BAC Magazine Ball Bro Issue!

BACmag 

28 

staffed 2017 

4 

BAC Magazine 

DEVELOPING FUTURE LEADERS IN OUR 

COMMUNITY ONE PERSON AT A TIME.

Every athlete faces this moment of truth. 

It was fun to get those letters, phone calls, 

and offers. Add in some memorable recruiting 

trips and the pressure starts to mount. 

But down the stretch, your views about the 

narrowed final list of college culminate in 

“The Decision”. 

Once you select that lucky university or 

college, you may experience joy, relief, and 

some regret. All very normal emotions. 

However, working backward, there were 

a number of factors, opinions, and realities 

that you considered. These include 

geographic concerns, family desires, coaching 

personalities, and sentimental college 

favorites. You also considered the thoughts 

and feelings of family, friends, mentors and 

coaches. And finally, you contended with 

the realities of coaching styles or philosophies, 

academic opportunities, and financial 

aid packages. Whew! No wonder many 

athletes (and parents) experience anxiety, 

sleepless nights, tears, and hesitancy during 

The Decision making process. 

I cannot alleviate all the ups and downs 

of this process, but here are some truths 

which may give you some comfort. 

The final choice is often made based on 

your “gut” or an unexplainable “feeling”. 

Nothing wrong with this actually. Sometimes 

you just have a sense that it is right. 

Trust it. 

Every athlete weighs out factors differently. 

The singular importance of playing locally, 

BIO: Ashley Benjamin, MD, MA, 

winning a championship, attending where 

you get a specialized degree, or maintaining 

a relationship with a significant other, are 

all personal choices. 

As I counseled one parent on the eve of 

a decision, “There is more than one right 

school”. Each will result in a different but 

very likely equal path. 

Once you decide, have the confidence to 

know it will work out. 

Now that we have discussed The Decision, 

we will discuss many of the above factors 

and more in future blogs. Also download 

the SchollyME app, or check out SchollyME 

Live at www.LaTalkLive.com every Saturday 

at 2:00pm PST. 

Till Next Time, 

Dr. Ash 

Dr. Ashley Benjamin, aka, Dr. Ash is a board certified psychiatrist, retired reserve Air 

Force Lt Colonel, former graduate assistant college coach, exercise scientist and writer 

who has a focus on maximizing performance. He also has a passion for helping high 

school students understand how athletics can be used to acquire a college education. 

These thoughts came to fruition when he co-authored the book, The Student Athlete’s College 

Recruitment Guide. He also blogs for SchollyMe, a social network site whose goal is 

to help high school athletes realize their college aspirations. 

GET DISCOVERED! 

Being discovered and securing an athletic scholarship 

to play in college has become a great challenge 

over the years. With nearly 8 million student 

athletes a year in the US, and approximately 

140,000 scholarships available, athletes and parents 

need to take recruiting into their own hands. 

Now, there’s an app for that. 

SchollyME was developed by Oxnard, CA native 

and CEO Melvin Nunnery while training Moorpark 

Jr. College Women’s Basketball standout, 

Tiffany Hurd. “Tiffany walked into my gym and 

asked if I could train her. I was shocked that 

she didn’t receive a scholarship right out of high 

school because she was that good” says Nunnery. 

Sadly, this problem is happening across the nation 

to millions of athletes wanting to further their 

playing careers at any level. Like Tiffany, players 

are being over looked in a sea of athletes both 

good and bad. We began training Tiffany and she 

was still as great as I remembered, but was on a 

last place team and playing for a coach who didn’t 

believe she could receive a Division 1 scholarship. 

Tiffany was set to attend a local Division 2 school, 

Cal State Monterey Bay. I told her you’ve bumped 

your head. That’s what you’re not gonna do.” 

That’s when Nunnery steeped into action. 

Under the guidance of Nunnery, Tiffany prepared 

her transcripts along with endless amounts of 

game film to be sent out. After everything was in 

the mail she moved on to the next step by inviting 

college coaches to get to know her through social 

media. What happened next was short of amazing. 

Within weeks Tiffany received five offers from Division 

1 schools and selected to attend Providence 

University. Nunnery adds, “Tiffany came to me 

and said she didn’t have any money. Asked how 

much it was going to cost her since I helped her attain 

the scholarship. I told her that I didn’t get her 

anything so she didn’t owe me a penny.” 

Nunnery was shocked to discover companies 

charging athletes $500, $1,500 and even up to 

$3,500 to help athletes obtain a scholarship. 

It was at that moment he stopped training and 

began developing one of the fastest growing sports 

recruiting social media outlet for athletes, coaches 

and fans. SchollyME is a free app that allows the 

athlete and parents to work for themselves to 

secure their future in sports and academics. SchollyME 

is the only app that allows a college coach to 

view an Official Transcript within seconds of an 

acceptance from a student athlete. SchollyME is 

a one-stop shop for everything recruiting and it’s 

fast, fun and easy to use. 

SchollyME is used for all 32 sports which the 

NCAA offers scholarships for. If you’re an athlete 

or parent of an athlete looking to further your 

career in DI, DII, DII, NAIA, or Junior College, 

SchollyME is the best way to go. Additionally, if 

you don’t want to spend $1,500+ trying to get a 

scholarship, SchollyME is the only way to go. You 

can download the SchollyME app from the iTunes 

Store and Google Play Store. It’s free as recruiting 

should be! 

Notable universities using the app are Alabama, 

North Carolina, South Carolina, Notre Dame, 

Clemson, Ohio State, Texas, and Florida to name 

a few. 


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7

CHANGING LANES 

Round 

Of 

Applause 

Meet 

the 

stars 

Milo the photographer! 

As a kid, Milo spent most of his childhood skateboarding throughout East Denver. 

Then, in his freshman year ofcollege, he began landing feature stories and photo 

shoots at concerts for top hiphop artist. Milo felt the images depicted in magazines 

failed to embody the essence of the sport, and that’s when he decided to pick up a 

camera. 

1 

Drake 

Drake was a cross-platform cultural phenomenon in the 2010s. The songwriter, producer, rapper, and singer 

sustained a high-level commercial presence shortly after he turned to rapping in 2006, whether on his own charttopping 

releases or through a long string of guest appearances on hits by the likes of Lil Wayne, Rihanna, and 

A$AP Rocky. After dropping three singles in the beginning months of 2016, Drake’s fourth album, Views, was 

released in April and debuted at number one. Late that year, Drake issued another trio of singles -- including the 

chart-topping “Fake Love” -- that heralded the release of his next full-length More Life, which included collaborations 

with Nineteen85, the Weeknd and Maneesh Bidaye as well as Boi-1da.~ Andy Kellman, Rovi. Keeping the 

cities hyped with excitement! 

8 


Drake 


9

Round of Applause 

2 

The first show will take place on Jan. 26 at the Celebrity 

Theatre in Phoenix, and conclude March 18 

in Milwaukee. Juicy’s outing comes after dishing 

out his monstrous singles “Ballin’” featuring Kanye 

West and “No English” co-starring Travis Scott. His 

new album, Rubba Band Business: The Album is 

slated to drop before the year is out via Columbia 

Records/Kemosabe. 

Tickets are slated to go on sale Friday, Nov. 18 at 

10 a.m. If you’re a Citi card member, you’ll be able 

to snag your tickets on Nov. 15 while Live Nation 

members will have the chance to grab tickets on 

Nov. 16. 

JUICY J 

10 


3 

At just nineteen, Chief Keef, an American hip-hop artist 

signed to major label, Interscope Records. He also owns 

his very own record label, Glory Boys Entertainment. 

Chicago native, Keith Cozart, started by uploading 

mixtapes and music videos to YouTube, including “Bang”, 

“3Hunna” and “I Don’t Like”. It was the latter song that 

snowballed, gaining tons of attention, including that of 

Kanye West, who is also from Chicago. West produced 

a remix of the song featuring Pusha T, Kadakiss and Big 

Sean. 

In the summer of 2012, Keef became the centerpiece of 

a bidding war among some of the most prominent major 

labels in the world. Eventually, Keef decided to sign with Interscope 

Records, who ultimately gave him the opportunity to run 

his own label. 

Keef’s studio album, “Finally Rich,” was released in December 

2012 and charted at number 2 on the US Rap Chart and 29 on 

the US Main Chart. He releases at least two mixtapes every 

year, all of which the music press and his loyal fans continuously 

propel to the top of national charts. 

Chief Keef

5 

Round of Applause 

In 2012, he released his second LP, Must Be Nice, 

hitting the road with Hoodie Allen and joining 

the Van’s Warped Tour. In 2014, he returned 

with his first major-label release, These Things 

Happen (RCA Records). As his popularity grew in 

the following year, he embarked on an extensive 

international tour and recorded his fourth 

album. When It’s Dark Out was released in late 

2015 and included the hit duet with Bebe Rexha, 

“Me, Myself & I.” In the summer of 2016, while on 

tour with Logic, YG, and Yo Gotti, Eazy appeared 

on Britney Spears’ comeback single “Make Me.” 

~ David Jeffries, Rovi 

G-EASY 

4 

Tupelo, Mississippi. It’s the home of Elvis Presley, but 

even for those clued in on that fun fact, it’s safe to say 

that few, if any, know much more about the city. Nestled 

in the northeast corner of the Magnolia State, and 

with a population of just over 35,000, indeed, Tupelo, 

like most small metropolises, is easy to overlook. Rae 

Sremmurd - pronounced “Ray-Shrim-er,” consisting of 

real life brothers Slim Jxmmi and Swae Lee, the first act 

signed to multi-platinum producer Mike WiLL Made-It’s 

Ear Drummer Records - is out to change that. 

