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This is a space for coaches, trainers, and leaders who love the game — but don’t want the game to cost them their family, their integrity, or their soul.
Here, we talk about leadership, pressure, culture, identity, and the quiet tensions no one prepares you for when you step into coaching.
This isn’t about chasing wins at all costs.
It’s about restoring what the game was meant to form in us — and in the players we lead.
This podcast is presented by the Beloved Coaches Collective, a community committed to coaching from identity, not insecurity.
I’m Coach Sanders.
Let’s redeem the game — one coach at a time.
Audio Only - All Participants:
Welcome back to the podcast everybody.
I am your host, Coach Matt Sanders.
We are going to take a flight today
with, uh, two incredible young men,
um, that have been a part of my life.
Uh, fellas, this is gonna blow your mind.
We're working on about 25 years.
And, um, it's kind of crazy, uh, that
we've known each other that long.
Makes both of you way older than me.
Uh, this one is super special for me
because, uh, these two young men joined
me, uh, at the start of my career.
They spent eight alm- well, they're a
part of my first eight years as a head
coach in high school back at the good
old HC, the Airway Christian Academy.
Some people called it Hairway.
Um- ⦠and, uh, they were, they
were- Hairway ⦠they were a super
integral part of just everything
that, that God was doing in my life,
and, uh, most importantly that, uh,
uh, I, I guess the best way to say
it is, like, the family atmosphere
of what we became started there.
And so, uh, bro, I'm just
so grateful for you guys.
I got Israel Childs and Mr.
Tim Morrison on the call today,
and, uh, and I, I love you guys,
so appreciate you being here.
Hey, thanks, coach.
Excited to be here.
Yeah.
Yes.
It's gonna be great.
Uh, so ju- just a little context for
everybody who's listening, um, these
two guys, uh, both played basketball
for me, completely different players.
Um, and I- when I say completely
different, I'm talking about
the most night and day you could
ever have on a coaching staff.
Like, uh, you got Iz who was, uh, baseline
to baseline one of the fastest players
I ever coached, who could make a layup
on anybody, and then Tim, who would
just sacrifice every cell in his body
for, for the team and whatever it took.
Like, we're talking about different
ends of the spectrum, but both of
these guys were so integral in a
championship maybe, you know, or, or two.
I don't know.
And then, uh, just how, um, just
how the, the, the start of my
career, um, was molded by just two
young men who were so dedicated.
Uh, one at that time probably still
really growing in your faith, which
I can't wait to hear, and then but
most importantly just fell in love,
especially for Tim, just fell in love
with basketball after coming off a
skateboard and onto the basketball court.
Yeah.
Looking forward to
unpacking that a little bit.
Um, and I, I just, I want to say
this before I want to toss it to
you, Iz, and let you tell us a little
bit about yourself, but basketball
was really preparing both of you,
and that's what this, when, this
what this podcast is about today.
Uh, basketball was preparing both of
you and in so many different ways,
and crazy that both of you end up in
the military, which is wild to me,
and how basketball was used there.
So, uh, without further ado, Mr.
Israel Childs, will you, uh, tell
these people across the world, by
the way, 10 countries will hear this.
What?
Yeah, 10 countries will hear this.
Tell them a little bit about
yourself, where you're from, and
about your, uh, about your family.
Okay.
Yes.
Thank you, coach.
Uh, first off, yeah, I mean, I thank
you for everything you said, but
also, man, you wouldn't believe just
how much it's so true what you said.
And I think Tim and I probably don't
see each other, and we see each other
a decent amount, without talking
about being on that team with you and
things that happened, and, you know,
it, it definitely shaped our lives.
But anyway, just to dig into me a
little, uh, again, I'm Israel Childs.
I, uh, grew up in Villa Rica,
Carrollton, West Georgia area.
Went to school at Airway in Douglasville,
uh, where mom worked there, so we could
go there and everything, so grew up there.
So kinda lived in Villa Rica, but most
everything was in Douglasville and,
you know, between being with you and
the team and at Tim's house, whatever,
you know, that's kind of where I was.
And then, you know, after high
school, going into the Air Force,
me and Tim doing that together.
He got married, so we
didn't end up together.
Nah, he'll tell you a different
story- ⦠and say that it
was my fault, but, you know.
Um, weâ¦
But, you know, we had a good time,
and I did that for a few years.
And now Tim's retiring, and
I'm like, "Dang, I should
have stuck it out with him.
I'd be retiring with him."
But, uh, did that for a few years and,
uh, then got out, really wanted to
go to school, and- Changed my major
probably three or four times, ended up
with a marketing and PR degree, and, uh,
started working at Soliant in Tucker,
which now is in Peachtree Corners, uh,
Cobb area, and, uh, that's usually where
I work, and I'm also in Greenville,
South Carolina, so close to- Come on
Coach's, uh, hometown over there
in South- Where I was born.
Yeah.
I was born in Greenville.
Mm-hmm.
Oh, yeah.
Yep.
So yeah, I pass, uh, I get to
pass it all the time and, uh,
anyway, but I've been working at
Soliant for almost 11 years now.
Wow.
