KJ Live - Jerica Williams

at Wynward High School. Let's welcome in Jericho Williams to the show. Jericho. Hello, Hi, thanks for having me. Thanks for having us in your world, in your zone. I appreciate it. I know you're a busy lady to make time for something like this, I truly appreciate it. Um. We're excited to kind of find out your about your journey and can obviously talk about your your president, coaching job and when we're but I want to get started before we get into all that. I want. I want

to introduce you to my audience. This is something we do here at kJ live. We go back. Um. I think people get um some value out of understanding where a person has come from to understand who they are now. Um, if you don't mind, where were you born in the city, like the area, the neighborhood. Yeah, a lot of people don't know this, But I was actually born in Albany, Oregon, which is a small town. Uh, right outside of Salem, so about the hour south of Portland's but like right

in the middle of Oregon and Oregon State. Um Civil War countries. Yeah, um, super super super small town. Um. We lived there for until I was seven or eight, and then we moved to San Diego because my mom got accepted into a master's program and my dad it

was like okay, like here we go. So he went ahead and got in a car and went and lived in a hotel for three months and then found us a house and we moved and they're still living in the same neighborhood that we moved to San Diego that we originally moved to San Diego back in however or whatever it was. So, but I so I grew up in San Diego. How WoT I tell peop? What? So I'm from um Spring Valley, which is like southeast San Diego. Um, what I'd like to say, Like I grew up on

like the hill above the hood. So like like I went to all inner city schools, but like my little neighborhood was like kind of the hill above, you know, where all the stuff happened. Um, but yeah, that's where I'm from. Okay, sounds similar to um, kind of Viewpark where I grew up. And then you have South Central and Crunch show, like we're right up on the hill,

but we're like three minutes away from the action. When you said Southeast, it reminded me of my boy Jelanie McCoy because he used to write that on his shoes. He's from San Diego. I think he might be from the Southeast area. Is that where like Hoover is And yeah, it's the hood San Diego, Like that's where the hood is A yeah, exactly, exactly. So yeah. So so okay, so Southeast. Now what did your parents do? You said your mom got accepted to masters, so she was, uh

in academics or what was going on her? And what was your dad involved in? So they actually good question. I actually both got their masters in psychology. Um. So my dad was in uh juvenile delinquency. He got masters from San Diego State, and then my mom got her masters and then went for her PhD UM in Marriage and Family THERAPI. So always tell people, you know, part of like my coaching expertise and why I'm so good with people, or so I've heard, is because I was

raised by psychologists. So I mean it was connect with people on a different level. But um So, now, my mom when she was in her PhD program, she actually got into insurance to help. She was a young mom. She had me a nineteen UM and so she needed to you know, survive and UM, so she took off in the insurance world. So now she's the VP of

Alliance Insurance Group. UM. And my dad he's retired now, but he was like in UM like Polinski Center, like Foster Homes, like he was the director of all that stuff. So he worked with at risk youth UM and helped and he really was able to connect with them and and you know, he became like a second father and to a lot of those people who were in the system. UM. But he's retired now, so they like to my mom

still working, but she's a boss boss. So they go out and they got their motorcycle license and they just ride up and down the coast of California. So they're in their third chapter now, the thought the hook, that's what That's where I want to be someday, Chill retired. Let me let me ask you this about your dad and what he was doing with at risk kids. Were you ever like around did he take you to like, you know, camps or hang out with the kids, and if when you did go to those situations, what did

what did you learn or how did it affect you? Yeah? Good question. Uh. He took me to UM the court like. He took me to the juvenile center, so I got to walk through that. He took me to the court when he had to sit UM with his it's UM. He took me to UM like where they housed the foster kids. And I remember walking through the juvenile center and I was like scared, and I remember him telling me like, don't be like, don't be afraid. These are

just people, you know UM. And so I think, and my dad is from the hood, you know, like he grew up you know, game and all of that and found his way. But he really want I feel like he really wanted to show me like the two separate ways that I could go UM. And so I was really able to internalize that, but also see how he impacts people and how like let's humanize everybody, you know what I mean, Like just because they're in juvenile hall or made these decisions doesn't make them less of people.

And I think that that's what I was able to take away, um the most, going with him in those situations. Yeah, I had the opportunity to work at a foster home in college that was years old somewhere around there. But I have to go every weekend, you know, two days.

I think I worked like four hours a day, UM, And it was an amazing experience because once you step foot in there, you realize that these kids who look like you, your age or you know, and do the same things and like the same things you like, or a lot less fortunate than you, and you you realize like, dang, I got a lot, or I'm blessed or you know these things that I consider issues or stuff I'm tripping about.

Basically I kind of started to change my perspective a little bit, and it was it was I would say it was a life changing the experience for me. UM. That's that's I can see why, Um it shaped you and it's affected you, and to come from that stock of dealing of dealing with those type of personalities and those beings, if you will, that's just that's like special people. It's not it's not something that's easy to do. What

basketball at this time on your radar at all. So in a good segue from my dad, So I got introduced to basketball. I was always like an athlete. I love baseball. Baseball is my first four I was a picture on all boys team like so, I was always athletic. Um one of my friends when I was in fifth grade, she came to me and she was like, hey, I don't want to be the only girl in this free throw shooting contest? Will you come with me? I was

horrible at bosby, no interest in basketball at all. I was in fifth grade and I made like two out of five, which was enough to advance. And so we go to like the regional thing and I made like one out of twelve and I didn't like to lose. And my dad took me out back and he goes, hey, do you want to win this thing? And I was like yeah, Like so he lined me up. He was like, look, put your foot right here, put your elbow right here, and just hold your hand like that when you shoot

the ball. And I went back in and I made eleven out of twelve, and then I went back to school. I'm like, hey, I want to play this, like play with the boys at recess. I'm gonna figure it out. And then somebody came to the elementary school and was handing out flyers to play for the local rec league. And I took it home to my parents and they tell me. Now, They're like, look, this league costs like fifty dollars and for us back then, that was a lot of money. But this is what you wanted to do.

