We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful CJ Council. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with CJ below.
CJ, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
Growing up my parents were great examples of working hard but making it look easy. My dad worked for a courier service. He would wake up every day at 430am in the morning. My Mom worked for the phone company as an operator and had a night shift from 10 pm to 6 am. My dad would be with us in the early mornings, until my mom would come home. When I say us, that refers to my brothers and sisters. There were 4 of us growing up in 2 family homes in East Flatbush. I am the oldest son, with a younger brother Kyle (a.k.a. Scooter), and two older sisters, Kali and Kim. We lived in a house of limited resources at times but full of creativity and energy—concerts in the basement, wrestling matches, and all-night Nintendo.
My parents their had a routine. Dad gets kids ready and then heads to work. Mom comes home from work and helps get kids to school. My mom would rest during the day to prepare for the night shift. My dad would be home to see her off and put us to sleep. In between the routines were family dinners, track practice, baseball practice, games, tutors when needed, and a lot of Cosby and A Different World on Thursday night as a family. We also took in other friends and family to join us and live with us at times. I never heard my parents unleash their frustration of how hard it was to be a parent. I never heard them complain about not having money or resources. They never said it was not fair. They just worked. I am so grateful because it was the example that we need as a black family in America. I have learned many unspoken life lessons from watching my parents work. The biggest takeaway is that we must take pride in our work. I know my parents take pride in getting four children through college with no silver spoon, no teenage babies, and no jail time or arrest. That doesn’t make us more special than anyone else, but it makes them perfect for me and my family. No excuses, be responsible, and love people. Thank You, mom and dad!
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I have always had a passion for coaching. At 18 years of age, I started coaching. The actual launching point was the summer of 2001. I was working my summer basketball camp at my high school, and we had Coach Mike Jarvis speak to me about coaching. He told me to write everything down in a notebook and be a student of the game. I was also a sophomore at St. John’s, and he invited me to attend his 6 am practice. I rearranged my schedule to make every practice. From then on, coaching has been my passion. I have always dreamed of being the youngest NBA coach ever. To me, that was the standard of high-level coaching or where you can get the most recognition for your abilities as a coach. I learned with experience that times fly and there are good coaches everywhere. Right now, a 5th girls basketball coach is doing an amazing job teaching and developing players.
I get excited by helping others be their best. I have worked in sports and education for more than 22 years now. I have worked in collegiate sports with great people at St. John’s, Manhattan College, New York City Tech, Brooklyn College, and Maryland-Eastern Shore. I have been part of the lives of many young people coaching in the high school ranks. Christ the King, Bishop Loughlin, USA Basketball, Bonnie Youth Baseball, and AAU have helped me help others. Winning Championships and going to the Final 4’s are all a part of being in the right place at the right time and ready to give to others. I study the game, coaches, other sports, and even other professions. I’m always in information seek mode.
In 2019, I started a non-profit called Pre-Game E.L.I.T.E Sports. The organization was founded to help bring high-level fundamental instruction to young athletes. We started with good momentum that summer, and as the winter came, we planned to get resources and learn from our first-year struggle; we fell victim to the pandemic. This pains me because I had to put this on the back shelf for now. I have been trying to challenge myself to work on my scouting skills to work in professional basketball. Recently, I have been working overseas basketball combines in Las Vegas during the NBA Summer League. I always want to push myself forward and be a hard-working example for my son, Trey.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1- Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. That is where you grow. I have taken on all types of opportunities and they all help mold my work style, leadership methods,and how I organize myself.
2- You must understand that getting to the great moments and achievements is HARD!- You must have grit, be willing to sacrifice personal satisfaction and understand that failure is part of success.
3- Control what we can control: 1)Your Effort 2)Your Decisions 3) Your friends
4- *Bonus*- Be up to date on the trends in your industry ( Ideas, technology, leaders. new Information)
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
I’m an avid reader. I would suggest ” Why The Best Are The Best: 25 Powerful Words That Impact, Inspire, And Define Champions” by Kevin Eastman. Kevin speaks about the truth by saying, the truth needs three things:
You must be able to live it.
You must be able to tell it.
You must be able to take it.
Additionally- Kevin also believes the truth should “help” others not “harm”.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: coachcjcouncil
- Twitter: @council_cj
