010 - Jerry Seymour - Elite Running Back Coach

Welcome, Coach Jerry Seymour. I'm super excited to have you on today. He is the owner of the Running Back Academy there in Miami, Florida, doing big things with some really talented athletes. Welcome, Jerry.

Thank you for having me. I'm just loving the fact that I'm on this podcast. It's going to be my second one. So, you know, so just excited, ready to talk. You see this big smile on my face?

Yeah, I'm super excited. I've been looking forward to this for a while. So I just kind of want to jump right into things. I've been following you, kind of seeing your coaching style and everything. And the first thing I want to know is, is there anything that you coach or teach that is a little different than other coaches out there?

Um, necessarily when it comes to coaching, I like to, I don't really consider myself like a, you know, a running back trainer, you know, I'm a running back coach. I like to stick with that title because I think my style is, is basically I like to paint scenarios, right? So, you know, most trainers, what they do is they just kind of just go off of movement. Okay, you're going to do this. You're gonna do that, you're gonna cut here, you're gonna jump cut here. But for me, I like to paint a scenario, you know what I mean? Like, you know, for me, I'll give an example. Like I'll say, okay, the defense is in an over front, this 3 technique, a slant, this linebacker, he's coming down, and then you have that free safety, he's crashing the lane. So that's how I kind of coach, just by just painting scenarios that way. For me, I think once, once you paint that picture in a player's head, he can kind of get into character, you know, a little bit more. He can kind of give that drill a little bit more emphasis, you know, when he's, when he's taking that rep.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Like, you know, almost creating the visualization for them, right? Like, there's a lot of stuff out there on visualization and kind of putting yourself into scenarios before they happen. And so is that kind of what you're going for in those situations?

Absolutely. Like, I'm just trying to just get them into the scenario so they can just paint— get this picture in their head. And also, you know, it's more so like running back talk. It's a certain lingo that I like to have and that dialect that I have with the running backs. So when they do get with college coaches or NFL coaches, you know, when, when the coach is explaining it to them, they can understand what the coach is saying. Because higher in this level, guys are not going to say you're going to run here, then run there. No, guys are going to use, you know, all right, they're going to double here. It's just certain lingo that they're going to hear that I want them to recognize, you know, once they get to that level. And then once they recognize that lingo, you know, a coach can kind of put more trust in this kid because he understands that this kid understands what's going on in front of him.

Oh, that makes sense. Right. And so are you— I've noticed that you've been working with kids going into the NFL draft, the pro days. Do you work with college going into NFL and high school going into college? Or like, what is the, what is the range of athletes that you work with?

Oh man, I go from NFL all the way down to 8 years old. So I start, you know, my 8-year-old babies. Yeah. I start the babies, you know, that's where I first started. So, you know, most people's like, oh, it's cool to train pros. But like, no, you will learn like being a coach by coaching 8 to 13-year-old kids. Because like I said, they don't really have all the movement patterns, they don't really have the understanding. So they're really going to like build that, that patience within you. So I get those kids ready for high school, and then like I said, I do high school kids getting them ready for college, and then I do college kids getting ready for NFL, and I do NFL guys just helping them stay there, you know. So that's how to— that's kind of how the transition goes with me, um, as far as like, you know, that tier factor.

Yeah. And so obviously you'd have to approach coaching at different, depending on the levels that kids are at. How do you, how do you do that? How do you get into a mindset to coach 8 to 13 year olds versus 25 year old men?

Yeah. I think, you know, and I talk, I had a talk with a, with a parent last week about it. I think with the 8 to 13 year old kids, it's really just two things. It's really just getting them to understand what training is. Right? Like, they don't really understand. Like, some of them think that, oh, this is just extra work, this is punishment. Um, I'm up on a Saturday, I'd much rather be watching cartoons or playing with my friends. So, you know, for the 8 to 13-year-old kids, just getting them to understand what training is, right? So, and I have a lot of kids that, you know, I have that's in college right now that come back to my younger group sessions, and they'll tell them, right? I said, man, tell these kids how me and you used to butt heads when you were 13. And these are like D1 college athletes, and they was like, yeah, I hated it, you know what I mean? Me and Coach used to butt heads. He almost kicked me out of pressing. And, you know, those— and those athletes will tell those kids like, no, stick to— you trust the process, stick with it, it'll click one day, you know. So that's really the, the difference between when I train my younger kids. Now the older guys is just really just maintaining, you know what I mean? Like, just, just staying ahead of the game, you know, doing what the next person's not doing. Yeah, we may be in the same running back room, but I got to do a little bit more if I want to be that guy, you know. So, so the difference is basically younger kids is just teaching them how to work, what training is. And my older guys is just really just getting, getting them to understand and, you know, football, the running back position totally, and also just how to take care of their bodies too as well.

Yeah, that's awesome. I've seen you talking, like, I was looking at some of your feed and I saw you talking about undersized running backs. And so a lot of kids kind of ask, can I make it as an undersized running back? Obviously genetics have a huge role in sports and such, but you mentioned heart over height. Yes. And I really liked what you said there. Can you expound upon that?

