspect of the loss. Exactly. And I and I think it's interesting because you parallel that with life and I think that's where we're getting some of the socioeconomic issues in life today is these young kids now have become young adults and they don't know how to lose and they just have this expectation of I'm gonna get and I'm gonna win.

SPEAKER_01 32:16

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 32:16

You know no matter what I showed up. I should get something you're gonna give me a raise right I've been here three days in a row that's exactly that's exactly how I back yes it's like it's like no you gotta work hard for it. You gotta work I've been here a week when did we talk about a raise? Yes what I'm telling you has your has your vision or has your perception of leadership changed from when you were just working for AIT and now that you are the owner yes definitely okay I'm gonna be honest I was I I've been blessed with amazing bosses in my life for some reason.

SPEAKER_04 32:55

So is it's God he's just putting wonderful people in my life. So I I kind of already had an understanding of what leadership should look like and just taking leadership from sports as well too I understand how leadership should look and how it should feel um so it was kind of like I was just stepping into a role that I'm already familiar with when it comes to leadership because I consider myself a a leader an alpha male and a leader. Yeah man I I I love to lead. Yeah I mean um I've never been a follower um in my life so it's kind of right up my alley like you want to know the right answer ask me exactly I will tell you what the right answer is and if I don't know it I know how to get it it's right that's right that's what they don't teach you in school is look Google is very smart.

SPEAKER_00 33:41

Yeah especially nowadays yeah AI all that stuff back when we were kids we didn't have that no no we had to look in the books books understand the Dewey decimal system or ask one of my buddies yeah and hope they knew yes yeah that what leaders do that's funny how do you go through the process and I would assume because of the number of employees that you have and the number of schools that you have you're not running the ship by yourself or are you?

SPEAKER_04 34:09

Um yes I do have assistants that help me with the day-to-day tasks and stuff like that um but yeah um I kind of run the ship by myself and is that the way you like it or is that just because of the way it's been designed that's the way it's designed that's kind of how business is designed um we always have an assistant uh assistant it probably gets like 25 hours a week okay to come in the office and help out here and now but besides that and that's kind of how our business goes um okay you just kind of run the ship by yourself and I don't mind it like I said I I kind of love it. Yeah um but with the other business with Humble Savage and Humble Cares Yeah because I came up and I was going to ask about that I actually do have business partners Courtney Chris Abe and I truly enjoy working with them. What what are those businesses? Can I ask? Yes so it's club basketball so it's AU um club basketball we have 22 teams um no kidding yes sir wow I coach the high school team so I have the 15U 16 17 you team circuit teams we actually ended Adidas so we're Disa sponsored and yes we've been building this for a while now since 2018 and steady growing and growing we started out with two teams now we all the way up to 22. 22 we're based in the awatukee area okay we kind of got the awatukee area kind of unlocked for us club basketball any basketball um they kind of come through us okay but yes man and I truly enjoy that as well too that's one of my not like I told you I don't consider that as work um my wife do but not me.

SPEAKER_00 35:35

Yeah she's like are you ever gonna come home and spend time with your real kids?

SPEAKER_04 35:39

Oh they get lots of daddy time they get daddy time they do how how old are your kids now oldest she is 11 okay um six three and two and a new one on the way and a new one on the way yes wow yes um oh do your kids participate yes they do they are in athletes and training my six year old she just actually just started basketball I'm super super super super super happy about that nice uh my oldest she's in boxing and volleyball and then yeah yeah they they participate in athletes and training I actually started my six year old at three okay she understands all the games now so that's why I say it's a it's a a a kind of a big deal um to me that they be involved with sports um just because you know you're a lot of you learn a lot of life lessons in sports are you are you a like a drill sergeant person at home the kids misbehave you're like get out and give me 10 I I am the enforcer in my household you know I mean you know my wife she's right she's wait till your father gets home yes she's the sweet one I I am the enforcer which I don't mind to be you know I mean we gotta have a balance you know I mean wife gotta be she's the loving the nurture one and I'm the I'm loving too don't get me wrong but you know I'm daddy like yeah I gotta draw the line you know I mean you can't be talking moms like that like yes yeah yeah so you did not just say that exactly exactly you know I mean they know that look and all I gotta do is gotta give that look now exactly exactly um but my oldest she's she's she's getting there now she's she's 11 and she's starting to know everything she and your wife are gonna be hey it's starting to happen already starting to happen already that's too funny and that's why daddy's death that's funny you talked a little bit about in in high school and stuff making some decisions with you know the right path the wrong path we'll call it because I'm not smart enough to come with something else are you dealing with that with the kids that you're I mean do you do you work with them on kind of a mental basis? How old are these kids that you're that you're working with um high school I have high school kids but to be honest I work with all ages because AIT is an elementary program. Okay that's that's K through five and then with the club basketball um that's high school and even with the high school basketball I coach at D V that's high school as well too. Okay so kind of all over the place. I mean some kids they're dealing with it. I mean some kids are fine because they're in a nice area. Yeah um but yes that's why we started Humble Cares. Humble Cares is a nonprofit organization for Humble Savage. Okay. To basically help the kids in need. Okay. Um and help us fundraise for those kids and make sure that we can also include them into basketball and is that like to be able to give to help them with equipment and stuff like that? Um equipment rather travel um we actually go into Cali this weekend for a basketball tournament so for like hotel rooms travel because we have to get a van or something for the kids that can't travel. So just just stuff like that to help them get their gear and stuff like that. Club dues every month.

