Today we’d like to introduce you to Xavier Brown.
Hi Xavier, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
To start off, I’d like to say that I never in my dreams thought I would ever be featured in a magazine. I just wanted to be great at my craft and change people’s lives. I would never have made it were it not for the people around me and for the athletes and parents that have trusted me along this journey. I’m thankful for the highs and the lows and all the love in between. I got started as a Performance Trainer five years ago. I was never the fastest, tallest or quickest basketball player on the court, so I had to train to keep up. I would wake up 5am everyday to go to the gym, hit the court and then after an hour of skills I would go lift just for an opportunity to walk-on at a division one school at The University of South Florida. One day, someone saw me and asked me to train him.
From that point on, my entire life changed and he became the first player I ever trained. I knew I needed to get better and I needed a mentor, so I messaged and emailed every strength coach I could. I must have sent over 300 messages before I got a response from my mentor, Michael Butler. He took me under his wing, and from that point momentum carried me forward. I ended getting an opportunity as an intern at USF before I got my first Head strength and conditioning position. Fast forward a year, and I’m working as one of the first-ever Strength & Conditioning coaches at Lake Erie College. But I wasn’t finished there. I knew I wanted to create my own opportunity and train my own athletes my own way, and I knew I would have my pick of the litter in California as far as basketball players were concerned. The opportunity came sooner than expected! I get a call from an old colleague, next thing I know I get offered to work as a Performance Coach for an online training company called Future! Not only were they an amazing company dedicated to the most-personalized online training experience ever, they also gave me the chance to work to build my own brand; it was the stability and flexibility I needed.
I packed everything into my car and drove 30+ hours to San Francisco from Cleveland, Ohio. I knew it was now or never, and I was prepared for the opportunity. Fast forward to March of 2020, and I finally get my chance; a skills trainer needed a performance coach for his gym for his players. We met through a mutual player, and from there we became business partners. My company, Basketball&Barbells Performance, LLC, became a reality and I was able to work not only with NBA & WNBA players, but I also partnered with the Women’s Universal Basketball Association, a professional women’s basketball league in Oakland, and got my first taste of working with a professional organization. And this is only the beginning. I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve earned, but I’m more excited for what’s to come! Stay Relentless.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
There were times I had no money to really get a place to sleep; I just slept in the car. There were days I’d only have a couple of hundred dollars in my account and had to eat protein bars for breakfast or dinner. And we all know about Covid; the virus came through and made me have to get creative with my gym space! I had to shut down the gym, train outside, Zoom training, you name it. But it all made me resilient and made me appreciate what I have.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m known for Strength & Conditioning and Performance Training, but in my opinion what really sets me apart is my creativity and the fact that I played and understand basketball. I train any and every athlete, but basketball has a special place in my heart. People mainly come to me though for injury prevention and injury rehabilitation. I’ve had my fair share of ACL & MCL rehabs, and as I continue to learn & grow, I hope I can become known as the trainer who gives players a second chance at a career after major injuries.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love the people and the food! I hate the traffic though. But it’s hard to be annoyed with traffic when it’s 82 degrees and sunny year-round.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.bballbarbells.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesportzgeek/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Xthesportzgeek
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwLxd0x-14YFLsZ7yAmOkHg
Image Credits
Terrance Ching Cyrus Gomez