And uh so I went and I signed. They signed me up, and I got a really good coach and I won like it was like basically all boys, like I was one of the only girls, and uh I got a really good coach and he really saw something in me and was very fundamental, and I won the Most Improved Player my first year, and then my second year I won m v P over all the boys. So they still give me a hard time with that now because some of them are in the NFL and

like these high level athletes. Um So I was like, man, but you won m VP that year, you know. So that was that was where it all started. But so my dad, Um, I think I had a spark in me somewhere, but I think my dad taking me outside, like hey, do you want to win? That's that's where it all started. So it was over the free throw contest. And so let me ask you this, if you wouldn't have made eleven out of twelve, would would we even

know you today? Or would you have took it like a completely different career pass softball, I don't know, you know, some other track or or something like that. That's a good question maybe, But my my gut reaction to you was like I wouldn't have not made a leven out of twelve just because of the way my dad hadn't stilled that mentality in me, you know, like there was no way I was gonna miss. Like we're very my family's very vision like visionaries, um, and if we want something,

we're gonna go get it. And so whether it would have been basketball or something else, but there was always something about basketball, it felt natural to me, and I think that that was just the spark. Do you have any favorite players at this time that you looked up to or were you just locked in on learning this game. Loving this game kind of being local at your spots, you're not really tripping on all that. Yeah, I didn't

even know what basketball like. I saw people play it, but I had no knowledge of it at all, so I didn't know who was good who wasn't. I think I had heard of Michael Jordan at a point um. And then when I really got put on was when I think I was like eleven maybe, and my brother took me to see Loving Basketball whenever that came out, and I was like, oh, Magic Johnson. Like, so then I started to like, Pistol Pete is somebody that I did research on, like, so I started to seek stuff out.

But at the very very beginning, it was literally like, should to practice because it's exciting to be here, and I want to be a contributor to the team, and I want to learn the sport. And then I think as I started to fall in love with the game, then I started to pay attention and do some intentional research on the types of players that were out there.

But that didn't come until later. I would say, like middle like in the middle school, high school is when I really started to find people that inspired me in the basketball world. Yeah, and so when you got to middle school, you knew and you had goals kind of set on, Hey, I want to be a Division one college basketball player. Or did you have goals outside of basketball that you were you were focused on. That's such a good question. Uh, I didn't have a desire to.

I was so focused on the process, which is interesting because that's how I coach now. So it's really this is really a good conversation that we're having in this particular moment um. I was so focused on the process. And then when I got to high school, my parents would tell me this, that's that's when college became an option. So it wasn't like it is now where like the w b A was on TV all the time, like that's you know, social media, Like we didn't have any

of that. I have what was in my neighborhood. So I would go to the park to the y m c A, and I would just play, And that was the most exposure that I really had to the game. So once I figured out, like, oh, if you're good enough you can play basketball, you can continue to play basketball, right Like, I didn't learn about getting scholarships and all

of that until later. Once I figured it out. I started to watch college basketball, and I loved Duke like I loved Elaine and Beard at Duke like she could do it all. And then, um, I got really good, like like it started high school. I got really good and I worked really hard, and I started to get like letters from con and Vanderbilt and Duke, and I was like, oh, okay, this is this is getting interesting. And then I remember I went and visited Duke my

junior year and I didn't like it. Like I was like, oh this is you know, I don't want to do this anymore. But I didn't want I didn't want to go to this school. But and this is important, in fifth grade, I gave a speech in my fifth grade graduation. This is right when I started to like basketball, and I had said I'm gonna go to U c l A and play basketball. Um, but I forgot that I said that. So then what I like, what's going through my recruiting process and U c l A ultimately ended

up being where I landed. My dad reminded me like, hey, you you sproke this into fruition back when you first started playing the game. Um, so to answer your question now that that really didn't I was so focused on the process, man, that that all that stuff came as like, oh, like okay, this is this is what we're doing next,

and so that's kind of how it transpired. That's that's that's a very cool breakdown of how because I wondered because a lot of times when you aren't even in tune with the noise surrounding like rankings and basically your competition, you don't know who it is, you're not You're just locked in on your process and you pushing yourself. I used to kind of live that existence a little bit

with my dad growing up. We were kind of off in bell Air, so he kind of had you know, he was trying to make an NBA comeback, but he so he had workout stuff and we're you know, far away. We lived on a private road, so it was hard, you know, twenty an hour to get there. So it's like I was just on the workout. I was running hills, swimming in the pool, riding the bike and not really so. But but when I got out and kind of thrown to the wolves and kind of got around other people competition,

it wasn't that fear factor that's associated. It wasn't that did you experience the same thing I did. I'll never forget I was in and uh. Two examples. One, I was in eighth grade and they put me in the what it was called the Super sixty. It was in San Diego, and I was like all these top players and my coach at the time was like, we're just gonna put you in it. I was like, okay, cool. And it was like Kendice Wiggins was in it, Charlie Houston was in it, like right, and I'm in eighth grade.