Man, let me tell you, I'm happy that you brought this up because like, I'm only like 5'6.5", 5'7" on a good day. Oh really? Really? Yeah, yeah, I'm not, I'm not big at all. Nah, man, I'm a short guy. Yeah, so that's why I have that— what— that's why there's a special place in my heart for smaller running backs, right? So in high school, I was, you know, I was really, really good. Like, I was All-State first team, rushed for over 2,000 yards, you know, 39 touchdowns. And I remember, you know, my senior year, I was like, yeah, I'm definitely going D1. But like, when coaches would walk into the room, they would kind of look at me and then it would be like a whole different vibe, right? And I'm like, you know, like, okay, I got all these stats, but that's what I understand, that it's really not all about what you do, it's really about measurables a lot of times, right? So, um, for me, you know, what I like— what I try to tell these younger running backs and these undersized running backs, you just got to do a little bit more. You cannot do— like, if I rush for 100 yards and that kid at, you know, and, and I'm— my skill set is better than this guy that's 6 foot, right? So me and him rush for 100 yards, the coaches are automatically going to offer him before he— before they offer me, just because of measurables, right? So what do I have to do a little bit more than the guy that's 6 foot? I have to, you know, run the ball. I got to run do some running touchdowns, I have to receive some touchdowns, I have to do some kick returns, I have to do some punt returns, I have to block, you know, I have to do a little bit more than what that guy that's 5'11", 6 foot, uh, is doing in order to, you know, really just get that scholarship. So that's why I try to tell these guys, man, like, you know, it sucks, but it is what it is. You just have to, you know, just do a little bit more, you know what I mean? Because if you're a guy who's just rushed for 1,000 yards, a lot of times 1,000 yards just ain't good enough for like shorter running backs. Like, you got to set yourself for like 1,500 yards and 2,000. Like, that should be your mark because that's how you kind of just make your— that's how you kind of put your stamp on yourself. Like, look, I can play with the big boys, and this guy that you're trying to recruit, that 6-foot, like, I can give him a run for his money.

Do you find that with these younger or these shorter, smaller running backs, are they the type of players who are like, nah, I'm gonna get this done? Or do you feel like that this it adds added pressure to them and kind of affects their game?

I think it adds a lot more pressure to them because, you know, they're used— they're always hearing like, oh, you know, the people, the naysayers, right? Like, people like, oh, you just don't have the measurables, or you're too short, you know, um, you know. Or when they do go to a college, right, and they look at— just say you go to like UGA, you know, University of Georgia, and you're seeing these running backs and they're all like 5'11", 6'0", 225, like, that could really discourage you, right? But for me, like, I, I just really didn't care, you know what I mean? Like, I knew I was the man. Like, you know, you really couldn't tell me no different. Like, when I stepped on the field, like, I knew I was the biggest, baddest man on the field, you know what I mean? And that's just the mentality that I had when I approached the field. Um, and I remember, uh, when we played against— I believe it was Akron, right? It was one of my, um, college games. And after the game, I think I rushed for like over 100 yards, and this is where it kind of clicked for me. And this guy was like, you know what, even though you were the tallest man on the field, he was like, you was the feared man on this field today. And, and yeah, and it's not really just through height, it's just how you play. It's through your intensity, it's through your focus, man. It's just, it's just an aura that you care, uh, carry with you. Like, I just didn't want to be stopped, and I knew nobody could stop me. You could probably contain me, but you wouldn't go stop me. And that's just the mentality that I want, you know, shorter running backs or the little running backs to have.

How do you coach that mentality though? Because obviously it takes time to develop and such, like if you don't kind of naturally have a player with that mentality, kind of like you did, like how do you coach it?

I think I'm the testimony, right? Like I'm, I'm, I'm the truth. I'm the proof in the pudding. You know what I mean? Like, and these guys, they'll go back and watch my highlights and they're like, man, Coach, you was the man back then. It's like, yeah, I don't really press that on them. But for me it's just like, even when I do get running backs, that's, that's, that's the measure. Like it's just a certain mentality that you, you just have to have, you know what I mean? So when I teach my younger running backs or my smaller backs, It's just like, man, don't let no, don't let nothing, you know, tear you down. Like, you know, run through a wall if you have to, like, you are good enough, you know, you are great enough. You know, it's just, it's just really, you have to believe that, you know? So it's 50/50. I'm going to coach you on it. You just have to believe it. And then if we could come together, that's 100% right there.

I like that. Yeah. And I seen you, I've seen you talk also a lot about affirmations and how affirmations are huge, especially like as a coach, as a player, as a person, like whoever you are. So how have you used affirmations to help you accomplish things in your life?

