I wanted to start this blog to document my journey and tell some of my story of how I got to where I am. I am not a writer by any means, but I look forward to what’s in store. My word that I seek to embody is consistency. I believe it is vital if you want to experience high levels of success in this life. This blog signifies a new chapter for me in my life.
Hello,
My name is Josh Young. I am a 28-year old professional basketball player from Lawton, Oklahoma. For the last 6 years (and 9 months) of my life, I have lived abroad in Germany, playing the game I have grown to love. This experience has allowed me to see many different parts of the world and has broadened my appreciation for different cultures.
It always amazes me how much the game of basketball has done for my life and the opportunities I have been able to take advantage of because of this little orange ball. Before playing professionally, I attended Drake University (Des Moines, IA), where I played for four years wearing the blue and white. My college career was a good one, highlighted by a magical 28-5 season during my sophomore campaign. That season came with the fixings; MVC regular season champs, MVC tournament champs, as well as a trip to the BIG DANCE. I finished my career as the school’s all time leader scorer, 3 pt shooter and free throw shooter. More importantly, I received my bachelor’s degree in management and marketing while there.
Prior to my college career, my high school experience was that of a private school kid. Lawton Christian School is where I first began to hone my skills on the court as well as develop into a young man off of it. My father worked as a teacher and was my basketball coach. My mother was the director for the preschool. All of my siblings (4 sisters, 1 brother) attended the same school. It is safe to say we saw a lot of each other during the week. My high school basketball career was great. We won back to back state titles my last two seasons, while posting only 3 losses in both seasons combined. I walked away from my time at LCS as the school’s all time leading scorer, and a D1 scholarship offer in hand.
Sports has always played a significant role in my life. From an early age, baseball, basketball, and track were year ’round hobbies for me. I did not know it at the time, but sports was being one of my greatest teachers of life lessons. How to work within the dynamic of a team, how to get along with people from different backgrounds, how to make a goal and work towards it, all of these were principles I was learning without even knowing. Now in my ripe age of 28, I look forward to paying that knowledge forward to the youth of today. Four years ago, I started Josh Young Skills Camp. A basketball camp that aims to help kids improve their individual skill set while stressing the importance of character on and off the court. Because I have played in Europe for so long, I have seen first hand just how skilled their basketball players are. These players really understand the mental side of basketball. My goal is to bring that mindset and skill set to the kids of America. The reason we stress character is simply because it is one of the most important traits to possess in life. Our talent can take us places that our character cant keep us if it’s not present. Our skills camp focuses on the wholistic development of our kids. There’s nothing better than being able to help someone grow in an aspect of life. My message to the kids is simply “You can do whatever you want in life, as long as you are willing to put in the work to be successful.”
My faith is the backbone to everything I do. I believe when God gives you influence, you have to use it to positively reach as many lives as possible. That is what I aim to do. By utilizing my passions, I am able to live within my purpose. One of those passions is speaking. When I work with the kids, I am able to hone my skills. Last summer, I had my first speaking engagement in corporate America. Wells Fargo Financial in Des Moines brought me in as a guest speaker for their Diversity Council and we spoke about how perceptions affect our world. It was an amazing experience. What I have learned over time is that I love to speak, especially if what I am speaking about can help someone in any way. From college athletes to high school FCA to corporate America, my journey for this platform is just beginning but I am excited to see where it will go from here.
My hope is that my stories and words will resonate with someone and have a positive impact somehow. Hope you will follow me as I share my “heart” with the world.
Until next time, take care and God bless.
Josh
Connect with Josh Young via Twitter at @ForeverJAYoung and on LinkedIn
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