But to your point, because I had that mentality of like, oh, I'm just hooping, I think there was kind of that moment like right when I walked in and I knew who they were, but I didn't compare myself to them necessarily, like I wasn't working to be better than them. I just wanted to be the best version of myself. Man. I went out there and killed and I'll never get like an hour and got buckets like it was. It

was a fun time. And then the I can't remember the other example, I was gonna get but no, so I never really felt oh. And then the other one was I was playing AU it was like I was I was a freshman going into my sophomore year, and I was playing up. I was playing with a lot of juniors and seniors, and like Yukon was watching, like you know, was in the building, Pat, someone was in the building. We're playing against this high level team, and

something happened. I win, I got fout, they got a technical. So I got to shoot six free throws in a row and I made it all. But it was like there was no one on the line. The gym was quiet at all of six free throws. That's when I that's when I got put on everybody's list. Was that that moment. So to answer your question, no, never, I'm grateful that I didn't grow up in this generation where the competition is like placed in front of you all the time. You know what I mean. It's hard to

just compete against you. It's harder to just compete against yourself. UM, So I'm grateful that back then, that's that's really what I feel like I was I was doing. Yeah, I was locked in. I was a lot like you when you're just locked in with the competition against yourself, or that competition, not even the competition, but that that one inside of used to like show your dad, or show your mom, or prove to your to your your parents. Me, it was it was my dad. I wanted to show

him that, you know, I was ready. I was out here doing it because he talked everything up. You know, he get me all hype. You know, you got so and so tonight. Man, Hey, man, I don't know. Man, he's really good. You know, he's just always, you know, making it like everybody was better than me. So whenever i'd go because he's like, man, they don't know you, man, you haven't been on the scene. What you gonna do. So he would really psych me up. And I get out there and I just try to be an animal.

I try to get thirty rebounds, twenty five points and just and just be absolutely nuts to two more points. And then I wanted to segue off into your U c L. A experience that albeit the brief one um Elena Beard has been on this show. She currently is involved with the group that is trying to bring a w NBA for franchise to the city of Oakland. And so I had her on thirty minutes, and uh, we talked about it. So she is a friend of the show.

It was it was, yeah, I'll send you the link to the episode when she was dope, she broke it down. It was a quick, quick interview, but she was gracious enough to appear on the show. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com and within the I Heart Radio app search f s R

to listen live. The other thing I forgot, but I want to talk about u c l A. You wrote as a five as in the fifth grade that your dream school was u c l A. So when and who was recruiting you at the time. Who recruited you to go to u c l that First of all, Kathy Olivier coach Olivier. So Cathy Olivier, um when she you first heard for her from her or when she first offered you just described that moment? Was it a phone call? Was it in person? When she at your game?

Described the moment when you first got offered to go to u c l A. Yeah, Well, interestingly enough, so they didn't come into the picture until late Okay. And like I said, I had said I play into the sea, that I wanted to go to u c l A. And then I forgot, So by the time I was being actively recruited by all these people. U c l A was not my dream school at that time. So like it took my parents bringing it back to my attention. Um,

it's crazy how powerful seeds are. And you know. Anyways, so my coach at the time was like, Jericho, U c l A is looking for a point guard. So when you go out here, I don't want you to look to score. I want you to look to pass. I was not a point guard. I was a shooting guard. Like, passing me the ball, I'm going to score. Um, But I thought, but I listened. Um, this was the last tournament of my junior year, going into my senior year, so this is the last viewing tournament. They saw me,

she liked me. They offered me a visit. So I came and visited, and as I was leaving, Um, we were driving back to San Diego when she called and she was like, hey, we want to offer you a full scholarship. I'm gonna be honest. When I went to the campus, I didn't love it, Like I was what

was it? What was it? What was it? It wasn't the campus, it was I didn't connect with the coaches and stuff you know, um, and and I was being recruited by uh St John's in New York, and I connected with those coaches, like so I had a comparison. And I wasn't like sold on St. John's or anything, but I was like like and people know who go through the recruiting process, like when you know, you know

it's true. And so I didn't feel super connected, but I remember my parents feeling so being so excited, like like our daughter just got offered to u c l A. And like that you know as U c l A, Like that's all you gotta say. Um. So I wasn't super excited. I'm gonna be honest, But I went through the process and we got to the point where I

was trying to make a decision. And a lot of people do not know this story, but it's important for people who are being recruited to here, Like we got to the point where we're gonna make a decision, and my parents really didn't support me. I wanted to go to St. John's and my parents didn't support that. They wanted me to go to u c l A. And I met my press conference and Chris, I'm at the podium like with the same I'm like, I'm ready to put the St. John's hot I'm going to St. John's.

