Antwaun Thompson or Coach T®, has coached and mentored young men and women, helping to improve their athletic skills, personal growth skills for over 30 years. Coach T®, is the founder and executive Director of JLT Fieldhouse, a 501c3 nonprofit youth coaching and mentoring organization, dedicated to “Coaching and Mentoring the Leaders of Tomorrow”. This organization is named in honor of his late father, Sgt. Maj. Joe Lewis Thompson, USMC, who adopted Antwaun and his older brother after their mom and Joe were married. He is also the owner of Coach T’s Corner®, an online mentoring academy that is designed to “Educate, Support and Inspire” our future leaders of tomorrow and to better prepare them to take ownership of the tools for a prosperous future. “I assess and implement the appropriate solution using my S.E.A. of Success Program®. The Simplicity, Effort, and Attitude of Success. Results can be seen in as little as 60 days. I am here for middle and high school students, parents of teens and the educators empowered to prepare them! “I Provide Enhancements That Changes Lives.”
FMM: You have coached and mentored young men and women for over 30 years. Tell us about your background.
My early childhood consisted of my mom, older brother, and I, living with a father that was the total opposite of what a husband and father should be. But my mom, being the strong-willed woman that is, decided that she, my brother and I deserved better. She left of father, met an amazing Marine, Joe Lewis Thompson, whom she would later marry and add one more son to the family. One of the first things Joe did after marrying our mom, was to adopt my older brother and I and raise us as his biological sons. That decision would forever change my life, I just didn’t realize it at the time. The things he taught us, we would not realize their impact until years later. Words cannot describe the impact he had on me, but I know I can pay it forward in his honor.
My coaching career started in 1985 at the age of 21, when I was asked to coach a 10- and 11-year-old team because there were not enough coaches. That experience was life-changing. I found out early on that I had the ability to teach more than just the game of basketball, but the game of life as well. After a successful four years coaching in that league, I was offered the opportunity to coach at Meadowbrook High school. What a dream opportunity, because I got to learn from a great basketball mind in Coach Mike Sutton. He allowed me the opportunity to coach both the freshmen and junior varsity teams simultaneously, an opportunity I jumped to take. The irony there is that what I learned during that time, I still use successfully as a coach today. My success experience there, afforded me the chance to coached at the next level, which was AAU. To age myself, during my AAU coaching, I had the opportunity to coach against NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson, when he was just 15 years old. This opportunity was one that gave me the chance to coach the elite players in their respective age groups. The 14 and under team that I coached, finished 10 in the nation at the national tournament in Kingsport Tenn. An experience that I still treasure to this day.
Years later, my coaching career took me to the college ranks as an assistant at Division III Randolph College. That experience taught me that every level of basketball is challenging and a lesson that I still to this day, remind the kids that I train. The interaction with college kids also taught me that all kids face similar challenges, just in different environments. So, my coaching and mentoring skills were honed during this period. And for the past 10 years, I have been coaching at a private school, Salisbury Academy, here is Salisbury, NC. The coaching experiences from 1985 continue to mold me to be a better coach, but more importantly, a better mentor.
FMM: You are the founder and executive Director of JLT Fieldhouse, a 501c3 nonprofit youth coaching and mentoring organization. What do you offer?
Well, before I get into our programming, it is important to know what JLT Fieldhouse is and how it started. JLT stands for Joe Lewis Thompson, the man I credit for making me the man I am today. He served in the USMC for 30 years, retiring as a Sgt Major in 1990. Unfortunately, we lost him in 1996 to Leukemia from his exposure to Agent Orange during his time in Vietnam. For years, I searched to find a way to honor the man that provide my mom, my brothers and I a better life than the one we were born into. So, JLT Fieldhouse was founded, and our mission statement is Coaching and Mentoring the Leaders of Tomorrow.
Our programming consists of one-on-one private lessons, group clinics, Invitational open gym sessions, summer camps, summer league, as well as special events. By the way, all our programs are coed and well attended by both girls and boys. We cater to kindergarten through high school age boys and girls. Our programs are designed to show the comparison between team sports and real life. The importance or communication, teamwork, accountability, personal responsibility, goal setting, conflict resolution, leadership and more.
FMM: Share your philosophy when coaching people.