I mean, I think, you know, when you're young, right? Um, and you're coming up in this world, like, you know, you know, we all, we all been at that age where, you know, you could be anything in this world that you want to be. Right. And then as you get older, you start to get people where you, the world just starts to tell you what you can't be. Right. So, you know, for me, you know, just being that undersized, it's just, it's just like, it was either like, either I'm going to let what these people saying, or these coaches not recruiting me. Am I going to let that get a hold of me or I'm going to rise above it? So, you know, I used to have to tell myself, you know, like, nah, man, like, nah, you are the one, you are the man. You know, I would look in the mirror and just tell myself that, you know, and I would tell myself, you know, like, you know, like, you are the greatest thing on this team. You know what I mean? It wasn't just being arrogant, but those are some of the things that I had to tell myself, you know, because you never know what, what you like. Me and you are going to hear different, uh, negativity, right? So you like, you know, it's, it's a guy on my team that he, he fits all the measurables. So, you know, everybody's gonna bow down to him because he fits the measurables and he's a good player. You never know what I'm facing. You never know what the, what the blogs are saying about me. So, you know, it, for me and what I'm really trying to say is, you know, the affirmations of what's gonna keep me going, the affirmations are where I am here today. You know what I mean? So I had to, I had to say and do those things for myself, right? Like, because nobody else is going to tell me. Yeah, momma tell you, tell you, but like, no, like I had to do it myself because you got to be your own biggest fan. Nobody else is going to build you up like you're going to build yourself up.

I love that. I think if you can teach that from a young age, like you talk about working with 8-year-olds.

Yeah.

How powerful would that be for them to learn from that young of an age, like how to, how to have positive self-talk, right? Like, yes, I remember me as an athlete. I got down on myself. That was, that was a skill that I lacked, is that positive self-talk and the believing in yourself. And I, I wish I could go back and change it, but obviously I can't. So we move forward and we, yeah, we do it. We help others. Yeah, basically have what we didn't have. But like, how do you, how do you coach those affirmations from a young age with these 8, 9, 10-year-olds who are just young and kind of learning?

I think I coach it through just like, you know, I think it's first and foremost, it's just accountability. Like, I think That's first and foremost. You know, if a kid doesn't finish through the line, you know, it may be some punishment behind it. But if I think that they don't have a true understanding of their awareness, like they have to be aware of who they are or aware of the things that they're doing. That's the first thing. Like I'm making you aware. So if you didn't run through this cone and then I ask you like, hey, did you run through the cone? And the kid flips his shoulders like, I don't know. It's like, all right, give me a lap and then we'll talk about it afterwards. You know, so it's really just recognizing, you know, my actions, you know, recognizing my actions. If I was wrong, I was wrong. If I was right, I'm right. That's the first thing, how I kind of coach through affirmations. And I'm gonna make this make sense. And then after, you know, once the kid understands, you know, you know who he is and what he's doing, what's the mission, then that's when I can kind of progress to the next level. It's like, okay, cool. Now that you understand what you're doing, you know, now that you understand what you're doing, now how do we, how do we kind of keep you there? What are some of the things that's gonna keep you above that, that ground level? And then for me, you know, I'll give you an example. Like, it's one kid, like he, he's a really, really good kid. Um, He's going to be special. He's going to be very, very special. And from him, like, I just told him that you're going to have to do a lot more than other kids, you know, because there's going to be a lot more eyes on you, you know. So I kind of give them that, that, that, that revelation a little bit early of things that they're going to face. And we just kind of build upon that. And I think that's the most important thing with 8-year-old kids. You got to recognize like, okay, this, this kid is going to be really, really good. Let me go ahead and let me get on. Let me, let me, let me try to be that, that friction a little bit. Let me try to harp on him a little bit more in our sessions. That way when he gets into the world or coaches kind of getting on him, it did, it really doesn't faze him because he knows Coach Jerry's already broken him down and built him up, you know? So that's what, that's how I kind of go about it.

That's cool. I, I guess I, I've talked to some coaches about that as well. And one of 'em, his name's Dustin Smith. He works with a lot of quarterbacks around this area. Gotcha. And, and he, um, super, super great guy. And he, he talks about how, The ones that he gets on most are the ones he believes in most.

Yes.

Yes. And so I feel like as athletes, if you're able to recognize that, like, you won't leave a practice feeling super frustrated because Coach was on your butt all, all day. Like, you're going to be like, oh, wow, he really cares about me and he really cares about my progression. He believes in me. And I feel like, like you were saying, that belief that you have in him kind of just slowly bleeds over into his mind. Do you think that? That's kind of accurate.

That is extremely accurate. You know, you have to be a little bit tougher on those kids who— and this is a saying of mine, it's like, if a kid makes it look easy, you know, in the sport, you have to make it— you have to make it a little bit harder for them off the field, right? Like mentally, okay? So because like I said, everything just comes naturally to this kid. Like if he— if I set up a drill, he can do it like it's nothing. But there's going to come a time, a point where he's going to reach some adversity. And the truly, for me, the adversity really is, is that The only way that I could create adversity for this kid is making sure that he goes 110% every rep. Yeah, he makes it look easy, and sometimes he can go 50% and just make it look like he's going 100%. But no, I have to harp on that kid and make sure that you're going 150%, you're not going 100%. So you really have to just push them to the brink every session. And then, you know, it gets to a point where they're kind of get used to it. So I think, you know, that Coach is extremely right. He's correct. You have to really push those kids to the brink. It's really not even about skill set. It's really just now you're training them mentally. Certain kids I train for skill sets. I'm trying to build their skill set. Some kids I'm trying to make mentally strong.

And you feel like the ones that you're really trying to make mentally strong are the ones that have the most potential?