And then I look at my mom and I see her face and I'm like, U c l A. I'm just like whatever, um so, but I think that speaks to so when I went to U c l A. And I might be moving along, um your question. But when I went to U c l A. I resented being there, you know what I mean, and so it was harder for me to work hard like So that's that's when it really I struggled, and that's why the stint was so short, because I didn't go in there with the right mentality. Yeah, so you made a decision

based on not disappointing your parents. That's that's amazing. It's funny. When I had the opportunity to get recruited and choose between U c l A. I think it was Washington State, Arizona State, Cornell, and I could have been like a walk on at Duke. I kind of had that thought in my head. I knew my grandparents, you know, I love my grandmother, love us my dad obviously, you know he was the U c l A. Guy. There's a

lot of pressure that was there associated with that. And it's u c l A. So on the girl's side of the boys, that doesn't matter. It's u c l A one of the just premier spots for college that you could ever get the opportunity to go to. So I totally get it. I totally understand. But when you're not in your heart isn't into something Jericho, it's it's not gotten. Typically it does not work out. When you bounced from u c l A, did you consider going to any other programs or who were the programs that

you're you're considering transferring to. Well, I mean I read you back out to St. John's, but you know things you know like, well, we don't need your position now what ever the case? And me so San Diego State, um so, Beth Burns was the coach at Sanego State at the time and they were rebuilding. She was in like her second or third year, and she had been ed. I remember she saw me play when I was in the eighth grade or ninth grade, and she had made it off like known to me like she so I

remembered her. So when um we didn't have the transfer portal back then, when it became known that I was transferring, um, she reached out. She came into a home visit, and I'll never forget like she told me the story when she saw me play my freshman year, and like she could tell me that she knew things about me that Cathy Olivier didn't know. So that connection, I was like, Oh, this is what I want to play for. This person knows me, she knows I'm a shooter, she knows my

person game, knows your game. You could bring up moves you made, remembers you know this, and that that and this. I get it all that. So I was like, you know what, I don't want to go. I didn't like the recruiting process, so I wasn't about to go on five more visits or anything like that. So I'm like, look, this is close to home to like I wanted to go to New York with I'm like, I want to be where I feel like I can excel in basketball.

And so people ask you, Oh, if you have to make the decision again, would you do it the same life the profound part of Jericho. Yeah, because life wouldn't have transpired the way life that's inspired to. But if I'm if I'm and follow your heart and all of those things. Absolutely, but I've made a basketball decision. If I were to have made a life decision, I would have stayed at U c l A. You know, Yeah,

that's a tough decision. I mean, the people don't understand what well not people, the general public doesn't understand what it's like when you're a student athlete and you have a choice, when it's a school that's known for that particular sport and it could be known for other things, are not known for other things. You could have. Like me, Cornell was my life decision. Let me just cut to the chase. I was like, I need to make the

life move. Ivy League this thing and just average like a dub a year every year, starting as a freshman. You know, I'm coming in, I'm getting all the shots. And that's kind of what I was on what I was presented with. But ultimately like and then Washington State was another scroll seriously considering because of one thing. Coach Calvin Sampson. Um. Yeah, he's the head coach in Houston. But this guy is a master recruiter. I mean, I mean he he was on my horn every day at

the same time. That's back when they used to hit you up all the time. You can have them long conversations with coaches. I think it might have been like that with you a little bit with some of the stitches, but coaches could just hit you up. You be on the phone for an hour. Like my stepmother used to come in, Hey, Chris, I need the phone. It was like, call you coach, let me call you back. But you know what I'm saying, it was those those are really

good times. Um, you had to you flourished. Did you let me ask you this? How would you describe? Now you go to San Diego State? How would you describe the Beth Burns knows you, she's familiar with your game. You're back in the San Diego area. How would you describe that experience of San Diego State? Man, it was hard.

It was hard because it was new. Um, and she pushed me like at the time, at the time, I didn't understand what it meant to be, like really pushed, you know, like with all due respects that Cathy oliviad like that wasn't her strength. Like she was more of a people person. Coach. Beth Burns was a she was a winner like she was mental toughness, like that's it, that's what we're here to do. And I wasn't um

as mentally tough as I thought. But she saw something in me that I didn't see him myself yet, and so I responded initially, really well, I worked really hard. I came back fifteen pounds lighter, um, earned a starting spot, like was averaging a double double in the first five games. And then then I got bingched And there was really no other reason other than like she told me, she was like, we just think we for the team. We just want you to come off the bench. And I

was so. I was, however, nineteen twenty years old, and I didn't know how to process, how to embrace that role after working so hard and earning my spot, right, so it felt like it was, well, my hard work doesn't pay off like so that didn't. I didn't understand it, um, and so I built up some resentment to her, I think, and I didn't have the pieces around me at the time to bring myself out of that, so I never

fully recovered UM. And then that's uh, so I it took the love out of the game for me, you know, And that's that's ultimately why like I made the decisions to leave San Diego State early. Um, I I had like three more months left in the season, and there was just like this breaking point for me that I felt like I was totally losing myself. Um, and I just didn't love the game. It was hard for me to wake up every day knowing that I had to

go to practice like it was hard. Um. And so I made the decision to to not to not do it anymore, you know. And that's but then fast forward, that's been something I held on too, because I'm like, Damn, I was a quitter right like, even though I feel like I made the best decision that was right for me at the time, I'm like, you quit still, and um, I can tell you I've never quit anything again after that.

But what I did do maybe five years down the line, I think I had my son and you know, perspective change for me and stuff. And I reached out to her and I was like, I asked her, what, like, why was she so hard on me? And then I thanked her for being hard on me because it prepared me so much for life in a way that I

didn't see back then. Um. But Her response to me was like, look, I gave it to you because I knew that you can handle it, right, Like my delivery may not have been the best, but I knew that you can handle it. And I saw something in you that you didn't see in yourself, and I wanted to bring that out, Like I knew that you could be great, and you didn't see it the way that I saw it. So we were able to connect and find the value

in that experience. You know what I mean? That really is gonna last me a lot longer than you know, any other lesson honestly that I've had in my life. Yeah, you hear you hear about. I had to call them horror stories between coaches and former players at times, especially when there's a falling out, especially when someone is perceived too had quit, either the coach or the player. UM