And, uh, that's, uhâ¦
it's been great, and we're, we're
living up in Canton, Georgia now.
I haveâ¦
Uh, I got married now seven years ago,
going on eight, and then we've got two
boys, a six-year-old, a four-year-old,
just, just turned four in July,
and, uh, we're up in Canton and just
started this new dry cleaning venture.
Uh, so got six of those, so life is
crazy right now, as you can tell, uh,
from our recent conversations, having
had Tim, uh, be my messenger in- Yeah
some cases but- Good job, Tim.
Um, yeah, it's, itâ¦
Life's crazy right now, but
it's great and I am excited.
I'm so excited to do this and be here with
both of you, two people who I love dearly.
So yeah, that's about me.
Thanks, Iz.
And- That's awesome.
That's awesome.
A- I just want to say before Tim
says anything, my intro was on
purpose for you guys who listen.
I said we were gonna take flight.
Obviously, I hope everybody
picked up on that little Air
Force action, but keep going.
All right.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Top Gun: Maverick here.
Yeah.
All right, Tim.
Well, before we finish with
this, he's being super humble.
He says he works at Soliant.
His role, uh, is in, uh, a
leadership position, leading men
and women in that organization
at a very high level, so- Come on
uh, although he's trying to be modest over
there, I'm gonna, I'm gonna dime him out.
He's, he's been super successful in the
business world, um, and super successful
now going into, into his own venture,
so excited to see how much he's grown.
He's acting like he's just rocked
Soliant 11 years, just 9 to 5.
Yeah, right.
That's, that's not the case, so.
Well, thanks, Timmy.
I'll take the round one.
You can get it.
I appreciate it.
Yeah, yeah.
Good.
Uh, yeah, so I'm s- Tim Morrison,
um, played for Coach from 2001 to
2006, I think, five years No, yeah.
So I played, uh, I played a lot of
sports growing up, but basketball
really wasn't one that I played heavily.
Um, and then, you know, found my,
my way to Airway in eighth grade.
That's when I met Coach, and pretty much
if you had a pulse, uh, you were getting
recruited to that basketball team, so.
Yeah, definitely two ends of the spectrum.
For sure.
But I am glad, Coach, that you
highlighted, you know, two of
the three people on this call
do have rings, uh, plural.
Um, well, two of us have two.
Yeah.
But, uh, I still feel like
I was part of it, though.
I really feel like you- My heart
was still with you ⦠sometimes
I feel like you won one, you won,
you won the one after you left.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
I, Iâ¦
My heart was with y'all.
Yeah, you were.
Um, but yeah, so, so husband, father.
My wife Scarlett is Israel's cousin.
Um, so I don't know if that's how I met
her or- God bless ⦠that's how I met Iz.
Y'all.
That's exactly what I was thinking.
Um.
Um, yeah, I think you m- yeah, you met
her first, and then- Yeah ⦠made me
laugh in, I think, geography class.
I think it was Ms.
Brown's class.
You, you were funny, so then I was like,
"Okay, Scarlett, this dude's pretty cool."
Did you justâ¦
Do we need toâ¦
Did you just shout out Barbara Brown?
What is happening?
I did.
Yeah.
It was, I think it was, it was, uh, Ms.
Brown's class, for sure.
I don't know what class it was,
but I remember- Deep cuts ⦠Tim
was funny and I was like, "Okay.
Uh, he's not so bad."
Only way to survive middle school.
Okay.
A little bit of humor.
Um, but yeah, so Scarlett and
I have four amazing children
ranging from 16, uh, to four.
Like I said, I, I played a lot
of sports, but because of poor
coaching, you know, I really quit
playing baseball, um, as a pre-teen.
And then, you know, through the grace
of God and the persistentness of Coach
Sanders, I started playing basketball
again in the eighth grade, so.
Uh, yeah, I was not a star player.
I was not a freak athlete.
I think that I had to grind for
every second that I earned on
that, that basketball court.
Uh, but that taught me a lot in life
that, you know, maybe not in the moment,
but later on I definitely appreciate, uh,
being a role player, you know, earning,
um, everything that, that comes your way.
But, but yeah, like you said, Coach,
um, Iz and I joined the Air Force.
Wait, wait, wait, right there.
Hold on.
Do it.
Do it.
I knew you were going to.
I just think, I just
think, Coach, you hadâ¦
Like, I wish we just had footage
of eighth grade Tim and then ninth
grade Tim throughout high school.
Yeah.
Because you could use that as, "This is
my best coaching work that I've done."
Yeah, come on now.
Because he went, he real- I, I
mean, it was crazy how Tim went
from like, okay, like, what isâ¦
Like, yeah, I know basketball
is whatever, I don't care.
And then he went to just balling
out and- So real ⦠like, we
could, like, the dude was a rebound
machine, and I, like, took shot.
It was insane.
So yeah.
That's so true.
Uh, it was nuts- That's so true ⦠how,
how crazy his transformation was.
So true.
