00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:01.520
Family sacrifice.
00:00:01.679 --> 00:00:08.400
Most of the times a lot of parents tend to think this journey is going to be specifically on the coach.
00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:10.720
The coach can only get you so far.
00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:12.560
You have to be invested just like your child.
00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:13.439
That's what I feel.
00:00:13.839 --> 00:00:21.920
If it's a dream of your child, then you have to make sure that you are a conduit.
00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:25.920
A better word for that is a partner in their dream.
00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:28.480
You can't say, okay, go dream and then let them do it on their own.
00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:31.039
Not saying that it's not able to be accomplished.
00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:34.799
What I'm saying is that that makes it even harder for that child.
00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:36.560
Remember the numbers that we're talking about, right?
00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:38.640
I don't know if y'all are really letting that sit with y'all.
00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:41.439
It's one in 220.
00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:45.359
So in order to go D1, you have to be different, right?
00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:47.039
We already talked about the numbers.
00:00:47.119 --> 00:00:51.439
I shot out the girls that came to mind, the 18, the six from Louisiana.
00:00:51.520 --> 00:00:59.600
If we really want it from New Orleans, if I really wanted to be serious, the numbers would be even different because Cass and Shakai, they're not even in Louisiana anymore.
00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:02.799
They weren't in Louisiana when they received, when they when they signed the office, right?
00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:05.359
Cass and my family, we moved to Texas.
00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:07.519
Shakai had moved to Florida.
00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:08.799
So it's really four.
00:01:08.879 --> 00:01:11.599
So the numbers go go down even more, right?
00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:15.040
So you have to understand that it takes a it takes a vision.
00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:20.560
It takes the the the the the uh seriousness for the whole family in order to achieve it, right?
00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:23.359
If your child needs to get in the gym, then you gotta sacrifice, right?
00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:25.439
So when I was a coach, they used to think I was crazy.
00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:27.120
We had practice Monday through Thursday.
00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:29.680
I gave them Friday and Saturday off, right?
00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:31.359
Sunday, we were back in the gym.
00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:34.560
I had parents that used to tell me, oh, that's second line Sunday.
00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:38.640
Well, listen, man, I'm from New Orleans, I grew up in New Orleans, the second line is gonna be that next year, too.
00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:40.239
It's gonna be that next week, too.
00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:42.719
The night wall step is gonna step next week too.
00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:45.439
You're gonna be able to happy feet with them the next week too.
00:01:45.599 --> 00:01:50.640
But this opportunity that you have right now, you gotta take advantage of it.
00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:51.680
You gotta get in the gym.
00:01:51.760 --> 00:01:53.200
You have to separate yourself.
00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:56.319
If it's already one and two twenty, you're competing at a different level now.
00:01:56.480 --> 00:01:57.439
College has changed.
00:01:57.519 --> 00:02:02.400
They're not handing out D1 scholarships for girls coming straight out of high school like that.
00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:03.359
You gotta be like that.
00:02:03.439 --> 00:02:09.039
You gotta catch somebody's attention and it's got to be able to uh translate to the college game.
00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:12.960
They gotta see you and think that you're going to add to their team, right?
00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:15.120
You can't do that if you're out of shape.
00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:17.360
You can't do that if you're not in the gym.
00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:24.560
So just building those habits and getting your kids to understand how hard they have to work and sacrifice and miss out on some things as a family, right?
00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:26.159
That's for the family side.
00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:33.199
The child themselves, then you gotta get them surrounded by the right coach, somebody that actually cares about them, somebody that wants to see them be successful.
00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:36.159
Sometimes people can say some things that sound really good.
00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:38.639
Then when you get into it, it's not what they say.
00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:40.080
All that's expected.
00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:44.800
For example, me moving out here to Dallas was a journey that we took.
00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:46.080
I didn't take it lightly.
00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:47.360
Um again, I was set up.
00:02:47.439 --> 00:02:50.879
I was an assistant principal uh in the head coach of a basketball team.
00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:54.240
I mean, I was I was doing everything that I wanted to do, right?
00:02:54.400 --> 00:03:03.680
So all these things that I wanted to do, and then Cass came to me and was like, Dad, I want to, you know, try to chase this dream of uh wanting to try to become uh nationally ranked.
00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:04.639
And I was like, okay, too.
00:03:04.800 --> 00:03:07.680
Let's I'm like, but you know, here we got it all laid out.
00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:08.400
You know what I'm saying?
00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:09.759
It's this this this easy.
00:03:09.919 --> 00:03:17.840
Like, go win this state championship probably next year, uh, chill out, have fun at one of the best high schools in in the in the state of Louisiana.
00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:19.759
And she was like, nah, I gotta do this.
00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:22.960
So I don't take I don't take anything that we did for granted.
00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:24.719
I don't wish that we didn't do it.
00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:28.879
It actually had an opportunity to grow some different muscles in in all of us.
00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:34.080
So that was a really great experience in itself as well, just having her have that opportunity, right?
00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:38.000
So when I think about it again on the on a deeper level, I think about what the city is missing.
00:03:38.080 --> 00:03:43.599
So what is the city missing that can actually give girls a better chance?
00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:49.680
When we talk about New Orleans compared to the state, uh the advantage runs on a few shoulders.
00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:52.960
A handful of programs and coaches carry the city's reputation.
00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:57.919
When you think about basketball in the city of New Orleans, there's only a couple couple programs that pop up.
00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:00.240
In the state of Louisiana, period, you could probably name them.
00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:10.560
Zachary, Ponchatula, Madison Prep, Curtis, Captain Shreve has been good the last couple years, Huntington up north, Wasman, who who's always dominant.
00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:12.080
And then after that, I lose it.
00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:13.520
I might be missing some people, right?
00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:14.960
I might be losing out on some people.
00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:18.399
And as it's nothing personal, I'm just thinking about names that pop into my head, right?
00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:24.240
So when you think about basketball as a whole, I I just named maybe seven teens, eight teams, right?
00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:26.319
And we're talking about a whole state, right?
00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:27.439
So just think about that.
00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:31.040
Uh the youth level, it's it's it's I don't know for the rest of the state.
00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:33.279
Again, I'm talking from my experience in New Orleans.
00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:35.759
The youth programs in New Orleans suck, right?
00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:37.040
They're awful, right?
00:04:37.439 --> 00:04:41.199
Nor you you have a game one week, you might not have a game for two weeks.
00:04:41.360 --> 00:04:47.040
Uh the only program that's moving in the city, if you're able to get there, is Coach Kenya and Coach Tiff.
00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:52.879
They have the the G League down there for the girls, and they do a good job of keeping the girls embedded in basketball.
00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:57.360
They do a good job of creating an atmosphere for them when it comes to basketball, right?
00:04:57.519 --> 00:04:58.959
So that's about all they have.
00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:00.560
Uh and then you have the Biddy program.
00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:03.920
A lot of people like to talk about what biddy is and what it does.
00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:11.360
I don't think that biddy is a comparison tool, but it is a great opportunity for girls to play in competitive basketball.
00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:20.079
Because again, when you're really trying to do this, you want to compare yourself against people uh that's not in your neighborhood or around the city, not the same people that you playing day in and day out.
00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:23.759
You got to first dominate that, and then you take the show on the road, right?
00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:29.360
Take the show on the road, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, and you start seeing that girls really do this.
00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:37.759
You go to some of these other states, you see that, oh, these girls can dribble with their left hand, they can dribble with their right hand, they could go behind the back, they could shoot the three, they could do just what you do.
00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:42.000
So it's almost like it gives you an opportunity to see, I gotta get to work, right?
00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:43.040
And that's a good thing.
00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:43.920
That's a good thing.
00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:48.079
And when it comes to it, and I wrote this note down, exposure still depends on leaving.
00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:53.279
Families drive to Houston, Atlanta, and Dallas for events that could be hosted right here in New Orleans.
00:05:53.360 --> 00:05:57.519
And again, it's difficult because we don't have the buy-in in New Orleans.
00:05:57.759 --> 00:06:08.160
You try to do something in New Orleans, you gotta go through this person for that person to this person so they can give you a gym because they're feeling like they have to have their hands in the pot when it comes to it.
00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:12.720
So it's a lot of things, man, that that that that I feel like we have solutions to.
00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:17.600
Because I could talk all day about things that are wrong, but it's some things that we can do as a whole.
00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:22.480
Number one, we have to get a a serious basketball program for the state of Louisiana.
00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:24.480
Shout out to my guy, Coach Dell.
00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:27.199
Um I saw his post yesterday on Instagram.
00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:30.319
He has a uh UAA team coming to Louisiana.
00:06:30.480 --> 00:06:37.439
Shout out Coach Nico and Coach Joe who tried to put together the they did put together, they put together the Louisiana royalty.
00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:40.480
We gotta we gotta keep talent inside of Louisiana.
00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:42.480
And the trip part is you really don't have to go nowhere.
00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:43.279
That's the crazy part.
00:06:43.360 --> 00:06:44.079
I learned that myself.
