What Life Was Like Playing Coach Jimmy Gales?

Life for me playing for a coach like Jimmy Gales (former S.O.C. & North Texas State Univ.) was like a marriage. You see, when a person gets married they are bound by a covenant (for better or worse, rich or poor, in sickness or good health) and once I signed my name on the dotted line, Coach Gales and I become teammates (the student & the teacher) bound by a covenant letter.

~Early in my college basketball career at NTSU, I had to learn how to follow, how to lead and how to win. I had to also learn "How Not" to take words personally~

Coach Gales was one of the most fierce competitive coaches I had ever played for. He enjoyed winning, and to him, losing was for players who [just to be nice] "didn't give a darn."

[Coach G would always say tell us that if we let opponents take advantage of us on the court, it's just like letting a stranger walk into our house and take our wife & kids]

Battle Tested:
One day during one of our practices, Coach Gales wanted me to "check the oil" of one of our senior guards (DA), so he asked that I guard (play defense) him 94' (baseline to baseline), and to say the least, he asked that I "Not Allow" him to catch the ball. We'll, if you knew DA, he was tough, fierce, extremely competitive and he knew how to match whatever intensity I or anybody brought to the table. And on another note, he wasn't going to be embarrassed by new sophmore guard!

So, I did exactly what my coach asked, but little did I know that this back court competition would become a daily wrestling and almost boxing match that my teammates couldn't wait to see (for them it was like being at the movies, they just didn't have the popcorn). We competed back and fort, pulling, pushing, turning and literally smelling each others breath because of the fierce level of competition that Coach Jimmy Gales wanted all of his team members to play daily.

Life for me playing for Coach Jimmy Gales was like a marriage, a covenant relationship! I learned to take the good with the bad and roll with the punches but in the end, we're still family!

Thanks, Coach G! My Best Coach Ever!

Deon 

Sometimes A Hug & Some Love Is All A Player Needs

~A hug without words is an expression of unconditional love~

“After a loss or a bad game sometimes all a player needs is a hug and a litttle bit of love, parents you gotta capture those moments, they’re priceless”-DH

Unconditionally Loved.......

One Hundred Years from now it won’t matter how many shots were made or missed during a game, how much playing time your child received, how far your team went in district play-offs, nor how many A’s were brought home from school, but the world will be a lot better [in the heart of your child] because you made a decision to Affirm & Love Your Child Unconditionally.

Deon

Why Most Are Afraid to Ask for Prayer Publicly?

~Prayers made In Faith are key to getting our day to day problems resolved~

The main reason most people who need prayer won’t ask for it publicly is because they’re too worried about what others are going to think & say about them, but as for me, I need your prayers & encouragement every single day.

Thank you.

Deon

P.S. Be not ashamed to ask for prayer!

I See My Peer Group In My Profession As My Teammates, Not Competitors:

“I see my peer group in youth sports as “One Body” with many members doing their best to help kids grow in the areas of their interest & gifting”

~Unity Strengthens~

Throughout my 28 years of training, developing & motivating players, I’ve never use the words “my competitors” when addressing others who teach & coach youth basketball.

How I was Raised?
I was raised to like, love and respect the differences of others; I’m not one who feels threatened by the successes of my peer group, in fact, I get excited when I see others in my profession do well, because when they succeed, others working in our profession succeeds.

“I think it’s harmful to our profession to be domain driven and self absorbed, I want everyone to eat”

How I See My Peer Group?

I see trainers & coaches as my brothers & sisters [in christ], and as special people with amazing gifts who’ve been given a role, a task and a responsibility of helping me in our line of work, develop, teach, motivate inspire & mentor the lives of young people through the game of 🏀 basketball!

A community who works together will rise together!

Deon aka Hoop Hunter

"Our HHB goal is simple, reach the lost & change hearts through sports & biblical based principles"

What's Happening On The Court Tues. & Wed at Hoop Hunter Basketball

Tuesday, Feb. 12th

Top Tier Shooting (co-ed)

6th-8th; 7:30pm-8:30pm

Wednesday, Feb. 13th 

Post Play Training Program

7th-12th Grade (Girls) 6:30p-8:00pm

For more detailed information and to register go online to: www.hoophunter.com

13, 20, 27, March 6, 20, 27

6:30 - 8:00 

Wednesdays: Feb 13, 20, 27, March 6, 20, 27

6:30-