SPEAKER_00 38:39

Yeah so that's awesome. Have you had any of the kids go through so far whether it's AIT or the Humble program that have kind of stepped onto the next level where you're like this is actually the first year.

SPEAKER_04 38:54

Really? Okay. Okay. Our first group that we had they're graduating this year. Oh wow so it's it's amazing to see to start watching and that's why we started Humble Cares as well too so we can help the kids and give them scholarship money. Okay. Um as well too so hopefully we are able to give them some scholarship money to go on to their next yeah opportunity.

SPEAKER_00 39:16

Yeah um but we'll see we'll see that's awesome talk to everybody that's watching Humble Cares if you have it we'll we will make sure that we link them when when we post it out we'll link you in there so yeah I'm assuming you have a website and stuff. Yes we do okay perfect with regards to oh gosh my mind just whoop just totally lost my thought process yeah let me have a drink I'll I'll think about this for a second. That's all you need open up the brain leap.

SPEAKER_04 39:43

So you you were with athletes in training you stepped away for a couple years you you came back it's all been butterflies and rainbows imperfect all the way through right never had a I can't say that no um just figuring out the business you know being being a new business owner and just stepping into the limelight of that um just trying to figure out financial finances and how to work your business what to spend money on what not to spend money on. Yeah I say my most stressful as a business owner is taxes. Yeah um I pay somebody to do it but that's always that's always a stressful time of the year for me. Yeah probably other business owners as well too just getting that in line um but I say for the most part like I said leadership is easy for me the business is easy for me I love what I'm doing. It's not really a job to me so it's kind of easy running this company on when you truly believe in it and you truly love it and what you're doing. So that's been easy for me. The hardest part is just managing my employees um just because it's a part-time job and anytime you have a part-time job with not that many hours not important it's really not important to them well that's they see it as not important. Yeah yeah yeah you're counting on them to be there yes the kids aren't counting on them to be there but sometimes you know you have them employees so that's the main part just finding good employees which I have a lot of good employees I really do and you know just like any other company you have a lot of employees that really don't care. Yeah kind of fall off the waistline but I do have a lot of good employees that help me and guide me and and help the business grow. That's good. That's good. How many schools you're in now we at uh at a total we are at 73 elementary schools around the valley. Wow school districts that we are in we are in the Higley school district cave creek Scottsdale Kyrene uh Paradise Valley Cave Creek Deer Valley am I missing one Chandler okay so yeah we are kind of mostly public schools you work with or do you work with charters um pop pop public charter um we kind of deal with all all the schools okay okay is where where do you see the business going?

SPEAKER_00 41:57

I mean are you just in it you're like you know what it's working well I'm just gonna keep doing what it's doing or do you have a grander vision of going I would like someday for it to be here.

SPEAKER_04 42:06

Yes I definitely want to grow my business. My dream is to have a facility um and still run the business still go out to the schools but also have that extra extension where the kids come to the facility and we offer sports at the facility. That's my vision and slowly but surely the vision is coming to light. So within the next couple years we should see an outreason training building yes we should. Wow yes that'd be exciting yes I'm super excited about that I give it one or two more years and we'll have it up and running. Definitely very cool.

