April 27, 2025 • 19 mins
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Built Through Adversity: Thomas Reed III’s Journey to Empower Young Athletes
When personal struggle meets unstoppable purpose, true greatness is born. In this inspiring episode, Olympic gold medalist Thomas Reed III shares how facing family hardship as a young athlete shaped his mission to serve the next generation. From caring for his father during a life-threatening illness to building nationwide football camps and scholarship programs, Reed’s story is proof that adversity doesn’t define you it builds you.
If you're a parent, coach, or athlete looking for more than just athletic success and want to build a life of impact beyond the game this episode will light that fire inside you.
The impact is tangible. Reed shares moving stories of overlooked athletes he's helped secure college scholarships and education opportunities.
His Upcoming camps in Iowa, Alabama, Colorado, New York, and Hawaii will extend that impact even further. For parents of talented young athletes who need guidance on the recruiting process or players searching for their next opportunity, Reed's foundation offers a beacon of practical support and mentorship.
Ready to help your athlete maximize their potential both on and off the field? Visit Thomas Reed's website through the link to learn more about upcoming camps, scholarship opportunities, and how to connect directly with this passionate advocate for young athletes.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, I'm Coach Mickey and you are a 4thin1 Mindset,
so bring it in, take a knee, getcomfortable, because today we
are in for an amazing individualin our locker room and I'm
really excited to have him on.
As you guys know, we are hereabout making change, showing
your purpose and doing somethingextraordinary with your life,
(00:21):
and this player is the mostamazing person I've had an
opportunity to meet recently andI'm excited to have him on here
with us.
I'll tell you a little bitabout who he is.
This is Thomas Reed III.
He has been playing footballsince he was age five.
He has been on the blue andgray All-American back in 2014.
(00:41):
He is a gold medalist throughAmerican football back in 2014.
He was the youngest footballplayer, the youngest 17-year-old
, to get a gold medal during theOlympics for football.
He has done some extraordinarythings through his career,
whether it's through college,high school and also his pro
career.
But what makes himextraordinary, and why I'm
(01:02):
bringing him in, is he has gotthe ability to just lift up
others, bring his passion andhis drive not only through what
he does, but also to otherpeople to help them succeed.
So welcome Welcome in ourlocker room today, thomas Reed
the third.
How are you?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Good, so tell me a little bit.
I'm excited about yourfoundation.
Well, how are you doing?
Good, so tell me a little bit.
I'm excited about yourfoundation.
I'm excited about what you'redoing with your camps and you
are helping kids all over thecountry actually soon to be all
over the world with theirjourney through football.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Yes, yes, I host football camps around the
country where I bring otherplayers in that have experienced
certain things in their careerand we kind of just give back to
the kids.
We work with the second through12th graders.
We have a youth camp signingautographs, giving them the
inspiration, the experience ofthis is a possibility that I
(01:56):
could be where I'm at and, ifnot, surpass my goals and
surpass the things that I'vedone.
And then the high school group.
We have 8th through 12th andI'm providing resources from
college academic credits thatcould transfer over anywhere to
a college recruiting seminar,learning, the NIL deal processes
, anything to kind of put thesefamilies and these athletes in
better situations and give themthe most knowledge they could
possibly have so that way theycan, you know, strive as far as
(02:18):
they possibly can in theircareers, academically and
athletically.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
And that is really important.
I think what happens iseverybody has got this, this
passion, this dream to moveforward, but they don't know
where to go or what to do withit, and that seems to be one of
the most common obstacles that Isee, even through, you know,
high school and college is likeokay, now what do I do with no
direction?
And this is something that youbring to the table.
That is so needed.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yes, ma'am, yeah, it was definitely an experience
that I kind of had to go throughmyself.
So that's why I want to be ableto provide these resources,
even from my nonprofit side, myfoundation.
I'll be hosting my own highschool all-star game in Dallas
to provide that opportunity forthe kids who are under-recruited
, dealing with injuries.
They have their one chance toshowcase in front of some
college scouts whether it's awalk-on spot you found a home
(03:06):
partial scholarship, I'll helpyou take care of the rest.
I just want to make sure thatthese kids utilize the gift that
they have and not let it go towaste, because worst thing you
could do is live with thatwhat-if factor in your life.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
That is so true.
What would you say is some ofthe biggest obstacles that you
had to overcome that you seethat these kids are struggling
with today.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
One I would definitely say is family issues.
That's primary number one.
I've experienced some familydynamics that were not ideal for
me to deal with at a young age.
My dad was sick with kidneydisease since I was in seventh,
eighth grade and then he got puton dialysis.
He was doing dialysis for fourhours three days out of the week
(03:45):
, coming back exhausted.
My dad also had 11 backsurgeries just in a hospital, in
and out.
So my responsibility was to bethe man of the house, take care
of a lot of the things, and mydad was able to support me.
He was there as much as he can.