It, it's funny because, it's funny because
I, I d- the, now that we're having these
conversations, I'm kind of processing 25
years of coaching, you know, different
types of players, whether it be girls
or guys, and I'm trying to think about,
like, h- I don't, I don't know that
I, I don't know that I've coachedâ¦
Yeah, there's actually, when I was
an assistant at Lee, there were two
guys that were very similar to you
two, uh, in that one of the guys was,
like, 6'6", his name was Chad James.
April calls him the most beautiful
human she's ever seen in her life.
W- that's a side note.
Shout out Chad James.
And then, uh, uh, the other guy was a
Black guy, but you're not- I'm Black
but you're as about as athletic as him,
named Ter, um, uh, Terrell Blocker,
and he c- was a scoring machine.
I mean, just a machine.
Wouldn't guard my mom, but
he was a scoring machine.
Um, and Chad, and Chad
was, was Tim personified.
Like, rebounding, defense.
D- he d- whatever.
Like- And the good looks, for sure.
Well, I mean, we'll have
to ask Scarlett about that.
But anyways.
It's debatable.
Yeah.
So I think I've had about two.
I, I'd have to go back in my mind and
really think about, this is making
me think about, um, the, the, like,
the different, like- I, I don't know
how many times I've had where there
were two vastly different players
that were so effective in their roles.
Like, you know what I mean?
Like, sometimes you have role players
and sometimes you have big time scorers
or big time players and athletes.
You just don't ever have, like, thisâ¦
the- they're, like, separate, right?
And I'mâ¦
I need to think on that.
That'd be a good, that'd beâ¦
That might be a good TikTok.
Um- Yeah.
Yeah.
He'll end up in top three.
Yeah.
At least.
All right.
Well, uh, I love you both,
and I'm grateful for you
being on the podcast today.
And, uh, let- let's just, let's just go
ahead, and I'm not even gonna hold back.
Ariyas, coming to you.
Um, let's go back to high school.
So who were you before anyone knew
your name as a basketball player?
Man, yeah, this one I, I definitely,
when I saw that, uh, I- it's the
toughest one, I think, for me to
answer because, you know, it really
calls for you to examine yourself.
Yeah.
And sometimes that's painful go-
especially going back to high
school because, you know, Iâ¦
There's so much that I just,
not, I don't want to say regret,
but I just wish- wasted time.
And it's like, gosh, like- Mm ⦠so
much I, I wish I would've gotten
back and just putting my, like,
identity in all the wrong things.
And, you know, I was very fortunate to be
able to work with you at the golf course
as well as, you know, I w- you know, we
spent, as a basketball team, that was,
you know, at our school, that was life.
And- Yes, it was ⦠that, so
we spent so much time together.
And, um, as I, I think so much now of
all the things that I'm like, gosh,
yeah, Coach Sanders told me that.
I wish I would've listened 10 years ago.
Um, but yeah, just I, I, I really think
that it, it goes back to my identity.
And, you know, I don't really know
how it's perceived by everyone.
You know, no one can, but I feel like
I, I was just trying to find myself and,
you know, as we, we all are- Absolutely
⦠in high school at that- 100%.
It's just my identity was always wrapped
up in the wrong things, and I think
basketball was one of the things, I mean,
I truly go back to it daily to this day,
and I'll be 40 years old on Christmas Eve.
And I, I think about all the little
lessons that we learned that it's,
you know, it's not rocket science.
It's, you know, good character, doing
the right things, helping people,
you know, showing up early, you
know, little things, doing the little
things right that it's like, why did
I not listen that a long time ago?
Yeah.
Started looking for shortcuts, and
I, I, I found my identity and, you
know, I wanted to be liked and be
looked at as someone that people
respected or a leader or whatever.
And it's like, no, like, it all
goes back to- We're pleasing one
per- w- there, there's only one
person we're pleasing, that's Jesus.
Come on.
And that is something that, you know,
you've told me since the day I met you
and still do every time we talk, and
it's like I don't know why it's so hard.
And I think about that now that I
have two boys, I'm like, gosh, how
am I gonna get through to them?
Because I had awesome people
that were pouring into me
that I still didn't listen to.
And, you know, I, I even like
going through your early 20s and
stuff, it's like I knew better
and because you had told me.
A- and I had a lot of great people,
but you being one of the main ones,
and it, it, I don't know why you just
continue to look for yourself, but Jesus-
Mm-hmm ⦠is always the answer, and
that's, that's it, and that's- Come on
what you told me my whole life
That's a good word right there.
So.
That's a good word right there But yeah,
so just really s- insecure, identity
wrapped up in all the wrong things,
and, uh, learning along the way though.
You know, I, I think, uh, I feel
very blessed, you know, that my,
my parents worked really hard
to send me there and- Absolutely
I think that God had
me there for a reason.
I think both of you on this call
are two of the main reasons, so-
Come on ⦠I, I feel very blessed.
Shout out Jeff and Janine.
Oh, yeah.
Shout out Jeff and Janine Childs.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
But- That's good as, well, I, I,
I think, I think it's, uh, I think
it's extremely important how candid
you are right now for the listeners,
and coaches, especially coaches who
are gonna hear what you just said.
That's really, really powerful.
All right, Tim, what you got?
Yeah, uh, my, my story's a little bit
different than his, but very similar.
You know, I was raised by a pastor.