I think I don't really sleep on it, you know what I mean? I just, I think, yeah, the right now, that's what they need right now. Because, you know, it may get to a point where his skill set just doesn't transition, right? Because we have a bunch of athletes that are really good at a young age, and then they get to high school, they're still good, then they get to college and they completely just mine, or they just completely fall off. So it's just like, you gotta, you gotta meet them where they are right there at that moment. And I believe those kids that are just extremely gifted, you have to train them mentally. And then maybe because sometimes they may just be bigger than everybody, sometimes they may be faster than everybody, but sometimes puberty, they just catch up with them. So it's like, okay, now that, you know, things are easy as they used to be, okay, where do we go from now? And now I have to just really work on your skill set. I done trained you mentally. Let's work on your skillset now. So it's really like, it's a, it's, it's a never-ending like coaching. Yeah. Yeah. You, you just have to just meet them where they are right now.

So what about the kind of the more elite athletes that you're working with, the ones getting ready for the NFL draft, the pro day? Like, do you, do you also work on mindset with them or is that something they kind of already have down? Cuz they're so highly elite.

Yeah. I think it's a little bit of both. You know what, it's a day-to-day thing, right? Because a lot of these guys, um, You know, they've been to college, so they understand. They've been getting up at 4 AM. You know, they understand what working out is. I think for them getting ready for the NFL, it's really just the not knowing what's next. You know, am I going to get drafted? Am I, you know, am I going to a team that's going to give me a fair shot? It's just really just the unknown for them. So I think for them it's a lot of skill set. So I'm going to start with the skill set first. Really, I build on a lot of skill set because a lot of these guys have been with college coaches and a lot of those college coaches never really played the running back position. So they really just, they just really just kept it baseline with those guys. So they really and truly, those guys got to where they at just off their own skill level. So for me, I challenged them, you know what I mean? I remember Blake Corum was like, man, like, coach, you really like challenged me in this session today. And that's what you want. You know, you want to challenge them, make them move different, make them do different things. And I think that's where they kind of get a little bit uncomfortable. But after like week 8, they start to get used to it. Now the mental part of it is just making sure, because some guys they'll come out ready to train one day and then the next day they're like, their kind of heads is in the cloud because you never— the anxiety does get to them. So you really just have to pull them to the side like, hey man, what's going on? Are you good? Uh, Coach, you know, I'm— man, this whole draft stuff is getting to me. Hey, we're not gonna worry about that. We're gonna take care of what's going on today. Let's control what we can control. So it's really just like, it's like a juggling. You may have 5 guys in a group, 3 of those guys are just ready to go and the other 2 guys are kind of like got their heads in the clouds, you know? So you really have to be like very, very resilient as a coach to kind of understand, you know, what's the vibe of the room. Okay. When I step out, I bring the guys up, I talk to them, I see where everybody's head is, and I kind of just take control from there.

No, I like that a lot. Yeah. I kind of want to go back a little bit and talk about these kind of younger kids again. My thought, and there's a lot of parents who listen to these, um, and you were saying, you were talking about pushing those kids going 110%, like, holding them accountable. How much of that do you think is the parent role versus the coach's role? Cause I think the parents try to wear a lot of hats when it comes to their kids' development. Um, what do you, what would be your advice to parents? Like what lane do they stay in?

I think, I think honestly, I've been, I'm so happy you asked this, you know? Uh, so I say for most parents, it's more so just allow me to, you know, allow me to coach them hard. You know what I mean? Like don't be the double coach, you know, just be the parent. You know, because if I just coached this kid and I just ran him in the ground, I hate to say it like that, but if I just kind of, you know, work this kid in this session, you know, I don't, first of all, I don't need you ad-libbing in the back saying, "Go harder." Like, no, I will shut a parent down quick. And what I would tell parents is, after the session, have a conversation with the child, you know, while you're in the car. You know, don't talk to him about, "Hey, you didn't do good enough," because if he didn't do good enough, trust me, he's already heard it from me. You know, just have a conference, just have some type of dialect with the child. Like, hey man, so, so how was that? How was the session? Oh Dad, it was, it was really hard. Well, why was it hard? What was going on? You know, just, just, just, just be a parent because it's going to get to a certain point where if you're double coaching, when your kid does have some type of, you know, adversity, he's not going to want to talk to you, you know, he's going to shut down, you know. And a lot of times, you know, or you might have to just get a therapist, but you know, this is your opportunity to build a relationship with your child, you know, And it's not sports related, you know what I mean? I know that's how you and your child may connect, but at the same time, let me be the bad guy, you know what I mean? Because one day down the line, they're going to see what Coach Jerry is telling them is true. But I want you to be the person that they can talk to after a session and come home and say, you know what, Dad, man, I had a rough day, man. You know what I mean? Like today's session, I just couldn't get it. Okay. Talk to me. What's going on? And help them and help them navigate through, you know, but instead of me coaching them and then they get in the car and then you're kind of going over everything that they did wrong. Now we're just beating the athlete up, you know what I mean? Like, no, let me be the coach, you know, because he's heard an earful from me from the last hour and a half. You go home and just have that dialect and talk to him and just create that bond and create that relationship. Because when you keep— when these kids go to college and you're the type of parent that's the double coach, you know, when the kid has, has a bad practice in college, man, you will want your son to call you, or you'll want your daughter to call you and say, hey, you know what, Dad or Mom, today was just tough, man. And let's have that talk because that's very, very important because, you know, the The birds aren't always going to be in the nest. You know, they're going to leave it one day. And you want, you want to create that safe space for them when it's time to have that talk.

