Inside the 2026 USA Today High School Sports Awards: Athlete Stories & Mental Toughness

James Blasco (: 00:32

Hello and welcome to the Charge Forward Coaching Podcast. I'm your host James Blasco Tonight is an awesome night. We are going to celebrate the USA Today High School Sports Awards right here in Volusia in Flagler County in Florida. If you don't know anything about these awards, let me tell you, there's something special. It's probably one of the biggest high school sports awards events in the entire country. USA Today does it in several markets and we're fortunate to have it right here in Daytona Beach. It started about 10 years ago, highlights the best athletes, student athletes here in our area.

(: 00:47

Sports Awards. Several markets. They started about 10 years ago.

James Blasco (: 01:02

and we get to celebrate them and all the work that they've put in and dedication and commitment So join us, we're gonna interview several of the athletes, coaches, and we're gonna have some special guests. It's gonna be a great episode. Don't skip anything. Let's get started.

(: 01:05

putting in dedication and job. join us, we're gonna interview several of the athletes, coaches, and we're gonna some special guests. It's gonna be a great episode, don't skip anything, let's get started.

James Blasco (: 01:17

We're here with our first guest, Bailey Jones, New Smyrna Beach High School here in Florida, beach volleyball player. Congratulations, Bailey, for being here.

(: 01:17

we're here with our first guest, Bailey Jones, B-Summer to Be

Thank

you so much for having me. I appreciate it. So what's it been like this year in your sport and then realizing you're one of the very best, the best players?

James Blasco (: 01:30

So what's it been like this year in your sport and then realizing you're one of the very best, if not the best player in

our area.

(: 01:40

This season has honestly just been really special, like a lot of growth I've seen. I would give a lot of credit not just to myself but to my team and they're obviously are people that help me get here and also my teammate we got pair of the year so it's really special to honestly obviously get that individual like they you get that individual award but you also know that it took two to get us here and that's what's so special about beach volleyball in my opinion.

James Blasco (: 01:59

Thank you.

(: 02:06

I would also say it just feels really good to have all my hard work kind of pay off and get to actually be awarded and shown that. So yeah.

James Blasco (: 02:15

That's awesome and you're right beach volleyball is taking off for years now it's a huge sport. who do you think has supported you the most if you had to look at somebody said wow that person really pushed me to be the best I could be there's probably a lot of people but if you had to pick one or two who would they

(: 02:32

Most of all my parents always support me, feel like that's kind of a given, but my coach, Coach Cunningham, he is just constantly staying honest, not only skill level wise, but he really helps us to learn how to be good leaders and have a really athlete-led team, which is the most important thing for us. So I would say consistently he's on me, he's making sure that I'm doing morning workouts and not just at practice, but at the gym and just really pushing me to see the potential that

James Blasco (: 02:52

Yeah,

that's awesome. Coaches are super important, right? All right. One last question here. We're all about mental toughness on the Choice Forwarded Coaching Podcast. What do you think mental toughness is? If you had to one or two things about being mentally tough, what do you think that is?

(: 03:04

I'm so sorry. ⁓

would say a really big thing is probably resiliency. I think it's really special, especially in female athletes. I actually heard a statistic recently that 94 % of people, like women, that are in high corporate titles and positions in big businesses are former athletes. And so I think because of that, we like,

learn resiliency and strength in times that are kind of really can be scary or stressful and so that's a really big part of

just the mental toughness aspect. And as far as I, like personally, I think mental toughness comes from actual training, the same type of way as physical toughness would. So you see like visualization and actually practicing and goal setting is some really things like things that are really, really important as far as I would say mental toughness in game and then just consistently over practices are.

James Blasco (: 03:55

Thank

Wow, you could be a mental toughness coach. You're spot on with those. Well, thank you for joining the podcast. Congratulations again and best of luck in the future with all you're

(: 04:16

Thank you.

Of course, thank you for having me.

James Blasco (: 04:24

All right, well, we're on the guest number two, Marcellus Carey, Deland High School football player. I think your receiver and defensive back, man, congratulations for being here tonight. That's awesome. So what got you into football, man? Do you love football? What got you into it?