Same thing with my mother.
She was there as much as shecan, but I have a younger sister
as well.
So my thing was take care ofyou know, my sister as much as
you can.
I'll be okay.
(04:06):
But on the back end, I'm stilltrying to go to class, I'm still
trying to do everything forclass, I'm still trying to go to
practice and focus on stufflike that.
So definitely, the familydynamics is something that
everybody's dealing with.
Everybody's story is different.
I just want to let them knowthat it's possible to make
things happen, as long as youjust keep your head on right,
avoid all the distractions,appreciate the adversity that
you deal with.
And then, obviously, thisgeneration is dealing with
(04:29):
social media.
Social media is really nothelping a lot of these kids.
It's either building ordestroying careers, whether
you're super talented and youhave an ego, or you fall into
the wrong realm of chasing thefame.
To kids who are not on socialmedia but truly gifted, they
just feel unappreciated.
There's such a spectrum and Ijust want to make sure that
these kids understand to behumble, regardless of where your
(04:49):
talent level is at.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
That's really important.
And yeah, you see, a lot ofthings that happen with families
, you know, like you said,unfortunately yours was, you
know, through physical and whatwas happening, but also keeping
that mindset and that'sdifficult, especially for a kid,
I mean not knowing what to dowith some of these things.
So having someone that's amentor that can say, hey, you
(05:13):
know what, you can still getthrough this and still build
what you're looking to do, it'sthe mindset is the most
important thing.
I'm sorry about your dad, youknow, because that is rough,
especially as a kid.
But also some of these kidsstruggle with other things,
whether it be their environmentor what's transpiring, you know,
around them and they're stilltrying to push through and get
(05:33):
out and do something differentthat's meaningful and be a part
of something bigger.
And that's what I love, whatyou're offering, you know,
whether it's through yourfoundation or your camps, you're
giving these kids anopportunity to get out there and
be a part of something and beheard and seen.
You know, regardless of what'shappening in their lives.
I know you suffered through aninjury when you were doing the
(05:55):
what was it the pro day, andthat that was something.
How did you, how'd you getthrough that and be able to, to
deal and keep moving forward.
What was your mindset duringthat timeframe?
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Yeah, Um, there was one of those things where I'm so
used to dealing with adversityand dealing with life situations
to the point where I kind ofjust took it on the chin and I
already had my goal in mind andI was so focused on making that
happen to provide for my family,to get my family experience.
I was the first collegegraduate in my family.
I had to fight through that.
And then I was the firstcollege athlete, and first, you
(06:25):
know, for many things.
So I was running my 40 and Ipulled my hamstring right in the
middle of my 40.
And that kind of took a turn inall of the drills and
everything I was doing from thatpoint on.
And at that point I'm just likeyou know, I can't afford to sit
out.
I have to fight through this.
You know, not a lot of peopleget this opportunity.
It was a blessing for me toeven be there to kind of see
(06:47):
those teams that I see on TVactually now wanting to recruit
me and work out for me, and youknow things like that.
So I just kind of foughtthrough it and I was like it is
what it is Like.
You know, you got to take thison a chin.
You got to figure out what thenext step is.
You got to control youremotions.
This is a business where youdon't really get to have a lot
of emotions.
Everybody knows that, that.
You know it's a very cutthroatbusiness.
(07:07):
So I kind of just took it onthe chin and just made it work.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
You have to have a very strong mindset to be able
to do this, and that's somethingI think people need to learn
and understand and get out oftheir own head.
You know, I think a lot oftimes people are held back
because they're not in the rightmindset to say oh yes, I can do
this.
So, like Nick, you, you know, I, hey, I'm here, I've got this
opportunity, I'm going to haveto just deal with it and get
(07:34):
through it and not not let theother things get in the way of
the obstacles.
And what would you say?
That are some of the thingsthat people should look at, or I
should say, maybe the kids, orsome of these, these, these
young athletes that you'reworking with, that they have
trouble struggling through, thatthey have to get through, to go
, you know, get through,understand your goal, have your
(07:56):
purpose and have your why?
I mean, is this something thatyou do throughout your camps and
to help them with?
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Yeah, a hundred percent.
I can't.
I feel like it would beirresponsible on my end for me
to provide a resource to helpthem develop in one area of life
but not understand the reasonwhy they're doing it.
Um, because I went through thatprocess.
I had to figure out what my whywas, which is providing for my
family, making sure my dad wasokay, making sure my sister was
okay and, um, making sure mylife in the future was okay.
So I graduated with sevencollege degrees as well, two
(08:23):
bachelors and five minors.
So I had to make sure that Iimplement that side of the
academics to make sure footballdon't work out.
What's my plan B, what's theplan C, what's the different
direction which is what I'mutilizing now.
So I definitely want to instillthat.
And don't get me wrong, as asmuch help as I want to provide
these kids, I am very blunt andvery honest about the reality of
(08:45):
a lot of situations too.