00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:47.519
Kaz really didn't have to go anywhere to do anything that she wanted to do.
00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:48.560
She really didn't have to.
00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:52.720
If I'd known what I knew now, then I would have built the platform myself.
00:06:52.959 --> 00:06:54.480
And it would have just been that simple.
00:06:54.720 --> 00:06:55.519
But I didn't know.
00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:58.879
I thought that I had to go in these places and it's narrative, man.
00:06:58.959 --> 00:07:04.800
Some of these kids, they not what they they not what they what they what they think they are, or what you think they are.
00:07:04.959 --> 00:07:08.560
It's just making sure that you have the right systems around your child to push them.
00:07:08.720 --> 00:07:11.199
And like I said, the girls' game still fights for gym time.
00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:15.120
Uh, my my partner, Coach DJ, he runs an independent team, One Love.
00:07:15.439 --> 00:07:23.519
Uh, and he just detailed the difficulty of him finding a consistent gym because of different factors that are in the city.
00:07:23.680 --> 00:07:28.560
So it's all kinds of things that that lead in the way that add to these numbers, man.
00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:34.000
I don't know what's going on in Lafayette, I don't know what's going on in Lake Charles, I don't know what's going on in the rest of the state of Louisiana.
00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:37.120
I'm just I'm speaking specifically for New Orleans, right?
00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:43.040
So, what can what can we do now to change your your trajectory when it comes to the game, right?
00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:46.879
Or what can I do to get my child to be a D1 athlete?
00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:48.639
Well, you got to start now, right?
00:07:48.800 --> 00:07:50.399
Development before exposure.
00:07:50.639 --> 00:08:01.199
Some people are looking left and looking right, and you're seeing these uh Instagram posts, you're seeing these highlight tapes, you seeing this uh discussion around talent, and you assume that you have to put your child directly into the exposure level.
00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:07.439
If your child isn't ready for that, that can that that can be the ad, you can get the adverse uh reaction to that, right?
00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:10.160
You want to develop your child before exposure.
00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:15.279
Every time at every age, daily skill work at home, it costs nothing, right?
00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:17.519
Cass didn't get better by going to a trainer.
00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:19.439
Cass went outside on the concrete.
00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:23.360
We were, it was uh she, and I'm gonna tell this story because it means so much to me.
00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:26.800
I think that this is where where Cass' trajectory actually changed.
00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:28.959
So we talked about bidding, right?
00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:31.040
Children have to try out.
00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:41.200
So they have like parkball and JPRD, and then they take the best girls from the park teams and they try out for the biddy team to become JPRD or whatever it's called, right?
00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:43.840
Well, my daughter tried out when she was nine years old and she got cut.
00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:49.600
Kaz got the envelope, she cried her heart out all the way home because she got cut from the team.
00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:53.039
It was the best thing that could have ever happened to Kaz.
00:08:53.279 --> 00:08:56.720
From her getting cut, she was like, I ain't never feeling like this again, dad.
00:08:56.799 --> 00:09:03.840
So she went outside on the concrete, dribbled for hours at a time outside, right hand, left land, between the legs.
00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:04.720
I still got videos.
00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:06.399
I probably gonna clip it and put it in here.
00:09:06.559 --> 00:09:10.240
Still got videos of her dribbling on the concrete, running the levee.
00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:11.759
She did all those things on her own.
00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:16.320
That's when I realized that I had something special and I can go ahead and pour more into her, right?
00:09:16.559 --> 00:09:17.600
So start now.
00:09:17.759 --> 00:09:18.799
Development, man.
00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:19.600
Start at home.
00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:22.320
If you don't have the money to pay for a trainer, start at home.
00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:23.759
It's not hard to find.
00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:24.240
Okay?
00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:27.360
Ask the hard questions before writing checks.
00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:32.399
AU costs, before you invest that money that you work so hard for, ask the right questions.
00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:33.519
Ask the right questions.
00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:35.200
The roster size, right?
00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:38.960
If I'm gonna be on a roster with 15 plus kids, that doesn't make any sense.
00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:42.879
That doesn't make any sense because my child needs to be on the court to develop.
00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:46.000
That other person child on needs to be on the floor to develop.
00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:49.840
That other so what you get is 15 children fighting for playing time, right?
00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:52.159
So make sure you ask about roster size.
00:09:52.320 --> 00:09:53.039
My kids' role.
00:09:53.120 --> 00:09:55.120
What's my kid's role on this team, right?
00:09:55.279 --> 00:09:56.879
And then practice per week.
00:09:56.960 --> 00:09:58.720
How many times will they practice per week?
00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:00.240
And then who runs them?
00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:01.519
Is it gonna be the head coach?
00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:02.559
Is it gonna be assistant coach?
00:10:02.639 --> 00:10:04.000
Who's running these these practices?
00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:06.879
Because you want your child to actually be developed, right?
00:10:07.039 --> 00:10:09.759
Now you can ask all these questions and still be lied to, okay?
00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:10.799
It happened to me.
00:10:10.879 --> 00:10:13.679
And I thought I had a real insight on what's going on.
00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:14.639
So it happened to me.
00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:18.879
So it can happen to anybody, but at that same time, don't be afraid to move your child.
00:10:19.039 --> 00:10:25.440
So when you are in a situation and it's not what you thought it was, don't sit there and and play the tough it out game.
00:10:25.600 --> 00:10:28.159
Put your child in the environment that you know is best for them.
00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:34.639
It's not about, it's not about let me sit here and and and allow them to constantly allow my child not to develop, man.
00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:35.440
Move, man.
00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:36.000
Move.
00:10:36.159 --> 00:10:38.320
I had no problem with doing that.
00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:39.919
I had no problem with doing that.
00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:50.240
When I saw that the priority was not development, and I saw that the priority was not to allow my child to be her best self, it was time for us to go and find a situation that was gonna nurture her.
00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:51.360
And that's what we did, man.
00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:54.080
So we had an opportunity to do that this summer, and we moved to Legends.
00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:58.559
Shout out the Legends for giving Cass the opportunity to play the EYBL.
00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:01.279
Started out strong, had a really beautiful start to the year.
00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:04.480
I looked at her mom and said, man, it's about to be a real crazy year.
00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:06.559
Then of course she blew her uh her knee out.
00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:15.120
She tore an ACL first game in Phoenix against why not, had 15 points going into the fourth quarter, and she actually blew out her uh knee, toy ACL.
00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:16.720
Luckily, uh nothing else was torn.
00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:19.360
And again, I I look at everything as a lesson, man.
00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:25.519
So that in itself allowed Kaz to focus on other things that she needed to focus on before she got ready to go to college, man.
00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:31.279
And I think in in all of that, in spite of all of that, Cass still had an opportunity to play D1 basketball.
00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:32.879
She's not playing her senior.
00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:36.639
She didn't play her senior year of EYBL, and she's still going D1.
00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:38.960
That speaks a lot about the talent that she has, right?
00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:44.240
So again, we we we we have to just be strategic on the way that we do this.
00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:46.000
I always want all girls to succeed.
00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:48.399
When I was coaching, it was about all the girls, right?
00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:54.799
I treated the the 11th man on the bench the same way as I treated the number one person in the game, right?
00:11:55.039 --> 00:11:57.279
Everybody was held accountable to the same level.
00:11:57.440 --> 00:12:02.480
If you couldn't cross this line in six seconds when I had them running, then everybody was gonna run again, right?
00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:07.519
So it's finding that that balance between development and expectation, right?
00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:13.519
So the parent advice that I have uh we're going forward, and I just wrote some notes and I want to read off of information before money.
00:12:13.679 --> 00:12:16.799
Before any money goes out, make sure you get the correct information.
00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:19.279
Vet every program like it's an investment.
00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:20.000
Vet it.
00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:24.559
See what it's about, see if it aligns with your goals and what you have for your child.
00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:29.039
The transcript travels further than any highlight tape, and your belief is part of the plan.
00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:32.559
Somebody has to drive, cook, email coaches, believe on the bad days.
00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:34.639
Going D1 is a family sport.
00:12:34.799 --> 00:12:35.519
You understand?
00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:45.440
So a lot of that outreach and things, you thinking that the, I guess you you you hoping that the coach or the team is the one that's actually getting that attention to your child.
00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:46.480
You can do it yourself.
00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:48.240
You have power as well, right?
00:12:48.320 --> 00:12:49.840
So relationships go a long way.
00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:52.399
Making sure that you educate your child on what to do.
00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:56.240
We had Cass email coaches her her schedule.
00:12:56.399 --> 00:12:58.240
I'm just, I would love for you to come see me.
00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:01.200
So we have all this detailed and mapped out for you.
00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:08.159
We actually did all of this stuff ourselves to make sure that the resources were available for families that came behind us.
00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:11.200
And it's simply because we don't want you to make the same mistakes we made, right?
00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:13.759
If you if you are better than me, then that's a that's a win.
00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:14.720
That's a win.
00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:20.639
So other than that, man, um, when I think about the state as a whole, I see a lot of potential.