You know, I think that's so important for parents to realize. And I mean, I'm a young parent. I have one, one little boy right now. He, he's too small to play anything yet. But it's, it's cool for me to learn that now so that I can know what role to play in the future, because I see a lot of parents and they, I think they try to live vicariously through their child sometimes, maybe some. Unfulfilled dreams, they try to fulfill them through their kid. And, and I mean, most of the intentions are great of the parents, but I think it's awesome what you touched on, like, just be the parent, be empathetic towards your kids, like, just allow them to talk about what they want to talk about and don't, don't lecture. Like, that's the last thing that they need after a tough day or practice.

Right, right, right, right. Because you never know how it's going to end up on the back end, right? Like, you get some parents, some kids that they they can do that. They can be double coached and when they get older, they can still keep that relationship with you. But if you get some kids that just kind of like, man, I'm not, I really need somebody to talk to. Let me call my dad. Nah, I already know what he's going to say. He's going to be on me about I'm being soft, I'm being this and that. I mean, and there's a fine line, right? Like you just have to make sure that you create that safe space for your kids. You know what I mean? Because you definitely don't want them to talk to their teammates. Sometimes they may have a teammate that may give them good advice, but also you, You know, you definitely want your kids to take advice from somebody who's older, somebody who's been there, somebody who's going to help them solve their problems now and in the future. Sometimes, you know, when they're talking to their peers, their peers are just emotional as them. It's like, you know what, man, just hop in transfer portal, bro. You don't deserve this. And it can be just as simple as a discussion where they have with their parent and the kid realizes, like, you know what, I was in the wrong. I need to do better. You know what I mean? So, you know, I think that's very, very important what we're talking about right now.

That's awesome. I love that. Yeah. How— I mean, I love kind of the focus of affirmation, self-talk, all of this that we've been kind of focusing on right now. How can parents play a role in positive self-talk? Because you say if you don't speak up, negativity will. And a lot of times, like, kids will learn based off of like their internal dialog will be what you teach them growing up, right? Like from the time my son's 2, whatever I'm kind of telling him is going to be what he grows up believing. So how can parents instill positive self-talk in kids?

I think first and foremost is just, just, just enjoying the process. You know, I think a lot of parents don't really enjoy the process. If their kids don't do good, it's like they're having a bad week. If they're, you know, you can't let your kids performance on the field or on the court or wherever it is dictate how you feel, you know what I mean? Like, I think it's very, very important for parents to stay neutral, you know, in a sense like, hey, whether you do good or bad, I love you. You know what I mean? Like, it's just a game, you know. Granted, I do want you to do good, but, you know, okay, if you had a bad game, all right, bro, let's get back to— let's get back with our coach. Let's see what's going on. Let's watch some film, you know, just positive reinforcement. Okay, let's, let's try to solve this. Let's not beat ourselves up, you know. And I think, you know, that's where parents need to do a better job of, is how can I get my kid out of this rut instead of adding dirt to the hole, if that makes sense, you know, like Because I know a parent right now, you know, like if the kid has a bad, like a bad rep, right? The kid has a bad rep, he'll start crying. And it's like, and I know it's not because the kid's not crying because of me. I know the kid is crying because of what's going to happen or the words they're going to be said to him in the car. Yeah. And it's okay because, you know, um, and this has happened years ago and, you know, and it's for me to educate parents too. When I had to tell, I had a serious talk with the dad. I was like, hey, look, man, And this happened years ago. I said, look, I know your son, when he has a bad rep, he's not even focused on me because he's looking directly at you. I said, we have to change that, you know what I mean? Like, if your son has a bad rep, like, he needs to lock in and focus on me because I'm the, I'm the instructor of this, of what's going on right now. So I said, for you, I need you to really just back off, you know what I mean? I really need you to understand, like, first of all, he's only 10 years old, so it's gonna happen. I'm not your average coach, so he's damn sure going to you know, mess up a lot of reps because I'm forcing him to do different things. So, you know, just having that talk with that dad to let him know, okay, look, man, like, you're adding more pressure than you're adding any positivity to this group. And the dad was like, you know what, I never realized that, man. Like, you know, I'm happy that, you know, you came to talk to me as a man, you know, because, you know, all I want is the best for my son. I said, you know what, sometimes maybe we're trying too hard, you know, just kind of just relax and let me take control. And ever since then, I never had no, no issue out of the parent. The kid gets better. He's actually on his way to college right now, you know, so a D1 scholarship right now. So, you know, it's, it's just definitely as, as, as coaches, you have to recognize that like when a kid does a bad rep, like who does he look to? Like, is he looking at me or his dad? You know what I mean? And like, that's how you kind of pick up on those things.

Interesting.

This is super cool. Yeah.

I like that a lot. Mm-hmm. So thinking of all, I mean, you've worked and are working with some very special, very talented athletes. If— I don't know if you have favorites or ones that you've preferred working with, but like, you don't have to name them. I'm not going to make you do that, but I want you to think of like the top 2, 3 athletes that you've loved working with and what— like, tell me what made them so special.