My dad has been a pastor my whole life.
Um, you know, I was homeschooled
before Airway, so I think I
really just wanted to fit in.
You know, and, and a lot of times
that resulted in, you know, making
decisions that weren't the best, 'cause
I wanted to find that acceptance.
You know, I have two older sisters.
You know, I didn't have that, that
big brother or, you know, obviously
my dad is a, an awesome man of God.
But as a PK, you know, you're
gonna find that rebellious streak.
So- ⦠I think being like, being new to
Airway, you know, a small school, eighth
grade, I was just trying to fit in, um,
whether that was cracking jokes or being
part of the team, and I really found, uh,
my identity in being a part of the team.
It wasn't even basketball,
because I don't think anybody
knew me as a basketball player.
You know what I mean?
Like, I wasn't, um, wasn't lighting
up the, the stats or the scoreboard.
But, um, it was really those-
You were athletic from Jackson.
No, I was not.
No, I wasâ¦
Shout out EJ.
God bless me- No offense ⦠with the
work, work ethic, but no vertical.
Um-
It was, uh, it was those bus
rides that I really think.
I think a lot about those bus rides,
whether it was you- Dude ⦠you keeping
us in line from that, the driver's seat,
or be in the back cutting up with Joe
Dray or whoever, you know what I mean?
Like, just, just being a goofy kid, like
I think I enjoyed being a part of that.
And, and frankly, like I've been
chasing after that, that feeling.
Mm.
I've been chasing after
what we had on those teams.
And, you know, through military
service I've been a part of a lot
of great organizations, a lot of
great teams that have, you know,
really accomplished a lot of things.
But it's never really the same as the
back of that Airway bus, that's for sure.
Well, that's powerful.
I, Iâ¦
It's, it's interesting that you say
that because I, I f- I know you guys
have probably had every once in a
while catch some of the TikToks, I
mean the, just the reels, but, like,
I, I, I can't tell you how many times
I hear that, and I say that to coaches.
Like, the, the time you're pouring
into them, the thing that you need
to make the most sacred is the locker
room and the back of the bus, right?
Mm-hmm.
That's really the, the, the, the
meals and the all that because that's
really where, that's really where
the, the foundation of who these guys
and, and gals are becoming, right?
That's where it happens, and if you
set a great culture and the back
of the bus is not something that's,
you know, wild and crazy and crazy
stuff going on that, you know, that's
frankly just inappropriate, like- It
can be the, it can be life-changing,
and stuff that you hold onto.
Yeah.
It was.
I mean- It was for me.
Yeah, it definitely was.
And there were definitely things
that, yeah, that went on that
shouldn't have, but, you know- Sure.
It happens ⦠you can take most of that.
Yeah, yeah.
But I will say it, you know, there was
never anything that made that not sacred
to us, and a lot of that came fromâ¦
I mean, we went through hard things
together and, you know, that's how you
build confidence and you build su- a, a
successful life is, hey, do hard things,
and we did a lot of hard things together,
and that built something- So good ⦠you
know, a camaraderie that we just, like
Tim said- Yeah ⦠we've been looking for
it ever since, and, you know, found it
here and there in various places, butâ¦
And I'll, I'll say this, you, you
might have created the process before
Nick Saban because you had us doingâ¦
Yeah, we were changing the way we ate.
I was eating with my left hand,
brushing my teeth with my left hand,
you know- Yeah ⦠'cause I heard from
you a lot that I had no left hand.
But, you know, there, there, were things
that we did and, and just, hey, showing
up early, things that have served Tim and
I both well in our careers that, thatâ¦
Things that you taught us that so
many people now just, like, I know Tim
mentioned, I, I lead a lot of people
and I know that I'm blessed because I
was poured into and taught these things
at a young age that people just don't
know, and- So good ⦠it, it's something
that I, I would never, ever wanna
replace, and it's something that has
really helped both of us, I know, 'cause
we've had many conversations- Awesome
about it, but- No problem ⦠yeah,
just wanna throw that in there.
Yeah, for it, it was really falling
in love with that process, whether it
was 32, 21s until, like, your knees
buckled, or it was, you know, the level
of expectation that you had for us.
It wasn't the wins and losses mattered,
but playing to our standard as a team,
whether that was against, you know, a,
a private school that had four out of
the five go to the league, you know-
that were grown men,
run us out of the court.
True.
Or if it was, you know- I
brought Olu Asholu, who did spend
some time on the jazz in Utah.
Yeah, shout out.
Shout out, Olu.
I think that, uh, I took a charge
and didn't breathe for about 30
minutes after that from O- Olu.
From Solomon Tat, yeah.
Yeah.
Um- Oh, good Lord, Solomon Tat.
Wow ⦠or what was that team that
all they wanted to do was hold
the ball and reduce the amount
of shots against us 'cause we
were running them out of the gym?
Like, it didn't matter- Mm ⦠who
we were playing against.
Yeah.
It was the expectation,
the standard for the team.
You know, uh, I was telling my son the
other day, uh, is, you probably remember
this, but, you know, Coach, part of, I
think it might've been your senior year,
is- Uh, part of our warmup, you know, we
were a unique team and we wanted to do
all kinds of crazy stuff in the tunnel,
and we had our chants and our routines.