00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:30.480
Once Kaz graduates from Faith Family in May 2027, you know, she's going on to play a LaTeX, and then the family's gonna move back to New Orleans.
00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:41.600
I have a lot of plans and a lot of goals in my head to just bring so much attention back to the city of New Orleans because I we have so much talent that goes unseen, and I want to provide an opportunity for those young ladies to be seen.
00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:49.840
Shout out to all the other people that are trying to bring attention to the young ladies, LBR, I see what they're doing uh in the three-on-threes and the five-on-fives.
00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:55.679
But it's some it's it's time for us to start getting the college coaches to come and sit down in Louisiana.
00:13:55.840 --> 00:13:57.440
Um, and there's ways that we can do that.
00:13:57.519 --> 00:14:08.320
So I can't wait to get back to put some of these ideas in motion to help out the next generation of young ladies that are playing basketball, just to focus on what we need to do in order to provide our children with the opportunity to live out their dreams, right?
00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:18.639
And that doesn't mean that I am talking down on D2 or JUCO or anything like that, because those all are opportunities for the bigger picture of free education.
00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:29.360
So, in the end, I want my child to have four years of free education and come out of college with zero debt so that she can enter into life and do what she needs to do to be successful.
00:14:29.519 --> 00:14:30.799
That's all it's about, man.
00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:31.759
That's all it's about.
00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:35.440
Going in there and providing that opportunity for my child to get that free education.
00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:43.759
And if she goes out there in college and balls out and works hard and has an opportunity to play overseas like she says she wants to do, then go do that.
00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:44.799
Then go do that.
00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:49.919
But my job was to make sure that I believed in her dream just as much as she did and put in the work just like her.
00:14:50.080 --> 00:15:01.679
So my family, we can go on and on about the sacrifices that we had, paying budgets, renting cars, uh, getting a one-bedroom apartment or one bed, and it's five of us, six of us.
00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:08.399
And we, we, all four of us, I let all the children with their mom asleep in the bed, and I'm on the floor, or I'm in the in the chair.
00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:13.519
So it's ways that we made it happen because we believe in our daughter and we believe in her goals and her dreams.
00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:15.039
And that's what I believe it's about.
00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:19.679
So, as a parent moving forward, what can we do in Louisiana when it comes to these numbers?
00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:22.000
One and two twenty, don't let it discourage you.
00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:23.039
It just let you know the work.
00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:24.879
I believe those numbers could change drastically.
00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:25.679
It's just the work.
00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:27.200
It's just what are you willing to sacrifice?
00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:30.080
What are you willing to do in order to put your child in the right atmosphere?
00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:34.559
There's a lot of colleges out here that need players, and you just got to be willing to do the hard work.
00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:36.480
So, man, what's up, coach?
00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:37.279
What's up?
00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:39.279
All right, Joe, straight in there.
00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:45.120
I was going back through the numbers, coach, and I was just saying, like, some of the numbers that we just reviewed.
00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:48.080
One in 220 Louisiana senior girls signed D1.
00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:49.120
It could be a little bit more than that.
00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:51.440
I know you you shouted out some girls that I missed.
00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:54.480
Um, I did pull these numbers from LHSAA.
00:15:54.720 --> 00:16:00.240
It's actually 5,313 girls who played uh last season across 380 schools.
00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:06.080
If it was to break those numbers down, there's only one child and 90 kids in New Orleans that win D1.
00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:09.360
Uh, and when you look at it for the state, that's one in 275.
00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:15.440
So we also lost 43% of our girls' players since 2000 and 19 programs.
00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:17.279
So those numbers just meant a lot to me, man.
00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:18.399
And shout out to Atia.
00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:21.840
I keep bringing that up because Atia is the one that actually put this on my mind.
00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:27.120
She came up, visited us in Dallas, and she was like, Coach, how many girls win D1 in the last three years?
00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:28.480
And it made me start thinking.
00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:30.639
So I just tried to go off my memory and think about it.
00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:35.600
And I just wanted to create a conversation surrounding the what it takes to actually go D1.
00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:38.080
I know a lot of people say it, and a lot of people want to do it.
00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:43.360
By no means I want to say this, Coach Chris, that I am talking down on D2, JUCO, all those manner.
00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:49.600
But I'm just talking about what people attain to get at the highest level, which is D1, and what it takes to get there.
00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:59.279
I invited you on because you have a young lady who was from New Orleans, prepped at Curtis and went to Ruckers from having her start down in New Orleans.
00:16:59.440 --> 00:17:09.200
So I wanted you to come on and just speak from your experience of the things that you went through, some of the things that you see, and then we're not gonna talk about all the problems, we're gonna talk about solutions and what people can do moving forward.
00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:10.640
So, what you got for us, Coach?
00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:12.799
That was a bad question.
00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:14.400
Uh bam.
00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:15.680
Yeah, yeah.
00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:18.960
Yeah, yeah, you kind of hit me with with a lie just now, just straight in.
00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:20.720
I'm gonna do it like this then, Coach.
00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:21.920
I'm gonna I'm gonna break it down for you.
00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:25.839
What do you tell the family who can't afford travel ball?
00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:32.079
Is there a real path for them right now to get to Division I if they don't have travel ball in their in their trajectory?
00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:33.680
Yeah, I think it's hope.
00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:40.400
I think it's hope because believe it or not, there's a lot of people in travel ball who can't afford it.
00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:41.279
Yeah.
00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:50.319
It's not it's not like just the just the the the whatever you want to call it, middle class or rich people or whatever, it's playing travel ball.
00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:50.799
No.
00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:51.279
Right.
00:17:51.519 --> 00:18:00.720
It's it's it's the it's the sacrifice, it's the uh, it's the I will not be denied type of attitude because you can get help out here, close mouth don't even feed it.
00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:06.160
And if people see you working, you never know where the uh where you can end up at.
00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:14.240
But if you can't afford it, you gotta you just really just gotta think probably more than half of the people who's playing travel bar can't afford it.
00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:17.279
If you wanna be too real about it.
00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:19.759
It's just hard to say that's an excuse.
00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:20.720
You know what I'm saying?
00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:22.480
It's just it's hard to say that's an excuse.
00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:24.319
You just gotta stay at it, stay in the gym.
00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:30.880
Somebody right eyes will see that this kid needs to be playing in the summertime.
00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:42.319
Now, depending on the talent, may depend on where they can get you at for a reasonable number of just the I take your kid or I help you out type of time.
00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:45.279
So you just gotta you just gotta want to do it, man.
00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:47.680
You'll find the home travel ball.
00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:49.279
Yeah, uh I agree with you.
00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:53.839
To zone in on it more, I believe that social, I'm gonna be honest with you.
00:18:53.920 --> 00:19:03.920
I've I I'm just looking left and right, and I get a lot of conversations and calls and different things, and people want to jump straight into the travel ball, and everybody wants to play EYBL or shoe circuit and things of that nature.
00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:07.119
And I think that we miss a big component of development, right?
00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:09.279
I'm not saying that that's not the goal.
00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:11.440
That's where the eyes are, that's where you want to be.
00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:19.200
But I think sometimes we skip those steps, and it kind of puts you at a disadvantage if you're not developing your child a way that they need to be developed.
00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:23.119
Shakai, and I could just talk from Shakai, I'm not gonna talk about my own daughter.
00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:26.319
I'll touch on it, but Shakai actually played independent with you.
00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:27.680
She got that bump with you.
00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:29.279
She grew, she she got better.
00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:31.599
Like you said, her talent was able to develop.
00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:34.559
She went and she played, I believe she played with Coach Dale and them.
00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:36.640
Um full yeah, yeah.
00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:40.799
One full year with them, got some bump, played with them, and her talent grew.
00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:47.279
And when that talent grew from that development, then you were able to get her surrounded by the side fair situation, and she just kept growing from there, right?
00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:48.799
It was steps to that.
00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:56.559
It wasn't like I'm coming, it's not like I'm coming and nothing against Biddy, because I could say when last time I said something about Biddy, people was chewing my head off.
00:19:56.720 --> 00:20:02.240
Nothing against Biddy, but you ain't go straight from Biddy trying to throw Shakai on a shoe circuit, right?
00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:05.920
I think that development, I think that development was key for that.
00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:11.440
And I think sometimes people get caught looking left and right, and sometimes that can cause mishaps in the journey.
00:20:11.599 --> 00:20:12.319
That's all I'm saying.
00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:16.640
I just think that you just need to be real strategic on moving, because it is expensive, right?
00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:26.400
But if I'm not dominating, or if I'm not dominating at a certain level, I don't know if it'll be the right choice is to jump straight into something where I'm spending thousands of dollars.
00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:28.319
That's that's just my standpoint on it.
00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:32.319
See, yeah, it's like it's like what what value do you put on it?
00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:36.400
Because at this time I'm gonna look at it, all right.
00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:38.480
Whether you could afford it or not.