Um, I think, uh, it's all of them. I'm gonna go ahead and wax and say all you guys are my favorites. All right, I'm just gonna pick 3 out of all of them. I know Jonathan Taylor is probably my favorite guys, man. He's a, he's a running back the Colts. He's just a high-on-life guy and he makes you feel special. Like when I come out there to the field, he's like, yo Jerry, what's up, man? It's like, it's like this guy led the league in rushing and he's an All-Pro, just all, all-around gentleman guy. And this guy is happy to see me more than I'm happy to see him. Right. So, you know, and he's very, very coachable. He's a guy who just listens and he just, he just, he's just somebody who's just a sponge, right? Like you think you'll get to a level and some guys just feel like, You don't need to tell me anything. Like, nah, man, this dude still has the kid in him. You know, he's a grown man, but he still has that joy in him that never really left. So he's one of my favorite guys, just from just high on life kind of guy. Another guy, Blake Corum, you know, just an overall good guy, you know, right? I mean, just he comes in, works, he asks questions. You know, I asked Blake, you know, he's always doing favors for people. He's always in the community. And I remember I have a nephew that I asked him to do a video for. And I asked him about like, uh, 4 days before that. And, you know, not from nothing, like I was like, hey, if you want to do it, you can. If not— and then he texted me back 3 days later. He asked me, hey coach, you know, the Denver Broncos coach is going to call you. But he's like, oh yeah, you know, I still got that video that I'm gonna do for you. And like, that made me feel like, like really, really good because, you know, this guy has all kind of meetings and— but he still took time to remember he did that video for my nephew. So, you know, that's one of the guys. And another guy, uh Man, this is going to be a tough one. Who can I say? Who can I say? I would say Melvin Gordon. Melvin Gordon is another guy that I really enjoy training, man, because he is just a clown. He is a— he's a comedian. Like, you know, I mean, he's effortlessly just funny, you know? Like, I mean, just the mannerisms, the things he says, and, you know, he's just another high-on-life guy. So those are my 3 favorite guys that I work with, man. Noah definitely keeps me laughing, man. So those would probably be the 3 guys that I would say outside of all of the guys that I, that I love to work with.

Yeah, I think, I mean, hearing that, it's super cool to hear because had nothing to— obviously they're talented players. Obviously they, they're very highly elite and have a lot of ability and whatnot, but you didn't talk about their physical characteristics or their like nothing, no skill set or anything like you were talking about who they are as people. Yes. And so I kind of want to transition a little bit and talk about how does your character in life translate to your character on the field? Like you talk about running through the cone, like hitting that line, making sure you're not taking shortcuts. Do you feel like the people who take shortcuts in life and maybe don't treat people right or are unkind and stuff, like, does that reflect how they play and how they perform on the field?

It's kind of tricky, right? Because you— some players, you know, um, just not good, not good people, but they can play, you know what I mean? They can play, you know. But, you know, and a lot of times when you look at those people, it's like they're just very, very strict and they're very stern in who they are, you know what I mean? So a lot of times you really can't take that stuff personal. So it's really hard to gauge as far as like, you know, somebody's character off the field and on the field, because you get, you get some guys that are just straight up knuckleheads off the field. But once the, once the lights come on, they can play, you know what I mean? Like they could just straight up play. I think for me, one gauging point for me is, uh, through training, I could tell you right now, it's like I could tell a lot by a player by how they run through a cone, right? You know, because a lot of times, you know, my athletes, they'll go through the drill and then I'll tell them to finish out 10 yards. So I tell them all the time, you know, The athlete that runs 3, 4, 5 yards past the cone, that's gonna— guy that I could trust. He's gonna give me a little bit more than what I asked for. The guy that runs to the cone, like, and stops immediately, that's the guy who's going to give me just enough. And the guy who always stops before the cone, that's the guy who I know for sure I can't trust, you know. So I always tell my athletes all that all the time. Like, I could tell more about you as an athlete just by the way you run through a cone. And I'll be damned, you know, a lot of all the athletes that I, that I'm usually screaming at that's not finishing through the cone, those are the ones who's doing the rep over and over and over again. And I already know I could call it before they do it. I'm like, watch, he doesn't finish, and he doesn't, you know. So, and I tell them a lot of times, like, you know, do you, how do you think that's gonna, uh, make a, your actual running back coach in college feel? Like, if I'm doing it now, you could, you can bet your bottom dollar that coach at the next level is going to have the same emotions I have just by watching you run through that cone. So at the end of the day, you got— you have your only— you only have yourself to blame when it comes to that stuff. You know, just finish, you know, give more than what's asked.

Dang. And so you, you talked about Jonathan Taylor, um, the running back for the Colts. You said how he's very coachable, just like very lively, joyful person. How, how would you recommend that players stay coachable as they become better and better and better? You know, like sometimes it's easy for that to get to their heads. Like, what would be your recommendation or advice to players with that?

Do you— advice as far as like just keeping—

staying a sponge? Yeah, like just staying coachable, staying humble, like being able to just, like you said, Jonathan, he's a sponge. Like no matter how good he gets, he's always trying to learn more.