My primary coaching philosophy starts with three key components: player/coach rapport, player development and team chemistry. When these three components take place without interference, success is almost guaranteed, and not from a win-loss perspective, but from a personal growth perspective for the kids. When rapport is attained, development is accelerated which leads to better team chemistry. The rapport is established during the evaluation process because this is the time to assess the child’s demeanor by have a conversation and letting them see my way of communicating with them. This part comes easy for me, as I know that some kids are open with communication, while others require more patience. Once this rapport is established, the player development becomes easier. Once I know how to communicate with them, I now know how to coach them and with that, they typically start to open up and our relationship blossoms. The team chemistry component is part of the individual training as well. If you teach only about the individual aspect during training, that will be all that the kids take away, and that is the last thing I want to happen. I make it a point to reference the team aspect with every skill, drill and exercise. Basketball is a team sport and all aspect of it should be taught that way.
My secondary philosophy also includes three important components: simplicity, effort, and attitude. With so many coaches spending countless hours learning and teaching plays to their teams, they are not teaching kids “how” to play. Principles of the game are what we teach, as it makes kids have to think, assess, and react accordingly. This improves their decision-making skills, accountability, responsibility, communication as well as their individual skillset. The effort is one that I emphasize constantly. Many kids today only put forth effort in the parts of the game that they feel comfortable with or are successful doing, this limits growth, ultimate success and showcases their lack of confidence. Once I can make them see the benefits of putting forth maximum effort in all phases of the game, they immediately see their teammates doing the same, and this what gets me excited as a coach! The final component is the most important one, attitude. Regardless of how complicated things can get, or the lack of effort that is put forth, their attitude almost always determines their success. The emphasis is to keep a positive attitude regardless of the situation for two reasons. Firstly, the negative body language and words will impact their teammates, which will only snowball downhill. The second by staying positive through tough situations, will also help their teammates regain their positivity and confidence. These all lead to the mission statement that all teams should have, Team Before Self.
The results of this approach can be seen with the program that I have been coaching for the past 8 years, as my first two years were coaching the junior varsity team. I have coached the varsity team to seven consecutive conference championship games, winning five and three of them were undefeated seasons. This past season was our fourth consecutive championship. In that time, we have won 113 games and lost 20. We have also only lost one conference game in four years. Team Before Self works!
Former student athlete, Marshall Overcash shares his Coach T moments – YouTube
FMM: You have dedicated your life to “Coaching and Mentoring the Leaders of Tomorrow”. Share a few of your success stories.
Experiences and stories that I’ve had, showcase the knowledge, ability, willingness, and capabilities that these young people do have. It is all based on providing the right leadership, guidance, and direction. I finished my 10th year at Salisbury Academy, coaching the seventh and eighth grade boys’ basketball team. And this young this team that I had this year was probably in all my years coaching one of the top teams I’ve ever coached. And it had absolutely nothing to do with the game of basketball. It had to do with this team’s accountability and their responsibility and their understanding of the common goal. And that goal was our team motto, which is team before self.
We had a player that broke a team rule and the couple of days later, a couple of kids came to me, and they said Coach so-and-so broke the rule. My immediate response to them was what do you propose we do about it? And without hesitation, these two young men said, make him sit in the bleachers and watch us run. I said what? They wanted him to sit in the bleachers and watch them run. And he’s the one that broke the rule. So, it took me a second. I’m like, I love that, I love it so much, I’m going to use that as my punishment for the team and for him. And if you guys want to impose any more disciplinary actions, that’s going to be a team decision.
So, of course, I made the player sit in the bleachers and he watched his teammates run. And afterwards, the team went in the locker room, and they were in there for about four or five minutes. They came out and the spokesman for team said, “Coach, we’ve all discussed it, voted on it and it was unanimous. For the next game, he will not dress, or will he play.” And I didn’t hesitate. I said, “hey, team decision, I support it.” My next action was to make sure he understood what was happening at this moment. And he said, absolutely. I let him know that he’s going to have to go home and explain to his parents why he will not be dressing or playing in the next game. And that is what’s so great about these young people. They have the ability, they have the willingness and can take leadership and making the right decisions, not just for themselves, but for those around them, and they can influence those to also make the right decisions.
Another one that stands out, is how our coed summer league is conducted. I am the only adult, and all the coaches are high school student athletes. The kids that they are coaching range from 3rd grade to 8th grade. They run their practices, under my supervision of course, coach the games and are leaders of their teams. This has afforded them the opportunity to experience being a coach and teaching younger kids. It also allows them to experience what their respective coaches deal with when coaching them. I had more kids that wanted to coach than I had spots available, so we had a head coach and an assistant coach. The best part about that was watching their enthusiasm as coaches and their players showing the same enthusiasm. And the part that I love the most is that we have coaches and mentors… coaching and mentoring! Something that I am looking forward to again this summer!