00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:49.759
If my if my baby is nine, ten years old, 11 years old, in today's game, when Chicago was nine, ten, and eleven, it wasn't really these two circuits getting that low.
00:20:49.839 --> 00:20:53.440
Not these shoes circuits getting to the fifth and sixth grade in school.
00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:55.599
Like it's still changing.
00:20:55.920 --> 00:21:07.440
But afford it or not, if I'm if I'm a parent and I'm in the mind frame of man, I want to do what I need to do for my little girl to get better as best as she can.
00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:09.440
I'm gonna put it in the best environment I could.
00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:13.440
Afford it or not, it may be a two-circuit road.
00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:23.759
And at any age, it may be just because that's what's going on right now, it's not necessarily I need a, I'm pretty good.
00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:30.400
I'm kinda, you know, I'm kind of better than most people in the direct league in my middle school and stuff like that.
00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:33.759
But um, I don't need to just jump straight to the shoe turkey.
00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:38.480
I ain't gonna rule that out because that may be where you're reasonable.
00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:45.039
Iron sharpening iron is that like that may be the best thing for you.
00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:52.720
Now you go from there and then you say what you can really afford this, and then you gotta make your decisions, you know what I'm saying?
00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:59.759
It's like, but the the true circuits kind of guided on a lot as far as the easiest route to take.
00:22:00.240 --> 00:23:44.480
just to get better just to get in a good and basketball environment then you then you straddle down from there and and figure out where you could fit in financially and and convenient wise so yeah that's true it changed it changes brush like yeah i i i couldn't agree with that i do think that that that's important because i won't i won't i wanna say one more thing about that because man we don't know you and me both how how in a good position we were to have girls around our daughter age who really could play at a young age yeah it was different too yeah so we was i i say man how lucky i was to have that team and just grow with them because man if i had a girl right now who could play by herself man we we might have to really go to texas and play on sidefield or whoever team at nine years old because yeah what can I do we're like who are we supposed to play with who's supposed to be with us you know what I'm saying so yeah yeah and that leads me into my next piece you're right you 100% right about that coach but that leads me to my next piece why is that why is that the case so I look at it like this and then we talked about it before you you you brought up a group and your group they played through Nord and things like that even back then you might have one game in Nord miss two games come play another game Nord was so hit or miss but just like you said you were lucky to have those children those children were also lucky to have you you understand what I'm saying because you put them in an environment to where you took basketball serious and that's why their development took the way that it went you don't have that same investment from everybody when it comes to the girls game that I don't see now in the city right the only people the only people that I see actually trying to keep something for the the little girls is Coach Tiff and Kenya out there in Jefferson Parish.
00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:50.480
They got their little G League where they keep the girls playing you know in their G League but other than that you don't see it.
00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:51.359
You know what I'm saying?
00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:56.559
So that in itself like you said that that that hurts us when it comes to that development phase.
00:23:56.640 --> 00:23:57.359
You know what I'm saying?
00:23:57.440 --> 00:24:08.240
So the good girls like you said if I got a good girl a good child or somebody that's elite for their age I gotta go search for something else because we're not even providing it in our own city for the girls to develop.
00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:18.319
Yeah bro and it's true bro and I hate to make it a Louisiana thing but I honestly think this is going on in a whole lot of places.
00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:37.119
We kinda we kind of a little sparled because we can see how Texas get down and because in Texas I think is a big part of them being like that is because they see Division I day in day out ranked kids it's right then they walk out they do oh she ranked in the country right there across the street.
00:24:37.680 --> 00:24:42.400
So they can always look up to something and be like damn I won't I won't go to Duke.
00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:58.000
I won't go to they all right here you done you see them all so we don't have no you know we don't have nobody to really look up to like that you walk outside and see damn that girl really in college playing or she really doing this or made it to the league.
00:24:58.079 --> 00:25:50.079
Yeah so I think that's probably the worst part of the girls' game because it's like a you got to get in it to fall in love with it bro like we we dads we got a a dog in a fight and that makes it way easier for us to fall in love with it bro so it's tough on the girls but it's like them the environment if you ain't got a good system or somebody who really leading the way the city not gonna jump on it or the schools not going to think it's serious because they don't even see the importance of it you know so we're fighting a hard fight yeah that's you know what I'm saying 100% true uh before you jumped on we were talking about how we even thought about it on this level coach and you were right about everything that you just said man I got a lot of I got a lot of ideas and plans like I said when Cass finished out here Faith Family I really should have took Cass and Shaka out those numbers.
00:25:50.160 --> 00:25:53.440
So if I took them two out the numbers it actually would have been lower.
00:25:53.599 --> 00:25:56.000
So I I added them in because they're from New Orleans.
00:25:56.079 --> 00:26:19.759
But by the time they seniors Chicago was in Florida Caz gonna be in Texas so it's just looking back at the journey and I and I could just speak from my perspective I was the head coach of a basketball team and a principal right the only reason we left is because Kaz wanted to push herself to see if she could obtain more right so we know that we could have stayed here and been comfortable and and probably won a state championship and did some things, right?
00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:29.279
But the push was trying to go to Texas to try to advance her own level in the game of basketball to surround herself around people that were better than her so that she can push herself.
00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:33.200
And I think she had the opportunity to do that especially this summer before she got injured.
00:26:33.359 --> 00:26:38.160
So when you speak to being able to see that for the children in Texas I agree with you with that.
00:26:39.839 --> 00:27:26.960
Yeah go ahead I was about to say it being cash right now even getting better getting healing up yeah she's still walking every day she walking with a kid who on that same journey trying to go get it getting you know going to college playing ball people with your same mind frame yeah yeah I mean come on instead of you playing with kids who don't even ain't gonna care about basketball in in a few days few weeks 100% basketball season over yeah yeah like I was just thinking on a level Louisiana is actually carried by a couple programs bro if you think about Louisiana girls basketball certain names pop up John Curtis Walsman Huntington Southern Lab Zachary who else called I'm missing somebody programs like somebody that you say this this program is something that's holding it down.
00:27:27.039 --> 00:28:06.160
I mean yeah you gotta look at the LCAs the teams who just been winning state a whole lot yeah LCA Walsman yeah I said Walsman um well McKay and then went at uh Parkview Parkview it varies about 10 with I'm a little tuned then yeah so you know the walkers when you know coaches over there and uh yeah and he over there at Cadiana building him a program so Katie Anna now so he's doing a good job so you can say about 10 and that just lets you know so if if if a child wants to be serious about basketball in the state of Louisiana got 10 programs that we just named 10 coach that's not that's not conducive to those numbers we talking about that's all I'm saying.
00:28:06.319 --> 00:28:38.240
You won't the programs doing that exactly what that's what that means what going to them programs going to do for you at least they winning at least it might get you some it might get you some eyes because they winning I mean it's better to go to the state championship like you said if I go to Curtis I might not be getting the best coaching but I know I'm gonna end up in in in Hammond America and I might get an opportunity for somebody to see me especially if I'm not tuned in like you like you as a parent or me as a parent or one of those I like to call elite parents that's going to search for avenues for our children.
00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:44.799
So like you said if I'm just that traditional basketball player that's going to high school and I got those dreams to play D1 then that's the schools I'm picking from.
00:28:44.880 --> 00:28:56.480
Because if I go to Curtis, the trajectory is nine times out of ten I'm gonna be down there later on in the playoffs or out there in Hammond it gives me a better chance than going play for somebody else that won't even get there.
00:28:56.640 --> 00:28:57.440
You see what I'm saying?
00:28:57.599 --> 00:31:24.799
Because think about ain't nobody coming sitting in Louisiana gym to watch nobody play basketball coach you don't see college coaches down there just sitting in gyms unless you got a a superior talent somewhere sneaking off in a gym the programs bro I it give it you can't compare DME shit to to uh to no Louisiana shit you can't do that coach you can't I can't I can't do it that way it just still saw it I was I wanted to I still wanted to go to the fact that man if I had to do it again not saying I would change from courage no because we went there I think we went there for the right reasons but I'm choosing coaching over a program in high school I like that okay I'm choosing because this who about to this who you about to be with I can't go to a program and you got you think as you winning championships because you're getting the best girls over here you saying a lot you know I'm saying a lot coach you think you know it's fool's goal we go win championships and who cares it don't nobody cares that you won a championship ain't nobody actually about it like nobody did I get better in these four years with you though that's that's that's my that's my as a parent what I'm thinking about I ain't let's play devil's advocate coach you just said coaching so let's let's break it down coach we got 10 programs what coaches what coaches in Louisiana do you think are developing kids at that level you could you could be honest man I'm so if we're talking about coaches I'm just coaches I don't know too many I only know all I know is my little circle so I could talk about the circle that I know I do respect the young man from Hineville I think he does a good job with the girls that he gets he coaches Josh Josh Josh does a good job with the girls that he coaches the the man from LCA he coached yeah I like him yeah he coaches like him um I like the young lady from Zachary I think she coaches well I had the opportunity to play against her she has some nice schemes going on the the lady from Ponchatula she always I love her yeah she always when I coach she's top tier to me I always had the coach a certain way anytime I play against her I had to have my game plan and stuff together so her I don't know the I don't know the guy from Walsman so I don't know I can't say you know I'm saying I don't know I don't know I don't know the guy from Huntington I don't know to be honest it's tough to I don't want to knock people like that but it's tough to really dig deep into who really got a taking their job serious like that.