Yeah, you love being like— because anything that you love, you want to continue to be better at, right? Like, and I think you know, you have different athletes. You got some that just play this game and they're good, and you got some, some people that just truly love it. And I think though, the guys who truly love this game are the ones that want to stay in it. They're going to do what's necessary, they're going to have the routine, you know, like they do all this stuff. Like I remember listening to a story about Christian McCaffrey, and, um, I think, uh, Cam Newton was talking about how he just had this strict routine, you know, before practice, during practice, after practice, And those— and, and so, so some people that's like, oh, that's, that's kind of boring. That's kind of like, that's a little bit too much. That's a little bit over the top. But like, no, that's, that's somebody who, who understands the running back position first and foremost. You have to take care of your body, but it's also just somebody who's honed in and who's trying to, you know, better their craft and get better and be, and be, uh, durable and be accessible to the team. I just really think things just come down to just, just truly loving this, this game of football. And wanted to be better at it and said it's time to hang the cleats up. I think it just truly comes down to love and passion for the game.

Okay, that's cool. And then, um, as far as that goes, that we've kind of touched on this a little bit too, but we said that genetics play a huge role in sport, but at the same time, is that— yes, like genetics do, but aside from that, like, that can be a pretty big excuse that players use of, I'm just not born to be great. I mean, we've talked about this already, this podcast, but what are 3 things— or yeah, what are 3 things that you say that are controllable for athletes that will set them apart to a college coach?

I think first and foremost, you know, uh, mindset. I think first and foremost, like, you got to believe that you belong, you know what I mean? Like, if you don't believe it, then why are you even approaching, or why are you even trying, or why are you even even attempting to, to even play this game. I think the second thing is attitude, right? Because everything is not going to go your way, you know. I mean, it's going to— you're going to have some good days, you're going to have some bad days, you know. It may not even look like it's working out for you at that moment, but if you just keep a positive attitude, things may turn— make— things may turn for you, you know. It may turn any day. And I think the last thing, truly, I believe that's, that's, that's really, really most important I believe it's just because I have two. I don't know which one I want to choose, but, uh, I think the last one—

you can give me four if you really want.

I think honestly the last one, you know, outside of mindset and attitude, really just, just, it's just resilience, you know what I mean? Like, just, just being resilient, you know what I mean? Because like I said, you're gonna have some injuries, you know, you know, you may have some, some off-the-field things that may happen to you, but you got to be able to fight through it and see it through, you know. Um, you know, like, I, I salute those players who, who, who just had a significant loved one who just passed away, but they still show up and play. Like, ah, it's just like, that's, that's so commendable on so many levels. And we don't know the trauma that they deal with, but at the same time, they see it through and they get through it. So I think it's just necessary, like, you have to be resilient because it's not always football that's gonna be your average, uh, that's gonna create that adversity, some adversity for you. Sometimes it's going to be other elements that's going to create adversity for you. You got to be able to, you got to be able to see it through and fight through and get to where you need to be. So those will be what—

yeah, I love those. What type of— I mean, you, you were a very gifted and talented player. What type of lessons did you learn through the adversity that you went through as a player?

I think honestly the, the lessons that I learned as a player is, uh, you know what, the little things, right? It's, it's really just the little things, you know, like the little minute details is the, the showing up, you know, extremely early, you know, doing extra film time, which is all those things that I did, but I kind of learned those late. I kind of waited till like my senior year to kind of pick up on all these things, but it's really just the little small details, man, like, you know, just just, just, just, you know, uh, going a little bit extra hard in practice. Um, like me, like, you know, like when we do a mesh drills, because this is not nothing serious, like what, what a quarterback hands you the ball, most of the time people are finishing out 10 yards. Like, I would literally finish out 30, 40 yards, you know what I mean? Like, that's the kind of speed. But for me to tell these athletes, it's just little small details that if you can stack those little small details, I mean, truly, really and truly, that's your foundation. Um, because also when the game is over with and you're left to not score a touchdown, or you're left to not take another carry, you're gonna, you're gonna have to live off those little, those little small acts, those little small details, though. And those things are going to build your character when it's all said and done. So that's really the lesson that I learned playing sports, is just the little details. Don't skip those.

I would, I would probably agree with you as far as I, I go. Like, I, I learned how to You know, when you're going to do something, just do it good. You know, if you're going to do a job, just, just get it done. Like, pay attention to those small details. Don't, don't cut corners. Like, just be someone who's reliable.

Yes.

Who knows, like, oh, I'm going to like, I'm going to get the most out of Kelsey because that's who she is, right? You know, like whether it's on the field, on the court or in life, like, I just think it's so cool using sports as I mean, it's like sometimes the best life lessons too. And yes, it will translate into college and into pros and stuff, but for the kids who don't make it there, it's still going to play such a vital role in learning of how to just be a good human being.

Yes, it's definitely going to build you. It's definitely going to— also like us, right? We're both content creators. We're both trying to make a name for ourselves in this world, especially in your industry, my industry. And a lot of times it's like, man, it's those little small details when you're doing content. It's the little things that you have to touch on and nobody else is touching on, or that little small detail that you feel like, oh, that's too small. But when you do touch on that, like, that's the one that gets you the most views, you know what I mean? So it's like, you know, you don't try to skip, you know, take every necessary step. Um, you know, just being an entrepreneur, just like me and yourself, like, you know, that's when the little things really have to kick in. Because like I said, like, you know, you really can't skip nothing. Gotta make sure all cylinders. And if you're clicking on all this, then people will want to do business with you. And what we want to do business with you, you're your product, your brand expands, you know. So when it's all through those little, little, little actions, small, big actions.