But then you made us run out, and we
all got around the three-point line,
and we had to shoot with no basketballs.
Yeah.
And it was all about form.
And the first time we did it, I hated it.
'Cause the other team was at the
end of the court making fun of us.
You know, like, "What are
these idiots doing, um, warming
up without basketballs?"
But then we would just
run teams out of the gym.
Mm.
And it was that.
It was like, "This is the part of it, and
regardless, you're gonna buy into it."
Good.
Regardless if you think it's silly or not.
Super good.
Yeah.
And this is, this is the standard,
and we're gonna all shoot for,
uh, three pointers with no balls.
Do you- And then we're gonna
run you out of the gym by 25.
Well, you know, it's interesting.
So this will be good for everybody here.
So where that came from, and you,
you can hear it now, I told you then,
but you would've never understood.
You'd have thought Iâ¦
You probably just thought I was an idiot.
But like I, I watched the state
championship game in South Carolina, I
don't know, maybe two years before that.
And, um, the E- Eau Claire High
School, I think it is, where,
uh, Jermaine O'Neal played.
Mm.
And, uh, for five minutes at the start
of the game, they were in three lines.
One group was doing defensive slides,
one group was form shooting, and the
other group was in a defensive stance.
They did that for five minutes.
There was 15 of them.
And I was likeâ¦
So I waited till the game got
over, and I found the assistant,
and I was like, "What do you do?
Like, why?
Why are you doing that?"
And he was like, "Whatever theâ¦"
He wasâ¦
He said what you said, somewhat, Tim.
He was like, "Whatever the process
is that you do, like on a daily
basis, you need them to be so locked
in to what you've been practicing,
you don't need a ball for it."
And I was like, "That's insane."
Yeah.
Like, why wouldâ¦
And, and to your point, what it does
is it just, it just lasered you, right?
It just, it zoomed your focus in,
even if you thought it was dumb.
But by the end of it, you'd bought it,
and it turned into something great.
By the way, that team won the
state championship by like 40.
I mean, they just- Yeah ⦠ran out
of the group right off the floor.
So, uh, that's, that's powerful.
All right, Tim, coming to you.
Uh, staying in high school,
what dreams did you have?
I, I don't know if I had any
dreams, to be frank with you.
I, in high school, I, maybe senior year,
junior year, you know, my dream was
always kind of getting out of Doseville.
Oh.
It was going off and becoming something.
You know, I had a lot of
self-confidence issues, to be
frank with you, as, as a teenager,
trying to find my place and fit in.
Yeah.
So I always felt like if I got
out of here and made something of
myself, you know, I could be proud-
Yeah ⦠uh, of whatever that was.
So, you know, I, I went and made a,
a brief appearance at Columbus State,
and that didn't, didn't sort out-
'cause I wasn't where- That is- ⦠I
was supposed to be between the
ears to be successful in college.
But, you know, I don't think I ever
had, like, dreams or aspirations
of playing at the collegiate level.
Like, looking back, I wish I
would've played longer, you know?
I- Yeah ⦠I see that journey in, um,
some of the, some of the guys that I've,
uh, coached baseball with, have played
collegiate level, guys in the military.
In fact, one of the guys I coach
right now, his son was just drafted
by the Cubs, and I'm like, man, what
a cool experience that must be to
be able to play a game you love just
as long as you can possibly play.
Yeah, keep going.
Mm-hmm.
Ever since then, I've been chasing it.
You know, whether it's-
Yeah ⦠old man softball or-
pickup leagues or, you know, whatever.
Yeah.
It's like I'm trying to squeeze every bit
of- Come on ⦠of that out of my life.
And eventually, you know, I'm not gonna
be able to, and it'll just be in the
dugout or on the sideline as a coach.
But, um, you know, looking back, I wish I
would've pursued that- Yeah ⦠you know,
bought into it in my own time during the
summers or the off-league or off-season-
to, to get better.
But I don't know.
I think I was just- Powerful
⦠kind of floating, coach.
Good.
Good, Tim.
I, I think I was just- No,
it's good ⦠surviving.
Good.
What you got, Ti- what you got, Iz?
Uh, well, real quick, I, um, you
said long-winded, so I just need to
say something about the last point.
I wanted to jump in- Okay.
Yeah, yeah, yeah ⦠um, so real
quick, just going back toâ¦
I, I agree with both of you.
I, I love what Tim said about
the standard, and then I didâ¦
Yeah, I don't remember that, Coach,
about the South Carolina championship
that you went to and saw that from
that team, but that's awesome.
But I, I also want to make the point that
there was another reason, Coach, that we
did that, that you taught us, you know,
from day one, and I got to be blessed to
spend time with you at the golf course
and talk about it even more on, you
know, more things than just basketball.
Yeah.
But it starts in your mind,
in your- Yeah ⦠own mind.
It starts- Absolutely ⦠so, like,
whether we win or lose that game, it
started with what we thought we were gonna
do in the conference we had going into it.