Rae Sremmurd’s first single under the Ear Drummer 

Records, “No Flex Zone,” was a breakout for the duo, 

becoming a cultural touchstone throughout 2014 and 

entering Billboard’s Hot 100 and Top 40, peaking at 

number 36, while earning the brothers a performance 

on the 2014 BET Hip-Hop Awards, along with a remix 

from Nicki Minaj and Pusha T, and co-signs from the 

likes of Kim Kardashian, Justin Timberlake, Juicy J, and 

plenty more. 

Rae Sremmurd 


11

Champion Business Feature 

next-in-line 

honey smoked salmon successor/ By danielle brockman 

12 

“I noticed the more I lack in reading, the more I read.” 

Before Honey Smoked 

Salmon grew into the 

company it is today, 

Grandfather of upcoming 

CEO, Skyler Mason, began 

growing the roots that would lead the 

company to develop it into the company it 

is today. The Mason family has been in the 

fish business for a long time. In fact, Skyler’s 

Grandfather was in the kosher fish 

market. 

The Mason family is from Calabasas, 

Los Angeles. This is where Skyler Mason 

was born, and at 3 months old his family 

moved out to Evergreen, Colorado. 

The product was developed because 

Skyler’s Father wanted to create a nutritional 

and tasty product. As with many 

good ideas, the Honey Smoked Salmon 

company stationed in a garage with a simple 

meat smoker. After many long hours, 

and a lot of heart and passion, business 

began to blossom. Now, the company 

products have been developed so well that 

they have a trade secret family recipe - this 

is why Honey Smoked Salmon tastes so 

good! 

As of recent, for the past two years, 

Honey Smoked Salmon began to market 

their product in Colorado, and produce 

ads. The Masons tested the market, and 

the market positively responded. Traction 

began to happen. As a health state in 

general, Colorado took a liking to the company 

product, as it is rich in omega-3’s and 


protein. Already, the company distributes 

nationally, though they have only sponsored 

ads in a handful of select places. 

“We are about to take ads nationwide 

and run marketing campaigns” -- Skyler 

Mason 

For Skyler, he is about to take on his 

Father’s company. As a recent college 

graduate from San Diego, Skyler is prepared 

with his marketing business degree. 

Growing up, he watched his parents take 

a small business and build it into a large 

company. 

Company goals relate to a quote from 

Sir Isaac Newton: “If I have seen further 

than others, it is by standing on the shoulders 

of giants.” 

He believes that he can take what his 

parents have built, and expand the company 

even further. Armed with business 

knowledge, and a passion for the company, 

he is ready for the next level. He wants 

to be able to have everyone around the nation 

be aware of what they do, as well as 

become consumers of a more nutritional 

food to improve health by eating salmon 

with high protein, and omega- 3s. He 

wants his family product to be in hotels, 

restaurants, and resorts. Additionally, he 

would like people to get a sense of who 

their family is. 

“I feel now I am at the level to implement 

larger levels with my parent’s company.” 

-- Skyler Mason 

As an advocate of eating healthy foods, 

like the Honey Smoked Salmon product, 

Skyler keeps healthy by eating salmon 

every day. He is also a body and Power- 

Builder. He believes that you should take 

care of your body and your mind. Read 

books as well as work out. To keep sharp, 

he reads inspirational books and is very 

disciplined. 

“I noticed the more I lack in reading, 

the more I read.” 

Honey Smoked Salmon is comparable 

to success stories of those who started 

small and created a huge success story like 

Bill Gates and Steve Jobs Big in inspirational. 

For keystone business principles, 

Skyler believes no matter how your day is, 

when you put on the shirt you are always 

representing the company - you are part of 

the brand, and people will get inspired by 

how you perform. You should keep yourself 

healthy looking, make people smile, 

and enjoy moments of laughter. In business, 

you should keep a happy environment. 

Hold your business accountable, 

and yourself on how you interact. 

“Life’s not about how hard of a hit you 

can give... it’s about how many you can 

take, and still keep moving forward.” -- 

Sylvester Stallone, Rocky Balboa 

Life is an obstacle, and you need to 

move forward. You get back up if you are 

strong. It takes time, effort, energy, discipline, 

vision, and actions. That will inevitably 

create success for you. You too can 

Become A Champion!

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13

Kayla Lamar 

Su 

“She even learned how to 

layout the drilling pattern 

and drilled her own ball.” 

photos by 

jerry david & Leona Rae 

14 


uper 

bowler! 

Kayla Lamar 

Kayla Lamar 

Bravest moments of 

your life! 

By: Dennae Pigford Youth Editor 

Bowling seemed to always be on the horizon 

for senior, Kayla Lamar. She grew up at 

the bowling alley. Having had both parents 

bowl and her grandparents bowl, her parents 

put Kayla into bowling to make friends and be 

social when she was younger. 

WIth a humble soul, Lamar’s love for the 

game can be seen in many aspects of her 

life. She has won many awards yearly since 

the age of four, 2016 arguably being her best 

season. In 2014, Lamar decided that she was 

going to do a personal project for the International 

Baccalaureate Program at Poudre High 

School; This is where she finds her true love 

for the game came into the light. 

“She will tell you that her love of the game 

started when she did her personal project for 

school, but I think it started long before then. 

She always wanted to be at the alley’s, she 

always wanted to do better,” says her mom, 

Donna. 

Considering that even this stars senior 

quote throws credit to her passion, it’s no 

secret that bowling is a big part of Lamar’s 

life. She will be attending Hastings College in 

Nebraska starting this fall on a full bowling/ 

academic scholarship. 

The support from her expressively proud 

parents isn’t in the dark either. Both her mom 

and dad say that they are extremely proud of 

her and can not wait to see where this dream 

takes her. 

Becoming a champion is the big picture in 

this bowlers headlights; Lamar wishes to take 

this passion into the professional world of 

bowling someday and to spend her free time 

coaching and bettering the sport. 

“I want to be able to live a modest lifestyle 

so I can donate back to the youth program. After 

all it’s where I got my start and I owe everything 

to this bowling alley, town, youth program, 

and mostly my coach,” stated Lamar. 

Those close to her will always tell you that 

Lamar keeps a steady, humble outlook and 

personality, in bowling and in life. She even 

mentions instances where parents from all 

over Colorado that she has great sportsmanship 

and that their children look up to the athlete. 

“I never walk into a bowling alley and say 

I am going to beat anyone but myself. I just 

want to bowl, I want to learn, and most importantly 

I want to have fun,” comments Lamar. 

“I don’t want to win every tournament, I want 

to better my game. If I can be the best I can be 

then I’ll be happy.” 

This teens love for the game goes beyond 

just the ally. Coach, friend, and mentor Dennis 

Glesmann mentioned that, “She even learned 

how to layout the drilling pattern and drilled 

her own ball.” 

Progressing with a fierce determination 

and compassion growing rapidly for the game 

of bowling, Lamar has become a “student of 

the game” with a current average of 196. Kayla 

Lamar plans to take bowling far and continues 

to take life one frame at a time. 

“I don’t want to win every 

tournament, I want to better 

my game. If I can be the best I 

can be then I’ll be happy.” 


15

16 


Social Media 

EVERYBODY is a model 

An 

by Anita Lee 

EVERYBODY is a model…an 

instagram model that is. The 

question is what separates 

“real” modeling from many 

of the provocative photos 

posted by self-proclaimed 

models on social media. 

This is especially prevalent 

in the fitness industry. Many 

women title themselves as a model 

and have several semi-nude (or 

even nude) photos posted on their 

accounts. They seem to have photoshoots 

every other week, mostly done 

in lingerie, thong bikinis or less. Many 

titles themselves as “fitness models” a 

term loosely used to describe anyone 

in the fitness industry ever sponsored 

or who have had a “fitness” photoshoot. 

But are they really models? The 

last time I checked models were paid 

for their work, and from the looks of 

it, most of these “models” aren’t. 

It’s well known that social 

media accounts with 

these types of photos have 

an enormous amount “likes” 

and “followers.” But does 

this equate to derived income? 

Not necessarily. According 

to an article published 

in The Daily Beast by 

Arthur Chu, these models 

are doing a lot of work for a 

lot of nothing. “…(the rates) 

are paltry compared to rates 

in the world of modeling for 

magazines and billboards.” 

Model that is... 

According to Bryan Cash, owner 

of Max Muscle South Metro in Lone 

Tree and Centennial,CO, a model’s 

reputation on social media matters 

to supplement companies, possibly 

sponsors and job opportunities in the 

industry. “There are a lot of fit women, 

pretty faces, flaunting themselves 

on social media. That’s why I choose 

the way I do, and be selective.” He 

believes that the model’s image is a 

reflection of the company being represented, 

and if they are posting inappropriate 

photos online it’s not good 

for the company. 

A lesson often learned too late 

in today’s tech savvy society is that 

once these photos hit the web, they 

no longer belong to the person posting 

them. Something as simple as a 

screen grab can immortalize an image 

that ten years from now may cost 

a model much more than the benefit 

she received from a few hundred 

likes. 

Young models and athletes 

should especially take 

this advice into serious consideration. 

One or two inappropriate 

photos could 

change the direction of their 

career. From a “real” modeling 

career to a sponsored 

athlete, or any job for that 

matter, a poor choice of 

posts to get more likes today 

may ultimately cost more 

than just money tomorrow. 

bac_magazine 

Cara is a REAL Model 

Social 

The fitness industry is especially 

full of almost naked women. 