00:31:25.200 --> 00:31:40.720
I'm not in these people gyms for real right but the people I have tuned into and at the shout out as far as in our local area that I that I really like I love the Mount Carmel coach man.
00:31:40.880 --> 00:33:30.960
Oh she's awesome about the big she can coach she can coach the big she can coach bro she can be having the talent and still win don't have the talent but boy boy boy she can run some stuff she taught I like I like I like her schemes I like what she brings to the table she can coach Poncha Tula coach she give me D1 coach college coach like she give me Kim Moki on some you know what I'm saying she I like her yeah she does I like her I like her she knows how to work them reps boy she's she's a she's a seasoned coach yeah you know on the girl side I love Corey I think Corey could coach his butt off who was at walking at Acadiana Acadiana yeah I had an opportunity yeah can't win a big game Corey can't win a big game big dog I had an opportunity sophomore year when they had Ariana and uh and Dale daughter we they were undefeated we went up there and we beat him in their gym but he's a yeah he's a good coach good coach he got some good schemes and stuff like that they couldn't shoot so I mean yeah it's like we're not just empty handed in Louisiana it just you name four people you gotta stop playing coach you name four people coach you name four people man you gotta stop playing dog we name four people we name four people we talking about numbers remember we're talking about numbers but i don't I name four that I'm familiar with I ain't I'm not sure about too many of them because it's not like it's program is it's teams out there with the talent or just knowing they can have some good coaches I don't really know it because they don't even care about recruiting and stuff like they probably just doing their job and you know they can't even get in front of my eyes because I don't even know you know what's going on with their school and a good coach if you ain't getting nobody coming to the school coach I'm just being real with you you gotta you gotta at least get some talent coming there you gotta want to win as a coach.
00:33:31.039 --> 00:33:44.960
That's just my standpoints you know yeah well Mount Carmel can't get nobody they getting the elite that's a good argument people with rich girl rich families and you know like they're not getting no that's a real that's a real good argument.
00:33:45.119 --> 00:33:54.160
Okay I give you that you know yeah I give you she in a better environment she ain't gotta go to the yeah Booker T Washington and get to the nose straight in the project and work with them.
00:33:54.319 --> 00:34:46.719
Yeah but that's true I give you that I give you that I give you that you know so that's real you know uh your I know I dang I can't think of that school name bro they they out there think Charles somewhat dang something with a is there a Z or Ajay I can't think of it but I like how he coach I can't even remember uh the school name though man I can't even pinpoint it but I don't I ain't going with the street report and all that and talking about who all good coaches out there because I really I really ain't sure I don't know you know the facts like I said you wanted to speak about your experience and that's what this was about our you know our own experience with the numbers and what it can mean for for people that kind of follow along on the journey of both our daughters because half the time I get somebody call me and be like man what y'all did and it's just really they think that Cass had a trainer since she was little or something like that.
00:34:46.800 --> 00:35:01.440
I'm like Cass used to dribble on the concrete dog me I ain't have no gym access they must have thought I'd been caught coach or something and I was just in the gym all the time man we used to practice on the concrete coach I I told a story before of when I knew Cass, like I finally figured out like Cass was gonna be okay.
00:35:01.599 --> 00:35:09.039
Coach Tiff and Coach Kenya cut her her nine her nine year old year playing biddy they cut her and that was the best thing that could ever happen to her.
00:35:09.199 --> 00:35:10.559
Because I ain't have to tell her nothing.
00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:28.239
When they cut her Cass went outside and started dribbling on the concrete we lived in El Jay's point right behind our house we had a levy Cass used to go run on the levy by herself I still got videos in my phone and that was the difference between that was the difference between I think that when she started to actually understand how much work it took to get better.
00:35:28.400 --> 00:35:42.079
Because after that it just she just I don't believe in in the uh the trainer thing like that me I ain't I ain't a big trainer advocate I think the training we're kind of messing the messing the game up.
00:35:42.320 --> 00:36:22.000
Okay okay tell me more tell me more coach what you mean man it's like it's a lot of harm being done training wise and a lot of good too okay it's just I I I just don't like the I don't like the fact when a kid going to gym with somebody and then the next thing they representing the kid and they the reason they good and they're oh yeah yeah yeah yeah well that that's normal coach man it is it is just a toxic environment the training world coach that's that's that's the training world we can say that all the way to to to organizations period because sometimes you get a child when they already develop and you'll make it seem like that's your program that made that child that way when that child came to you that way.
00:36:22.159 --> 00:36:24.159
So that's just that's just the game of basketball.
00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:31.679
You go get the best talent you put them on the court and then you rep it if you got the the avenue or the the the the platform then you're gonna get the benefits of it.
00:36:31.840 --> 00:36:39.199
So when when it comes to the trainers I do believe that they have some trainers that do a really good job and then you do have ones that are very harmful because development is key.
00:36:39.599 --> 00:36:42.880
I shouldn't be in a gym now if they're capable of doing it you're doing it.
00:36:42.960 --> 00:36:51.840
But I shouldn't be in a gym with children that could barely dribble and I'm working on step backs and snatches and you can't even hit a jump shot yet a consistent jump shot.
00:36:51.920 --> 00:36:53.519
So I think it's levels to it.
00:36:53.679 --> 00:36:56.400
Do I think training is necessary at a certain age?
00:36:56.559 --> 00:36:58.000
Like I don't think that is really necessary.
00:37:00.079 --> 00:37:00.400
Training?
00:37:00.559 --> 00:37:17.840
I think it's necessary I think it's necessary at an early age I mean I don't get it on it let's put an age on it I feel like I feel like when you hit middle school I feel like that's when it's a good time to have a trainer at that middle school age six seven eight grade I think that's a good age you think you think early than that is is necessary?
00:37:18.079 --> 00:38:34.880
Well what you mean by having a trainer because let me tell it Shakai never had a trainer if I had an I was a trainer coach yeah but I don't feel like I trained her coach you you trained coach I was in the gym with you before coach you you trained you trained I'm not saying of course I was in the gym with her and training getting work done at a young age right so all right well maybe I I was the I was the trainer she had the most then but I don't look at it like I was my baby trainer I don't look at it like that my my main thing was keep a ball in your hand I don't care who you go in the gym with yeah that was my thoughts I think you're gonna learn you you a you a person who loves the game you're gonna be looking at the game watching the game you're gonna be trying what you need to be trying and we're gonna sharpen your your skills every day normal fundamental shit learn how to dribble crossover regular stuff and your imagination gonna take you from there man that's training all right yeah well you know coach you training coach they got people that can't do that what you just said I know it might sound simple to you but they got they got people that can't do that so you gotta understand that for for you they got people they'll have people that come to you and ask you what you did with Chicago you'll tell them that and they'll go try to replicate it with their children.
00:38:35.039 --> 00:38:35.840
You understand what I'm saying?
00:38:35.920 --> 00:38:41.599
Because they don't have a clue they don't know I speak like that dude like look man keep a ball in their hand.
00:38:41.840 --> 00:38:51.599
Yeah exactly so they don't know what to do you know what I'm saying go dribble on the line outside exactly simply that don't cost$80 for a session I guarantee she get better.
00:38:51.760 --> 00:39:02.239
And that's gonna make her better and that's gonna help us when we talk about these numbers but some parents don't know they don't they don't know what it's gonna take in order for their children to even get better.
00:39:02.400 --> 00:39:30.719
They just think showing up playing these games being on the roster with 15 kids your child barely getting playing time and you think your child getting better because they get to hold a medal at the end of the man I don't care about none of that me I was never one I got Kai right now Kai like basketball all right Kai up here in Texas playing basketball man the man was like yeah we want Kai on the 1 team blah blah blah I looked at the 18 them little boys can play this ain't this ain't no this ain't I'm talking about they can play play coach these little boys in Texas they can play.
00:39:30.960 --> 00:39:44.960
Kai good bro I know where Kai at I'm like coach we good we're gonna play on the B team man I'm not I don't care about winning I don't care about no trophy I need yeah I need him on the court getting beat up I want him to play against the A team and let him smash him because he's gonna get better that way.
00:39:45.039 --> 00:39:47.119
Go and sit with that A team man them boys can play.
00:39:47.199 --> 00:40:07.119
I don't want my son just sitting there watching them you know I'm saying ain't nothing wrong with that but I'm I'm trying to develop Kai you know what I'm saying so a participation trophy that nobody cares about in the fourth grade because he won on a team with them little boys that could get down man put him on the B team and let him get beat up man that's that's development and I think that's where we get we get the lines muddy sometimes.
00:40:07.360 --> 00:40:12.559
But like I said I think that the what you spoke of even though you don't call it training that's training.