So I took that seriously then, and-
Mm ⦠I think that's helped me so much-
Wow ⦠it, throughout my life toâ¦
Because I, I still envision the ball
goes in, you know, in whatever scenario,
whether it be my business being
successful or my team at Salina being
successful or my kids being successful.
It all goes back to I spend time thinking
about that and focusing on what I need
to do to improve that and get better.
So- Come on.
⦠I, I just want to throw that out
there because you- Powerful ⦠poured
that into me, and there'sâ¦
I, I think you were the first
person in my life to ever reallyâ¦
You know, I think my parents
did, but not at the same level.
And- Yeah ⦠you were the first person
that did that, so I wanted to make that
point because I thought it was- Good
pretty important.
Appreciate that.
Well, you were also, like- I mean, when
you coached us, it wasn't like you were
obviously an adult and not our peer, but
you were a lot more relevant to what we
were going through timeline-wise thanâ¦
I'll, I'll at least speak for
me and my parents, you know?
Like- Yeah, for sure
when every kid I think is the same way.
Your parents are supposed to be that
enforcer of, you know, standards
and, you know, disciplinary, and
they're giving you life lessons.
But when it comes from somebody
that- ⦠is connecting with you on a
different level, uh, like a coach can,
you know, I think it's just, it's,
it's received in a different manner.
It's good.
It's powerful.
Is, what dreams did you have?
Yeah.
Yes.
Yeah, sorry.
Wanted to throw that in, but yeah,
for dreams, you know, I, I got to
hear Tim answer that one first, and,
and it's really hard to think about.
I think I was a lot like Tim, and
I think that at the time I probably
would've told you differently- Mm
that I did have dreams.
But I, I think my focus was on
a lot of things that I didn't
really know what I wanted.
I- Mm.
You know, like him, you know,
I, I knew I wanted to go and
do something and be successful.
You know, I, I think I've always had
a drive and just an aggression to go
after things, but I, I had no direction.
And even after, like, in the military,
while it was, I had a great time.
I learned a lot.
I grew a lot.
You know, I think it, it was a
big confidence boost for me in the
military, but I still, even coming
out of the military and going through
college, I didn't have much of a
direction until I got to Soliant.
And about 10 months into my job
there, I, I don't know really, I
don't think it was one big moment.
I think it's just a lot of things,
and I think I had some motivation on
wanting to be married and buy a house
and, you know, uh, it, you know my
background, and that was something
that was really important to me, to be
a provider and, and buy a house- Yeah
and everything.
So, uh- Yeah ⦠I kind of found my
way, but I don't know that I ever really
had one dream, you know, bef- It's
interesting, it's interesting because
that one, the, the, there's two things
that kind of get, um, w- I poked at right
away, was your identity, one, and two,
the, the, the thing, like, the, the dream,
the dream part of us where, like, we have
as you're, as you're being formed during
that time, because there's so many other
influences that are in your life, your
parents, your grandparents, your friends,
your friend's circle, uh, your teachers,
all those things are very influential,
and When, when you have to kind of go
back in the recesses of your mind, most
of the time we don't like to go back there
because there's some pain and some trauma
and things we don't wanna g- we don't
wanna touch, and yet it's the thing that
will help us and help in f- the podcast,
it helps other people to hear that.
Because what coaches need to hear,
and I believe this with now more
than ever, is that our job as coaches
was to pull the dream out of you.
Mm.
That was our job.
Our job was to pull the dream out of you.
And I was so young then.
Y'all, you're not wrong.
Like, I think we're about, I think we're
all of us are about 13 years apart, right?
So, like, y'all, you're
just gonna turn 40.
I'll turn 53 in November.
We're not that far apart.
Mm-hmm.
So, we weren't that far apart.
A decade is a lot, but not really.
And, and that, that matters, but
it did help me be relevant and
yet this is what I didn't know.
I didn't know that my job would have
been, was, would have been to more pull,
like, push on that spot and say, "But
what are you really dreaming about?
Like, what do you really
wanna do 10 years from now?"
Like, you know?
And we do- It's, the crazy thing
is, looking back, it's amazing,
absolutely amazing how we, we didn't
really understand what God was doing.
Like, we ⦠But we now can look
at it and go, He was preparing us.
Yeah.
And the preparation in how
He does everything with us.
Like, we, we might have, we, w- maybe
we thought He was prepping us for
Friday nights and Tuesday nights and
some Saturday nights, sure, but what
He was really prepping us for was
marriage, children, a relationship
with Him, and then, and then, and then,
uh, business, world, job, whatever.
And I ju- I, it's interesting to,
to think about that, and for me on
this podcast is I say it all the
time, like, this is the coach's role.
Our role is to pull that out
of them, to call the best,
the dreams, the aspirations.
Go ahead, Tim.
I know you were about to say something.
Which, which I think you did for me.
Um- Sure ⦠it maybe wasn't like,
"I wanna be an astronaut," or- ⦠"I
wanna be the president," you know, but-
He is a doctor, though, so astronaut.
He, he really is.
Yeah.
But, uh, wait a minute.
We should have went
through all of your ranks.
We gotta, we're doing that.
We're doing that.
Part two we're gonna do.
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
Yeah, we're doing that.