SPEAKER_00 42:39

Very cool do you do you well I was gonna ask you a question I probably shouldn't have I was just gonna ask if you had some some place in mind already that you're working on or is that just um an idea generally I say yes and no um I've been working with my my my rental company okay um to tr try to find a place.

SPEAKER_04 42:56

Okay but that's a that's about it. I mean I had an architect draw some draw some futures up for us as well too and we tried some locations but it didn't work out just because how it was structured and all this other stuff because it's kind of hard to find it out it's kind of hard to find a building that can house a court. You almost need like you almost got to build it yourself. Well write or have one of the schools close and you're like I'm gonna take them to the gymnasium you do something with the rest of the school yes yes so is that it could come up I mean you know there's uh they're always shifting stuff I think I heard somebody close the school it's a bunch of schools closing yeah as I'm starting to learn um in the Kyrie school district and the Chandler school district they closing a couple elementary schools so there you go maybe we'll see maybe you'll get a maybe fingers are crossed maybe we'll never know fingers are crossed keep building a nonprofit yes sir yes sir keep the focus college sports let's kind of jump jump back to college sports for a second what was the biggest difference between high school and college everybody's good you were no longer the big man on campus no sir no sir and all the things that my coach told me I should have been doing in high school I found out like that I needed to be in the weight room because everybody was big like my first college hit like I thought I I thought I was landing the woo it I was like yeah I'm about to boom he kind of bounced off of it and I was like boy welcome to college it just made me realize like everybody's is good everybody's got the same mission that you have everybody's trying to make it out everybody's trying to get to that next level so it kind of woke me up to to like what separates you from the next person. Yeah so it made me even work even harder I mean because that was always separates us.

SPEAKER_00 45:23

Yeah yeah the work ethic do do those lessons you learned then translate to what you're doing now with the team I mean, do you do you try to instill upon them, look, you might be good here. There's always gonna be somebody better than you.

SPEAKER_04 45:37

Yes. If you go talk to my boys right now, they'll tell you. The only thing we know that that I teach, well, I don't want to say the only thing I teach, but the my main point and focus is hard work. Because I tell them like what you can take always with you. One thing you go take always with you is hard work.

SPEAKER_01 45:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 45:55

No matter what you're doing in life, you go take this from me. That's hard work. I'm gonna teach you how to work hard.

SPEAKER_01 46:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 46:02

And if you come see my teams, you'll see they work hard.

SPEAKER_00 46:05

Yes, they do. You know, I always I always say I've I've I shouldn't say I've never coached, because I have, so that would be a bad wrong statement. I'm not a coach. People used to tell me I should be a coach. I'm like, I don't have the patience.

SPEAKER_04 46:18

I think you got it in, I think you got it in there.

SPEAKER_00 46:21

But I but I I feel like with you know, with with that whole sentiment and and saying, you know, hard work. I think obviously we all want raw talent, but I would take somebody who has a work ethic over raw talent any day of the week. Any day. I mean raw talent is great, but I've always felt like raw comes with that. Yes, it really does. Yeah. And it only takes you so far. Yeah, yeah. It's at some point everybody's gonna catch up to you.

SPEAKER_04 46:52

Catch up to you. Yes. Especially if they work hard. Right. They go catch up to you, and then plus, like you said, a lot of the time it comes with attitude. Yeah. Like the raw talent, unfortunately.

SPEAKER_00 47:02

Because they think they they've been told so long. Uh you know, I and I think of there was uh there was a a kid, my my son's now twenty-seven, but or twenty-six, twenty-six, twenty-seven. Anyways, twenty-six twenty-seven. Twenty-six, it'll be twenty-seven in September. I didn't do math. Sorry, Jake. Anyways, there was a kid that he played flag football with when he was pee-wee, you know, I mean six, seven years old. The kid had it. I mean, he had it, and you could see it. But I always kind of felt sorry for him a little bit because he was always the one that they were giving the ball to, always the one that they were throwing the ball to, always the one, you know, I mean he got the ball and he was fast, and it was like you could see him, you know, the the the moves, and it was like just it was just there in him, but he was constantly told you're awesome, you're awesome, you're better than everybody, da da da whatever. And so now I kind of think back to and I wonder where that kid is now today. Did he ever go anywhere? You know, it's like I have no idea because it's 20 years later, but it's one of those things where it's like, I just wonder, but I always feel like yeah, I mean it's a hit and miss, I'll tell you that. If you sometimes they work hard, sometimes they don't. Yeah. And if you can find somebody who's got both.