So if money isn’t to be made, then 

what’s wrong with posting these 

types of photos for more “likes” and 

“followers” one may ask? 

Well, here are a few of things to 

consider; reputation, both personal 

and professional, job security (in the 

real world) and image. 

Media 


17

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~Public Service Announcement 


19

Changing 

lanes 

EX 

Crips & Bloods 

BY DANIELLE BROCKMAN PHOTOS BY JARETT ARNETT 

“I don’t have regrets, there are only 

lessons. You learn from them, and you 

become a better person.” Nicole Polizzi 

In this week’s article for BAC, we dive 

deep with Gerald, a 41-year-old past 

Crip, who turned his 

life around for the 

sake of his family. 

Denver local who 

was born in Denver 

General, and 

raised in Colorado. 

Growing up, Gerald 

played basketball 

just about every day 

until 9th grade for 

the Red Shield Salvation 

Army on the 

East Side. He grew 

up in Park Hill and 

went to Thomas Jefferson 

High School. 

20 


We have the honor of interviewing 

Gerald, a Crip turned into a good community 

member. Everything changed 

for Gerald in 1990 when he entered 

high school. That is when Gerald got 

jumped into the Crips gang in Denver. 

His past scars are deep life lessons 

learned. He as actually been shot 

at pierced with a bullet 4 separate 

times and has walked away to tell the 

tale. Before being in the gang, he had 

a good life, good grades, and happy 

relationships. 

“They were silly 

choices.” -- Gerald 

In 1999, Gerald was 

behind bars in the 

penitentiary at Denver’s 

Department of 

Corrections facility. 

He was charged with 

possessing crack 

cocaine. He had a 

deferred judgment, 

and then about 2 - 3 

years he had kept 

out of trouble. With 

a place to live, and a 

nice yard.

“I don’t have regrets, there are only lessons. You learn from them, and you become a better 

person.” Nicole Polizzi 

Things were coming together. Though, 

he was still in a gang. On one occasion, 

he had his gang members at his 

house when police came over. Just as 

soon as he got away, the past caught 

up with him. 

As luck would have it, the police didn’t 

have a warrant for entering. He wasn’t in 

quite so much trouble. Killed his deferment, 

and went back to the penitentiary. 

After a couple years, he was discharged. 

To start a new life, he began coaching 

football for 14-year-olds for the Red 

Shield. Life was again turning better. 

Again, his past caught up with him. One 

of his gang members who was a past offender 

had left a gun with Gerald. Upon 

going to turn in the gun to the community 

center and give it to a trusted advisor 

who would know what to do with it, the 

police caught him mid-stride on his way. 

Charged with possession of a weapon 

was in trouble with the Feds, and then 

spent 4 months in Englewood, and 5-6 

months in the federal halfway house. 

For the last 10 years, he turned hard to 

turn his life around for the better and 

leave his past behind once and for all. He 

began volunteering for the Prodigal Son 

with Terrance Roberts. 

Now today, he is clear of all charges. He 

in no way believes he is any better than 

his past comrades, he just wanted to be 

there for his family and live a full life for 

the sake of his loving family and community. 

His ex-wife sent him an ultimatum 

to be good and go to church. He gracefully 

accepted, as he knew this new chapter 

would be full of a long life with family 

and friends who love him and have his 

back. Now, he attends Lauri Community 

Christian Church. He asked God to save 

him, and take him under his wing. Now 

he lives for his family and God and wants 

the best for those who are still in the 

throws of the hard deep blue lifestyle. 

He as an 8-year-old who he dearly loves, 

and never wants his child to experience 

the emotional trauma he has experienced. 

He doesn’t want to see mothers, 

wives, and sisters in his community hurt 

and crying over one of their men being 

lost in a gang war. He doesn’t want to see 

any hurt and works through his emotional 

pain every day. 

From a Crip turned to a Saint, Gerald is 

now a mentor for his community and 

a good leader. From being down in 

the depths of the deep blue Gang and 

trouble with the cops, Gerald has turned 

a new side to be a better person for his 

family and community. Anyone can Become 

A Champion, you just have to take 

the initiative and know what is important 

to you. It may be for the love of your 

family, to leave behind past troubles 

and hurt. For Gerald, he has been given 

a second chance. Gerald is a Champion 

for his community, and courageous. You 

too can Become a Champion! Become a 

leader today, and help your community 

become a better place. 


21

COACHING CORNER 

DSST HOOPS 

By: Gary Brewer PHOTOS BY 3DBYMIKE 

WONDAME DAVIS 

GOING DANCING? 

Coach Wondame Davis of the 

DSST-Stapleton Knights Boys 

basketball team has watched 

the evolution of one of the 

nation’s top performing Science 

and Technology charter 

schools first hand. 13 years ago marks the 

start of this chain of schools that began with 

just one location, but now includes multiple 

campuses across the Denver metro area. 

A STEM focused school that was created 

with the expressed intent of preparing 

kids for college achieves these goals while 

instilling certain Core Values (Honesty, 

Integrity, Curiosity, Respect, Responsibility, 

Doing Your Best) that are guideposts 

for all achievement throughout the entire 

DSST community. Any success in sports is 

an added bonus but not an expectation of 

any kind. The decision just to take part in 

organized sports was a ‘come what may’ reality 

at DSST. 

What came was the dreaded years of 

losing that are normal to any new school, 

mostly because it takes a few years just to 

grow up your first senior class. By the time 

DSST had its first class of seniors, it had 

also lost the boys varsity basketball coach 

to a tour of military duty. Coach Wondame 

Davis took over, and has been the head 

coach ever since. 

“I had always been messing around with 

coaching my own kids in little league, because 

they were so young before I started 

coaching baseball at DSST. I did a few stints 

of coaching ….like at Manual being that it is 

my former school” said Davis. 

It was 1997, Davis graduated from Manual 

where he played football and also played 

basketball for a successful program run by 

his father and uncle who are also coaches. 

His athletic skills landed him a football 

scholarship at the University of Washington. 

When college ended and Davis started 

a family of his own, coaching was a natural 

transition. “I actually got hired at DSST 

22 


as a weight training 

coach, and then 

weeks later, I was 

offered the baseball 

job”, recalls Davis. 

“I started coaching, 

and the basketball 

coach- who was 

in the military at the 

time- he had to go 

over-seas, so I was 

offered the basketball 

job right when 

we (DSST Stapleton) 

were becoming 

a member school of 

CHSAA, in 2007. 

The 2008 season 

(the next season) is the first season that 

we finally had our first graduating class at 

DSST.” Davis said. 

Soon after graduating its first senior 

class, it became abundantly clear that the 

rigors of the DSST curriculum called for a 

middle school that would better prepare 

the students for the rigor of high school intended 

for college prep. What came along 

with that dynamic was the added benefit of 

grooming future student athletes sooner, 

while allowing them to develop chemistry 

starting in middle school. This year’s class 

of seniors are among those players who’ve 

started together in middle school, an element 

paying dividends for the chemistry of 

the Knights basketball team. 

“It’s been a really amazing journey over 

the past four years. Just being able to play 

under coach Davis has been really awesome. 

He’s a really good coach”, said senior 

Jordan Heien. “I feel like we have a really 

good chance of going far this year. We just 

need to stay together as a team and push 

through the adversity and we can go far” 

When the Knights talk about going far, 

that’s in comparison to the 8th place finish 

for last season’s team. In some ways 

the result was a disappointment, but it also 

proved to be new waters for the players and 

coaching staff who now approach the playoffs 

with the experience of recent years. 

Heien elaborated on the value of his 

teams deep playoff run last year as the team 

seeks to make it just a few more games 

beyond last season. “(I learned from last 

year about) being able to stay calm during 

the most pressuring moments. Last year 

we missed four or five free throws (down 

the stretch). One more (freethrow) and we 

would have made it to the final four. So it’s 

all about just getting past the really tough 

times”. 

At 6’ 7” and growing, Heien is averaging 

nearly 15 points per game, and has a few 

colleges interested in him, but will expand 

his list of options if his team is able to finish 

as champions this year. 

As a school, the Knights have come close 

in recent years, with two third place finishes 

from the girls team under the guidance of 

coach CeCe Brame. The growing success has 

been a culmination of what the girls started, 

a tradition of proving that college ready basketball 

players come from nerd schools too. 

College worthy players such as senior 

forward, Blake Pullen, a Knight whose journey 

to the high school also came via the ad-

joining middle school. Much like the seniors 

from last year, Heien, Pullen and the other 

2017 seniors all have the distinction of playing 

basketball together since the 6th grade 

when this batch of players were groomed for 

a championship opportunity such as this. 

While Coach Davis works on grooming 

his players for winning at the highest level, 

the school prepares them with an academic 

environment so difficult that all D’s are instantly 

F’s, and having two of them in any 

given week eliminates you from playing 

any sport or club activity. To overcome the 

challenge of such high expectations takes 

the support of everyone in the DSST community. 

As a result, the word ‘community” 

has become the first word DSST insiders use 

when describing the DSST experience. 

“Being a DSST Knight brings a big community. 

From 6th grade all the way through 

my senior year, we’ve always stuck together 

as a team on and off the court -and the 

school, they all come together”, said Pullen 

who sees a big comparisons between the 

challenge of sports and academics. Pullen 

added that, “Playing for DSST has been 

tough because we do a lot of running to get 

us ready for the games”. In the classroom, 

students endure regular testing in between 

rigorous classwork that prepares them for 

the academic demand of college. 