I don't sugarcoat a lot, I don'thide it a lot.
I tell them exactly what it isand what the possibilities are,
no matter how harsh or how darkthey might sound.
I just give them the reality.
Because if I feel like, I feellike on my end for me to go
through what I went through,which is my dark or my
experiences.
It would be irresponsible on myend for me not to tell them
(09:07):
what the realities of you havethis situation that could be
here, but then this one could beworse and then this one could
be worse, and it all starts fromwhat you do down here and how
that foundation is built.
So I definitely teach that onboth sides of just the life side
and also the game side, of howyou take care of your body, to
how to look out for your familyand what you how to cook for
your family, like I mentor allof these kids in all different
(09:28):
realms.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Well, it's also teaching self-reliance, not only
for what they need to do intheir choices, but also, you
know, some of the obstacles thatthey're going to approach in
their life and, like you said,sometimes things don't always go
the way you think they're goingto go, but you've got to learn
to take that information andmove forward from it and then
have that skill to do it, andwhether it be a sport or a
(09:51):
business or anything else I mean.
So these are life skills thatthese kids need to learn anyway,
you know, to be able to succeedon and off a field.
And that's one of the thingsthat I love that you're doing,
because you're teaching them howto deal with adversity.
You know, and to pursueConstantly perseverance is the
most important thing we can doin our lives, because you can't
just give up and stop.
You have to keep moving forward.
(10:12):
But having the skills to dothat and that's one of the
things I love that you'rebringing to the table here Tell
us a little bit more about yourfoundation.
It means a lot to the peoplethat you're working with.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Yeah.
So my foundation I wanted toimplement obviously the side of
sports, but also allowing thesekids to also find an identity
outside of the sport as well.
I know that's not an easy topicfor a lot of kids because a lot
of kids either A don't listenor B they're just on the go 24-7
.
So I've went down the ringer oftrying to find my identity
outside of things, from justinjuries like life-threatening
(10:49):
situations, my environment, awhole bunch of stuff.
So and I thank God, you knowtruly that I've experienced some
of those things because it mademe who I am today, but I really
wanted to start showcasingthose.
Hey, if football doesn't workout or if your sport doesn't
work out, here's another routethat you can go, here's another
option that you can go.
So, for example, I'm setting upan event for kids to work with
(11:14):
a mechanic in Colorado, whereyou know they can learn how to
fix a car, they can learn aboutengines, they can learn about
how to change an oil, they cando the basic necessities of
those things.
So it's a life situation, butit's also another avenue that
you can go to.
I have kids who apply for myscholarship because I have my
scholarship foundation as well,you know, I help a kid with a
(11:35):
recruiting process and wheneverhe commits to that school I send
a thousand dollar check to thatschool.
But part of my requirement isthat you have to have three
college degree programs that youwant to study.
I don't want one undecided.
It's not going to work for me.
I want three things you seeyourself doing for the rest of
your life if your sport doesn'twork out.
I have them set up internships.
I have them set up communityservice hours to be in certain
environments excuse me, a wholebunch of stuff you know.
(12:01):
So moral of it all is I want tobe able to make sure that these
kids have an identity outsideof the sports but still identify
as a student athlete as well.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
That's great, and if you're looking to help Thomas
with his foundation, please thelink is down below I highly
recommend, please.
I'm asking you to please clickit.
Donate anything you can,because anything you can give is
going to make a change insomeone's life and this is a
great opportunity for a child toexcel and do something that
(12:26):
maybe they wouldn't have had.
So what would you say is someof the most rewarding things
that you have done?
Because I know we all have apast.
We all have something we dealwith, and you just made a very
important observation insomething that you said is that,
yes, your past happens and itdoes become the foundation and
you become grateful for it.
Sometimes, when you're goingthrough it, you're not really
(12:48):
grateful for what's happeningbecause it's difficult, but once
you realize that and you use itas a tool and an opportunity
and a foundation, you can exceland exceed from that.
But what would you say is someof the most rewarding and
amazing things that you've beenable to accomplish just because
of what's happened with you?
Speaker 2 (13:07):
I would definitely say seeing the change and
development of opportunities forthese kids.
So I just had one kid who wasextremely talented, out of
Colorado, was not gettingrecruited anywhere.
I decided to help him with therecruiting process and, sure
enough, the school that he got ascholarship to was my old
alumni at Adams State Universityin Colorado.
(13:28):
So he got a scholarship thereand then I gave him my Thomas
Reed scholarship as well.
And then another kid that Ijust happened to run into I was
talking to him and his familywas dealing with some situations
and he goes to a school wherehe's not getting recruited.
Talented kid plays both sidesof the ball like really gifted
and no school was recruiting him.
(13:48):
So I set up a meeting with himand his family, his college
success counselor, and got himcommitted to Fort Lewis in
Colorado.
