EJ Ryans is a division I level point guard for Northview High School. He stands 6'4'' and is only entering his junior year! He is playing AAU with the powerhouse squad The Family, out of Detroit.

We caught up with EJ to reflect on a great sophomore season at Northview and talked about his mindset going into next year. We also talked about his views on mental health and how he personally approaches that day in and day out to make sure he and his teammates are on the right path.

Take a listen and make sure you subscribe to our channel!

Episode Notes:

0:00-4:24 - AAU with The Family (EYBL, Detroit) 4:24-14:00 - EJ's upbringing and backstory 14:00-30:00 - Reflect on EJ's sophomore season at Northview, recruiting update 30:00-40:55 - Discussion on mental health 40:55-45:33 - Quick hitters

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT:  We have launched the chosen academy. The chosen academy is a non profit organization with the mission of providing affordable basketball skills training and mental health groups to student athletes in the inner city of Grand Rapids.   Our target athlete is the athlete that may come from a single parent home, a low income home, or someone that may be a first generation college student.

As you may know, mental health has a stigma in our society, especially the black community. So we want to break down that wall and help athletes get the help that they need.

So how can you help? Please spread the word about what we’re doing. Share this podcast, share our website, and tell everyone that you know. If you’d like to give to this cause, check out our website at Thechosenonesgr.com or email me at [email protected]. Thank you!

Chris Warner is a former Division II basketball player at Northern Michigan University. He was born and raised in Ontario, Canada.   Chris earned his master of Social Work from Grand Valley State University and is currently a probation officer for Kent County. He works with teenagers, helping them get their lives back on track.  

Chris also coaches freshman girls basketball at Northview High School and owns a skills training company, One Five Warner Amplified.  

0:00-31:00 - Chris shares his story on his upbringing and what basketball was like in Canada. He also discusses how he earned his scholarship to Northern Michigan and why he chose that school.  

31:00-1:05:00 - We talked to Chris about mental health in sports. We all discuss our own experiences with mental health from our playing days. Chris give some great tips on how to take care of yourself as an athlete.  

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT:  We have launched the chosen academy. The chosen academy is a non profit organization with the mission of providing affordable basketball skills training and mental health groups to student athletes in the inner city of Grand Rapids.   Our target athlete is the athlete that may come from a single parent home, a low income home, or someone that may be a first generation college student.   

As you may know, mental health has a stigma in our society, especially the black community. So we want to break down that wall and help athletes get the help that they need.   

So how can you help? Please spread the word about what we’re doing. Share this podcast, share our website, and tell everyone that you know. If you’d like to give to this cause, check out our website at Thechosenonesgr.com or email me at [email protected]. Thank you!

Rob Carlisle was raised in Detroit, MI. He has a unique football story that will motivate athletes everywhere! Playing at the height of GVSU Football's success, Rob worked his way up the depth chart as a defensive back, helping the Lakers win two national championships.

Currently, Rob is a Director of Student Athlete Development at Appalachian State University in North Carolina. We talked to him about his role there and what kinds of things he does with student athletes. Rob has years of experience working with athletes so this episode is full of great advice for athletes to hear!

If you enjoyed this interview, please give it a like and subscribe to our page. Comment on who you'd like to hear from next!

Jillian Brown is a former East Grand Rapids star. Now playing at Northwestern, we talked about her successful freshman season playing in the Big Ten. She earned a starting spot on the team and started in almost every game that she played. 

We picked Jillian's brain to learn what playing ball at the D-1 level is really like. We were impressed by her approach to the game and her mindset as a freshman! She's a competitor and a winner. If you want to learn more about what college ball is like, this episode is for you.

If you enjoyed this interview, please give it a like and subscribe to our page. Comment on who you'd like to hear from next!

Join us in this episode as we talk to Brady Titus about his recent championship! Brady really put the team on his back and helped Tri Unity Christian redeem last year's loss and turned a heart break into one of life's greatest achievements.

Brady has continuously had to prove himself as he has always been overlooked and underrated. We're giving Brady his flowers and hopefully more people do too!

Do you feel like you're in this same category? This would be a great interview for you to listen to, as Brady has some amazing advice on how he defeated all the critics.

If you enjoyed this interview, please give it a like and subscribe to our page. Comment on who you'd like to hear from next!

Byron Center super sophomore Lily Zeinstra joined the show for episode 17. Lily is a humble competitor that is getting recruited by Big Ten schools and other D1 programs around the Midwest.  

We sat down with Lily to talk about her story and the 2021-22 season!

Grand Rapids Basketball Legend Thomas Kelly (TK) joined the show to share his story. 

TK is a starred at Grand Rapids Union, played at Michigan State, and had long career overseas.  Currently TK serves as the top assistant for Western Michigan University, where he helped pull in a amazing 2022 class including JaVaughn Hannah (Orchard Lake St. Mary's) and Max Burton (Williamston).  

We sat down and talked to TK about his journey from the very beginning. He shares a lot of knowledge about the game and you can feel his passion through the speakers!   

How can young hoopers make it to the next level? How can basketball continue grow in West Michigan? 

Join us to hear what the legend has to say!  If you enjoyed this interview, please give it a like and subscribe to our page. Comment on who you'd like to hear from next!

Alaina Diaz one of the most accomplished athletes around. The dual sport athlete has 3 school records in track & field (100m, 200m, and long jump), and she is a state champion in basketball. She is on her way to run track AND play basketball at Purdue Fort Wayne University (Division I school).

What makes Alaina who she is? What makes her such a great athlete, competitor, and all around person? Her faith. Alaina is open about her faith and shares her faith story with us! Please take the time to listen and be impacted by Alaina's story!

We'd love to hear your feedback about the show and what kinds of topics that you want to hear next!

Make sure to give us a follow on Instagram and Twitter @thechosenonesgr for behind the scenes content and updates about the show!

Do you want to know what it takes to be a good leader? What is the culture like on a state championship team? What does it take to be a great squad?

Learn from Grand Rapids Catholic Central's Jack Karasinski as we discuss his story, leadership, and a healthy team culture. Jack is one of the top players in the state and is heading to play for William & Mary in the fall! Jack had 17 total scholarship offers. Crazy!

We'd love to hear your feedback about the show and what kinds of topics that you want to hear next!

Make sure to give us a follow on Instagram and Twitter @thechosenonesgr for behind the scenes content and updates about the show!

Do you struggle with performance anxiety? Are you usually really hard on yourself while you're competing? If yes, then you do NOT want to miss this episode of WAWM!

Emily Perrin of Perrin Wellness & Performance is a Performance Coach out of Durham, NC. She works with sports programs at Duke, NC State, and UNC. She also works individually with professional athletes. Emily also competed in soccer at the division I level at the University of Virginia.

Stick with us as we talk about how to overcome anxiety and other mental health challenges as athletes!

Are you enjoying the podcast so far? If so, give us a rating and drop a comment! We'd love to hear your feedback about the show and what kinds of topics that you want to hear next!

Make sure to give us a follow on Instagram and Twitter @thechosenonesgr for behind the scenes content and updates about the show!