“As for me personally, it’s been a lot 

about life lessons. So now, I do that stuff on 

and off the court and I know how to lead my 

team better”. Pullen added. 

In a pivotal, late season road win against 

perennial favorite Faith Christian, the team 

and the coach displayed the kind of stuff 

championships are made of. It was the kind 

of game in which the coach discovered a lot 

about himself and his team. “I learned that 

these boys refuse to lose. Faith threatened 

to come away with that win once they established 

an early lead, because they are so 

disciplined as a team. But every time they 

made a run we came back” said Davis. “The 

players really showed their competitive side 

in that game”. 

What he learned about himself in the 

win may likely the biggest key to this year’s 

finish. “In my younger years, I put more 

pressure on myself and my teams to win 

games like that. Now I can relax and trust 

my players, without worrying about the outcome. 

I’m learning that your players will 

reflect whatever you expect from them”, 

shared Davis. 

At a school not only notorious for academic 

rigor, but now with a growing reputation 

for college ready athletes and basketball 

success, finding players with the grades 

and the game to earn a spot on the team is 

tougher than it appears from the outside 

looking in. 

Pullen shared his secret to success at 

DSST. “You have to stay focused, that’s the 

number one thing…and you have to know 

what your goal is on and off the court. If you 

know you have a big test coming up when 

you also have a game, you’ve got to study 

for it (to remain eligible that week). For me, 

since I have a goal to win a state title, I have 

to focus on my studies, or I’m failing myself” 

DSST may be blessed with some talented 

players right now, but don’t get confused. 

The best of Denver’s athletes struggle 

with the decision to go to a 3A charter 

school like DSST even as they consider the 

academic benefit. As a result, DSST parents 

almost never pursue the science and math 

Charter with some dream of sports grandeur 

in mind. In fact, some of the best of 

the schools athletes ended up leaving DSST 

when their athletic prowess no longer fit a 

3A charter school that doesn’t have its own 

football team. A couple of the schools best 

athletes, including Coach Davis’ oldest son, 

had to move on to schools more suited to 

their high level football skills. All of it has 

been part of the learning curve that brought 

Davis to this moment as a coach. 

“When I first started coaching, I didn’t 

know that, one, you have to have some talent…and 

two, you have to be able to get 

them to execute what you are teaching with 

really no control over whether they’ll be 

able to execute the things that they are being 

taught. I thought, because I knew how 

to do it, the players would know how to do 

it. So that’s how I started out trying to coach 

them, until I realized, just because I played 

the game a certain way doesn’t mean that 

they’re going to automatically play the game 

that way.” Anyone who has watched the 

evolution of the team during the 10 years 

under Coach Davis can see the addition of 

new things each and every year. 

“I’m always studying the game and looking 

for ways to get the edge to win. I’m such 

a competitor, I had to figure some things 

out early on in coaching because, we were 

just losing, and just because I’m competitive, 

I’ve still got to be able to look myself in 

the mirror and say….what did I do, or what 

didn’t I do tonight in this game that would 

put my team in position to win. So, over the 

years, I’ve always tried to study up on the 

game and study up on what we can do to 

have success. 

Now, Davis is determined to establish 

a signature style of play for his team. “It’s 

important to me as a program- and a program 

leader- to let teams know exactly what 

you’re going to get when you play against 

DSST. You have to be known for something 

to have any kind of success. Obviously, we 

haven’t yet won a state championship, but 

we are sure working to get there, and it will 

be about how we adjust and adapt that will 

determine if we get there. One thing for 

sure, I have an AD who I can thank for taking 

a chance on me at 27 years old, so I’ve 

taken it upon myself to continue to grow. 

But, I have DSST to thank because a lot of 

schools don’t allow for the time it takes for 

coaches to develop and grow”, shared a reflective 

Coach Davis. 

“I tell the boys all the time that 

championships are won in the offseason. 

So that is what we do to keep 

up with what it takes to be a champion. 

The skillset it takes to be a champion is 

achieved in the off-season.” 

DSST 


23

Ski Pro 

Chris Anthony 

Youth Itiniative 

pro 

Skier 

Chris Anthony began mentoring 

youth through school visits 

nineteen years ago. Anthony’s 

classroom presentations are 

filled with entertaining and inspiring 

information intertwined 

with material that provides 

teachable moments. 

CHRIS 

ANTHO 

24 


Youth Initiative 

ONY 

As a professional 

athlete, filmmaker 

and journalist 

Chris Anthony 

has the ability to 

pull material from numerous 

resources and share 

a message with valuable 

lessons through real life 

experiences. The format of 

the presentations engages 

the students through interaction 

and use of visual 

props. Anthony utilizes 

material he has collected 

from his travels around 

the world as a professional 

skier and part of the action 

film company Warren 

Miller Film Entertainment 

to create wonderful engaging 

presentations. 


25

Your savin 

and backed by the fu 

Chris Anthony, Ski Pro 

Dealing with Peer Pressure and Group Think Dynamics: A very popular 

new talk that schools have been incredibly excited about. The topic hits 

close to home with both children and adults alike. Considering all the 

overwhelming pressure to participate in certain experiences these days, 

students need to learn to use common sense and make the right decision 

without their egos or peer pressure playing a role. Chris utilizes a 

moment during a film shoot where he let his ego and the pressure of the 

moment cloud his judgment. He looks to the students to help him break it 

down so next time he makes the right decision. 

Chris Anthony is a Colorado 

native, University of Colorado 

graduate and longtime Vail 

& Denver resident. Chris has 

competed at an international 

level in cycling and both alpine 

racing and big mountain skiing. 

Chris has filmed 27 years 

as an athlete and on-screen 

personality with the Warren 

Miller film team. His feats are 

displayed in the annual Warren 

Miller feature film, numerous 

television programs, 

and documentaries. He has 

freelanced for several publications, 

co-authored a guidebook, 

was commissioned to 

write a screenplay, and hosted 

and co-produced several television 

and film projects. 

In 1991, Chris was named 

Youth Ambassador for the 

State of Colorado and was sent 

on a cultural exchange to the 

prefecture of Yamagata, Japan. 

In 1997, Chris was appointed 

to the Colorado Speakers 

Bureau and later Colorado 

Ski Country named Chris the 

spokesperson for their 5th & 

6th Grade Passport Program. 

The Passport Program served 

as a platform for him to design 

his own youth project that has 

been in demand since 1999. 

In 2014, Chris established 

his 501c foundation the “Chris 

Anthony Youth Initiative Project”. 

The mission of Chris Anthony 

Youth Initiative Project 

is to improve the quality of life 

through introducing youth to 

educational and enrichment 

opportunities. Along with his 

own unique in-school program, 

Chris has created strategic 

alliances with a number 

of organizations with similar 

goals in order to keep operation 

costs down. This past 

year Chris’s Youth Project interacted 

with over 10,000 students 

and handed out scholarships 

impacting over 200 kids. 

After graduating from the 

University of Colorado, Chris 

studied for a period of time 

at the University of Southern 

California’s film school. In 

2014, Chris partnered with the 

Colorado Ski and Snowboard 

Museum and Warren Miller 

Entertainment to co-produce 

an award-winning documentary 

project that he inspired 

and performed in titled “Climb 

to Glory”. This documentary 

was released on a limited basis 

to benefit a number of educational 

and charitable organizations. 

Chris tours the film 

through the Colorado school 

system as part of his Youth 

Initiative Project. 

Between film shoots, guiding 

and speaking engagements, 

Chris hosts specialized 

ski and bike programs under 

his company “Chris Anthony 

Adventures”. He has programs 

in Alaska, Iceland, Italy 

and Colorado. In addition, 

Chris coaches at the “Camp 

of the Superstars” annually in 

Portillo, Chile. 

Chris broke away from skiing long enough to reach the pro ranks of the 

cycling world. In 1994, he found himself training and serving as a motivator 

with three-time Tour De France Champion, Greg Lemond, in his last years of 

competition. 

26 


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27

The First Family of 

Basketball 

GELO & MELO 

BALL 

What exactly is a 

champion? Is it 

someone who overcomes 

the odds? 

The obstacles? 

Defeats the undefeated? Who are 

the people that everyone “look 

up to,” and what qualifies them 

as “champions,” as winners? 

Without doubt, the Ball brothers 

meet the definition of champions, 

whatever it is. As monoliths of 

adolescent athletic achievement, 

they have unlocked the secret to 

becoming the ultimate winners 

in basketball. Last year at Chino 

Hills High, the three brothers 

championed an undefeated 

season. This year, between two of 

the brothers, only one loss mars 

a similar winning streak. Having 

played together since they were 

toddlers, Lonzo, LiAngelo, and 

LaMelo Ball have worked with a 

kind of remarkable synchronicity 

on the court, and they have possessed 

an unequaled work ethic 

off the court to match. Growing 

up in Chino Hills, California, they 

received the best training from 

their very own father, a former 

professional athlete and college 

basketball player in his own right. 

BY MARISSA MITCHELL 

THE REAL 

SPLASH BROS! 

Last year during 2015-16, the three Ball boys led an 

undefeated season followed by a state championship 

win. They drew crowds of thousands to stadiums 

intended to fill hundreds, and their athletic skills, 

captured on camera, went positively viral. From fulllength 

court passes, to dunks, to fake-outs, these boys 

brought the caliber of high school basketball up to 

near-professional level. 

