This episode comes after our terrible first game loss to Briarcliff. We had a lot of hope and expectations, and we still do. I try to analyze what happened, what we did right and wrong, and how we keep moving ahead. It's a marathon, not a sprint. 

On this episode, I was driving to our first game of the season vs Briarcliff. Lots of talk about hope, joy, optimism & anxiety. Wonder what happened? LOL

UPDATED VERSION: In this episode, I talk about some of the challenges of being the new head coach of a football team that has had some bad times. How to rebuild the team and the culture while still keeping some semblance of a life:)

This was recorded (in the car, driving to work:) after the 1st week of Spring Sessions of Football at Woodlands High School. I've been coaching for a long time, but this is the first time I've led the way into spring football as Head Coach, so naturally I was a combination of excited and anxious. Here are my thoughts & reflections on it- Hope you like it! Like, Comment & Subscribe!

UPDATE: I chopped this up a little, hoping to get a few more listens! Anyone that knows me knows I love football AND I drive A LOT. Leaving early in the morning every day, I sometimes get sleepy while driving. So rather than eating or guzzling coffee, I decided to record myself talking about how I became the Head Coach of the Woodlands HS Football team. I wanted to have a record of this for myself, but thought: I haven't recorded a podcast in a while; let's see if I can multitask: Podcast, Commute and tell a (hopefully) interesting story! I hope the audio isn't too bad! Please subscribe and spread the word- Thanks!

It's been about 5 months since I dropped an episode. This one is different from the others, as it's just me (interviews will return) riffing on teaching during COVID, African-American History Month, and trying to be engaged and into what you're doing/learning, particularly when you're not 100%- Can you be RIGHT when everything's not right?

Rosalynn Diaz, or "Roz", is a former student of mine from I.S. 162. I taught her back in 2003-2004, after which she went on to graduate from Jane Addams High School, then go on to John Jay College. She was an excellent student then, overcoming challenges while providing inspiration on her path towards success. She is a family advocate in Queens Court. She is also a poet, expressing her views on social justice, facing adversity, life and love through her pen name "Through These Big Brown Eyes". She seeks to inspire and motivate all of those around her; learn more about her and her writing here: https://throughherbigbrowneyes.com/

Danielle Taylor is not only a former student, but a former colleague of mine(!). I taught Danielle at I.S. 162 back in 2002-2003. After graduating from Clinton High School and getting her Bachelor's Degree from John Jay College, she went on to work with young people with Directions For Our Youth (DFOY) at Van Nest Academy. I reacquainted myself with Danielle there, as that is where I work- small world! She did a fantastic job there, impacting students and making the most of her opportunities. She continues to work with young people today. We had a great conversation about her early years, growing up in the Bronx and taking the lessons of our pasts and making them work for us, and others, in the present and future.

Envy Lopez is a former student of mine, proudly serving our country in the U.S. Army. Currently residing in Florida, she is a sergeant, working in recruitment, helping young people make wise decisions and maximize their potential while also contributing to the nation's defense. She continues her own education. Envy was a fantastic student in my VNA Class of 2013. She learned a lot about herself along the way. We have a great conversation connecting the lessons and laughs of her past to the passion of her present and focus of her future. 

Angel Fonseca was in the first class I ever taught, a fifth grader back in 1994 in P.S. 161 in the South Bronx. Angel and I never lost touch, as he was a player on my Bantam League football team in 1999 and a friend ever since. He knows me as "Mr. Bascom", "Coach Kurt" and "Kurt", while I know him as a friend, a family man and a successful entrepreneur. Angel is one of the co-founders of Hudsy, a video streaming platform using their varied, first-rate backgrounds to protect and celebrate the Hudson Valley’s talent, diversity, recreational offerings, and culture.