So now he found a home and ifhe wasn't playing football, who
knows if he's going to collegeLike he was?
Like I don't know if I'm gonnago.
I don't know what I wanna do.
I love the game, though.
I had a college teammate of minethat I actually played with in
(14:09):
junior college that I gave myscholarship up for so he can go
to college.
I knew I wasn't going to theschool because of my family's
and my dad's health situation atthe time.
So I ended up going to schoolin Colorado and just instead of
telling the coach like hey, I'mnot going, I was like, hey,
what's going on, coach, if youneed another position, I got
some guys for you, and that'skind of how that dynamic of
helping people get recruited.
(14:30):
So I got him recruited to acollege in Nebraska.
He went through the recruitingprocess.
I went through applicationprocess with him, sending his
transcripts for him andeverything, and then he ended up
graduating college.
He got his bachelor's and nowhe's doing like film study at
Disney World and filmproductions across the country,
like seeing guys achieve thosethings.
I don't want nothing in return.
(14:51):
I just want to see those peoplebe able to have that
opportunity to present somethingto their families long-term
that my family wasn't able togive me, not by choice, but it
was just they didn't have it.
And now that I have it, I'mtrying to give back to them.
But why not make a change,doing it at the same time?
Speaker 1 (15:06):
That's pretty awesome , it really is, and I see it so
many times.
I see kids that have got someamazing talent and they're never
recruited, they're never seen,and I can think of two or three
of them.
But I've seen, and I'll giveyou an example.
I had a kicker.
He was a five-star kicker,amazing kid.
He was out there, you know,after practice every weekend and
just because he really wascommitted and just has the
(15:28):
passion to play and he dealtwith a situation where he just
wasn't being seen and wasn'tbeing helped at the high school
he was at and he was doing itall on his own but he didn't
know what to do and where to go.
Now he did end up going to acommunity college out here and
then he got picked up in Nevada,but it was a long journey.
So this is just my story andyour story, and I know there's
(15:49):
so many more out there that arelistening, that are like, yeah,
that's me, I've got all of myparents listening and going,
that's my kid, they've got allthis talent, but they don't know
where to go and what to do.
And that's what.
That's what Thomas Reed's goingto help you with, that's what
his foundation and his, hisclinics and your camps.
I mean these are, these are allthese things that are needed
(16:10):
for each and every one of thesekids, and you're hands-on and
you're doing this.
I mean that's exceptional andwe need more people like you
doing this, because there's somany out there.
So tell me where you have somecamps happening, cause I know
you're going to be a throughoutthe country, so those that are
listening you're going to belike, well, where's it going to
be?
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Yeah, so I, my first camp will be in Iowa this year.
I'm going to Iowa, doing one inAlabama, three in Colorado for
Northern Colorado, denver, andalso Southern Colorado.
Doing one in New York um andLong Island but it's open to
everybody in New York, queens,people from Albany, whoever, uh.
And then I'm doing one inHawaii.
So we're going to Kona Islandand we're going to be hosting
the camp there this summer.
That's great.
And then I'm doing one inHawaii.
So we're going to Kona Islandand we're going to be hosting a
camp there this summer.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
That's great, and this is just the beginning,
because I know you've got thingsalready set up for 2026 too,
and you're going to be able tofind all his camps again.
Those will be all in the links,but also if you listen to the
podcast, just click on his name.
That'll take you right to hiswebsite website and you can get
all the information there forall the camps and what's
happening and the ability to beable to reach out to you.
(17:15):
I'm going to let you wrap thisup.
I mean, is there anything elseyou'd like to share?
I'm just going to let you havethe field and say whatever you'd
like to share about what youhave to do or insight.
It's all yours.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Yeah, first of all, I appreciate you.
Even having me on this is trulyappreciated and it's an honor.
But yeah, if anybody wantstheir kid to develop, if they
want the resources, if they justneed some help, some education
on the college process and NILdeals, if I don't have the
answers, I will definitely forsure find the people that do
have the answers for you.
I'm not one of those that justlikes to blab, you know, talk
(17:49):
and pretend that I know things.
I really want to make sure thatyou have as much information as
possible so that way you canmake the better decisions for
your life and you know yourchild's life and careers and
such.
But I'm here to kind of justgive back and make a change.
I'm tired of seeing a lot ofthese kids with gifts just kind
of just either give up or notutilize it the way they truly
can and then they live with that.
What if?
Factor once you know the dooris closed.
(18:11):
So, yeah, if you have anyquestions, please, please, feel
free to reach out to me.
Please have your child sign upfor the camp.
My camp is open to boys andgirls.
It's co-ed, so that's alsoanother thing.
It's non-con sec.
It's about the experience.
It's about the opportunity tolearn the game and, like I said,
if there's a senior out therewho wants to play in college,
you know, apply for myscholarship.
(18:32):
You know, reach out to me.