28 


GELO MELO 

COVER PHOTOS BY CARLOS HUANAS 


29

Now, even though Lonzo Ball has moved on the play college basketball at 

UCLA, the three boys remain extremely close. Before his move, they, with 

their father and mother LaVar and Tina Ball, founded the Big Baller Brand 

clothing line, or BBB. Appropriately, the slogan of Big Baller Brand is “Built 

for This,” as these young men exemplify the sport itself. The clothing line, 

a hybrid line of sports and casual wear, has been doing phenomenally 

in the first months of business, selling thousands of products including 

shirts, hoodies, hats, and sweatpants, for both men and women. 

Nothing deters these young 

men from pursuing greatness. 

That is possibly the one 

outstanding feature of a true 

champion. Trained by their 

father LaVar, daily waking at 5 

a.m. for training, going to basketball 

practice after school, 

and then weight training and 

cardio training for another 

two hours was and remains the 

norm for these athletes. 

The encouraging influence 

that LaVar and Tina Ball have 

provided their sons has allowed 

the boys to truly excel as 

basketball players. In a recent 

interview, Melo stated, “My 

dad made me a champion, and 

my family.” Similarly, LiAngelo 

averred the reason for their 

success was “the way our dad 

trains us, making us run hills 

and lift weights.” 

When looking back at what 

helped them succeed, both 

Melo and Gelo drew upon the 

fact that they were trained athletically 

by their father from a 

very young age. Melo specified 

that “playing at a young age 

and playing up – that helped a 

lot” in his becoming a basketball 

champion. Gelo, too, cited 

the way in which, as young basketball 

players in grade school, 

they were “running hills and 

getting stronger.” When asked 

what they thought the most 

important characteristics of 

a champion are, and the ones 

they focused on in themselves, 

both Melo and Gelo had profound 

insights. Gelo stated 

that a champion had to have 

the following mentality: “You 

have to stay focused on what 

you’re doing, and be able to 

take constructive criticism.” 

Melo added to that a true 

champion is “nice to others, 

humble, and respectful.” 

LaVar often tells one story 

that epitomizes just what it 

took for his sons to become 

champions. While still young, 

in grade school, LaVar went 

out to the store and bought 

cement with the boys. After 

hauling the cement back to 

the house, he proceeded to 

instruct the boys on how and 

where to carry the cement, mix 

the cement, and finally pour it. 

By the end of the task, all three 

young men were exhausted 

– two in the doing of it, one 

in just watching the display. 

Upon completion of the task, 

LaVar asked them, “Would 

you rather work hard like this 

everyday, like other people? 

Or do you want to work hard to 

make yourselves into legends? 

It’s up to you.” 

Melo had watched his older 

brothers Lonzo and Gelo labor 

under those conditions, and 

even observing, he noted, “It 

was hard work…and boring.” 

Gelo expanded a bit more on 

the impact this made on him 

as a child: “I learned I wanted 

to get good as basketball; otherwise, 

I was going to have to 

something in that [labor-intensive] 

category.” This wasn’t 

something than any of the 

boys wanted to do. 

Needless to say, dedication poured from all three boys in a way it never 

had before, and that hard work soon manifested into great skill. That is the 

basis of a champion – being willing to sacrifice and work hard for what a 

person loves and believes in, knowing that the end outcome will be worthwhile. 

30 



31

just ballin’ 

awe and with gratitude, as 

these are the m Work ethic, 

passion, and a commitment to 

win drive the Ball brothers to 

ascend to new heights (figuratively 

and literally) in the 

world of basketball. They are 

champions of the truest kind 

–not inspired by a desire for 

accolades or fame, but simply 

by a love of the game and of 

family. Working diligently and 

with unswerving vigilance has 

led the boys down the path of 

athletic success. 

The Ball brothers’ journey 

is the journey of true champions…and 

we’ve only seen the 

beginning. 

GELO & 

MELO 

32 



33

92 points 

Melo knew before the 

game even began that he 

would be playing for Lexi. 

He declared, “I went 

into the game playing for 

her, to raise awareness 

for her gofundme page.” 

This kind of selfless altruism 

cannot be understated. 

34 


“Wasn’t my first time scoring that 

many points in one game. It was the 

first time it got recorded for everyone 

to see.” In honor of Lexi... 

By: Marissa Mitchell 

On Tuesday, February 7, 2017, LaMelo 

Ball scored 92 points in a recent game 

against Los Osos. Earlier that week, his 

classmate Lexi Anderson, a beautiful young 

woman with a pre-existing heart condition, 

had been found unresponsive and without 

a pulse in her Chino Hills home. She was 

revived, but she is in desperate need of an 

immediate heart transplant, and therefore, 

in dire need of fundraising. 

Melo knew before the game even began 

that he would be playing for Lexi. He 

declared, “I went into the game playing for 

her, to raise awareness for her gofundme 

page.” This kind of selfless altruism cannot 

be understated. 

The game ended with Chino Hills High 

winning 146-123 against the fast-moving 

opponent. 

to Lexi if he could say anything, Melo answered, 

“I would say, ‘I hope you get better. 

Good luck.’” 

High school sophomore LaMelo had 

created a stir in December of this school 

year, even catching Stephen Curry’s interest, 

when he pointed at half 

court and made a half-court 

shot. But this game, in honor 

of Lexi, showed him to be a 

champion in the truest sense 

– a champion of the heart. 

He scored 37 of his 61 shots, and 11 out 

of 14 free throws. Up until the very last minutes, 

even while three defenders guarded 

him so as to stop him from exceeding 90 

points, he successfully landed a three-point 

shot that had the crowd standing on its feet. 

SPLASH BROS 

quick rise of points and an ever-escalating 

show of athletic 

prowess…not to mention that 

many more thoughts for Lexi. 

And contributions. 

That night, LaMelo showed 

the stadium full of people the 

power that thought, intention, 

and compassion can have on 

one’s actions. LaMelo was inspired 

to do for someone else 

what she couldn’t do for herself. 

And he did so because he 

has the heart of a champion. 

At the game on that Tuesday night, La- 

Melo scored 92 points for his classmate, 

and shortly after the game he tweeted, “92 

points #love4lexi.” He has over 45,000 

followers. When asked what he would say 

According to Melo, “Around 

the third quarter, my dad told 

me to keep scoring, so I did.” 

He remembered his training 

and Lexi. This brought about a 

We were there for a photoshoot. That 


35

the Ball family 

36 


“THE BALL BROTHERS’ 

JOURNEY IS THE JOURNEY 

OF TRUE CHAMPIONS” 

~ MARISSA MITCHELL 

By: Carlos Huanes 

Even with just the three of us sitting in the 

living room the consistent low hum of industry 

was palpable. 

During the several hours we spent in the 

Ball home the bell would ring, people would 

knock andthose with license would file in 

and out unannounced. Some came with 

laptops and phones ready to 

discuss business. Others left 

with merchandise. It was 

evident that this is not just a 

home. This is the first headquarters 

and head office of Ball Bros inc, 

ground zero for something big, something 

disruptive. Everything about Lavar Ball, 

the families patriarch, is immense. At 6’6” 

250 lbs his footsteps are heavy. He opens 

the door with command and is the comedic 

herald of his own entrance. He is bombastic 

in every way and always turned up two 

notches above the rest of the room. Even 

in hospitality and jovial earnestness Lavar 

HARD WORK! 

to being a ref if Lavar Ball is on one of the 

sidelines. Not soon after sitting down at 

the dining room table to chat Alan Foster 

entered from the garage unannounced as 

any adopted member of the family would. 

He greeted us all with his signature smile 

and bro hugs. There are people that smile 

with their lips and people who smile with 

their teeth. Then there are people who smile 

with their entire face. Alan is the latter. He 

was introduced to us ambiguously enough 

as “the director”. It would soon become 

evident that Alan’s role as part of the Ball 

Brother’s consortium is far more expansive 

than the innocuous title would indicate. 

He’s not an agent. He’s not a manager. He’s 

not a lawyer or an accountant. Alan is the 

de facto CEO of the entire Ball Brothers 

enterprise, the architect of anexpansive, 

carefully planned vision 

sketched in painstaking detail. “All I 

do is lay out the choices. Lavar makes 

all the final decisions.” 

had been the expectation. What we got instead 

was something completely unanticipated 

and far more fascinating. This was 

not an interview. We did come prepared 

with questions but ended up ot needing 

them. We didn’t talk about handles, drills 

or schedules. We certainly didn’t talk about 

the boys favorite tv shows or what shoes 

they wear. We became embroiled in a dense 

and incredibly candid conversation that 

lasted for hours respited only by laughter 

and an occasional bottle of water and bag 

of chips. As I watched my daylight thin and 

threaten to disappear it became apparent 

that photography was destined to be incidental 

at best. 

We were greeted at the door and invited 

into the affluent suburban home nestled in 

a quite pictures que neighborhood of Chino 

Hills by the matriarch of the imminent first 

family of basketball. Within minutes it became 

clear that Tina Ball had been a top level 

athlete herself and a basketball expert in 

her own right. The house being beautifully 

innocuous from the outside is anything but 

innocuous on the inside. It was piled high 

with Ball Brother’s branded merchandise. 