But, you know, looking back, and I
know we're, we may get into this later
on, but everything you were doing was
preparing me for military service.
You know, it, I don't know if you
remember this or not, but we took
a, we took a trip to Tennessee to
play in a tournament, and we were
staying at Coach Abe's, uh, parents'
house or family's house or something.
Yeah, yeah.
And somebody, to remain nameless, set
off fireworks in the middle of the night.
And- Joe.
Had to be.
Well, as soon as you said it, I was like,
"It had to be Joe."
Good old Pyro Joe.
Yeah.
Pyro Joe.
You said, you said it, not me.
But, um- But you got into me for
that, and I was like, "Coach,
I had nothing to do with that."
Like, "What are you talk-
what are you talking about?
You mad at me for?"
But it was, uh, learning leadership,
being accountable for other people's
actions, you know, setting the standard
as, uh, one of the upperclassmen on
the team, I think is you had graduated,
I believe this was my senior year.
Yeah, I believe that, yeah.
Um, and it was like, in the moment
I'm like, "This isn't fair."
But looking back I'm like- Uh, I found
myself in a lot of leadership positions,
you know, throughout my career in the,
in the Air Force, and there are so many
things that I learned at 13, 14, 15,
16, that set me up for success in that.
I, I may not even realize that I had
aspirations to lead, but in those moments
of, yeah, like, "Damien, you're not
the most talented person on this team.
You're going to have to, number one, set
the example through your work ethic and,
number two, earn your playing time."
Nothing, nothing was given to us and, and
that was, you know, earned in the gym when
nobody's watching, while we're practicing.
So yeah, maybe at the time I didn't-
That's powerful ⦠realize what
I, what I- Powerful ⦠wanted
to do was, was lead.
Yeah.
But now, like, that's where
I feel my most fulfillment.
It's- Yeah, so powerful ⦠it's
not in the menial tasks
that I gotta do every day.
Mm-hmm.
It's being in those decisions that
have major, uh, influence on the
people that I'm responsible f- life.
It's being there for them, you know,
through the hard times when they're
experiencing, you know, a loss or-
Yeah ⦠you know, tragedy in their lives.
So yeah, may- maybe at, at- Good ⦠16,
17, I didn't- Good brother ⦠realize
that I wanted to be a leader, but-
Good ⦠they were preparing us for it.
Okay.
Well, let's, uh, let's take a breath right
here and, uh, and, and let me say to all
you guys who listen or watch, thank you.
Um, it, it, it, uh, the, the emails,
the text messages I get, guys, uh,
you don't get them, you don't get
to hear what I hear, but I justâ¦
And every once in a while you justâ¦
I'll catch a, I'll catch a phone
call or a text message, "Hey, I
ran across your podcast," and I,
I'm like, "I, I don't even knowâ¦"
Like, this guy from Virginia, and
I'm like, "I don't even know you."
And then the other- That's
awesome ⦠it's crazy.
And then the other day, I got a
email that was, like, um, two people
in Uganda had watched or listened.
And so I'm, you know,
I'm just so grateful.
And if you're watching and
you're listening, thank you.
Uh, continue to like and
subscribe, um, to, uh, every week.
And I say this every
single week, share, please.
I n- I need you to share this because
more coaches need to hear this.
More coaches need to hear what these
guys are saying about the game,
because, again, the game was God's
idea, and we're, we're his vessels.
And as coaches, our job is to be
transformational specialists, and we're
calling out the best in these kids.
And so, uh, that's, that's what we do.
So I really, really, really,
um, really appreciate everyone
who's listening or watching.
Um, all right.
Question two, uh, is, throwing it to
you, looking back, what lessons did
basketball teach you that you didn't
fully appreciate until years later?
Maybe let's, let's do
this, let's refine it.
Not lessons, let's go with one lesson
that basketball taught you that you now,
you know, almost 25 years later, like-
Uh, I mean, that, it, it's hard to
come up with one, but I, you know, I
think the first one that really comes
to mind is The little things matter,
and you're not ever going to be doing
the big things or entrusted to do big
things by, whether it be your boss or
your, by God, like anyone, your, your
family even, your wife, your kids.
You're not gonna be entrusted
with more if you don't be a good
steward of the little things.
Come on.
And that was something that I, just
personality wise, I want, like I wanted
to find the shortcut, and that's an
area where it's like, you know, you said
me and Tim are different on the court.
I mean, personality wise too,
like we're totally different, but
you know, he's my best friend.
And it, it, it's something that
I've learned a lot from him too.
So both of you have taught me, like
little things matter- Yeah ⦠more
than we will ever realize.
So I struggled with that recently, with
I'm, you know, doing this dry cleaners
thing, and trying to be present and be
there, and put my, pour myself into that.
But also I have this awesome
job that I'm trying to be
present for and pour into that.
And I realized, hey, I've gotta really
compartmentalize and be diligent and
consistent with this, and make sure
that I'm present wherever I am so
I can do those little things right.
Because I could tell that because of
just the chaos of life, I, I, I wasn't,
and we have to check ourselves many
times throughout, you know, whether
it be a, the basketball season or
college or whatever life throws at you.
