“Love you, Coach! Thank you for all the support you provided throughout this whole season—not just to me, but all of my teammates.”
This message came from a young man who I now consider family—Jaden Sancho.

I remember the first time I saw Sancho—he caught my attention immediately. Not because of flashy talk or big plays, but because I could tell he lived in the weight room. That told me everything I needed to know: he was serious, he was physical, and he was a worker. So after one practice during his junior year, I stopped him. Introduced myself, asked him a few questions, and let him know, “I’ll be watching

you.”

Fast forward to the team banquet that same season—I made it a point to speak to his mother. I told her exactly what I told him: “I’ll do everything I can to help your son elevate as a student-athlete.” I’ll never forget how she looked at him and said, “Make sure Coach has your information.” And from there, the connection began.

Like many of the kids I work with through DM9 and Diamonds of Distinction, Sancho and I stayed in contact through Twitter (X). But the bond grew stronger during my time at practice watching my own son. What started as short conversations after practice turned into something more—Sancho and a group of his teammates began stopping by to talk about the game, school, life, and everything in between.

Talking football with Sancho was easy—because he listened. He took my advice to heart. Whether it was lessons that helped me become a Hall of Famer at my JUCO and University, earn my #9 jersey at the University of Louisiana, or retire as the All-Time Tackle Leader in Arena Football history—he soaked it all in. And it showed on the field.

Sancho wasn’t just playing football—he was learning how to be a professional in everything he did.

Recently, he made the decision to attend trade school after graduation. When I asked him, “Are you sure this is what you want to do?” he looked me in the eye and said, “Yes.”

That was all I needed to hear.

I told him, “Then you go all in. Just like football—you chase it, you grind for it, and you become the best at it.”

Because that’s what this is all about. My goal has never been just to develop athletes—it’s been to develop young men. To teach them how to show up as professionals. How to lead. How to handle adversity. How to grow into productive citizens, whether they’re on the field or not.

Sancho, I want you to know how proud I am of you. Football or not, I’ll still be checking in. You’ve got someone in your corner for life. That’s what DM9 and Diamonds of Distinction is built on—relationships, respect, responsibility, and growth.

Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for letting me in. And thank you for reminding me that this is bigger than football.

#DM9 #DiamondsOfDistinction #MentorshipMatters #BeyondTheField #ProudCoach