Ball is aggressive. He lets it all hang out 

and doesn’t hold back in a way that makes 

you feel like you’re old friends. As someone 

who was warmly invited in I couldn’t help 

but think that there can’t be much upside 

Alan’s t-shirt, jeans and colloquial manner 

of speech betray his pedigree. He had 

been a wall street banker. He managed acts 

like Bone’s Thugs and Harmony and boxing 

legend EvanderHolyfield. Most recently 

he had been a successful consultant. What 

followed after Alan sat down was an open, 

surprisingly candid dissertation and interactive 

master class in entrepreneurship. 

Apparel and shoe companies beware. If you 

want a piece of the Ball Bros and everyone 


37

does, you’ll be sitting across the table from 

Alan. This will not be business as usual. You 

will not be dictating terms. Your lawyers 

will not be drawing up the standard contracts. 

If there is a deal to be struck you can 

be sure that it will be disruptive. “It’s been 

a long time coming.” You get the sense that 

Alan is speaking historically and globally. 

His plans go beyond the immense sums of 

money that will surely be exchanged. This is 

clearly about something grander. 

LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball, affectionately 

monikered Gelo and Melo respectively 

came straight from practice. Lavar introduced 

us by holding up his copy of BAC. 

“These are the boys that are gonna put you 

on the cover of their magazine.” The two 

greeted us cordially and politely and then 

shuffled off quickly. Their quite, reserved, 

if not shy demeanor is in stark contrast to 

their father’s loud personality, something 

that Lavar Ball attributes to the tremendous 

difference in the circumstances in which 

they grew up. The boys could not have been 

less impressed with us. To say that they’re 

used to the attention is a gross understatement. 

Lavar persisted “Come 

down in a bit. We’re gonna do a photo 

shoot.” The remaining daylight was spent 

in the backyard joking and playing ball with 

the boys and the rest of the gang while I 

desperately tried to squeeze in the photos 

I needed. This was our introduction to the 

Ball Brothers, our first taste of the Brother’s 

as the first family of basketball, as an industry 

and as a total disruption to the way 

that things have always been done. This is 

the beginning of a journey into a fascinating 

story that couldn’t be chronicled in a single 

article. 

The breadth of what we discussed 

can’t be contained in 

a couple of pages. Watch out 

next month and the following 

months as we unfold the story 

of the Ball Brothers in a X part 

series. 

38 



39

Harnessing the 

Power of the Brain 

Understanding Adolescent 

Brain Development 

by Sarah Grippa 

Many people are 

familiar with 

the rapid brain 

development that 

occurs during 

early childhood. The developing brain 

of a baby grows by rapidly producing 

brain cells and synapses (connections) 

and then thins them back sometime 

around the age of three years. Imagine 

this process to be like pruning a tree. 

By cutting back weak branches, other 

branches are given the opportunity to 

flourish. For many years it was thought 

that this process occurred only during 

early childhood. However, recent studies 

have shown that the second round 

of brain cell formation occurs just before 

puberty and is followed by pruning 

during adolescence. A large portion 

of this growth and pruning happens in 

two critical areas in the brain--the prefrontal 

cortex and the limbic system. 

Learning how to harness the power of 

the adolescent brain begins with an 

understanding of these two important 

areas of the brain. 

1. The prefrontal cortex: The prefrontal 

cortex sits 

just behind your 

forehead and is 

the main brain 

area responsible 

for self-regulation. 

During adolescence, the prefrontal 

cortex starts trimming away neural 

connections that are not needed and 

begins the process of myelination or 

wrapping nerve cells in myelin. Myelin 

is a fatty substance that sheathes nerve 

fibers to increase the speed of electrical 

communications. Think of myelin 

as a kind of insulation or protective 

coating for nerve cells in the brain. As 

this protective coating starts to form 

in the brain, advanced thinking abilities 

strengthen. When I say advanced 

thinking abilities, I am talking about 

important executive functioning skills 

such as emotional control, flexible 

thinking, working memory, reasoning, 

and problem-solving. This protective 

coating is not yet formed in adolescents. 

Myelination in the prefrontal 

cortex is not completed until the early 

to mid-20s, so teenagers have not yet 

developed these advanced thinking 

abilities. This is why teenagers, despite 

being quite intelligent, can often seem 

impulsive and irrational. Nerve cells 

that are not yet myelinated are also 

more susceptible to damage from toxic 

substances such as drugs and alcohol. 

2. The limbic system: The limbic 

system, often called the seat of emotions, 

sits in the center of the brain and 

plays an important role in emotions, 

behaviors, and motivation. At the onset 

of puberty, the limbic system becomes 

more easily stimulated. As parents, we 

often see our children becoming more 

emotional, more susceptible to the 

opinions of others, and more likely to 

engage in risk-taking behaviors. During 

puberty, there is also an increase 

in dopamine activity. Dopamine is a 

neurotransmitter that is critical in creating 

a person’s drive for reward. The 

stimulation of the limbic system and 

increase in dopamine activity make 

40 


experiences feel especially pleasurable 

during early adolescence. An enhanced 

dopamine release causes teens to 

gravitate toward thrilling experiences 

and sensations; adults know this as 

adolescent risk taking. This gravitation 

toward exhilarating experiences 

is also why teens are drawn to experimentation 

with drugs and alcohol and 

are more susceptible 

to addiction to these 

substances. 

Laurence Steinberg, 

Ph.D., in his book 

Age of Opportunity: 

Lessons from the New 

Science of Adolescence, says, “The 

main lesson we are learning from the 

study of adolescent brain development 

is that it is possible to influence 

young people’s lives for the better.” 

Adolescence is the last opportunity for 

heightened growth in the brain and to 

take advantage of the brain’s malleability 

(ability to be shaped). This is 

why adolescence is an important time 

to provide youth with positive and 

engaging experiences and to protect 

them from experiences that will have a 

negative impact. 

This important period of brain development 

presents an opportunity to 

help your teen accelerate current brain 

growth and encourage future brain 

growth. Helping youth identify characteristics 

that will boost brain development 

and those that may limit it, are 

powerful ways to take advantage of this 

phase of life and harness the power of 

the brain. Once you have considered 

what characteristics you want to nurture, 

and what ones you want to avoid, 

it is time to start creating experiences 

that foster that learning. 

For example, participation in extracurricular 

activities such as youth sports 

and leadership clubs can help build 

skills that a classroom alone cannot 

always cultivate. Team sports are 

good, not only for physical fitness and 

increasing blood flow to the brain, 

but also for learning accountability, 

dedication, and team building. Extracurricular 

activities can provide youth 

This important period of 

brain development presents 

an opportunity to 

help your teen accelerate 

current brain growth and 

encourage future brain 

with skills that colleges and future 

employers are looking for. These types 

of programs also create opportunities 

for youth to spend time with those who 

have similar interests and form positive 

peer groups. 

While considering what areas you want 

to encourage in your adolescent’s experiences, 

it is also important to consider 

what things you might 

want to help them avoid. 

Substance abuse is one 

of the most detrimental 

elements to adolescent 

brain development. 

As discussed earlier, 

adolescents are more susceptible to 

damage from toxic substances and are 

even more susceptible to addiction. 

Avoiding substance use isn’t always a 

clear or easy path, but honest and factbased 

communication is an important 

place to start. Today’s youth are data 

driven, so teach the facts and empower 

teens with information while avoiding 

the scare tactics of the past. When 

adolescents know the facts about their 

own brain development and how substance 

use can affect that development, 

they can make informed and healthy 

decisions. 

Adolescence need not be a 

time to be feared. It can be 

an opportunity to encourage 

tremendous growth 

that successfully launches 

adolescents into adulthood. 

Harness the power 

of the adolescent brain by 

promoting extracurricular 

activities that foster positive 

characteristics and empower 

adolescents with the 

science surrounding their 

brain development and the 

impact of substance use. 

For more information visits 

our website 

www.marijuana-education.com 


41

WEL 

PHEMON 

JAYLEN 

HOLD 

I PUT T 

42 


IT DOWN! 

PHENOMS 

THE WORK 

GEORGIA 

LCOME TO 

IN !! 

BY DANIELLE BROCKMAN PHOTOS BY MODISHSTILLS 

Loving Father Raises Starchild Football Running Back in GA 

In the beautiful south, there 

lives a father who is raising 

his Son with a lot of heart 

and passion. Though his 

mother may be out of the 

picture, this child receives 

double the love. Roland ‘Junya’ H. 

is the proud father or Jaylen ‘Jaylen 

’ H., the fast up and coming running 

back for a solid youth football 

team. 

Junya, a bodybuilder, and previous 

college basketball player owns 

his own gym. As part of the process, 

Junya trains his clients to be 

bigger, faster, and stronger in the 

early morning to the later times in 

the night. In the beginning of his 

son’s life, Jaylen would join along 

with his father in the morning trips 

to the gym. As a normal 3 years 

old - at the time, Jaylen had a lot 

of energy. He would take off running 

around the gym, and outside, 

while his father would be training 

clients. With so much energy, how 

could Junya keep Jaylen occupied 

while training clients? He decided 

to let his child run on the treadmill 

to keep him busy. 30 minutes at a 

low speed seemed to do just the 

trick to keep Jaylen occupied. 

As a fan of Basketball, Junya 

wanted his son to follow suit. 

While out at a fraternity brothers 

house for a gathering, one of his 

brothers noted how well Jaylen 

would be suited for football. This 

was the start of a whole new life 

chapter. Junya began to invest a 

lot of heart and passion into developing 

his son’s natural talents, as 

a good parent naturally does. Jaylen 

joined the Columbus Youth Ball 

league and began his first position 

originally as a linebacker for flag 

football. Astonishingly, during his 

first game, the team won. Paving 

the way for a legacy career. 