You gotta really check yourself
and say, "Am I, am I-" Feel
good ⦠doing the little things right?
So that's probably the biggest
lesson that I've learned.
That's good.
That's good.
I like, I like the idea of keeping
it to one, because what will happen
is it would just, it would be
hard to, it would be hard to just-
Well, I would just talk forever
take three.
You're gonna go all, yeah.
Yeah.
We, we just take, I, it
would be hard for all of us.
I- Yeah ⦠when I read, when
I read what I wrote, I was
like, "Oh, lessons is a lot.
No, we're not going lessons."
Yeah.
What you got, Tim?
I, um, oh man, I don't know.
So many.
I, I'm gonna, I'm gonna
keep it to one, but so many.
Um, I would say like, looking back
to me being a role player, I didn't
realize how important that was.
You know, I was frankly pretty jealous
of the Efrem Jacksons, the Errol Childs,
that it was like effortless for them.
Yeah.
You know, they just had
sheer athletic talent.
They had the knowledge of the game.
You know what I mean?
Like- Yeah ⦠they were getting, uh,
1,000 point balls, and I was just half-
Shots fired.
No, but I was just- Call
your sister, Matt, for tapes.
You can score.
Yeah.
Come on.
Yeah, yeah.
For real.
Shout out Mike Madison right now.
For real.
Um- But there's value in
being that role player.
You know, like it, I found in my
military career that that really
benefited me to understand like where
I fit in on a team, what my role was,
and how I could benefit the team.
It may not be scoring, you know, it
may not be lighting up the scoreboard,
but I can add value somewhere.
I just gotta find that space and
become the best I can be in that space.
And then, you know, you can expand
out and, and grow and develop.
Um, but there's nothing wrong with
being a role player, uh, 'cause you
need those I mean, uh, it's, it's, um,
it's so interesting because I don't
think that even, and, and 'cause I was
so young and I had just, I mean, you
probably, you probably don't remember
the details of it, but I had just left
a league basketball team that was in
the top five in the country, loaded.
Yeah.
I mean, loaded at every position,
one through, one through 10 really.
We had D1 transfers from all over.
We did not have a role player.
There was not that, we did not, there
was a couple of guys who kind of
somewhat personified it, but they were
so good it was like, which, which I
think probably is why we didn't win
the national championship other than
we ran across the best post player
I've ever seen in my life, bar none.
But, um, I, it's, it's just, there's,
there, there's not enough emphasis on
it, and it doesn't, it doesn't show up
a lot, um, until someone has the ability
to kind of pull you or call you out
of a position where you're un- you're
comfortable into being uncomfortable,
and you actually put it on like a jacket
and like, "Oh yeah, I kind of like this."
I, I kind of- Yeah ⦠I kind of, I kind
of enjoy the uncomfortableness of that.
And, and I really felt like my big role
was in the locker room, was on the bus.
Especially like as I became an
upperclassman, was like being that
influence, you know, on the court,
and I think I grew and became
better, you know, um, obviously.
But, um, I found my niche in being
like that, kind of being that glue
guy or trying to be that glue guy,
you know, behind the scenes to try to
bring the best out of everybody, and
that's really where I feel like, uh,
as being almost a 39-year-old man is
like what I really appreciate myself.
And, and now as a coach,
like finding those guys too.
Like I need somebody to influence
the team here in the dugout.
I need somebody- Come on ⦠to step
up- Heck yeah ⦠and, and turn the
tides 'cause this thing's falling apart.
I need somebody to be a leader,
you know, all for the Diamonds, so.
And those are, those conversations are
hard because lots of times guys like you
don't wanna have that conversation, right?
Because you, there's a little bit of ego
and, and that's, ego's important, but,
but you want the what is and, uh, AJ had.
Oh, for sure.
And it's hard to have that conversation,
and yet I remember having those
conversations with you because I saw that
in you and I was like, "You know what?
This is who you are, bro.
Like hook, line, and sinker,
let's roll with this 'cause
you're gonna make us really good."
And you did.
Like you totally did.
That, that was, that was extremely imp-
I, I would argue that everybody that was
wrapped around you in that leadership
role that you had because of your humility
and your willingness to lay your life
down, legitimately almost died in 50,000
charges, like- I think it, it just
elevated everybody else, including Iz,
who was a great athlete just like EJ.
So, uh, man, that's powerful.
Well, uh, uh, as we land the plane
here, um, o- on, uh, part one of
this two-part series, uh, with these
two young gentlemen, and you're
still young, just so you know.
Both of you are in your 30s, dadgum it.
Um, I, I can't tell you how grateful
I am for your, your candor, and,
uh, I do, I do really love you both,
and, uh, looking forward to keeping
the conversation going next week.
Absolutely.
We love you, Coach.
Thanks, Coach.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Well, ladies and gentlemen,
we are gonna pick this back up
on the other side next week.
Part two will be here.
Make sure you stick and stay.
Hit that button, that like
button, and hold on and subscribe,
that way this one shows up.
And as we say every single week, we
are redeeming this game one family,
one player, and one coach at a time.
Hope this blessed you.
See you next week.