Book Private Basketball Lessons with Coach CJ
Ex Jr Olympian for USATF. Kinesiology degree from the University of Alabama, with 10 years of training experience. Head middle school track coach for Pope John Paul Prep II. Assistant middle school football coach for Pope John Paul Prep II. Assistant High School track coach for Pope John Paul Prep II. I have a passion for kids, being a mentor, and giving them the help I never got.
Nashville, TN
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Get to know Coach CJ
About Me:
Started baseball and basketball at 5 years old. Started football at 7. Started track and field at 11. I did all 4 until 10th grade where I dropped baseball. I played AAU basketball while also playing for my high school. I played football for my high school as well. And made it to state my senior year in track and field. I also ran USATF from age 11 to 17, and qualified for the Jr Olympics in 2004. I briefly was on the Alabama track team as a walk on.
How I can help you improve your game:
The combination of getting to know them, how their body responds to stimulus, and using my experience. Sometimes it's not even that they are physically incapable. Sometimes they just need more confidence. It's case by case, but I don't have a 1 size fits all method because every athlete is different, just like their goals.
What a typical training session looks like with me:
Like my previous answer, there's not specific way I train every single time because goals change and athletes are all different. Usually, there's some form of warm-up geared towards the movements we're going to perform that day. The stretch time. Explanation of what we're doing and WHY we're doing it. The actual work out. Then the cool down. The work-out is what will most likely be changing day to day. But, I will always have a progression in mind of what day we do certain things and for how long. How the athlete's body is feeling that day also affects how we approach the work out for the day.
Career summary and accomplishments:
My first time being a coach was in 2013. I was an assistant track coach for a middle school in my college town while I finished my degree. I helped my high school with track and field the following year. From 2015 on I took personal training clients off and on for sports through the years while I tried to build my career in fitness. I've trained a few football players, a soccer player, a hockey team, runners, a basketball player, and a volleyball player. Last year I decided to take being a coach more serious. So currently I'm the head middle school track for JPII going on my second year. Assistant Middle school football coach for JPII going on my second year. Assistant High school track for JPII going on my 1st year.
Best coach I ever had:
Coach Gary Ferguson. My high school basketball and track coach. He had a way of getting to know you as a person, and pulling the best out of you while pushing you. He is a man of God and never cussed or yelled at his players. However, he had a way of letting you know he meant business. He would do things above what the school called him to do. Like paying bus drivers out of his own pocket. Or buying a kid food. Or taking kids home that didn't have rides. This after being at school since 7am. I still to this day have a relationship with him, and I go to him for advice still. I love coach Ferg, I aspire to be like him in my coaching career.
What athletes and parents should know about me:
I will give the best possible service I can give. I got a kinesiology degree to better learn how to make the human body perform. So that knowledge is very useful and I rely on it a lot while I'm training. I also have a knack for being able to bond with athlete's/kids/young adults. I've just always been able to be relatable, but at the same time they know I have their best interest at heart. I have had some really bad experiences in the 4 sports I played growing up. I told myself If I ever got the chance to give back, I would. But the right way. Nothing gives me more joy than watching a young adult gain confidence and succeed.
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