My Love for the Game
I love this game so much! Basketball has blessed me with some many amazing opportunities I could only dream of as kid. I remember growing up fantasizing about the things I would do if I made it to the professional level. The state-of-the-art facilities I would build for the communities, giving back with basketball camps and helping the next generation of student-athletes. I didn’t make to the NBA, but I did fulfill my dreams of playing college basketball, received a college education (First Generation College Graduate) and developed a passion for coaching basketball.
My passion and dedication to the game became my obsession as I lived and breathed basketball 24/7. From the early days of Tiny Tots Development and Pee Wee basketball at the old Tuba City Community Center, open gyms at St. Jude’s, traveling thousands of miles winning basketball tournaments with the Tuba City Rebels and trying to fulfill my RINGDREAM playing for the Tuba City Warriors in quest of a State Championship Title. My goals throughout the years were to get better every single day. The early morning runs, the jump rope/push-ups and the endless hours shooting around in my driveway. I earned Player of the Year honors, Arizona All-State, All-State Tournament Team, 1st Team All-Region team, etc. I chased my dreams.
The Next Level only gets harder and tougher! Players are bigger, faster and stronger! My first year was a struggle making that adjustment. I nearly quit! So, what did I do? Set New Goals. Stayed Obsessed. Worked Harder. Dreamed Bigger. Outwork the Competition. Pushed myself outside my comfort zone. I made the Haskell Men’s Basketball Team and went to WAR everyday with my brothers. My role was to be high-energy, take charges, get deflections, play defense, rebound the ball and get all the 50-50 balls. I loved my role! The talent level at the NAIA is just as comparable and competitive as some of these NCAA programs. We got to practice at Allen Fieldhouse (Kansas Jayhawks), competed against the NAIA National Champions and played against Northern Arizona University twice but there was nothing better than playing at home in the Coffin Complex. I loved Haskell.
I took my talents to Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota where my passion became my purpose in life. This new purpose (mission) was to inspire individuals to personal greatness utilizing Basketball and Strength and Conditioning training systems. My brother quickly became my test dummy as I was helping him achieve his college hoop dreams in Massachusetts. This sacrifice to migrate North to South Dakota paid off as I graduated from BHSU with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise Science (1st College graduate in my family). Let’s start building athletes.
I returned home. I had a great job working in the Public Health field helping individuals advocate for health opportunities and understand the benefits of physical activity. While working for the Health Promotion Program we developed a youth basketball leagues where I slowly began gaining interest in coaching youth basketball. I easily fell in love with coaching as I was teaching the fundamentals, giving players an opportunity to play and most importantly have fun. I’m glad I volunteered as a youth coach.
My high school coaching journey started at the Freshman level where I got my feet wet adjusting to the ins-and-outs of high school basketball. My creativity carried me throughout this first year as I put together drills, plays and strategies I experience while playing. The following season this got tougher as I was introduced as the Head Boys Basketball Coach for the entire program. At this moment, my preparation became my new obsession as I wanted to build a strong program for all players and coaches. What did I Do? Set New Goals. Stayed Obsessed. Study the Game. Built Relationships. Dreamed Bigger. Outwork the Competition. Became comfortable being uncomfortable. We created something special at Tuba City High School as over the next three seasons we started winning games and tournaments, competed down in the State Tournament with an Elite-Eight and Sweet Sixteen appearances and earning the honors for Coach of the Year. This entire experience was unreal and I am very thankful for the relationships we’ve developed with our players (Watch the Throne). We played hard, played smart and played together.
My contract wasn’t renewed, and I left the program upset, sad but not defeated. As we built this program our main pillars for success were Basketball Player Development and Strength & Conditioning. The relationships I developed while coaching helped bridge the gaps of some of the best experiences I had being away from the game. I really invested in myself and love for the game as I attended basketball and sport performance seminars & clinics from the Arizona Basketball Coaching Association, USA Basketball, Nike Coaches Clinics and Perform Better. My brain was overloaded with the knowledge and wisdom being shared by 100’s of coaches I’ve listened to over the years. I invested in my craft!
The Pure Sweat Experience. My mentor and friend Drew Hanlen opened my eyes to the importance of proper Basketball Player Development. His love, dedication and details to the game showed me why he is the best in the training industry. Being involved in his NBA offseason workouts as a defender, passer and rebounder showed me the details and nuances I overlooked for years. I was lucky to be around some of the game’s greatest players: Jayson Tatum, Bradley Beal, Joel Embiid, Zach Lavine, Kelly Oubre Jr., Myers Leonard and many more players. The smallest details (i.e. footwork, balance, shooting form, post position, reads, etc.) is what separates the best players from the great players. Thank You Drew!
“Never get bored with the basics”
All these years learning and studying the game helped earned me a coaching opportunity at SAGU-American Indian College. Great challenge but our program faced big obstacles of a very limited budget, no player resources or equipment and had no history of success as a basketball program. Our approach to battle these challenges were smart; set realistic goals, recruit smart, don’t over hype ourselves, work hard every single day and be committed to the process. We created a new environment to make our coaches more visible, provided our athletes the tools and resources they needed to succeed both in the classrooms and in real-life situations. We had a rocky season as we played tough competition all season but also didn’t play well against teams, we matched up well against. We won 1-game this season and I was fired immediately after our last game. Would I change anything? No. The expectations and values we set for ourselves knew this outcome was a real possibility. I love my guys and would do anything for them. #WarriorStrong
Basketball has been my obsession. I’m dedicated and committed to this game. Throughout these years my brother and I started a business: Brown Performance Strength & Conditioning (BPSC) with the vision of helping individuals achieve greatness through positive coaching, mentoring, basketball skills development and strength & conditioning. Our goal is to motivate and encourage the next generation of student-athletes that dreams are possible, but it takes hard work, dedication and commitment to truly reach your goals. We Train Hard, Train Smart, Get Results.