During his first year in Columbus 

Youth Ball, his team went all 

the way to win championships at 

the Peanut Bowl. Soon, Junya and 

Jaylen began traveling the state for 

football. After the season ended, 

and the next one began. Junya put 

his son in an All Star game. His son 

began training for year two. Junya 

believes life is interesting in how 

certain events can change your life 

completely. This is what happened 

when a team his son was supposed 

to be on did not show up for the 

player picking and registering using 

the All-Star Game. Out of the 

woodwork, Junya was approached 

by a coach he had never met who 

had been watching Jaylen rise to 

the top in his own league. This was 

the team Jaylen joined, though no 

one can say what happened to the 

team and coach who didn’t show 

up. It simply was meant to be. 

Fun fact about young 

Jaylen : he was born in 

the time of year that 

aligned with the football 

seasons where he would 

be nearly a year younger 

than his counterparts. 

This helped shape him 

into a better, faster, 

stronger athlete by playing 

with 6-year-olds as a 

5-year-old. This special 

circumstance is a helpful 

key to Jaylen s success. 


43

PHENOMS 

WE WORKING! 

FATHER & SON 

EVERY SINCE FLAG 

FOOTBALL LIL JAYLEN 

HAS WEARING CARTOON 

SOCKS WHICH HAS 

NOW BECOME ONE OF 

HIS SIGNATURE MOVES! 

44 


! 

PHENOMS 

TOP FLIGHT! 


45

PHENOMS 

H 

JAYLEN 

46 


HUFF 

As a wellmannered 

youth, Jaylen 

had trouble 

speaking 

out. One 

instance provided the 

perfect opportunity. 

From the bleachers, his 

father caringly and supportively 

watched his 

son line up for a practice 

- though, Jaylen was not 

in his normal linebacker 

spot, he was on the line. 

Suddenly, Junya rushed 

to the field and asked 

his son what was going 

on - Jaylen didn’t know 

how to communicate 

to his coach that this 

was not his position. As 

a solution, his father 

guided him to talk directly 

to his coach, and 

be brave. This is not always 

easy as a young 

child, but with the encouragement 

from his 

father, Jaylen walked 

up to his coach and gingerly 

tapped him on the 

shoulder to talk. As a 

result, Jaylen started in 

his position on the field 

where he had expertise, 

he started playing on his 

new team as the quick 

and skilled linebacker 

he is. In the first half 

of one of his games, he 

had 10 tackles. His stats 

were ranking up. 

Junya was approached 

by 3 teams 

who wanted Junya. All 

teams wanted to pay Jaylen. 

They began practice 

in the spring with a new 

team. For training with 

his father, Jaylen runs 3 

miles. Soon, Junya started 

to be approached by 

high school and college 

athletes who wanted to 

be trained. Jaylen would 

lap all the kids. His early 

training proved successful, 

and Junya took on 

excited athletes who 

wanted to also want to 

experience the high-level 

performance. 

Recently, Jaylen 

has switched 

from a line backer 

of 4 years, and 

has now begun 

his career as a 

running back for 

6 months. Junya 

has been a proud 

father every step 

of the way. You 

can follow this 

young star and 

his proud father 

on instagram at 

@jayjiggy4 and @ 

swoldylocs1914. 

Now it’s your 

turn to Become a 

Champion! 


47

TEACHER OF THE YEAR! 

Teacher of 

the Year! 

By: Danielle Brockman 

Ms. Nycole Bradshaw 

“Teaching is a very noble profession 

that shapes the character, 

caliber, and future of an individual. 

If the people remember me as a 

good teacher, that will be the biggest 

honor for me.” -- A. P. J. Abdul 

Kalam 

The best teachers teach students 

from the heart. One teacher 

aims to make a big difference 

to her students and inspire 

each child to become a champion in 

their own right. In a Denver elementary 

school, Nycole Bradshaw is making 

a positive impact in her students lives 

every day. Here is how Ms. Bradshaw 

Became A Champion: She has always 

loved being a teacher. As a big sister at 

the Boys and Girls Club, and a tutor in 

high school, she surrounded herself, 

children. There is always a connection 

to the younger generations. Naturally, 

Ms. Bradshaw is nurturing, giving, 

a problem solver, and an excellent 

listener. She likes to provide a helping 

hand to children. Becoming a teacher 

was natural. 

Through many years of volunteering, 

she decided to turn her 

experience into a career. Early in 

the start of her career, she became 

a contractor for the army 

to help families deal with the 

process of a family member being 

deployed for war to another 

country. At school, she worked with 

the army family children to help them 

adapt to school, especially when dealing 

with their emotions and difficult 

feelings. Many times, children feel 

they are misunderstood, or not heard. 

She encourages children to speak up 

for their 

wants, 

needs, 

feelings, 

and emotions. 

She 

advocates 

for the 

children 

that they 

are okay 

just as 

they are, 

and they 

have the 

freedom 

to express 

themselves 

to be the most creative, bright, 

and inspiring versions of themselves 

that they can. 

Even though Ms. Bradshaw is a highly 

educated teacher, her students are 

teaching her new things every day. 

For her, it’s important for the children 

to understand she does not have all 

the answers, and neither does any 

other adult. Today, Ms. Bradshaw is a 

3rd-grade teacher. She enjoys teaching 

children in the development stages 

of 6 years to 11 years old. The past 2 

summers she has been working with 

middle school children. Now, she is 5 

years in the career of her dreams. 

Ms. Bradshaw currently works at a title 

one school funded by the state. For 

the children, life in this neighborhood 

may seem very difficult. Ms. Bradshaw 

came from the same type of neighborhood 

and understands the struggles 

these young children are experiencing. 

She 

provides a light of inspiration to 

inspire children that they can become 

greater than their current situation. 

Out of the dark, and into the light, Ms. 

Bradshaw pulled 2 successful college 

degrees: a bachelor’s and masters. She 

proves to the students every day that 

success is possible. Rising up out of the 

neighborhood takes courage, and Ms. 

Bradshaw is there every step of the way 

to provide a helping hand to inspire 

and encourage her students to become 

artists, teachers, creatives, doctors, or 

anything that they set their mind to 

and are passionate about. 

“There is life outside of this 5-mile 

radius. I want to pull these kids up and 

let them know there is more out there, 

and they can achieve it.” -- Ms. Bradshaw 

Though, some children may feel life is 

hell and may be going through extremely 

difficult times at home. Understanding 

the situation, Ms. Bradshaw 

takes the pressure off: at school, they 

are allowed to be themselves, express 

their inner child, and be a kid who 

loves life for once. School time is all 

---- 

48 


about inspiring, teaching, and keeping 

kids engaged. She loves all of her 

students, and when the day ends, her 

mind doesn’t stop thinking about each 

one and just how special they all are. 

In many of her student’s lives, these 

may be dark times. Ms. Bradshaw 

encourages her students to try their 

best, and make the most out of your 

situation. You have to be willing to take 

a step in the right direction, and realize 

your life is not that bad - no matter 

the situation. You have to look for the 

beauty. View your glass as half full. 

To open up her students to new situations 

and experiences, she had crickets 

in the classroom. The challenge was 

to try eating them as a protein snack - 

many students resisted, but in the end, 

the crickets weren’t so bad. Even in the 

classroom, she does her best to make 

the most of each day, and introduce 

her students to new experiences. She 

makes the best of each day for her 

students. 

In her current classroom, she has a 

mix of students - some who don’t yet 

speak English. Her universal language 

is smiling, hugs, and a lot of support. 

With support from her school, she 

makes sure her students make leaps 

and bounds in learning English. 

Ms. Bradshaw is engaged beyond the 

fundamentals of learning. She is interested 

in what her students do. Their 

home life, their favorite holidays, their 

weekend adventures, and much more. 

She is fully invested in each one of her 

students. She is not just a 3rd-grade 

teacher, she is a whole child teacher. It 

is Heart Work, not hard work. She is 

not just a warm body in a classroom, 

rather, she is a passionate teacher 

who loves what she does. This is what 

makes Mr. Bradshaw a champion. To 

have heart work, she recommends 

setting aside all hard feelings and past 

resemblances, and to look at your life 

to see what truly you are passionate 

about. Open up what you are passionate 

about, and put your all into it, and 

be committed. If you are doing what 

makes you happy, and you can put 

your heart into it, you are then doing 

your life’s work. You are doing heart 

work. For her students, she wants the 

same: to life a life they can passionately 

do what makes them happy and 

for her students to experience the same 

Don’t miss out! Get your tickets now! 

BACMAGAZINE.COM 

TEACHER OF THE YEAR! 

heart work in what may be their true 

deep passions. To do this, she works to 

open their minds to how big the world 

really is. “I am not trying to change 

you, I am trying to grow you.” -- Ms. 

Bradshaw 

She aims to open her students to a 

growth mindset, not to change who 

they are at the core, but to help students 

understand life in a new perspective. 

She wants the best for her classroom 

as a whole child teacher. When 

students come to school and see Ms. 

Bradshaw, if only for just 7 hours, her 

students can set aside all that hardship 

and enjoy life as a child, to learn, grow, 

and to create the life they are passionate 

about. 

When Ms. Bradshaw returns home 

for the day, she rests at night 

knowing she put her all into her 

students. This is why Ms. Bradshaw 

is a champion. You too can Become 

A Champion! 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 


49

Michelle 

Waterson 

No goal is big to accomplish! 