I'll try to get you into myall-star game, whatever I can do
to kind of help you guys.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
So please feel free to reach out.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for being with us.
Thank you for doing what you'redoing.
Appreciate you.
You were definitely a gift andyou were helping so many people
and so many kids that need this,helping so many people and so
many kids that need this.
So thank you for being herewith us in our locker room and
sharing your experience and yourknowledge and your gift.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Thank you, I truly appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
All right, you guys, go out there, do what you do as
you know, be out there and doeverything strong, do it with
passion, start strong, finishstrong and dominate everything
in between.
I'm coach Mickey and you're onfourth and one mindset.
Let's go.
Hey, I'm Coach Mickey and you are a 4thin1 Mindset,
so bring it in, take a knee, getcomfortable, because today we
are in for an amazing individualin our locker room and I'm
really excited to have him on.
As you guys know, we are hereabout making change, showing
your purpose and doing somethingextraordinary with your life,
(00:21):
and this player is the mostamazing person I've had an
opportunity to meet recently andI'm excited to have him on here
with us.
I'll tell you a little bitabout who he is.
This is Thomas Reed III.
He has been playing footballsince he was age five.
He has been on the blue andgray All-American back in 2014.
(00:41):
He is a gold medalist throughAmerican football back in 2014.
He was the youngest footballplayer, the youngest 17-year-old
, to get a gold medal during theOlympics for football.
He has done some extraordinarythings through his career,
whether it's through college,high school and also his pro
career.
But what makes himextraordinary, and why I'm
(01:02):
bringing him in, is he has gotthe ability to just lift up
others, bring his passion andhis drive not only through what
he does, but also to otherpeople to help them succeed.
So welcome Welcome in ourlocker room today, thomas Reed
the third.
How are you?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Good, so tell me a little bit.
I'm excited about yourfoundation.
Well, how are you doing?
Good, so tell me a little bit.
I'm excited about yourfoundation.
I'm excited about what you'redoing with your camps and you
are helping kids all over thecountry actually soon to be all
over the world with theirjourney through football.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Yes, yes, I host football camps around the
country where I bring otherplayers in that have experienced
certain things in their careerand we kind of just give back to
the kids.
We work with the second through12th graders.
We have a youth camp signingautographs, giving them the
inspiration, the experience ofthis is a possibility that I
(01:56):
could be where I'm at and, ifnot, surpass my goals and
surpass the things that I'vedone.
And then the high school group.
We have 8th through 12th andI'm providing resources from
college academic credits thatcould transfer over anywhere to
a college recruiting seminar,learning, the NIL deal processes
, anything to kind of put thesefamilies and these athletes in
better situations and give themthe most knowledge they could
possibly have so that way theycan, you know, strive as far as
(02:18):
they possibly can in theircareers, academically and
athletically.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
And that is really important.
I think what happens iseverybody has got this, this
passion, this dream to moveforward, but they don't know
where to go or what to do withit, and that seems to be one of
the most common obstacles that Isee, even through, you know,
high school and college is likeokay, now what do I do with no
direction?
And this is something that youbring to the table.
That is so needed.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yes, ma'am, yeah, it was definitely an experience
that I kind of had to go throughmyself.
So that's why I want to be ableto provide these resources,
even from my nonprofit side, myfoundation.
I'll be hosting my own highschool all-star game in Dallas
to provide that opportunity forthe kids who are under-recruited
, dealing with injuries.
They have their one chance toshowcase in front of some
college scouts whether it's awalk-on spot you found a home
(03:06):
partial scholarship, I'll helpyou take care of the rest.
I just want to make sure thatthese kids utilize the gift that
they have and not let it go towaste, because worst thing you
could do is live with thatwhat-if factor in your life.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
That is so true.
What would you say is some ofthe biggest obstacles that you
had to overcome that you seethat these kids are struggling
with today.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
One I would definitely say is family issues.
That's primary number one.
I've experienced some familydynamics that were not ideal for
me to deal with at a young age.
My dad was sick with kidneydisease since I was in seventh,
eighth grade and then he got puton dialysis.
He was doing dialysis for fourhours three days out of the week
(03:45):
, coming back exhausted.
My dad also had 11 backsurgeries just in a hospital, in
and out.
So my responsibility was to bethe man of the house, take care
of a lot of the things, and mydad was able to support me.
He was there as much as he can.
Same thing with my mother.
She was there as much as shecan, but I have a younger sister
as well.
So my thing was take care ofyou know, my sister as much as
you can.
I'll be okay.
(04:06):
But on the back end, I'm stilltrying to go to class, I'm still
trying to do everything forclass, I'm still trying to go to
practice and focus on stufflike that.
So definitely, the familydynamics is something that
everybody's dealing with.
Everybody's story is different.
I just want to let them knowthat it's possible to make
things happen, as long as youjust keep your head on right,
avoid all the distractions,appreciate the adversity that
you deal with.
