The First Whistle
It all started at a local rec center. The season was wrapping up when I got asked a simple question:
āHave you ever thought about coaching AAU?ā
I hadnāt. But I loved coaching, loved being around the kids, and believed in what sports could do for young peopleāso I said yes. That one yes turned into something I couldāve never imagined.
I began coaching AAU basketball for 13U and 16U teams. The next year, we went from 2 teams to 4. The year after that? We had 6 teams, ranging from 12U to 18U. The Lanc City Legendsāin our black and gold uniformsābecame a familiar sight across the region. Whether it was the gear, the backpack, or the brotherhood, our presence could be felt everywhere.
From Courts to Classrooms
My journey didnāt stop there. I went back to my old middle schoolāHand Middle School at the timeāto coach football. That door eventually led to another opportunity: I became the head track coach, pouring into student-athletes with a passion that reached far beyond the sport itself.
And even during the school year, I stayed busy. Coaching summer leagues. Running church leagues with organizations like Bright Side and Teen Haven. The time I spent in gyms, classrooms, and community centers became the soil where relationships grew deep.
A Name That Stuck
Over time, something started to happen that I didnāt expect. Whether I was at the grocery store, in the hallway at school, or out in the community, Iād hear it:
āYo, whatās up Coach!ā
It didnāt matter if I was coaching their team that year or not. That titleāCoachāstuck. Even in schools, kids were calling me āCoachā more than they were calling me āMr. Gray.ā And I didnāt correct them. Because honestly, that title felt true.
I wasnāt just coaching playsāI was coaching life.
Coaching Beyond the Game
Though I donāt currently coach sports in the traditional sense, I still carry that same heart. The title āCoachā is more than just about basketball or track or football. Itās about showing up. Itās about guiding others. Itās about helping people see their potential and pushing them toward it.
Today, through Gray Space Foundation, through Unmasking You, through books like Layās Little Temper and Lost in My HeadāIām still coaching. Just in a different arena. Instead of drawing up plays, Iām helping young people write their stories, unmask their pain, and find healing.
Why This Origin Matters
At Gray Space Foundation, our mission is deeply personal. Every program we run, every workshop we facilitate, every book we publishāit all stems from lived experience. Coach Joe isnāt a brand. Itās a reflection of years invested in youth, in communities, and in creating safe spaces where young people can thrive.
The foundation was built not just from passionābut from presence. From years on the ground. From watching kids grow, fail, succeed, and believe.
And it all began with a simple yes to coaching.
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