BY GARY BREWER 

Michelle Waterson 

believes that no goal is too large to accomplish 

so long as you attack it indigestible 

parts. Such was the case for this diminutive 

young lady who had been doing martial 

arts since the age of 10 years old. Waterson’s 

lifelong love for martial arts would 

force her to give up on cheerleading in high 

school and later even college had to take a 

back seat as Waterson balanced the challenge 

of being a full-time student with her 

serious skill for fighting. 

“I was getting good grades (in college), 

but I just wasn’t happy with my life”, said 

Waterson. When an illness struck her 

grandmother, Waterson and her mother 

decided to move to Thailand for a while 

to tend to grandmother’s health. “When I 

went out there, I fell in love with the more 

combative side of martial arts. I wanted to 

take a real crack at fighting, so I came back 

(to America) and took some smokers (a 

fighting term used for the formerly smokefilled 

rooms common to unofficial beginning 

fights)”, Waterson said. 

“I really liked the challenges it presented 

and how it made me face my fears. Right 

then I knew that martial arts were something 

I wanted to do for the rest of my 

life”, said Waterson. From 

that point on, her goal in life 

became crystal clear. “I figured 

then that pursuing my fighting 

career would be just as 

valuable for me as going to 

college- so that’s when I moved 

out to Albuquerque, NM and 

got my degree in fighting from 

Jackson/Wink. Basically, I’m 

still working on it (my MMA 

degree) right now”, Waterson 

jokingly stated. 

Jackson/Wink training academy represents 

the finest of MMA training in a town infamous 

for high-quality MMA athletes. For 

years, the town of Albuquerque, NM has 

developed a strong reputation for producing 

some of the best of the best that MMA 

has to offer, and trainers Greg Jackson and 

Mike Winkeljohn are two key reasons for 

what’s happening in Albuquerque. Winkeljohn 

is a former fighter turned trainer 

who is most recently known for training 

Holly Holm, the first fighter to upset Ronda 

Rousey, one of Albuquerque’s finest and 

currently among the best women MMA 

fighters in the world. 

Waterson explains her infamous adopted 

fight town and the reason for its MMA 

notoriety. 

“Coach Jackson was the coach for Diego 

Sanchez who was on the first Ultimate 

Fighter. Sanchez ended up winning, and 

a lot of the guys who were fans of the 

show ended up coming to see what all the 

fuss was about with the coaches and with 

Albuquerque. On top of that, Albuquerque 

does not have a football or a pro baseball 

team or anything like that, so it’s certainly 

become a fight town”, explained Waterson. 

Champion 

“What we do have is high altitude which 

is good for training. And there’s really 

not much to do out here, so you can’t get 

distracted or get into trouble”, Waterson 

added. 

Speaking of trouble, Waterson came into 

popular notoriety as a part of the MTV 

show Bully Beatdown, a reality show in 

which professional fighters were enlisted 

to take on bullies who were brought on 

the show to be held to account for their 

intimidating behaviors. When a smaller 

woman was selected as the bully for an 

episode, Waterson was called because the 

shows referee was friends with Waterson’s 

trainer, Greg Jackson. It was Jackson who 

suggested Waterson’s name for the show. 

Yet, the show was nothing more than just 

a way to promote herself at the time. “I 

fought before it was popular for women 

to fight MMA. A lot of people think 

Ronda Rousey was the person that led the 

charge when it comes to the evolution of 

women’s MMA, but there were dozens of 

women that fought women’s MMA before 

Ronda was even fighting” shared Waterson. 

“When I think of those girls that are 

pioneers to me, I think of Julie Kensey, 

Gina Carrano, Sara Kaufman, Shayna 

Baszler, Leslie Smith. These girls fought 

when nobody knew it was even allowed for 

us to fight, and we did it because we had 

a passion for it.” As sports pioneers go, 

Waterson’s name belongs among them. 

During a recent interview conducted by 

BAC magazine, Colorado MMA fighter, 

Grace Cleveland credits Waterson and her 

Bully Beatdown exploits as her inspiration 

for joining the sport. 

These days, Waterson eats goals for 

breakfast along with a daily 2-4 mile 

run that happens each day after getting 

her daughter Araya off to school. 

What follows is a morning combat 

training session, lunch and errands, 

before picking up Araya prior to 

afternoon strength and conditioning 

50 


CONFLICT IN 

CONGO 

BY BRITTON SAGEL 

CALL TO ACTION 

training. Nights include either networking 

or teaching a kickboxing class before making 

dinner for her pre-school daughter Araya and 

her husband Joshua- rest- and do it all over 

again the next day. As a strikingly beautiful 

young lady, Waterson has done quite a bit of 

modeling during her fight career, which has 

helped her evolve into an appropriate nickname, 

“ the Karate Hottie”. 

Waterson appreciates her journey including 

the days of roaming the streets of Aurora, 

Colorado as a member of the 2004 Aurora 

Central graduating class. “Growing up in Aurora 

and going to Aurora Central and having 

all of the experiences I had is what made me 

into the person I am today. I am grateful for 

that experience and that I still have a chance 

to fight in my prime years” said Waterson. 

After winning impressively in her last fight, 

Waterson will take on Rose Namajunas (aka 

Thug Rose) on April 15 in Kansas City in the 

strawweight division of 115 lbs. Namajunas 

is currently 6-3 and ranked number 5 in the 

UFC strawweight division. Waterson (14-4 

and ranked #7) and Namajunas will be the 

main event or the co-main event of the night, 

another sign of the growth in women’s 

MMA. 

In her quest to Become A Champion, 

Waterson offers this advice. “The most 

important part is, if you have a goal, to go 

for it, but to make it realistic. Even if it is 

a huge goal, you have to break it down so 

that you hit your mile marks. When you 

get in the real world, there are so many 

things that are distracting you, but you 

just can’t get strayed off of the path”. 

(keep in touch with what Michelle is doing 

at karatehottiemma.. her handle on 

all social networking platforms) 

The Congo can be summed up in two 

words: heaven and hell. There you will 

find fascinating people, animals, flowers, 

and natural resources; you will also find 

terror, abuse, and slaughter. The area 

produces more than one billion dollars of 

gold each year and is also the location of 

rape, murder, and mind control of Congolese 

people. The death toll is surpassing 

that of the Holocaust. Since 1996, six million 

people have died in the Congo. When 

will the genocide cease? 

Startling facts were uncovered in a You- 

Tube video posted by STR8 FFWD TV on 

January 27, 2017 entitled, “How Many Did 

The White Man Kill In Da Congo??” The 

video revealed that hell for the Congolese 

people began 125 years ago as they were 

turned into forced laborers for profit and 

many minerals that are vital to the West 

were discovered near the mines in which 

they lived. From 1885 through 1997, the 

Congo endured turbulent times by way of 

personal rule, colonialism, independence, 

assassination of a ruler, and dictatorship, 

which destroyed Congolese institutions. 

The Congo fell victim to the invasion by 

Rwanda and Uganda beginning in the 

1990s. Violence in central Africa increased 

as militants hid among refugees. 

In an absence of fairness, militants took 

it among themselves to seek what they 

deemed as justice. Contrary to reports, 

this was not an ethnic war; this was an 

utter wipe-out of the Congolese people. 

They slaughtered thousands in retaliation 

of injustice while taking the lives of 

women, children, the sick, and the elderly 

in a systematic and highly motivated way. 

Militants did not take time to understand 

who was living near the mines; oftentimes 

the Congolese people did not use the minerals 

inside. Instead, they turned them 

into nonhumans – making them unable 

to think for themselves as a result of the 

trauma endured. The Congo is the worst 

place in the world to be a woman. Militants 

used the most effective weapon they 

had – rape, which broke Congolese communities. 

It made men feel inadequate – 

they could not protect the women; it broke 

women down mentally – they could not 

handle the misery. 

The UN and many governments knew 

about the horror, but no major investigations 

occurred. Dictators were supported 

for political and economic reasons and 

access to minerals. Policymakers were 

said to have felt guilty about the genocide 

in Rwanda – a reason the US took a supporting 

role allowing Rwanda to act with 

impunity. The video explained, “We can 

have [militants] do things in Africa that 

we do not want to do ourselves.” They will 

deploy and die, which protects the American 

image. Peace talks occurred, but only 

within the parameters of maintaining current 

order – not protecting the Congolese 

people. When President Obama visited 

Ghana, he demanded accountability for 

political leaders in Africa. He stated, 

“Africa doesn’t need strong men, it needs 

strong institutions.” Congolese people 

need more than aid to recover; they need 

partnerships for transformational change. 

As a senator, President Obama created 

a strategy for justice that speaks to the 

issues; it was signed into law by President 

Bush in 2006 (Public Law 109-456). The 

Secretary of State is not upholding this 

law; people continue to ignore it today. 

Call to Action 

What needs to be done now must come 

from the Congolese people themselves; we 

must create the space needed for them to 

do so. The video powerfully stated that 

this is a global issue. If you are concerned 

about climate change, you must be concerned 

about the Congo as it is part of the 

second largest rain forest in the world. If 

you are concerned about children, about 

women, you must be concerned about the 

Congo. If you are concerned about the automobile 

industry, cell phones, being a human 

being – you must be concerned about 

the Congo. Feel motivated to support the 

removal of the hell that resides in this 

heaven. Write and call your state representatives; 

tell them you want PL 109-456 

fully implemented. Speak out for the 

Congolese people being treated as if they 

are nonhuman entities – they are human. 

Visit congojustice.com to learn more. 


51

PHOTOS BY RADEK 

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