be able to reconcile that. But I think the key thing here and I wanted to ask you about this is something you keep saying and I feel like it's important in your current role. Um, she you said she saw something that you didn't see in yourself. How important in coaching is that to identify what which players can take it? And which can Yeah, good question. Um, that's where I think relationships matter, right, Like, I think that that's she didn't She wasn't the best at well, I

should say, her strength was not connecting on a relational level. Right, So she knew how to push you, she knew how to trigger you, but there was never a conversation. Go ahead, you want to say something. I was gonna say that when you have a person that pushes you all time but doesn't kind of balance it out with the build up before the building, wasn't that describe it? Okay? Correct? Correct? And so I think that that's where I found the balance of Like Kathy Olivier was really good at that,

she was really good at the relationship. Beth Burns is really good at the like physical mental aspect. And so I feel like I learned how to be somewhere in the middle, you know, like I have to communicate prior to enduring with my student athlete why I'm doing this right. And then I also helped them This is where psychologists parents come into play. I also help them like almost make them feel like they're seeing it for themselves. So it's not oh, hey I see this, it's like, hey,

let's pull back the layers a little bit. Really, what do you see that you just don't know that you that you have yet but you but it's in you somewhere. And so it's almost like this reverse psychology a little bit. But when we can but when players know that you care, like when I tap in with my players and about you know one of my players right now, she's a she paints and like no one knew that she paints, and she's legit, and so she sends me her paintings all the time now and it's a way that we

can connect. So now when we're on the court, I'm like, yo, we're staying here until you make whatever whatever, or hey, you're not going hard. She responds better because she knows that I care. And so I think that finding that and you don't always get it right as a coach, but you try, you know what I'm saying. You try. My my philosophy has has been I want to be to these young women the woman that I didn't have growing up. I had a mom, I had a grandma,

but I didn't have like an older sister. I didn't have an auntie. I didn't have a female coach. Um that could pour into me in a way that was so relatable, And that's what I want to be to these young women, like, hey, I see you, and I'm not just gonna like just beat you down to try to bring you back up. I'm gonna let you know what I see, how how we're gonna and how we're gonna do this together so that you can be the best version of yourself now in down the line. Yeah.

Ye shoot, hey, I've been like going rest of suicide right now. No. No, but the relationship part, I think you described it perfectly. When they know you care. Um a mentor of mine. Uh, Ed Waters my dad's best friend. He's the love him. Yeah. Yeah, he's currently the head

coach prunch on High. But he um he had said up told me something on Twitter where he mentioned something about just how love at the core of coaching and and and the inner person relationship when you have a mentor, if there's love and love presents itself in different shapes, forms and fashions. You know, if you have love at that core in that relationship with the player, and you know it doesn't have to need this intense love, but they know, like love, caring is part of love. You

know what I'm saying. So if they know you care, then they're gonna respond even on your bad days, even on your worst days, staying on your coaching, I wanted to I wanted to segue and discuss some of your accolades that you've done. I mean, obviously after San Diego State, I can go through your your history Amountain, gil Preston, Wood, Harvard, west Lake. But then I really wanted to just hone

in on Detroit Country Day. I felt like I wanted to hear the story about how you got that opportunity and just talk a little bit about that incredible two year run that you had out there. Yeah, thank you. Uh So I was coaching at CALS Northridge and COVID HIT and so my son. So I was a single parent, UM and when my son he was turning seven, his dad is from and lives in Detroit, UM, and we were like, you know, his time for him to go live there, Like he just needs to be with his dad.

And uh So he went out there and I couldn't get on a plane because COVID HIT and I didn't see my son for five months. And yeah, with that, the longest you guys had ever been a part easy so it looks look look if that brought up So that brought out up? Sorry yeah, so um and but four, I was like, man, I would never move to Detroit until I'm five months five months and I can't see

my baby. Then I'm you know, So I started to look for opportunities because there's nothing in the world more important than being near my child for me and for him at this point, um and So I looked for opportunities, and I knew I was ready to be a head coach. It's funny because when I was in he Sun, I had said talking about them speaking things into fruition. I said. I was like, man, I want to be a head coach. My next thing. I want to be a head coach

at the top private school. And I wasn't looking for it, but I planted that seed. So then when it was time to when it was time to look for opportunities in Detroit, Detroit Country day was open. Um. So I reached out. I applied. Um, I went through the process. I got it, and you went through the you went through the normal, regular, the regular process. No, I'm just curious. I'm just curious because a lot of times for those type of situations, it's surprising that you would as an outsider,

so to speak. I mean, you must have really impressed the heck out of that administration. That's my point for saying all this to come from. You know you're working. Talk to me, let me yes, no, you're right. Same thing with Windward. I went through the regular process. I didn't have an end. I didn't know anybody there. Um So a Country Day was that same, and people at Country Day say that, Like people at Country Day when I was there, they'd be like, how did you get

the job? And I got a point and they're like, okay, yeah, but how did you get it? Like who do you know? And day? Like But and I'll say this, Chris, I don't apply like a normal person, like when I want something like the free throw contest. When I want something, I leave no stone unturned, like my focus is here, I have no distractions. Um And and so my cover letter, my resume, like it stands out like it's gonna stand

out if it's if it's what I want. And I only go after things that I want at this point in my life. So I got it. Um So, what do you want to know about Country day specifically because it was it was it was a good journey. The challenge, Well, you followed the well I believe you. You were following a person, Frank Orlando, that had won thirteen state championships. Okay, they were coming. You were coming off a two win season when you got the job. So Frank Orlando, he