SPEAKER_04 48:20

Oh that's the keys that you want on your team.

SPEAKER_00 48:22

Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Yes. Absolutely. Because and and especially if especially if that translates across to a desire to make other people better. Yep. Right? If if they've got that mentality of I understand if I can help you be better at what you're doing, it's gonna help me be better at what I'm doing. Yep.

SPEAKER_04 48:42

You know, and so then together we can to be honest, that's my 16U team. For Humble Savage, that's my 16U team. We've been together for since we've been seventh, eighth grade. Oh wow. And we've been building, and now they're in 10th grade, about to be in 11th grade. And we started out losing by like 40, 30 points. Now we're beating teams by 30, 40 points. Okay. And now we're playing up in every division, and that's them. They work hard. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 49:10

And they built the field now. Yes. Run the plays. Yes. You know, it's funny because watching the final four stuff, and I won't mention teams by name, but they know who they are. They forget how to run plays. And you see a lot of individuals on the court. But that's the thing, right? It's like, okay, there's a reason we're doing what we're doing, right? There you you have blocking and tackling in football. You know, there's a reason. If if you're, you know, down lineman and you, you know, we're running to this gap, you got a assignment. You got assignment, you gotta block that man. You gotta do what you're not even a running back. Exactly. Exactly. Someone's getting that tanked.

unknown 49:53

That was me.

SPEAKER_00 49:54

It's like it's a couple times it happened to me. I I'm sorry, coach, I blocked the wrong hole. Yeah, you did. Your quarterback's on his ass back there. Yeah, that I I've actually I was a quarterback in high school. And so you know too, Dad. Oh, you know. So many times. And you get linemen who look at you and go, wait, where am I supposed to block on that one? It's like, dude, really. Oh, my bad. It's like, bro, okay. Odds to the left, yes, evens to the right.

SPEAKER_04 50:23

But you need them. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 50:24

You need them. Oh, absolutely. Exactly. Execute. Execute. What what's w one or two things that are kind of when when you start working with an athlete, what's kind of one or two things that are most important to you that you would you would hope that if they turn around in 10 years or 20 years and they say, Yeah, I went and I experienced that. Let's say you're let's say you're your basketball teams. What do you hope that they say about you or say about the program? Hope positive stuff.

SPEAKER_04 50:56

He was a hard ass. But it was fun. Yes, they they probably would definitely say that. They probably would say I was a hard ass and we ran a lot. Yeah. But they gained knowledge from it and they had fun, they had a fun experience, they learned hard work, dedication, and then just how to be a man, just accountable, just uh be a role model and to give back and just to be respectful. Uh, you know, I'm from the South, so I'm big on respect. Um, like like I tell my boys, anytime you walk into a building, you should always address everybody. Um you need to come say hey to coach, you need to come say hey to everybody else that's in the building.

SPEAKER_01 51:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 51:32

You need to say yes, sir, no ma'am. I'm big on traditional stuff like that. That's awesome. So that's the stuff that I want to them to take and give to the next generation and even take with them into their careers and their life and on to college and yes. But definitely that hard work piece, like we were just talking about, man. That's that that that separates you from a lot of people in life for sure in in general.

SPEAKER_00 51:55

Like we we were having a conversation again. I go back, I don't know w who was who was on the show, but we were talking about athletes and hiring athletes and you know, because a lot of people will look at it and say, Okay, well, you've been an athlete, so I you know, hire you. And I would I would probably push it to say a collegiate athlete. Because high school and and I'm I don't want to degrade anybody who's in high school athlete, right? Because it it takes it takes a lot still to be a high school athlete. Yep. But but a lot of times you can just show up.

