Beyond the Hardwood

I know I have been ducked off & out the way, but I'm back. Life creeps up on you in ways that makes you sometimes have to take a step back & get things in order before you can focus on what you want to do. Well, that's what has happened for me & it doesn't feel like it took me almost 2 years to get back into the flow of things, but it did. Lock in on what has been going on my way & what's to come moving forward. YouTube videos are postponed for the moment, but the audio's will be available on all platforms per usual! I'M BACKKKK!!!!!

This episode featured not only Jareem, but his father, Kamahl as we talk about his time growing up in the Virgin Islands while his father was in prison for 15 years, how they stay connected even while apart from each other during that time, Reem's time as a player in the states and his start in the coaching business, how adversity allowed him to realize how it is more important to be true to who you are than chasing titles, and how important it is to have a circle of trusted people who go from strangers to family. Be sure to follow the Beyond the Hardwood platforms posted BELOW! Instagram: @thebthbrand Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAyoHb4ygJSvW1Xb2jXSL7QTwitter: @CoachFergoFacebook: Beyond the Hardwood LLC Website: https://www.thebthbrand.com/Also be sure to follow Coach Jareem Dowling on all his social media platforms posted BELOW!Twitter: @Coachreem4everInstagram: @4evercoachreemvi

Coach Burton and I sit down for an in person interview and talk face to face about his journey through the coaching ranks which include many stops at ALL LEVELS of college basketball, the importance of having relationships with your current/former players, how as a head coach you can't be afraid to lose your best player especially during the infamous 6:00AM pre season conditioning that Coach Burton has done with his teams, and lastly, how a strong support system like his family has helped keep him grounded as he continues to succeed in the coaching business.Be sure to follow ALL the Beyond the Hardwood platforms posted below:Instagram: @thebthbrandYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAyoHb4ygJSvW1Xb2jXSL7QTwitter: @CoachFergoFacebook: Beyond the Hardwood LLCWebsite: https://www.thebthbrand.com/ (Support the brand and buy some MERCH!)Also be sure to follow Coach J.T. Burton on all his social media platforms posted below:Twitter: @CoachJTBurtonInstagram: @coachjtburtonFacebook: @JT Burton

Coach Shields and I talk about her childhood growing up in Memphis, TN, finding her passion for the game and playing for one of the all time great's in Memphis, Coach Robert Newman, her amazing high school career and her decision to stay home and attend the University of Memphis, transferring from Memphis to Northwest CC before attending Southwest CC in which a driven Ashley helped take that program to new heights after posting a 26-2 record finishing ranked 13th nationally, over-excelling and taking her game to another level which resulted in her being the first ever JUCO player to get drafted to the WNBA ( 1Rd: 8th pick), her time with the Houston Comets before heading to Detroit where she helped the Shock win the 2008 WNBA Championship, her 10 year career overseas and the experiences she gained while abroad, returning home to Memphis where she helped with the start of the She Got Game Women's Basketball League as well as coaching stops which include Mitchell High School, Houston High School, Team Thad (Under Armour Circuit) and now at Arlington High School as the new Head Women's Varsity Basketball Coach.Thank you again to all who have helped support and continue to support this platform as this is the last episode for Season 1 of Beyond the Hardwood. You all made an idea become reality and it has become something I couldn't imagine it would become AND IT'S STILL GROWING! Season 2 will begin in November, but until then be sure to share, subscribe, rate & leave a review. Also be sure to follow the Beyond the Hardwood page on IG at @thebthpod ! Otherwise I look forward to the guest I am putting together for Season 2 of this platform and until then remember, Life goes Beyond the Hardwood !!!

Coach Bradley and I talk about him being from Wichita, Kansas and how it was going growing up there as a kid, his time at Garden City and the opportunity to leave from there to attend Barclay College, a small Christian school in the NCCAA Division, life after college basketball in which he coach AAU and the organization in which his father and hisself put together in order to help kids in Wichita who didn't have access to the resources needed to help them be successful in life, his break into the coaching business under Coach Hellenthal at Quincy University, his time at Odessa Junior College and how he and his staff have had to adjust to the new normal during this pandemic in order to help their student athletes succeed.Be sure to continue to help push this platform by sharing, subscribing, rating and leaving a review. Also, please be sure to follow the Beyond the Hardwood page on IG, @thebthpod, as we continue to grow this platform as well. Currently working on BTH Apparel so be on the lookout for that.