00:40:12.639 --> 00:40:35.280
So for me I used to go in the gym with Cavs and we'll just shoot a hundred shots right outside at the park we found one in Gretna wherever we saw goal coach we'll drive I had a ball in the trunk if we saw a goal we stop we get out we shoot the ball right that's development some people now what I did what I feel like I did do I had Shekai with everybody.
00:40:35.519 --> 00:41:30.800
I couldn't sit such and such was her trainer because I had it with Jim Mouse with Ernest Coach Murphy had a played a major role I mean foundation foundation when I bring about Murphy I sit down and practice I chill when it's time to when it's time to run and play games and get up and down that's when I get up Murphy Murphy is handling all the beginning stuff and the fundamentals and all that foundation you know so I kept her in the Madison league we played against boys and oh yeah so we're talking about six seven eight years old well I kept her busy with the ball yeah not necessarily but that's why I don't really just say like I I trained her you gotta I think we get it you gotta start giving yourself more credit coach you got to start doing that dog I'm listening to you I probably do I'm listening to you and you're saying I just did I just did this and I just nah dog nah you were doing elite parent things I I don't know if you don't look outside of of of your scope of what you did.
00:41:31.039 --> 00:41:54.000
A lot of parents ain't doing what you just said coach a lot of parents not and I maybe I had the opportunity of seeing that because I stayed in the coaching game a little longer and I was able to coach high school man a lot of parents I had practice Monday through Thursday right so we had practice Monday Thursday Friday I gave you off Saturday I gave you off I know it was high school Friday you won't go to the football game I let you chill on Saturday Sunday we back in the gym so Sunday through Thursday was gym time.
00:41:54.159 --> 00:42:12.559
I had parents used to tell me coach Sunday man that's second line man you you you think you could you think you could not have practice on second second line sunday man I don't care about none of that we're trying to get better I don't I don't even care if you're joking with that I'm not joking I'm telling you the truth no I'm talking about the parent as a coach I'm thinking like what are you talking about?
00:42:12.960 --> 00:42:24.880
They're not joking coach but they want the same they want those numbers though see now I'm going back to those numbers they want their child to be that one in 220 but you telling me you can't bring your child to practice because of a second line that we done grew up in New Orleans I'm 40.
00:42:24.960 --> 00:42:35.760
How many I done seen how many second lines you done seen man they ain't changing they ain't changing you could miss it for for for got a sacrifice for this year so your baby could get to the goal that they want.
00:42:35.840 --> 00:42:49.119
So that's what I'm saying you were doing elite parent things coach a lot of these parents don't understand that so if I was to give any advice the dream of playing division one basketball is not just your baby dream it's a family's dream.
00:42:49.280 --> 00:42:54.800
You understand what I'm saying you have to you have to actively participate in that child's dream.
00:42:54.960 --> 00:43:34.159
You did that just like you said I made sure she had a ball in her hand I put her in this league I put her in that league I had her around this person you are actively putting your baby in situations to enhance her dream everybody not doing that yeah that's true yeah give yourself man give yourself credit man give yourself credit you were doing an awesome job elite elite parent man you the one that made it I didn't know about I'm being real with you I didn't know nothing about outside of Louisiana when it came to basketball I thought it was like me growing up I played AAU basketball growing up I thought it was the same way until I seen Chicago with a side fair jersey on I would have never knew what that was I would have I would have never knew what that was so seeing her do that opened my mind to the possibilities that have a shit we might need to do that.
00:43:34.239 --> 00:43:34.960
You see what I'm saying?
00:43:35.519 --> 00:43:59.280
Yeah so elite parents gonna make ways I I remember getting in the car and driving of damn Houston for a practice you know what I'm saying like you said one one bedroom six children we all in one bed you know so you making sacrifice for your child to chase their dream and in the end the dream is free education and I I don't want people to get this twisted Kaz gonna go to school for four years five if she wants to for free.
00:43:59.440 --> 00:44:00.639
So when She gets out.
00:44:00.719 --> 00:44:08.960
If she don't want chase chase no other dreams of playing overseas or nothing like that, she got a uh debt-free opportunity with a degree to go make something of yourself.
00:44:09.679 --> 00:44:13.519
Well, that's indeed what the old great starter kid.
00:44:13.599 --> 00:44:15.599
Like that's what I that's what I'm trying to tell people.
00:44:16.079 --> 00:44:19.599
So if you want that to happen, you as a parent have to put in the work.
00:44:19.760 --> 00:44:20.880
That's all I want people to understand.
00:44:20.960 --> 00:44:25.039
It's not no Caz wasn't just born super talented.
00:44:25.280 --> 00:44:26.000
You know what I'm saying?
00:44:26.079 --> 00:44:29.039
I'm pretty sure God gave her the abilities, but it had to be nurtured.
00:44:29.119 --> 00:44:31.760
It had to be, it had to be, as you said, seeked out.
00:44:31.840 --> 00:44:32.639
We had to seek it.
00:44:32.719 --> 00:44:34.000
So I'm glad you said that, brother.
00:44:34.079 --> 00:44:35.519
But we back, bro.
00:44:36.000 --> 00:44:37.039
Yeah, give yourself a passion.
00:44:37.599 --> 00:44:40.239
I mean, you know, I was just going to what the training part.
00:44:40.320 --> 00:44:42.000
I know I put in a lot of work.
00:44:42.079 --> 00:44:42.559
There you go.
00:44:42.880 --> 00:44:44.880
I just my my definition of the training.
00:44:45.039 --> 00:44:57.119
I mean, like, ah, I don't look at it like I because you know, I don't some some I feel like, man, look, a little bit, I feel like, man, he the kids who doing what they're doing, man, they got it in them.
00:44:57.280 --> 00:45:05.440
I don't I don't wanna take no credit for Shekai being who she is for real, because I feel like, look, Shekai, you, you the one you got that gift.
00:45:05.599 --> 00:45:12.000
Yeah, I helped you out and and kept a ball in your hand and stuff, but I didn't make you be that damn good.
00:45:12.079 --> 00:45:14.320
No, you got the gift and you working hard to do it.
00:45:14.400 --> 00:45:14.960
You know what I'm saying?
00:45:15.039 --> 00:45:16.800
Now that be my mind frame a little bit.
00:45:17.039 --> 00:45:20.079
I mean, you know, I could play devil's advocate and say, nah, that's not the case.
00:45:20.719 --> 00:45:21.760
I feel you though.
00:45:21.840 --> 00:45:22.239
Yeah, yeah.
00:45:22.400 --> 00:45:26.480
That's why I said it'd be that be my my way of explaining things.
00:45:26.719 --> 00:45:27.440
You know what I'm saying?
00:45:27.519 --> 00:45:30.800
Like, yes, you know, I don't care, Michael Jordan.
00:45:31.360 --> 00:45:35.599
Yeah, I don't I don't care what his daddy did, his mama did, man.
00:45:35.679 --> 00:45:37.679
Look, Mike was gonna be Mike, man.
00:45:37.920 --> 00:45:38.719
You know what I'm saying?
00:45:38.880 --> 00:45:41.920
They got these these these special kids, they got it in them.
00:45:42.159 --> 00:45:44.079
If you're going D1, look at the numbers.
00:45:44.159 --> 00:45:45.039
You are special.
00:45:45.280 --> 00:45:45.679
Facts.
00:45:46.320 --> 00:45:47.119
You are special.
00:45:47.199 --> 00:45:49.679
So I would feel like, man, look, them kids got it in them, bro.
00:45:49.840 --> 00:45:56.639
Now depending on what happened and stuff like that, or whatever situations happen, but man, you going D1, man, you you you special.
00:45:56.719 --> 00:46:00.400
Listen, motherfucker, you you so you you in the you're in the elite level.
00:46:00.639 --> 00:46:01.519
You're on the elite level.
00:46:01.599 --> 00:46:02.239
The numbers tell.
00:46:02.559 --> 00:46:03.360
The numbers tell.
00:46:03.519 --> 00:46:04.800
So let's say this, coach.
00:46:04.960 --> 00:46:20.400
We have parents coming up with children that are younger that are trying to follow in the footsteps or even create their own path to where they can get into the same avenues that are Shekai, or Cass, or Brooklyn Smith, and all the other people in the state that have gone to college for D1.
00:46:20.719 --> 00:46:27.280
What would be your advice for a family who is trying to support their child in the dreams of becoming D1?
00:46:27.440 --> 00:46:28.159
Damn.
00:46:28.639 --> 00:46:30.000
From a family.
00:46:30.159 --> 00:46:30.400
Yeah.
00:46:30.719 --> 00:46:31.840
I ain't gonna lie, bruh.
00:46:32.000 --> 00:46:33.360
That's a tough one for me.
00:46:33.519 --> 00:46:34.880
Because this is why.
00:46:35.039 --> 00:46:35.360
Okay.
00:46:35.519 --> 00:46:39.199
Because when I'm looking at family, I salute to the Antoine's.