was there for forty years. He was there, he's the most winningest coach in Michigan basketball history. Um and he had retired and then his assistant coach took over for two years, and they had won a total of four games in those two years. After that coach had left. Um So I was acquiring the team that had won a total of four games in two years. And there were sophomores at this point. So no, so I had one sophomore because everyone else who was on the team

didn't like basketball, like they were just like whatever. So I acquired all freshmen, one sophomore, and one senior who had never played. She was just really tall, really long. She had been on the team, but she never played. Um So, there was no like, let me see who I can get in. It was like, look, it was

my first guy coaching job. I'm like, we're gonna roll with what we got, like I'm you know, I'm a coach, and uh, they bought I had all freshman, so they bought an easy you know what I mean, Like they were excited to just be part of something. And um, I only had two or three people who had played basketball before. Everybody else was like softball, soccer. Um. But I had open tryouts and I was very diligent in

my staff. I was lucky to hire a phenomenal staff. UM, but I was very diligent in like I'm hiring the people. I'm not hiring, I'm I'm selecting the players did not necessarily stand out because of skill, but this showed me good character, UM and the intangibles. That was it. That was all I was looking for. UM. I said no to a couple of players that just had bad attitude, but they could hoop a little bit. I said no to them. So we rolled with nine UM one senior,

one sophomore, and the rest were freshmen. And we I don't know who wasn't. I know, people were not anticipating us to do what we did, but we beat a lot of people we weren't supposed to be and we

went further than anybody thought we were gonna go. So then that next year, UM, year two, they were all sophomores, one junior, no seniors, UM, some returners, mostly returners obviously, and then I think I had like one or two new I had three new freshman UM one of them that contributed a lot, and we actually lost like we

were fifty. We were we were at five hundred going into the playoffs, and I remember saying to them, I was like, in my mind, I'm like, if we if we went out, we will have won fifteen total games in the year. So I think we had seven. We're like seven and seven. It's horrible, totally different experience, same team, totally different experience. So that was my thing, is like, well,

I know it's how we end. I believe what I believe, but it's harder to motivate a team that like has lost like they had one and then they had then they were losing. So I was like, all right, everybody right, fifteen on their wrists and no one knew why. Oh they were like, coach, what are we doing. I'm like, just do it, just do it, just do it, just do it. Time went on. Chris. I think it was like third game man. I'm like, look, this is what the number fifteen means. So we were at like ten

and seven at that point, and we just kept winning. Um, it was we just we just kept winning and we ended up with fourteen wins, which you know, so two totally different seasons, um, but similar outcomes. So yeah, it's I mean two district and regional championships, state semis at Michigan State. Uh so you guys played in the Breslin Center or the place for Michigan State place. That must have been a pretty nice experience to take for the young ladies too. They probably didn't expect that to happen

in there two year especially after the losing seasons. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com and within the I Heart Radio app search f s R to listen live. How difficult was it for you to say goodbye to that team, to those people, that community after achieving such like just out of out of no unexpected success, how did how hard is it to say goodbye to that Well, it's definitely see you later,

not goodbye. Um, but there was a lot of tears, uh. I didn't cry too much, not because I wasn't sad, but it was more like numb to the situation because it wasn't just them. It wasn't just the Troy Country. Day was all my son that I was moving away from because he stayed. He's there full time with his dad, so I get to see him a lot, but not I'm not down the street anymore. Um. So I was processing a lot of that. But there were a lot

of tears. You know. It showed me, um the impact, because I know the impact that they had on me. But what I didn't realize was the impact I had on them, because they were They wrote me letters and a lot of things came out that they had never said. You know, I think that they anticipated that I'd be there at least through their career. Um. But I think that the feedback I got from the administrators, a couple of administrators cried um, and from the parents, man like,

just like you you changed our daughter. Uh. And it was just like that's what it was about. It had nothing to do with basketball, you know. And so for me, my my intention when letting them know that I was leaving was like I'm always here, Like I'm gonna be your coach forever. So like within the last week, I've faced times with four of them that are out there, because I would be a hypocrite if I say I'm a relational coach and I don't maintain relationships with the

players that I've coached. I have a former player coming to interview with me this week. I gave a letter of recommendation to one of the players I coached at Preston Wood. Like it it's it's a lifetime thing, um, And so my job is to continue to pour into them. And so I knew there was an opportunity for them as young women to grow right. Like, I definitely threw them some adversity with me leaving, but I know that they're going to be so much better because of it.

But it was it was an easy and when weard made it an easier transition, you know what I'm saying, Like to know where I was going, um, definitely made it made the blow a little easier. But I know that then my girl's back in Detroit and my family's back in Detroit felt it. But I was able to garner relationships that really, like will last a life time. So I was just really excited that I got the

opportunity to do that. Absolutely, And what type of roster or what state of the program is Whenward in as you inherit are you are named a head coach? Yeah, so when we're so when we went to the Division one state championship this year, Um, their former coach is the Phoenix Mercury head coach. That yeah, so something different than a team with two wins. But you know, I

think it's one just full transparency. It was valid for me that like, oh, you're ready for something of this stature, right, Like you're ready for something of this stature, um, because the same things apply, right, Like I'm following a coach.