SPEAKER_04 52:26

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 52:26

Right? Yes, and and college is is actually business. Yeah. And talent, raw talent, can get you a long ways in high school. Exactly. College, now it's hard work and raw talent. Mom and dad aren't there waking you up. Nope. I remember I wrestled in college and I remember I actually missed the bus to go to a tournament. I f I I s we had to leave at 4 30 in the morning. I woke up at 6 30 and I'm like, uh freaked out, grabbed my bag, I run to, you know, to the to the uh where the bus was and I I mean I just felt sick to my stomach. But obviously they left without me. You know, but I and I got chewed out I got chewed out hard. Chewed out hard. But it's that thing, right? It's like now you're responsible. You know, you go to the you go to the the dining hall, you know, because when I went to college, freshmen and sophomores had to live on campus. So you've got the dining package, you go dining hall, it's so much food. So much food. It was it was and it was before they like rang it all up individually, you just walk through the line and be like, whatever you want. Yeah. And in wrestling, obviously, we're always cutting weight. So it's like, man, you walk in there like, oh my god, this stuff looks good. You know, so it's like it's all discipline, it's all, you know, nobody's here to to guide you. Yeah. To tell you what to do or not to do. Exactly. And and the coaches will, and we had senior, and I say senior juniors and seniors on the team that were like mentors, I guess if you will, and we would do group study hall, yeah, different things like that. But at the end of the day, you on your own. Yeah, yeah. I mean, my first love and hate of tequila on one night was yes, yes, you know, yes, experiences, but at the same time, I think, you know, if you can when the kids are young, instill that that look, nobody's gonna give this to you. And and you can have raw talent, you can be an incredible player, and God, I would love to have some of that. But if you're not willing to put in the work, you're gonna wash up real quick.

SPEAKER_04 55:10

And and what I try to teach them is we are a creature of habit. You gotta put this in your routine. Yeah, you can't just all of a sudden just jump and be like, oh, okay, I'm gonna just do this.

SPEAKER_01 55:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 55:21

It's like, no, you need to build that into your routine. So by the time you get that age and you get to college, it's already built in your routine. You already know what to do. So you ain't in a shock to you. It's you already in a routine of going to work out. You already in the routine of watching film, you're already in the routine to be ready for practice and be on time. So just building that routine for them and having them to understand in that routine how it's important to incorporate in your life. Even as adults, we have our routine. Like if I don't go to the gym in the morning, I'm not going to the gym probably.

SPEAKER_00 55:53

Right. And it's funny because I do the same thing and I mean I'm kind of working through some so shoulder issues, but it's the same thing. If I don't get to the gym first thing in the morning, if I'm not out of the house by 445, I will not go to the gym. Exactly. The day'll take over and it's done.

SPEAKER_04 56:10

And you'll try to hype yourself up at night, like, you know, we need to go to the gym, but you'd be like, uh do I get home at 5 36, 6 30, and you're like, I can eat dinner.

SPEAKER_00 56:19

Eat dinner, and you're like, I should probably give it a couple hours. Oh, I'm tired. It's nice just sitting here. I like this show. Yeah. I gotta work on this, sit down at the computer. You make every excuse in the world. Absolutely. Absolutely. So I I usually try to start my day that way. But let's let's a few more minutes here. I don't I don't want to take you too long, but with regards to athletes in training, the the younger kids and and having them at the schools and things, uh six-week programs to run through each of the different sports. Are there specific things at each age that you're trying to teach them, or is it kind of all really just an introduction to sports?

SPEAKER_04 57:00

It's an introduction to sports. So for athletes in training, our whole model is to to teach the basic skills, but with the understanding that we do want to make the kids have fun as well, too. Okay. Especially at that young age. You know what I mean? You know, at that young age, you can make and break a kid just by being a bad coach and pushing too hard and not making it fun for them. Um so we try to make the sport very fun for the kids and we do little games to make it very fun just so they can stay into the sport. Just because we both know once it turns competitive, the fun goes out the window unless you're winning. Absolutely. So what our job is is to be that fun coach. And we we definitely still teaching the basic skills, but you gotta keep in mind we have five, six year olds, seven, eight-year-olds that's in our class. So we watch some young. Yes, it's young, this the first time picking up a basketball or football or a soccer ball. So we just trying to teach them the introductory to soccer and make sure they're having fun within that sport. Um, and then from now, you know what I mean, then they can go on to their club sports. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 58:02

Do you you said you have 22 teams in Humboldt. Yes. Do you have like a hierarchy of the teams? Like you've got the elite elite guys, or are they all kind of Yes, no, we do.

SPEAKER_04 58:14

Yes. So all our black teams, so it's like 16 you black, that's our elite teams.