Coach Huff and I talk his time growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, the morals and values he gained being an only child from his parents and how that has helped him become the servant leader he is today, his time at Morehouse and how during those four years he found his passion for teaching, the different stops, lessons and successes he has had at multiple schools in the Atlanta area, as well as the impact hisself along with other coaches at all levels are making with the #embRACEus platform.For more information on what Coach Huff and others are doing with the #embRACEus platform, be sure to click the link to get a more detailed look into the things they are working on how you can help be apart of the change.Also, be sure to share, subscribe, rate & leave a review as well as follow the Beyond the Hardwood IG page, @thebthpod, as we continue to build this platform. BTH Apparel is soon to come, with hats are already being made. More info on this to come in the future.

Coach Peete talks about his childhood growing up in Memphis, TN, how he found his passion for coaching and helping others at a young age, the morals and values his family instilled in him and how that has helped him find himself within the business, his time at the University of Tulsa and how he bought into his role of investing more into his teammates around him than himself and how that helped them win the Conference USA championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament, his time back in Memphis as a high school coach and skills trainer, breaking into the business as a GA at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, and how the mentorship of coaches he has worked for has helped him as he continues to grow in this business.Thanks again for tuning into yet another episode of Beyond the Hardwood! Make sure to share, subscribe, rate and leave a review, also be sure to follow the Beyond the Hardwood page on IG (@thebthpod) as we continue to build this platform!Also, be on the lookout for Beyond the Hardwood Apparel coming soon!!!

Demonte and I talk about his childhood in Nashville and his first love which was football, the opportunity to go play at Morehead State University and the support his family gave him as he adjusted to a new life, hitting arguably the biggest shot of his college career and in Morehead State history to beat Louisville in the first round of the 2011 NCAA Tournament, his time in the NBA and the lessons he's learned as a professional athlete that has shifted his mindset and mentality as he enters year 10 of his career.Thanks again for tuning into yet another episode of Beyond the Hardwood! Make sure to share, subscribe, rate and leave a review, also be sure to follow the Beyond the Hardwood page on IG (@thebthpod) as we continue to build this platform!

Coach Strine and I talk about the early stages of life where he tells the story of about mom and how he had to mature at an early age to help her, his high school/college career and the injuries he had that allowed him to find his passion for coaching, learning to bloom where you are planted and how he struggled with that in the beginning years of his career, the lessons and experiences he has gained along the way, and his fight with COVID-19 and how he was able to conquer this deathly virus and make it back home to his family.Thankful for everyone who continues to support and make platform what it is becoming. Please continue to share, subscribe, rate and leave a review as we continue to build this platform. Also, be sure to follow the Beyond the Hardwood IG page (@thebthpod) to follow all the updates on upcoming guest and episodes to listen to that you may have missed.

Coach Carver talks about growing up in Montana, her time at Idaho State where she is amongst the best players to ever suit up for the Lady Bengals, being named to the 2014 Idaho State Hall of Fame in 2014, helping the program to it's first ever NCAA Tournament appearance, her experiences with the Detroit Shock of the WNBA before embarking on a 7 year professional basketball career overseas, breaking into the business after returning from Europe and the transition she had to make in order to get adjusted to all the things that go into being a coach, her time at Fresno State and the standard, principles and accountability their program, staff and players hold each other too in order to have the type of success they have had till this day.Make sure to share, subscribe, rate & leave a review. Also, make sure to follow the Beyond the Hardwood page on IG, the handle name is @thebthpod, as we continue to build this platform! #BeyondTheHardwood