That's amazing, I've done that before. Um. And I understand how to honor the people who came before and the program, the legacy that is Winward or the legacy that is Detroit Country Day and still understand that it's a new era, you know, and be able to contribute to that new era. So um, yeah, no, it's it's it's the roster is

we lost three seniors. Um. But like I tell our players now, like, man, it's a clean slate to be honest, I haven't seen them play in person once I saw him play on you know, on the computer, but I haven't seen him in the gym, um, and so it's a clean slate for me. So I'm excited to see, um what they could do. When you go in your one and set the foundation for your program, established the culture all that is it something that is there a manual you have that you kind of blueprint you take.

It doesn't matter what your situation is, You're gonna coach in that situation the same or do you go by sort of you you look at your roster you kind of say, okay, well I can rock, I can get out, I can get down like this with this crew, but this crew may not and I might not be able to get down with Or is it just that blueprint? Hey, no matter what crew it is, this is what time it is, and this is what we how we're doing it. Good question. I think it's a little bit of both.

I think you have to know, you know, one of the the first thing that I did when I got on campus was conducted with everybody individually, you know, um, because while they're you know, and John Wooden is obviously someone who I aspire. While there's foundational things that never change. Um, I think there is. You have to understand who you're in a relationship with to know how to communicate them and to with them, and to know how they received

and process information and stuff like that. Uh. So I think that that's a key element, but it doesn't necessarily change my approach. I think, if anything else, what I saw with Country Day, what I've seen as a player and being in different things. Um, I went and visited Vanessa and I guard at Phoenix, and it's like basketball is basketball, like culture is culture. Like the fundamental stuff does not change. And so I have to be true to to who I am in my beliefs, like I can't.

You know, I have to be the leader of of it. Um. And they're they're going to buy in to how I lead, but understand too like I'm learning from them just as much as they're learning from me. So in that way, we're gonna be able to build it together. Um. But I definitely do not take my responsibility of leading the ship, you know, I take that very seriously. So, uh, everyone

will adapt, but we'll all learn and grow together. What do you think is the single most important thing for you as a coach, as a leader of young women for them to leave your program with as far as character, uh, is it something on the court? Is it something I could? I mean, what like what are your like you know, pennants of you that Jerick Williams experienced as a coach. I did this practice uh with them the other day.

I told we talked about liabilities and assets and you know, most of the kids that age don't know, so it's a good opportunity teach them about actual liabilities and assets in terms of you know, finances. Um. But I asked him, I'm like, how are you a liability to you to your team? Right? Um? And so many of them gave answers that were intent double communication, um, not believing in each other, things like that. And it was such a good question because I had to answer the question for

myself too. Um. So what I want people to leave with is like being a high character, but being an asset minded right, Like being a contributor in your life to society, to your family, to your team. And so I think that there's so many things that fall under the umbrella of being an asset because it requires that you give and that you add, you continue to add value to whatever it is that you're doing. And because that can take so many different forms, is you evolve

in life. I think that if you maintain or have the tools to be asset minded and take that into whatever situation or circumstance that you're in, you're going to be successful in whatever form that may take. You know, And so I pray that my kids are all high character individuals that leave with high levels of confidence no one that they're gonna be high level contributors to the world. Amazing. Um, I listening to you at a real coach successful in

all levels. I I kinda have been doing some self introspection and understand and I kind of started to figure out where I went wrong as a coach. I used to coach a lot on the E Y d N. I've coached high school, but everything you've talked about today has kind of opened my eyes to like, how to deal with the relationship part of basketball is so important. I think we when you come from a certain era, the only thing that mattered was the result part of it.

And however you get to that result, Uh, it didn't matter how many stories you told, you stepped on, or if that person liked you or not. And and it doesn't matter if it's not about like and it's about I realized, like, you know, people have coached me it's sort of rough kind of fashions, and so you know what, you get coached a rough fashion, you in turn coach others in a rough fashion, and you don't keep in

mind like this generation isn't that same generation. So I'm sorry for that little little sidebar there, but it's just it's just so, it's just it's just such a revelation

listening to you. Uh. I have to discuss something else because in doing my research for this interview, I saw that you were named the San Diego Businesswoman of the Year in two thousand and seventeen, and this is something that is extremely impressive that I looked a little deeper and you have a consulting firm that you've had some two thousand thirteen that specializes in biz dev marketing, branding,

and public relations. And then my first real interaction with you, and I hope you don't mind me sharing this, Um, my first real interaction with Jericho was not on the basketball floor. I don't think it was for my father. Marcus is Jersey retirement the Milwaukee Bucks retired as Jersey. Jericho was the point person, the lead of everything, so we had anything that was going down, We had the hollywand Jericho, so we you know, we're getting flown to Milwaukee.

We're here, We're there at dinners, were at the Jersey time. It was. It was one of the most amazing moments of my life. Thank you for all your hard work on that. I don't think I don't think you know your job and what you do. Obviously not that you describe it, but it's a thankless job at times, and

so you know, but thank you for that. But but I'd love for you just to talk about Um Jace consulting and you know what the impetus for it was, and it just kind of how it's gone for you and how you use that if you have it all in the coaching room. Yeah, great question. I appreciate the research. Um, it was an honor helping coordinate your dad's Jersey retirement. Sure, it was a pure honor. I was amazing. UM got

really good feedback. But UM, the fact that he just enjoyed that night, enjoyed my weekend, like and it seems smooth, like it seems like it went well smooth. Um. No, So Jayson is my nickname, it's my family nickname. Um. Public relations is something that I didn't even know was a thing. I found a passion back however, long ago when my son was born. So I was a single mom and UM like like single mom, you know, like single mom, and I needed uh flexibility uh for my son.