SPEAKER_01 58:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 58:18

Our high school boys and a couple of our like eighth graders and seventh graders, they're doing the circuit as well, too. Okay. Um, and that's why I say we're doing an Adidas circuit. We actually got sponsored by the Adidas and we made it to the Adidas Circuit. Wow. Um, this is our first year actually doing it. Okay. We did it last year, but we wasn't as exclusive as as Adidas. We did like the stage, which is like the step to get to the Adidas circuit. Okay. Um, which we went 24 and 0. Oh wow. My 16-year team did, and a couple of our younger teams, they went and qualified as well too. Um, so now we are officially Adidas, so yeah, we have different levels. So we have competitive levels, we have the circuit level, and then we have like our league level as well, too. Okay. So if they're looking for basketball and our tookie, yeah, we we're the club, definitely.

SPEAKER_00 59:05

Yes. I would assume you have multiple coaches that run through those different groups. Yes. How do you keep those coaches motivating on the same track as you?

SPEAKER_04 59:16

I mean That's the hard part. Okay. Okay. Just because, like you said, it's kind of hard to find like-minded individuals with the same vision that we all have. Um, but we do. We we found a couple coaches that actually do have the same vision. Um, a couple are parents, other kids that's on the teams and stuff like that. But we we do have dedicated coaches as well, too, that has the same vision and want the same thing for the kids and go over and above for the kids as well, too. And then we all are kind of volunteer coaches. None of us get paid um just because we have the love for it. It's not about money for us. We just want to give back to the next generation and help the next generation and making sure they have an outlet just like we did.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:06

All the coaches I say, man, are wonderful. Um yeah, Coach Roe, Coach Corey, Coach John, Coach Brian, Coach Will, Coach Aiden. So this is a bunch of coaches that step up and they do a great job. And ain't just coaches that we just pulled off the screen, just actually collegiate basketball players at that as well, too. Oh, really? Okay. Yes. So yep. So Coach Roshi played basketball, Coach Corey played basketball in college. Um, Coach Aiden, Coach Will played basketball in college as well, too. Okay. So it's it's we have a there's some good talent there. Very good talent. So, yes. So any any other clubs that want to challenge the coaches, hey, hey. It's awesome. We all for it. We'd do that as a fundraiser. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There you go, right? Yeah, the coaches' tournaments.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:49

There you go. If you could go back and give your 13-year-old self any advice, what would it be? Stay the course. Yeah?

SPEAKER_04 1:00:57

Yes. I like where I'm at right now. That's good. I like my life, I like everything that's going with it. I love my family, love my daughters, love my wife, I like what I'm doing right now. Yes. I better. I don't want to sleep on the couch tonight. Right? No, but all seriousness, man, like I I I generally love when I'm at in life right now. That's great. I know, you know, life ain't never perfect, you know, there's always ups and downs. Um, but as far as like the people surrounding me and the love I got for my family and the basketball and my jobs, and I couldn't be happier. I couldn't ask for any more. Um I wouldn't even want to be in the NFL. That's I'm good. I'm cool while I'm at. Too much stress on the body.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:41

Like you don't have any concussion issues that you gotta deal with. Not that I don't know about it. Not yet. Not yet. You woke up with an ice pick in your hand. Well, hey, I really appreciate having you on. I've I've appreciated getting to know you a little bit over the years and now having the chance to sit down with you. You've always every time I come in and meet with you, you are just seem upbeat and it's an infectious. So I I appreciate that about you. And uh and I think it's awesome what you do with the kids. I mean, I I I've had people tell me I should be a coach or a teacher or something over the years, and I and I'm like, I'm like, I don't think I'd have the patience. Some kid would pop off to me, and I don't know that I can hold back.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:19

To be honest, that's why I work with kids now. Because you can pop back. Yeah. It's the adults that you can't pop back to. Oh, god. That's why I don't like working with adults. Maybe I need to try it.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:29

Maybe I need to try it. So hey, I really appreciate it. Everybody that comes on the show gets a gift. I've got a challenge coin for you. Thank you. Um been enjoying a cocktail here, so I've got an individual glass for you. It's uh it just says on it that I went above and beyond. And then on the back side, I've got a friend who her name is Roxy, who owns Roxy and Calligraphy, and she um personally engraves those. So it's got your uh open it up. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Go for it. It's got your name on it. Oh hopefully it lasts a little bit, but you can get a drink out of there.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:02

You know, this is my dad, this is my dad glass, you know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_00 1:03:04

There you go. That's right. Keep it up high. Yeah. So, anyways, but hey, I really appreciate it. Thank you so much for coming on. It's been a pleasure. Thank you for the invite. I really appreciate you.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:15

I went above and beyond the way it's a little bit.