And then, obviously, thisgeneration is dealing with
(04:29):
social media.
Social media is really nothelping a lot of these kids.
It's either building ordestroying careers, whether
you're super talented and youhave an ego, or you fall into
the wrong realm of chasing thefame.
To kids who are not on socialmedia but truly gifted, they
just feel unappreciated.
There's such a spectrum and Ijust want to make sure that
these kids understand to behumble, regardless of where your
(04:49):
talent level is at.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
That's really important.
And yeah, you see, a lot ofthings that happen with families
, you know, like you said,unfortunately yours was, you
know, through physical and whatwas happening, but also keeping
that mindset and that'sdifficult, especially for a kid,
I mean not knowing what to dowith some of these things.
So having someone that's amentor that can say, hey, you
(05:13):
know what, you can still getthrough this and still build
what you're looking to do, it'sthe mindset is the most
important thing.
I'm sorry about your dad, youknow, because that is rough,
especially as a kid.
But also some of these kidsstruggle with other things,
whether it be their environmentor what's transpiring, you know,
around them and they're stilltrying to push through and get
(05:33):
out and do something differentthat's meaningful and be a part
of something bigger.
And that's what I love, whatyou're offering, you know,
whether it's through yourfoundation or your camps, you're
giving these kids anopportunity to get out there and
be a part of something and beheard and seen.
You know, regardless of what'shappening in their lives.
I know you suffered through aninjury when you were doing the
(05:55):
what was it the pro day, andthat that was something.
How did you, how'd you getthrough that and be able to, to
deal and keep moving forward.
What was your mindset duringthat timeframe?
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Yeah, Um, there was one of those things where I'm so
used to dealing with adversityand dealing with life situations
to the point where I kind ofjust took it on the chin and I
already had my goal in mind andI was so focused on making that
happen to provide for my family,to get my family experience.
I was the first collegegraduate in my family.
I had to fight through that.
And then I was the firstcollege athlete, and first, you
(06:25):
know, for many things.
So I was running my 40 and Ipulled my hamstring right in the
middle of my 40.
And that kind of took a turn inall of the drills and
everything I was doing from thatpoint on.
And at that point I'm just likeyou know, I can't afford to sit
out.
I have to fight through this.
You know, not a lot of peopleget this opportunity.
It was a blessing for me toeven be there to kind of see
(06:47):
those teams that I see on TVactually now wanting to recruit
me and work out for me, and youknow things like that.
So I just kind of foughtthrough it and I was like it is
what it is Like.
You know, you got to take thison a chin.
You got to figure out what thenext step is.
You got to control youremotions.
This is a business where youdon't really get to have a lot
of emotions.
Everybody knows that, that.
You know it's a very cutthroatbusiness.
(07:07):
So I kind of just took it onthe chin and just made it work.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
You have to have a very strong mindset to be able
to do this, and that's somethingI think people need to learn
and understand and get out oftheir own head.
You know, I think a lot oftimes people are held back
because they're not in the rightmindset to say oh yes, I can do
this.
So, like Nick, you, you know, I, hey, I'm here, I've got this
opportunity, I'm going to haveto just deal with it and get
(07:34):
through it and not not let theother things get in the way of
the obstacles.
And what would you say?
That are some of the thingsthat people should look at, or I
should say, maybe the kids, orsome of these, these, these
young athletes that you'reworking with, that they have
trouble struggling through, thatthey have to get through, to go
, you know, get through,understand your goal, have your
(07:56):
purpose and have your why?
I mean, is this something thatyou do throughout your camps and
to help them with?
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Yeah, a hundred percent.
I can't.
I feel like it would beirresponsible on my end for me
to provide a resource to helpthem develop in one area of life
but not understand the reasonwhy they're doing it.
Um, because I went through thatprocess.
I had to figure out what my whywas, which is providing for my
family, making sure my dad wasokay, making sure my sister was
okay and, um, making sure mylife in the future was okay.
So I graduated with sevencollege degrees as well, two
(08:23):
bachelors and five minors.
So I had to make sure that Iimplement that side of the
academics to make sure footballdon't work out.
What's my plan B, what's theplan C, what's the different
direction which is what I'mutilizing now.
So I definitely want to instillthat.
And don't get me wrong, as asmuch help as I want to provide
these kids, I am very blunt andvery honest about the reality of
(08:45):
a lot of situations too.
I don't sugarcoat a lot, I don'thide it a lot.
I tell them exactly what it isand what the possibilities are,
no matter how harsh or how darkthey might sound.
I just give them the reality.
Because if I feel like, I feellike on my end for me to go
through what I went through,which is my dark or my
experiences.
It would be irresponsible on myend for me not to tell them
(09:07):
what the realities of you havethis situation that could be
here, but then this one could beworse and then this one could
be worse, and it all starts fromwhat you do down here and how
that foundation is built.