00:46:39.360 --> 00:46:39.679
Okay.
00:46:39.920 --> 00:46:41.599
Because, man, y'all rolling deep.
00:46:41.679 --> 00:46:43.280
You got the kids, it's the wife.
00:46:43.760 --> 00:46:45.760
It's a whole nother ball game, man.
00:46:45.920 --> 00:46:48.400
Trying to trying to move around with a family, bruh.
00:46:48.559 --> 00:46:49.119
Yeah, yeah.
00:46:49.280 --> 00:46:49.599
I don't know.
00:46:49.840 --> 00:46:52.079
It was a gift and a curse that I'm Dolo.
00:46:52.480 --> 00:46:53.280
I ain't married.
00:46:53.360 --> 00:46:54.320
I ain't this and that.
00:46:54.400 --> 00:46:57.679
I'm really kind of just worried about me, myself, my and my kids.
00:46:58.000 --> 00:47:04.960
So it was more of a man, I gotta do what I gotta do to make sure my baby does everybody good.
00:47:05.599 --> 00:47:10.880
So I guess if that's family, I I feel like I was the lone horse, you know what I'm saying?
00:47:11.039 --> 00:47:15.119
I was so from my perspective, shit, it was by any means.
00:47:15.440 --> 00:47:16.320
You know what I'm saying?
00:47:16.480 --> 00:47:23.920
It's by any means I was gonna try to do what I had to do to get my baby, you know what I'm saying, to where she needed to go.
00:47:24.000 --> 00:47:26.239
So I just didn't never give up.
00:47:26.480 --> 00:47:27.039
Yeah.
00:47:27.280 --> 00:47:28.239
You know what I'm saying?
00:47:28.320 --> 00:47:31.599
Like just, you know, kept my head up high, whether it was tight.
00:47:31.760 --> 00:47:32.000
Yeah.
00:47:32.239 --> 00:47:37.039
You know, and most of the time it's tight with this stuff, you know, you know, money going everywhere, man.
00:47:37.119 --> 00:47:38.079
That stuff expensive.
00:47:38.320 --> 00:47:39.119
Everywhere.
00:47:39.440 --> 00:47:44.880
You know, so you gotta, you know, you gotta budget and and and and and and properly prepare.
00:47:45.039 --> 00:47:46.400
Yeah, you can't play with it.
00:47:46.480 --> 00:47:47.199
You know what I'm saying?
00:47:47.280 --> 00:47:49.599
I would I would say the out this some advice.
00:47:49.679 --> 00:47:53.199
I would say, and I remember talking to you before y'all really got in it.
00:47:53.280 --> 00:47:55.039
Y'all, y'all tried the pro skills thing.
00:47:55.119 --> 00:47:59.280
You like, man, coach, I'm gonna I'm gonna wait the next year and get my ducks and order and shit.
00:47:59.360 --> 00:48:00.639
But I remember you telling me that.
00:48:00.719 --> 00:48:02.400
Yeah, but that's the best way.
00:48:02.480 --> 00:48:04.480
You better you better try to do that.
00:48:04.880 --> 00:48:09.199
I gotta, I got kind of caught off guard not even knowing about EYBL.
00:48:09.280 --> 00:48:12.960
And all right, I guess we're gonna come and we plan next week.
00:48:13.119 --> 00:48:17.119
Yeah, I ain't know I'm about to be all over the world this summer, you know.
00:48:17.360 --> 00:48:17.519
Right.
00:48:17.679 --> 00:48:25.039
So I kind of got it like a little right, a little quick, quick drawing to it, but man, you gotta prepare as much as you can, man.
00:48:25.280 --> 00:48:26.159
Save your coins.
00:48:26.559 --> 00:48:34.480
Don't let these from Louisiana, New Orleans, New Orleans, don't let these distractions, these second lines and these clubbings and all that.
00:48:35.519 --> 00:48:37.039
Listen, happy how we ain't going nowhere.
00:48:37.119 --> 00:48:38.000
It's New Orleans, though.
00:48:38.079 --> 00:48:41.039
I tell you what, I don't club, I don't go out.
00:48:42.320 --> 00:48:46.639
I I do my work thing, I be home, I go to football game.
00:48:46.800 --> 00:48:51.840
Yeah, I try not to spend my money on the on the on the extracurricular activities like that.
00:48:52.000 --> 00:48:56.639
I I enjoy my my traveling with my kids, and we we going.
00:48:57.119 --> 00:48:59.440
That's my party in the gym all day.
00:48:59.599 --> 00:48:59.920
You hear me?
00:49:00.079 --> 00:49:02.000
I'm gonna enjoy, I'ma enjoy it like a mud.
00:49:02.239 --> 00:49:02.719
You heard me?
00:49:02.800 --> 00:49:03.199
They don't get it.
00:49:04.000 --> 00:49:04.639
They don't get it, coach me.
00:49:04.800 --> 00:49:07.280
I'ma enjoy that and know I'm blessed to be here.
00:49:07.599 --> 00:49:08.559
They don't get it, coach.
00:49:08.639 --> 00:49:11.760
Listen, bro, I'm gonna tell you this story and I'm gonna let you get out of here, bro.
00:49:11.840 --> 00:49:15.679
I ain't gonna talk too much about the boys' side because I ain't there yet, but I'm starting to get a taste of it.
00:49:15.760 --> 00:49:17.840
Remember, I told you about that 18, right?
00:49:18.000 --> 00:49:18.159
Yeah.
00:49:19.280 --> 00:49:21.519
Listen, I thought the girl side was bad, coach.
00:49:21.840 --> 00:49:23.599
I'm my son play with fourth graders, though.
00:49:23.679 --> 00:49:24.960
Now he's the youngest one on the team.
00:49:25.039 --> 00:49:25.840
He only nine.
00:49:26.000 --> 00:49:28.000
They all 10 turning 11, right?
00:49:28.159 --> 00:49:32.400
I have never seen adults act that way about 10-year-old children, bro.
00:49:32.559 --> 00:49:33.039
It's crazy.
00:49:33.360 --> 00:49:36.320
I told myself, I told my wife, I said, we gotta prepare for this boy's side, bro.
00:49:36.400 --> 00:49:41.440
I said, uh, way more crazy.
00:49:41.519 --> 00:49:43.519
I done seen we done seen two fights already.
00:49:44.880 --> 00:49:46.159
Canadian basketball season.
00:49:46.960 --> 00:49:48.239
And that's man, listen, bro.
00:49:48.400 --> 00:49:49.760
See, you're talking on a whole nother realm.
00:49:49.840 --> 00:49:50.559
I even think about that.
00:49:50.639 --> 00:49:54.880
Why are these not our children can't play basketball until November?
00:49:55.119 --> 00:49:59.920
Out here in Texas, they done had three or four tournaments already for football.
00:50:00.239 --> 00:50:00.880
How don't compete.
00:50:01.679 --> 00:50:02.719
How am I gonna compete?
00:50:02.880 --> 00:50:06.400
How am I gonna change these numbers if I can't get on the court to November?
00:50:06.800 --> 00:50:07.599
You understand what I'm saying?
00:50:08.239 --> 00:50:10.320
These children are sharpening iron right now.
00:50:10.400 --> 00:50:11.519
They're getting their skills together.
00:50:11.599 --> 00:50:12.639
The coaches ain't doing too much.
00:50:12.800 --> 00:50:14.559
Kids running out free.
00:50:14.639 --> 00:50:15.119
They're playing.
00:50:15.199 --> 00:50:20.239
It's almost like free play, but my children getting the opportunity to play, sharpen their skills, work on things that they need to work on.
00:50:20.320 --> 00:50:23.280
So when the season comes, they in shape and they're ready to roll.
00:50:23.440 --> 00:50:25.280
We get horrible basketball in November.
00:50:25.440 --> 00:50:26.719
People still trying to get together.
00:50:27.199 --> 00:50:29.519
You're not really seeing good basketball until January.
00:50:29.679 --> 00:50:32.239
I just sometimes I think like, what fuck it?
00:50:32.320 --> 00:50:33.679
I'm like I said, I got some ideas.
00:50:34.000 --> 00:50:40.639
Yeah, I wonder why we I I would assume they made things a money thing and uh uh you know, don't have gym space.
00:50:40.719 --> 00:50:41.679
I don't know where we could do.
00:50:42.000 --> 00:50:43.599
I heard it was a participation thing.
00:50:43.760 --> 00:50:44.719
That's what they told me.
00:50:44.880 --> 00:50:48.800
So I was I asked those same questions to some people and I was like, man, why we can't do a fall league?
00:50:49.519 --> 00:50:50.719
I said, what if I start a fall league?
00:50:50.800 --> 00:50:52.880
They're like, well, it's a participation thing.
00:50:52.960 --> 00:50:57.039
Because a lot of the girls that play basketball in the state of Louisiana play other sports.
00:50:57.199 --> 00:51:05.280
So if we try to get teams to come play, and I got four or five girls on the volleyball team, then they're not gonna come because they play volleyball or or something like that.