But while that was happening, UM, I had fell into a couple of opportunities, like to organize events and things of that nature. And I realized that I really had a knack for connecting people. That turned into connecting like businesses and brands and stuff like that. And then because I spoke the athlete language, it just kind of turned into this like branding, marketing, strategic partnership or deal. Uh. And I already had so many existing relationships that made

that situation kind of happened organically. So like when I was coaching at Preston Wood that's where Julius random Win um they had her. I was working at like Northwestern Mutual. But I'm not a nine to five person. I'm gonna be honest, like not a nine person. And uh, I was like, hey, I came up with all these ideas to help this organization do things. And I'm like, man, I could do this on my I could do this on my own. I could make a lot more money

doing this if I put my attention into this. And so I walked into my boss's office and I quit like. I was like, hey, Chris, because I was in there, I was probably making I was young. I was like, I was probably making fifteen dollars an hour. I was there for eight hours a day, not counting when I take my son to daycare, pick him up, lunch, whatever. I'm like, for fifteen dollars an hour, I could find that in the couch. That's how I felt. And I

wasn't doing something that I loved. And you know this, you're not gonna you're not gonna work hard if you don't love what you know. It's tough. It's hard. It's hard to do that. It's hard. So I was like, you know what, I could do it. So I went in there. I'm like, I'm out, and I want to say that. Next week, Julius Randall's um like point person was like, hey, he needs a publicist. And I heard that, you know, you're kind of good at this whatever, and I was like, yeah, and they're like, do you want

to be as publicists? And I was like for show. So he was a senior in Kentucky at the time and it hadn't been announced yet that he was going to enter the draft. So long story short, I had Julius Randall as the seventh pick of the Los Angeles Lakers as my first like theme yeah, um, and so I kind of just got thrown into the fire, but I'm made a business out of it. Uh. And so fast forward, my son was getting a little bit older, and I was like Jay's had I was going Nina.

I was like going to all these places, but I wasn't home enough and I was ready to kind of settle down. And so that was like in the midst of all that is when I got business Woman of the Year because I was everywhere like I was getting there was behind the scenes, like to your point, no one would know that I was. Then I helped coordinate that Jersey retirement, like nobody would know that, but I was. I found myself in a lot of different places, but I was away from my kids, so I was like,

let me find something. What can I see myself doing for the rest of my life. That also allows me to be, you know, just more present with my son. And um, I'm like, let's do basketball, like, let's jump into it full flesh. Because even in Preston Wood, I was it was part time right like, it wasn't a full time thing. And so I put some fillers out there,

um and and it landed. And so but I knew that like to be the coach that I wanted to be, I couldn't equally give a hundred percent to my you know, consulting business, pr business and coach in the way that I that I wanted to do it. Um. So now that that's why I've moved into more of a consultancy where I still know how to connect people very efficiently. Like I still know what used to take me a long time to do, I can do it really quick.

So it's not something that um, I really even market now like it's it's more so just word of mouth because I really give a lot, if not everything in my day to coaching to coaching my team. So I hope that answers your question. Yeah, that does. I just wanted to get some background. I mean, to be recognized as you have and received some of the accoletes. It's always nice to hear about the grind and how people started. Um, I didn't have any idea that Julish Randall was your client.

That's something that was revelation right here on this show kJ Live. You heard it first. Uh No, but no, it's awesome, Jericho, No listen. I wanted to just wish you the best at Winward and your next journey. UM. I have no doubt given your experiences that it's gonna be an amazing one and a highly successful one. You possess a lot of the skills and qualities that we've seen in a lot of the great coaches, and I think that thank you you with your personal twist on

it too. As far as who you are coming up in this, you know your generation and who you just turned out to be as experiences typically make us, it's it's it's it's right that sounds. I think it's gonna be a really good opportunity. Thank you so much for coming on kJ Live. Do you want to give any shout outs before you go? Um? Well, first of all, kJ thank you. UM you guys have been like family to me, even if it's from a disc And UM,

I rock with Johnson's at a high level. So I appreciate you reaching out and just honored to be on the show and congratulations on the show and and all that you continue to do and continue to inspire. UM shout outs. Uh, you know, not really like I really don't have. I finally got a Twitter, So I was off social media for years and I finally got a Twitter. So I guess that, Um, but you know, come out and support the when we're girls basketball team when the

season is is here. Uh and uh, I think the other thing is, you know, my kid, my son Dariah. I was talking to somebody like I'm just so proud of the young man and he's becoming you know, like someone asked me what motivates me? And m obviously our kids like naturally motivate, but you know, dry and I bounced around a lot, like to all those jobs that you see all my resume, Like he came with me, He was with me, and as a parent, you know, you you just hope that you're doing a good job.

And so to see him now, I was just with him and we went to New York for Mother's Day and he's just like so like this independent young man, that young boy that uh, he's him, but he's he's sharp, man, He's sharp. He's on top of his stuff, and you know, I just I feel like all the stuff that we went through so far, he's taking that and really embraced it. And it's I can see how it's making him, you know, him, like he just walks in like this confidence about himself.

And I'm just really honored to be his mom. But it's it's I just wanna. I know that there's so many working mothers out there and father's right, um, but female, being a female coach and a mom is a really hard thing to do. Um, But I have to just wreck Ny is my son and the role that he continues to play in my life. You know. So I appreciate you giving me the platform to do that. Absolutely. Shout out to Geriah. I love that, all right, Yeah, no,

that's it. I appreciate it, alright, Ladies and gentlemen, Jericho Williams, thank you