Reflections
Coach Gordon - 12/28/2008

Name: Renaud Gordon
Title: Owner and Operator of Starting 5ive Basketball Organization, Coach, Personal Basketball Trainer.


Core Focus: He is hands-on in every aspect, from conducting clinics, leading camps, and offering personal training.

Encouraging Words: "If you have a passion fueled by a purpose, you are unstoppable."


Why I Coach:  First of all I love to teach the game of basketball and I love seeing results from hard work. Years ago I recall two players in the 8th grade who were excellent basketball players. Both had dreams of playing in the NBA some day. They turned into rivals during the summer. They chased the dream every day. Both played the same position, both were the same size, both came from tough family backgrounds. These two were born with unbelievable talent. When they went head to head it was a match-up made in heaven. Schoolyards were packed outside the fence 4-5 deep. They passed, shot and were a joy to watch. They ran the floor, pushed the ball in transition and looked like magicians. They defended, pressuring the ball, picking pockets and displaying cat-like quickness. No worrying about rankings, points scored, brand of sneakers on their feet, gear, money, or what agent was going to sign them.

When it was time to attend high school, these two players chose their schools and things went north for one player and south for the other.

One player worked very hard; his work ethic increased every time I saw him. He worked morning noon and night. He lifted weights, ran, worked on his shooting, worked on his dribbling and played in as many leagues, tournaments and AAU games as possible. When this player was a sophomore in high school, every big-time college wanted him. He later went on to play college basketball and is currently an NBA player.

            The other player stopped working as hard; he had a good high school career but didn’t have discipline.  He stopped going to class, jumped from school to school and never graduated college.  His competitive spirit cracked.  He and ran the streets and no one heard from him ever again. That player was me, I had all the talent a phenomenal highly recruited by every major D1 university my high school team was ranked in the top 10 my junior and senior year and I didn’t have the guidance or the discipline to make it happen in a sport that has done so much for me. Now I have the opportunity to give back and guide young student athletes down the right path.

I’m sure there are stories all over America like that. But it doesn’t have to be that way? What made one player, with a bright future, fall off the face of the earth? What made the NBA player pursue his dream and work hard 24-7?

Attitude: Confidence-motivation-How bad they want it.

Hard work: Lunch pail and hard-hat-strength training-speed training.

Talent: Worst thing in life is wasted talent. The great, help others become great.

Teamwork: No ‘I’ in team. Makes players around them better

The 4 D’s: Dedication-Discipline-Determination-Desire.

Laser-Like Focus: Mental toughness

Courage: Act like a man, not a child. No excuses!

Pride: There’s a reason why they keep score.