00:51:05.440 --> 00:51:06.480
So you'll be getting hard now.
00:51:06.639 --> 00:51:10.000
And I'm like, but if they play basketball, that's what's going on everywhere.
00:51:10.239 --> 00:51:12.480
If they play basketball, they're gonna won't come play ball.
00:51:12.639 --> 00:51:13.360
You know what I'm saying?
00:51:13.679 --> 00:51:14.159
So I don't know.
00:51:14.400 --> 00:51:16.000
There's volleyball season everywhere.
00:51:16.159 --> 00:51:17.760
Everywhere, but the hoopers gonna hoop.
00:51:17.840 --> 00:51:18.320
They're gonna hoop.
00:51:18.480 --> 00:51:19.280
That don't make no sense.
00:51:19.599 --> 00:51:20.079
Yeah, yeah.
00:51:20.239 --> 00:51:22.320
It might be more excuses than anything, coach.
00:51:22.400 --> 00:51:24.079
But I'm glad we were able to have this conversation.
00:51:24.159 --> 00:51:27.039
I know that playoff game coming on for the WNB, I'm about to lock in.
00:51:27.199 --> 00:51:34.320
But it was all about the numbers, and I'm hoping that people could could hear what we talked about when we were having this casual conversation.
00:51:34.480 --> 00:51:37.440
A lot of the time we we focused on family and the importance of that.
00:51:37.599 --> 00:51:39.920
You spoke on if your child has it, they have it.
00:51:40.079 --> 00:51:46.239
I can talk to, I believe that some children just need the right push in order to get there, but in the end, they gotta love it, right?
00:51:46.320 --> 00:51:50.960
I can't just force somebody into playing a game of basketball at a high level.
00:51:51.199 --> 00:51:52.639
They gotta want to do it on their own.
00:51:52.800 --> 00:51:55.280
So allow your child a space to fall in love with the game.
00:51:55.519 --> 00:51:59.599
Enjoy it while you have the time, I would say, if I was to give advice.
00:51:59.920 --> 00:52:01.760
I wish I would have enjoyed it more.
00:52:02.000 --> 00:52:02.960
Gotta enjoy it, man.
00:52:03.119 --> 00:52:04.559
Because I gotta have fun.
00:52:05.360 --> 00:52:09.039
I coached for two years, and when I coached her for two years, I was coached.
00:52:09.199 --> 00:52:13.519
So not only am I coaching her, I'm coaching the other ten babies that I had.
00:52:13.760 --> 00:52:18.000
I started to to to make sure that I'm focused on all of the young ladies and not just my own.
00:52:18.079 --> 00:52:22.239
Because the first thing that came out of your mouth is, oh, is daddy's ball, or oh, he's doing that just for his daughter.
00:52:22.320 --> 00:52:26.079
But if you knew anything about basketball, there was no plays ever called for Cass Antoine.
00:52:26.239 --> 00:52:26.559
None.
00:52:26.719 --> 00:52:27.039
Right?
00:52:27.119 --> 00:52:27.679
There was none.
00:52:27.840 --> 00:52:31.360
The game was really open and free when I played, when the when the girls played with me.
00:52:32.079 --> 00:52:34.559
We just pressed, and then if you get the ball, go score.
00:52:34.880 --> 00:52:36.639
That was my that was my my coach.
00:52:36.800 --> 00:52:38.639
Now I had a play if you needed to get a bucket.
00:52:38.719 --> 00:52:40.559
I had some plays, but that was it.
00:52:40.719 --> 00:52:41.840
Enjoy that shit, man.
00:52:42.079 --> 00:52:43.360
It goes really fast.
00:52:43.760 --> 00:52:47.440
And I won't even get to see my baby her senior because she hurt, you know, she hurt her knee.
00:52:47.519 --> 00:52:48.960
So she's gonna miss out on her senior.
00:52:49.199 --> 00:52:54.079
She's gonna finish with that 1,500 points and the assist that she has and the rebounds, and that's gonna be the end of her career.
00:52:54.159 --> 00:52:58.320
And I can't wait to hear her name be called at in uh in uh at uh latte.
00:52:59.519 --> 00:53:00.159
Rusting yeah.
00:53:00.480 --> 00:53:02.480
About to be in that bitch bucking, cutting out.
00:53:03.920 --> 00:53:04.880
I can't wait, bro.
00:53:05.119 --> 00:53:13.119
I already know how you feel seeing your baby on TV, getting to watch her come out there and be such a such a and that's just a testament to you and her mama, man.
00:53:13.199 --> 00:53:14.800
Y'all, y'all raised a beautiful child, man.
00:53:14.880 --> 00:53:18.400
She's just so every time I see her, I just be like, man, I'm so proud of her, bro.
00:53:18.559 --> 00:53:20.800
She she shows up well, she speaks well.
00:53:20.960 --> 00:53:23.119
She's always got that cool demeanor, bruh.
00:53:23.360 --> 00:53:24.800
Always has had that cool demeanor.
00:53:24.880 --> 00:53:26.400
So I just love to see it, bruh.
00:53:26.480 --> 00:53:29.840
And for all the other babies that are out there in college, a shout out to Asia Patton.
00:53:30.000 --> 00:53:30.880
I didn't have her on the list.
00:53:30.960 --> 00:53:32.719
I need to go back and add her.
00:53:32.880 --> 00:53:35.840
She's over at Coastal Carolina, man.
00:53:36.159 --> 00:53:37.360
Yeah, Coastal Carolina.
00:53:37.440 --> 00:53:39.360
So we got some babies that are actually living a dream.
00:53:39.519 --> 00:53:39.920
Yeah, man.
00:53:40.000 --> 00:53:43.119
I can't wait to see all of them doing what they're doing out here, man.
00:53:43.360 --> 00:53:43.920
You in the city.
00:53:44.000 --> 00:53:45.840
You gonna jump out at some games this year?
00:53:46.159 --> 00:53:47.119
Oh, definitely.
00:53:47.280 --> 00:53:47.440
Okay.
00:53:47.840 --> 00:53:48.159
Definitely.
00:53:48.239 --> 00:53:48.800
I'm I'm mad.
00:53:50.239 --> 00:53:54.000
If I'm around, I'm trying to make, I'm trying to make the best game we got.
00:53:54.079 --> 00:53:57.760
You know, every Tuesday and Friday, whatever we hear if I'm in town.
00:53:58.000 --> 00:53:59.599
Yeah, but I'll be on a lot, though.
00:54:00.000 --> 00:54:01.760
Once Cas graduate, I'm back in the city, man.
00:54:01.840 --> 00:54:05.599
And I and I and I got a lot of ideas I just want to start putting out there for the for the babies.
00:54:05.679 --> 00:54:10.800
Um, and I'm just gonna have to force my way through because I really feel like we have talent that sometimes goes unnoticed.
00:54:10.960 --> 00:54:14.719
Um, and and we just need to create a better platform for our babies.
00:54:14.800 --> 00:54:15.920
And shout out Dale, man.
00:54:16.000 --> 00:54:17.199
I heard he got the UAA.
00:54:18.159 --> 00:54:18.960
Yeah, man.
00:54:19.039 --> 00:54:20.639
On the um Under Oma.
00:54:21.039 --> 00:54:23.039
Man, we gotta support Dell, man.
00:54:23.360 --> 00:54:24.559
Gotta support Dell, man.
00:54:26.480 --> 00:54:27.760
You gotta support Dell, man.
00:54:27.840 --> 00:54:35.440
So before you think about jumping and going to Texas or Arkansas or Mississippi and playing with them, go holla at Dale and see what he's talking about, man.
00:54:35.840 --> 00:54:36.480
Holla at Dale.
00:54:36.559 --> 00:54:40.639
Dale gonna have the Mississippi, Alabama, Texas kids coming here.
00:54:40.960 --> 00:54:41.440
You heard me.
00:54:41.679 --> 00:54:42.320
You know what I'm saying?
00:54:42.559 --> 00:54:49.440
That's how we need we need some out of state kids to come blend in with this Louisiana flavor and go take the world on.
00:54:49.519 --> 00:54:50.800
And let's go do it, brother.
00:54:50.960 --> 00:54:53.920
As always, coach, I appreciate you jumping on with me, brother.
00:54:54.079 --> 00:55:00.639
Um, remember today was like I say, all about the numbers and what you can do uh on your end to help your child uh live their dream.
00:55:00.719 --> 00:55:01.760
So I appreciate you, brother.
00:55:01.920 --> 00:55:03.039
Man, anytime, bro.
00:55:03.119 --> 00:55:03.920
I'm here, man.
00:55:04.320 --> 00:55:05.360
Appreciate you, man.
00:55:05.760 --> 00:55:06.320
All day, brother.
00:55:06.400 --> 00:55:07.199
You take it easy, Coach.
00:55:07.440 --> 00:55:07.599
All right.
00:55:08.000 --> 00:55:08.800
You too, man.
00:55:08.960 --> 00:55:09.360
All right.