Basketball Missionary Podcast

In this episode we have guest Martin Anderson from the Seattle, Washington area. Martin is a former college & overseas pro who now pours into players (youth to pros) as a skills trainer. He has a great development program in Seattle & we met at the Committed to the Craft conference in 2022 in Louisville. Since then we've become great friends & shared some great stories & life lessons we've both learned through the game. I especially enjoyed telling a powerful story on this podcast about my time in Seattle with Martin & how he helped connect me with my family members I never had the opportunity to meet before that trip.Some topics we discuss include: Becoming the coach you wish you had, what is your purpose with the game, training pro players is overrated, ego of trainers in industry, need for humility, our experiences in Seattle together running a camp & thoughts on both CTTC events, basketball training stories & lessons & more! This podcast was a Committed Community Live Call. We recorded these monthly within our global community of basketball coaches & trainers. This community was born out of the "Committed to the Craft" conferences. You can join the community, get access to these calls, resources & tickets to events at:committedtothecraftevent.com 

In this episode we unpack our 2nd annual sports ministry conference & make a big announcement! There are so many great back stories on how this entire conference has come together with an amazing lineup of speakers & contributors. I unpack the purpose of CTTG, who it is for, the history, back stories & review the schedule. I also announce why I decided to make this conference for free. The Lord put on my heart the need to sow a seed of faith into the sports ministry community. Our program, Hoops for Christ, is in the process of getting a 6 acre sports ministry campus & basketball facility in 2024. This conference & camp will be free as a seed of faith toward this vision God has given us. To attend the conference for free or get a free virtual pass please visit our website: committedtothegospel.com

This was the most emotional podcast I've ever done because I was re-living a dark time for me personally while playing overseas in the Philippines pro league (PBA). We go on this wild ride of overseas basketball stories, hard lessons & even discuss the 'dark side' of pro basketball. Through this one of the shining lights for me while playing in the PBA was my team captain & dear friend Jared Dillinger. "JD" is currently a 15 year veteran still playing in the PBA & experiencing amazing success off the court in the crypto world, CNN TV show & successive podcast. He is the most naturally gifted leader I've ever played with at any level. You will see in this podcast that as great of a professional hooper that he is, he is an even better person to those around him. Follow JD on instagram @jdaredevil2 & you can check out Jared's podcast along with his other PBA buddies, "Let it Fly - ClutchPoints" 

In this episode we are joined by Myson Jones, founder of the Hoops Institute & past speaker at "Committed to the Craft" Conference. We discuss the power of hiring the right people or admin, using scheduling software/apps, creating cashflow, professionalism, social media & marketing. There are tons of valuable gems shared as we discuss the common mistakes, hard lessons & problems that hold back many basketball small businesses (trainers & programs). These are usually small mistakes that compound over time because we are often trying to juggle so many tasks as one person we don't know the power of delegation & how small changes will help us grow our programs. This podcast was recorded during one of our "committed community" live calls for members. We have multiple live calls each month on business, growth strategies, interviewing industry leaders, basketball impact & more. Join the community now & also get access to our annual retreats, meetups & of course the conferences:committedtothecraftevent.com

In this episode I have special guest "Coach Cee" Chris Morrales joining me to recap an amazing L.A. trip. It was an incredible experience running our first committed community camp & meetup following the CTTC conference. We have some great stories & lessons we learned from our time exploring LA, meeting so many amazing people at Phil Handy's 94feet Certification. Also a Ganon Baker story for the ages!The overall of theme of this trip was operating with an 'abundance mindset' and we experienced so many 'divine appointments' that we share on this podcast. Our time at UCLA running into the Toronto Raptors Coaching staff was another example of this. Myself, Coach Cee & Coach Caleb from Canada all rolled together in LA & this was a trip we'll never forget. Lock in because you're going to enjoy this one.

In this Episode we dive into a masterclass with Korey Harris on coaching, life lessons, providing value as a development coach/trainer & how to grow as a professional. This was an amazing conversation within our "Committed Community" that we decided to add to the podcast. Korey has a wealth of knowledge, experiences & hard life lessons through the game of basketball at the highest levels. Korey's incredible journey to China began working with Ganon Baker & accepting a full time position running a youth basketball academy there & it was eye opening experiences. From there he worked & positioned himself to be seen by Stephon Marbury & his agent as a respected development coach. This period was one of the hardest, darkest times of his life but also one of the greatest teachers & life lessons as well. You'll be so inspired by Korey's mix of faith, grit, humility & teachable spirit. You can check Korey Harris out through his coaching resources & platform "The Transition." He brings amazing value, support & curriculum to the basketball community. basketballcoachingconsulting.com IG: @thetransition__

#12 Life Changing Basketball Ministry Experience w/ Randell Hahn In this episode I have guest Randell Hahn, a basketball missionary in Nicaragua, sharing his amazing story & unpacking his experience at Origins Basketball. We both met in Kansas City, MO for the Origns Basketball Experience & immediately connected with a similar passion for Jesus & Basketball Missions. Together we unpack some life changing lessons we learned during our time at Origins Basketball & how we see God working in so many lives through the game of basketball. Randell shares his amazing exit from a successful corporate business career into a calling to the mission field in Nicaragua. He & his family are now working in the Believe Academy in Nicaragua pouring love, hope & Jesus into the lives of the kids & families there. He shares how a chance encounter with a few used basketballs changed everything for him & revealed a calling. For volunteering, financial giving, and more of the story, visit the website:www.believeacademy.co/awareness  Instagram - #believeacademynica  Randell’s Website - www.growthcoaching.co

In this episode we have world renowned skills development trainer & business owner Ryan Razooky. Ryan has built an amazing brand through social media, networking, owning 2 gyms in the San Diego area & training hundreds of players & top talents. At a young age he has managed to grow to a level that very few have experienced in the basketball training industry & has so much knowledge on the business side. Ryan gave an amazing presentation and talk at the "Committed to the Craft" Coaches/Trainers Conference in San Diego this summer. The feedback from all those that attended was great & they all said they learned so much from him & his business structure & lessons. What I personally appreciate about him is his passion for the game & teacher's heart to make an impact of the lives of his players & trainers that work with him. 

This is the lost & even untold story many lifelong basketball enthusiasts have never heard on the invention of the game. James Neismith invented basketball but few know the heart and purpose of why he invented the game, as a tool to win souls to Christ. I'm always amazed at how many people who have been involved in the game their whole life have never heard the true story of the first 'basketball missionary' James Neismith. Austin Schulz unpacks this amazing story & the mission he has with "Origins Basketball" to use the game to share the Gospel globally. Austin & his wife Shivani are missionaries in the Philippines and Co-Founders of Origins Basketball Ministry. He shares his amazing story & the work he has been doing overseas through the game of basketball. Austin & Phil will be working together again this summer at the Origins Basketball Experience in Kansas City.

On this episode we have 3x NBA champion coach Phil Handy take us through some powerful life lessons. He breaks down his foundational beliefs & his own personal mission with the game of basketball.

Some universal truths that apply to all coaches or trainers. Also how he approaches training Kobe, LeBron, Kyrie or even a kid. This is a refreshing conversation of his love and spirit for the game & the journey.