I love that. Yeah, for sure. And there's kind of one last topic I wanted to talk to you about, and it has to do with you being an entrepreneur and such. Like, you, you have the Art of Cutting course, and if my kids are running back, I'm hands down going to, going to buy that in a heartbeat from you, or maybe move to Miami and have you train him. Who knows?

Just kidding.

I'm here. But like, I kind of want to talk about investing into oneself or into a parent investing into their child. With this, you talked about you can't afford to just YouTube it. Explain that to me. Like, you'll fall behind, but like you said, you can't afford to just YouTube it. Why is it so important to invest?

I think it's because really and truly invest— when you invest in yourself, when you're investing in your child, First and foremost, like, that's the contract. Like, you know, that's, that's letting your child, or that's letting you know, like, okay, I'm willing to take the next step. You know what I mean? Because my money is paid, you know, so I have to do this right. And I think, you know, when it comes to investing in yourself, I mean, you know, for me, like, I was fully invested. Like, I used to have a speed and agility company. I kind of broke off that and said, you know what, I'm going to do this running back thing all the way, and I'm not going to look back. And as soon as I really invested myself, my time, my money, like that's when I seen that my, my first of all, and just my overall awareness on the internet just kind of blew up, right? Because I was very, I was able to streamline it and say, you know what, instead of doing all these speed and agility things, let me hone in on one thing and let me just put all my energy towards that. And it actually reigned supreme for me. Um, one thing I would say is, and, and also like it's even in my slogan, like I want to be the number one resource for running backs and running back coaches. Um, not gonna go off subject, but Akana, so for me it's, it's bigger than just like, you know, just, just training athletes. Like, I believe that you need to have 7 streams of income, you know, just in one business as a trainer, right? So for me, I got in-person training, I got virtual, I got books, I got apparel. Um, I do one-on-one consulting, you know, so I have like a lot of strings of income, you know, just within my one brand, you know. And I think for parents when they're investing in their kids That's more like— it's just showing that you're serious and you're really— you're willing to go the next step to get that professional, you know, uh, that professional help. And then if the kid sees fit, and then you just go a little bit deeper. Now let's get into some recovery. Okay, that's another investment. Okay, let's get into nutrition. That's another. So now the more you're investing, the more that you're opening up your child or the athletes, the more of what it is to be a great athlete. So that's what investment does. It just helps you to go deeper to You know, you know what world, how big can my world be if I really truly just dive in?

Yeah. And I think that's cool. Like you mentioned, there's different tiers to it, right? Like you don't have to go and, and buy everything all at once for your kid or anything like that. But you kind of, you kind of test the waters. All right. Yeah. He's, he's really buying into this. Like, let's go deeper. So I like that thought because I think a lot of parents get a little overwhelmed with everything that's out there. I'm like, just, just the basics.

Sometimes it's too much for a kid, right? So he's— you're, you're diving in on training, nutrition, and recovery. Sometimes the kids, he's just want to learn how to work out first. Look, can I just become a better point guard, or can I become a better running back first? All right, now that I see that I'm getting some, some type of, uh, now that I see I'm getting better at this, all right, let me try to eat better because I want to work on my body. All right, let's, let's teach you about nutrition. Okay, I'm getting a little bit sore, you know. All right, let's transition over to recovery. So you just got to birdfeed a kid, you know, throwing everything at them at once. I believe it's just sometimes it's too much because now it turns into work. It doesn't really seem like this is something that I'm kind of trying to discover, right? Like now it's just like, all right, you just placed all this on me and now I just feel the pressure of, you know, I'm a kid and I got to eat chicken breast and broccoli, you know what I mean? Like no kid, you know, no kid wants to eat like asparagus and salmon, you know what I mean? Like, you know, can I eat a little bit of pizza and Okay. I see that the pizza is kind of holding me back from working out. All right. Let me kind of wean off of that. So you have to be real strategic when you're investing in your kid. Like just, just, just slow roast them. That's the word that I like to use and just kind of see where it goes from there.

Love it. I think that's awesome. Yeah. All right, Coach, last question for you, but what would be your number one piece of advice to any athlete trying to make it to the next level?

Enjoy the process. Enjoy the process. I know it sounds cliché, but it's going to be a, it's going to come a time of day where you're going to have to, you know, either give a retirement speech or you just gotta tell everybody around you that I'm not playing football no more. Just enjoy the process, man. Enjoy every rep, even though it's, you know, you may be throwing up or every hill run, every 220, every squat, you know, enjoy it. You know what I mean? Because it's not gonna be there forever. At some point in time it's gonna leave. So, you know, every athlete's on a timeframe. So enjoy it while you have it. Enjoy the process. And just stay positive, man. Like, I know it's cliché, but please trust and believe in Jesus because when it's all said and done, it's all said and done.

Thank you. Thank you for your time.

Awesome. Awesome.

Thank you for your knowledge. Like, this has been awesome. I appreciate that. Hear all these pieces of advice that you have for these