This story goes back almost to the beginning. I received an email from a former player, Mike, that I coached in 1990. As soon as I saw the name, I knew exactly who it was, as I connected with everything one of my players, regardless their skillsets or contribution to the success of the team. After exchanging emails, we set up a Zoom call for a couple days later, and it was just one of the greatest moments as coach. Prior to the Zoom call, I searched and found the team picture from that year, to share with him on the call.
A player from over 30 years ago, reaching out, wanting to reconnect with you. The reason he wanted to reconnect with me was because his son was going through a tough time with his coach, and he was reciting things that I had said to he and his teammates when I was coaching him. He shared with me that had to reach out to me to let me know the impact that I had on his life. To know that things I said when I was in my 20s to these teenagers, is a testament to the importance of early relationships and trust in kids’ lives and being positive.
This last one is one that I love sharing, but it encompasses everything that we are about, coaching and mentoring. I met Caleb when he was a 6th grader, and it was evident that he felt put of place because he was quiet obviously lacked confidence in himself. He had difficulty with interacting with other student athletes, but I could see that there was so much good in him that needed to be seen. Over the next three years, I watched a transformation like nothing I had ever seen. He became aggressive, hungry, openly interactive, so much so that he began teaching younger kid’s skills that he had learned from me. I started describing his play as “relentless”, and with that came confidence and a higher self-esteem.
I received a text from him mom stated that he had shared with her that he no longer felt alone and that he had adopted a new persona, and that was, you guessed, “relentless”. She also shared that his enrolling into our program probably saved his live, because he now had something that he cared about and was around people that also cared about him, as a person. He is now one of our summer league coaches and helps out with our clinics and camps. Now, you see why his story is one that makes me the proudest.
FMM: What do you enjoy the most?
The biggest joy I get out of what I do is simple, seeing kids excel by putting for the effort, with a great attitude. And when kids are recommending to their friends that they should start participating in our programming, it just reaffirms that what we do does make a difference in their lives.
FMM: Tell us about the Coach T’s Corner®, your online mentoring academy.
Coach T’s Corner® is designed “To educate, support and inspire personal growth skills that will better prepare our future leaders of tomorrow by taking ownership of tools for a prosperous future.” The programs positively impact behavior and discipline in students and improve educators teaching efficiency by them exercising vulnerability with their students. It is also a support system for parents to positively enhance their personal relationships with their children.
It evolved from our nonprofit organization, JLT Fieldhouse, Inc. After seeing the kids grow just as much from the coaching and mentoring on their basketball training, it was a natural transition for me, as the mission statement for JLT Fieldhouse is “Coaching and Mentoring the Leaders of Tomorrow”. It began when the COVID pandemic shut down all of our JLT Fieldhouse programming. It was an opportunity to focus on the mentoring, without the athletic component. I offer online courses, multi-week courses, and one on one coaching in developmental areas such as accountability, personal responsibility, leadership, short-term goal setting, long-term goal setting, safe social media practices, and many topics covering communication.
I assess and implement the appropriate solution using my S.E.A. of Success Program®. The Simplicity, Effort, and Attitude of Success. Results can be seen in as little as 60 days. The programs are for middle and high school students, parents of teens and the educators empowered to prepare them! “I Provide Enhancements That Changes Lives.”
FMM: What can we find on Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders with Coach T podcast?
The podcast is for those that are passionate and dedicated to educating, supporting, and inspiring preteens and teens on their journey to success. Today’s youth are looking for guidance, direction, purpose, and positive support. The guests include educators, parents, teenagers, business CEO’s, former professional athletes, personal relationship professionals, nonprofit leaders and more! The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Anchor, iHeart podcasts, Spotify and Buzz Sprout.
FMM: Are you looking for guests?
I am always looking for those that can and have had a positive impact on the lives of pre-teens and teens. The response for this podcast has been nothing short of amazing! I have guests booked out as far as June 27th, with another 14 pre-interview call to conduct. I am more than appreciative of the support.
FMM: What’s next for you?
I am in the middle of a 13-week television mini-series, Coach T’s Corner®, that is available on the Careers From Home channel and is available on Roku and Amazon Fire. The show is like the podcast, in that it consists of interview with those that provide pertinent content related to the personal growth and development of pre-teens and teens. I am also working on taking my S.E.A. of Success Program® to the next level, so stay tuned for that! 10. Please share your social media.
All of my social media information can be found at https://withkoji.com/@Coach_Ts_Corner