Jayson takes us on his journey from growing up in the inner city of Cleveland, OH, playing alongside, Earl Boykins, in high school and how he made an opportunity from his exposure, learning to stick through adversity as a freshman at Indiana State & buying into a coaching change going into his senior year, standing head to head against Ray Allen & getting comfortable in the NBA Summer League scene, his 13 year career overseas and how being by himself allowed him to find himself, working with Nike post basketball career & how reading the book, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek, revealed to him his true calling to help others find their true purpose & why in life 5 years later ..For more information on Jayson Wells or to continue to support & follow his journey, check out his website https://jaysonwells.com/ also if you are interested in purchasing his book, The Things We Know But Do Not Do, click the link below to purchase online at Barnes & Noble, otherwise it is also available on his website.https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-things-we-know-but-do-not-do-jayson-wells/1132607528;jsessionid=AE6A72EFBBF9F6A41CB865FBD1A62D75.prodny_store01-atgap14?ean=9781944662370As always remember to share, subscribe, rate & leave a review. Also, be sure to follow the Beyond the Hardwood page on IG, @thebthpod, as we continue to build this platform!

Coach Irvin talks about growing up on the outside of Chicago, how playing pick up with the boys at an early age helped her game grow as a player, transitioning from Illinois to Cali to go play at Fresno State, getting her first chance in the business working under the legendary, Doug Bruno at Depaul, becoming the head coach at Whitney Young High School and how it helped her grow in all aspects of being a coach and the difficult trials she went through as a woman to try to have a baby that led to a miracle in the end.Make sure to check out her blog page http://mixedthoughts.org/ to read all five of her posts up and lookout for more!Also, make sure to share, subscribe, rate and leave a review. Plus, make sure to follow the Beyond the Hardwood IG page, @thebthpod, as we continue to build this platform.

Coach Rahim talks about his childhood and growing up in a big family, his college career, playing for Bill Kennedy and how adversity helped them turn the program around, the advice his older brother, Shareef Abdul-Rahim, 13 YR NBA Vet & NBA G-League President, gave him as a young kid and player in college, his original plan to play pro before reuniting with Coach Kennedy on the coaching side, the lessons he learned while at Ga. Tech & C. of Charleston, and the biggest takeaways from his first year as a head coach as he enters into year 2 at KSU.Be sure to share, subscribe, rate and leave a review, also make sure to follow the Beyond the Hardwood IG page, @thebthpod, as we continue to build this platform.

Jordan Surenkamp talks about growing up in the state of Indiana and the basketball culture within the state, his playing career at Wabash College (DIII), connecting with the Butler staff through camps to get his first break into the business as a GA at South Alabama, how relationships led to him taking a chance at working in the NBA and his experience with the Brooklyn Nets and now the Charlotte Hornets organizations.Make sure to share, subscribe, rate and leave a review and to also follow the new Beyond the Hardwood page on Instagram: @thebthpod

Coach Jump talks about how she was never the most talented player, but she was great in her role and how she added value for her team and teammates, how after graduating college she secured a job in the business, balancing out being players allies rather than their friend and how her the village she has been around in the business has aloud her to be named a 2x WBCA 30 under 30 honoree.

Tyler Relph talks about growing up in New York, coming up in the ranks as one of the best high school players in the state, the lessons he learned as a player at West Virginia and St. Bonaventure, how he fell in love with helping players get better while on staff at St. Bonnies, moving to Dallas, TX to begin his skill/player development brand, the relationships and cultures he has been built and how he has been actively using his brand and platform to help be an advocate for change during these times in our society.

Coach Brooks III talks about his childhood growing up in the inner city of Houston, TX, his desire to originally not want to be a college basketball coach, his journey once he did enter the business as a coach, the championship habits they build in their program at Baylor and how during this pandemic, Be Ready has become an extended family for so many coaches and others involved.

Coach Willemsen talks about his journey through the coaching business from his time at Lee University as a student manager, becoming one of the nation's youngest assistant coaches at Tennessee Tech, the beauty in the struggle at South Alabama, and the lens he looks through being a white coach at an HBCU.

Beyond the Hardwood podcast is hosted by Dionte Ferguson, Assistant Coach at Tusculum University. This podcast will feature guests who, like myself, are involved in the world of basketball, but have paved their own path to where they are today. Each episode will feature guests from within the basketball profession, as well as other athletic professionals.