So I definitely teach that onboth sides of just the life side
and also the game side, of howyou take care of your body, to
how to look out for your familyand what you how to cook for
your family, like I mentor allof these kids in all different
(09:28):
realms.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Well, it's also teaching self-reliance, not only
for what they need to do intheir choices, but also, you
know, some of the obstacles thatthey're going to approach in
their life and, like you said,sometimes things don't always go
the way you think they're goingto go, but you've got to learn
to take that information andmove forward from it and then
have that skill to do it, andwhether it be a sport or a
(09:51):
business or anything else I mean.
So these are life skills thatthese kids need to learn anyway,
you know, to be able to succeedon and off a field.
And that's one of the thingsthat I love that you're doing,
because you're teaching them howto deal with adversity.
You know, and to pursueConstantly perseverance is the
most important thing we can doin our lives, because you can't
just give up and stop.
You have to keep moving forward.
(10:12):
But having the skills to dothat and that's one of the
things I love that you'rebringing to the table here Tell
us a little bit more about yourfoundation.
It means a lot to the peoplethat you're working with.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Yeah.
So my foundation I wanted toimplement obviously the side of
sports, but also allowing thesekids to also find an identity
outside of the sport as well.
I know that's not an easy topicfor a lot of kids because a lot
of kids either A don't listenor B they're just on the go 24-7
.
So I've went down the ringer oftrying to find my identity
outside of things, from justinjuries like life-threatening
(10:49):
situations, my environment, awhole bunch of stuff.
So and I thank God, you knowtruly that I've experienced some
of those things because it mademe who I am today, but I really
wanted to start showcasingthose.
Hey, if football doesn't workout or if your sport doesn't
work out, here's another routethat you can go, here's another
option that you can go.
So, for example, I'm setting upan event for kids to work with
(11:14):
a mechanic in Colorado, whereyou know they can learn how to
fix a car, they can learn aboutengines, they can learn about
how to change an oil, they cando the basic necessities of
those things.
So it's a life situation, butit's also another avenue that
you can go to.
I have kids who apply for myscholarship because I have my
scholarship foundation as well,you know, I help a kid with a
(11:35):
recruiting process and wheneverhe commits to that school I send
a thousand dollar check to thatschool.
But part of my requirement isthat you have to have three
college degree programs that youwant to study.
I don't want one undecided.
It's not going to work for me.
I want three things you seeyourself doing for the rest of
your life if your sport doesn'twork out.
I have them set up internships.
I have them set up communityservice hours to be in certain
environments excuse me, a wholebunch of stuff you know.
(12:01):
So moral of it all is I want tobe able to make sure that these
kids have an identity outsideof the sports but still identify
as a student athlete as well.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
That's great, and if you're looking to help Thomas
with his foundation, please thelink is down below I highly
recommend, please.
I'm asking you to please clickit.
Donate anything you can,because anything you can give is
going to make a change insomeone's life and this is a
great opportunity for a child toexcel and do something that
(12:26):
maybe they wouldn't have had.
So what would you say is someof the most rewarding things
that you have done?
Because I know we all have apast.
We all have something we dealwith, and you just made a very
important observation insomething that you said is that,
yes, your past happens and itdoes become the foundation and
you become grateful for it.
Sometimes, when you're goingthrough it, you're not really
(12:48):
grateful for what's happeningbecause it's difficult, but once
you realize that and you use itas a tool and an opportunity
and a foundation, you can exceland exceed from that.
But what would you say is someof the most rewarding and
amazing things that you've beenable to accomplish just because
of what's happened with you?
Speaker 2 (13:07):
I would definitely say seeing the change and
development of opportunities forthese kids.
So I just had one kid who wasextremely talented, out of
Colorado, was not gettingrecruited anywhere.
I decided to help him with therecruiting process and, sure
enough, the school that he got ascholarship to was my old
alumni at Adams State Universityin Colorado.
(13:28):
So he got a scholarship thereand then I gave him my Thomas
Reed scholarship as well.
And then another kid that Ijust happened to run into I was
talking to him and his familywas dealing with some situations
and he goes to a school wherehe's not getting recruited.
Talented kid plays both sidesof the ball like really gifted
and no school was recruiting him.
(13:48):
So I set up a meeting with himand his family, his college
success counselor, and got himcommitted to Fort Lewis in
Colorado.
So now he found a home and ifhe wasn't playing football, who
knows if he's going to collegeLike he was?
Like I don't know if I'm gonnago.
I don't know what I wanna do.
I love the game, though.
I had a college teammate of minethat I actually played with in
(14:09):
junior college that I gave myscholarship up for so he can go
to college.
I knew I wasn't going to theschool because of my family's
and my dad's health situation atthe time.
So I ended up going to schoolin Colorado and just instead of
telling the coach like hey, I'mnot going, I was like, hey,
what's going on, coach, if youneed another position, I got
some guys for you, and that'skind of how that dynamic of
helping people get recruited.
(14:30):
So I got him recruited to acollege in Nebraska.
He went through the recruitingprocess.
I went through applicationprocess with him, sending his
transcripts for him andeverything, and then he ended up
graduating college.
He got his bachelor's and nowhe's doing like film study at
Disney World and filmproductions across the country,
like seeing guys achieve thosethings.
I don't want nothing in return.
(14:51):
I just want to see those peoplebe able to have that
opportunity to present somethingto their families long-term
that my family wasn't able togive me, not by choice, but it
was just they didn't have it.
And now that I have it, I'mtrying to give back to them.
But why not make a change,doing it at the same time?
Speaker 1 (15:06):
That's pretty awesome , it really is, and I see it so
many times.
I see kids that have got someamazing talent and they're never
recruited, they're never seen,and I can think of two or three
of them.
But I've seen, and I'll giveyou an example.
I had a kicker.
He was a five-star kicker,amazing kid.
He was out there, you know,after practice every weekend and
just because he really wascommitted and just has the
(15:28):
passion to play and he dealtwith a situation where he just
wasn't being seen and wasn'tbeing helped at the high school
he was at and he was doing itall on his own but he didn't
know what to do and where to go.
Now he did end up going to acommunity college out here and
then he got picked up in Nevada,but it was a long journey.
So this is just my story andyour story, and I know there's
(15:49):
so many more out there that arelistening, that are like, yeah,
that's me, I've got all of myparents listening and going,
that's my kid, they've got allthis talent, but they don't know
where to go and what to do.
And that's what.
That's what Thomas Reed's goingto help you with, that's what
his foundation and his, hisclinics and your camps.
I mean these are, these are allthese things that are needed
(16:10):
for each and every one of thesekids, and you're hands-on and
you're doing this.
I mean that's exceptional andwe need more people like you
doing this, because there's somany out there.
So tell me where you have somecamps happening, cause I know
you're going to be a throughoutthe country, so those that are
listening you're going to belike, well, where's it going to
be?
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Yeah, so I, my first camp will be in Iowa this year.
I'm going to Iowa, doing one inAlabama, three in Colorado for
Northern Colorado, denver, andalso Southern Colorado.
Doing one in New York um andLong Island but it's open to
everybody in New York, queens,people from Albany, whoever, uh.
And then I'm doing one inHawaii.
So we're going to Kona Islandand we're going to be hosting
the camp there this summer.
That's great.
And then I'm doing one inHawaii.
So we're going to Kona Islandand we're going to be hosting a
camp there this summer.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
That's great, and this is just the beginning,
because I know you've got thingsalready set up for 2026 too,
and you're going to be able tofind all his camps again.
Those will be all in the links,but also if you listen to the
podcast, just click on his name.
That'll take you right to hiswebsite website and you can get
all the information there forall the camps and what's
happening and the ability to beable to reach out to you.
(17:15):
I'm going to let you wrap thisup.
I mean, is there anything elseyou'd like to share?
I'm just going to let you havethe field and say whatever you'd
like to share about what youhave to do or insight.
It's all yours.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Yeah, first of all, I appreciate you.
Even having me on this is trulyappreciated and it's an honor.
But yeah, if anybody wantstheir kid to develop, if they
want the resources, if they justneed some help, some education
on the college process and NILdeals, if I don't have the
answers, I will definitely forsure find the people that do
have the answers for you.
I'm not one of those that justlikes to blab, you know, talk
(17:49):
and pretend that I know things.
I really want to make sure thatyou have as much information as
possible so that way you canmake the better decisions for
your life and you know yourchild's life and careers and
such.
But I'm here to kind of justgive back and make a change.
I'm tired of seeing a lot ofthese kids with gifts just kind
of just either give up or notutilize it the way they truly
can and then they live with that.
What if?
Factor once you know the dooris closed.
(18:11):
So, yeah, if you have anyquestions, please, please, feel
free to reach out to me.
Please have your child sign upfor the camp.
My camp is open to boys andgirls.
It's co-ed, so that's alsoanother thing.
It's non-con sec.
It's about the experience.
It's about the opportunity tolearn the game and, like I said,
if there's a senior out therewho wants to play in college,
you know, apply for myscholarship.
(18:32):
You know, reach out to me.
I'll try to get you into myall-star game, whatever I can do
to kind of help you guys.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
So please feel free to reach out.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for being with us.
Thank you for doing what you'redoing.
Appreciate you.
You were definitely a gift andyou were helping so many people
and so many kids that need this,helping so many people and so
many kids that need this.
So thank you for being herewith us in our locker room and
sharing your experience and yourknowledge and your gift.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Thank you, I truly appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
All right, you guys, go out there, do what you do as
you know, be out there and doeverything strong, do it with
passion, start strong, finishstrong and dominate everything
in between.
I'm coach Mickey and you're onfourth and one mindset.
Let's go.
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