(: 04:30

Cheers.

Thank you,

It's really, ⁓ I got invited into it. I really started out playing basketball because I lived in Georgia all my life. And then sixth grade year I moved here and my brother, went to Earl Brown Park and he got, he was so big everybody was like come play football and he came and he invited me and my little brother and you know we played for D-Land Dogs Youth League and then we just got into it from there and I just played, I really started off really like.

James Blasco (: 04:56

You

(: 05:10

I want to say good, so then like over all the years and then coming to ninth grade I got better and better and I started really loving football and then I got all the opportunities and now I get to play on in college. Bowling Green State University.

James Blasco (: 05:24

Awesome, where are you going to college?

going from where you said you got started, you didn't even know how good you were and then you get to this point where you're the best in Volusia and Flagler counties and Daytona Beach was saying a ton. How did you get there? What changed?

(: 05:33

Yeah.

Really just been behind a lot of good players and them just teaching me and I'm just learning a lot from them. I feel like that helped me a lot and then the coaches' staff, my coaches' staff and my family just pushing me to be better and me wanting to get them in better places and get them whatever they want. So I feel like that pushed me to be a better athlete. Yes sir.

James Blasco (: 06:02

Yeah, there's always somebody else out there, right? That's helping you. We all need that help. Yeah. So my podcast is all about mental toughness.

And for folks like you, I'm always interested. What would you say mental toughness is?

(: 06:11

I'm likely a Hollywood star.

⁓ I feel like, like me, I play both sides of the ball all game. So like, you know, like when you get to the third, fourth quarter, you start your body start cramping. Like I cramp a lot and you get tired and stuff like that. I just feel like just knowing that when your team needs you the most and like.

You just having a mindset of you tired, it will crush you. But even if you tired, you keep going and just had a mindset of just, ⁓ you want to win. ⁓ I feel like that just puts you ⁓ to the max over your max

James Blasco (: 06:47

Yeah, that's perfect. That's what I hear. I talked to a lot of different people, And that's they say. You got to keep going, right? And you got a team to support. best of luck at Bowling Green. They're lucky they got you, I can tell.

All right, we're gonna keep this going. We have Fantashia Williams, Deltona High

flag football player. I can't believe how big flag football has gotten. What got you into flag football? Why are you so good?

(: 07:08

What can you do to what

you've Well, I just put in the hard work and that's all I really can do and just hope for the best.

James Blasco (: 07:18

So when you say hard work, like give me some examples. What do you do to improve yourself every day?

(: 07:24

I do workouts every Sunday, Fridays, and throughout the week we have practice every day, like no days off, only Fridays. And still after that I still have AAU, so I will go train on the weekends when I have free

James Blasco (: 07:38

Okay. So was there anybody out there that was your like mentor or inspiration to get you into flag football? Did you just find it on your own?

(: 07:40

So was there anybody out there?

Get through.

got into it but my brothers always played football growing up so I always knew about football and then I had heard about fly football for girls it was getting big so I just started playing it in high school and never stopped.

James Blasco (: 07:54

Yeah.

Well, to be at this event and be one of the best, if not the best, flag football players is incredible, because our area, as you know, has a ton of great athletes. Where do you see yourself going in the next few years? Is there another sport? Are you going to stick with this sport? What are you going to do?

(: 08:02

This is of the best and not the best football players.

just gonna play flag, but I also do play basketball. I'm gonna continue playing it maybe like myself right here in college, but right now I'm just gonna play flag strictly. Just like, I don't know, I just have more fun and I got more passion for it.

James Blasco (: 08:33

So on my podcast, I talk a lot about mental toughness, being mentally tough. What does mental toughness mean to you?

(: 08:33

So. ⁓

Never quitting, even when you're down, still play like you were up or like you were just a touchdown away. Just never give up. You can't ever feel like, it's over with. At any given moment, the game can go your way.

James Blasco (: 08:55

Yeah, no doubt, right? You can't give up. It's

the biggest thing out there. Resilience and just having the fortitude to keep going. Well, congratulations again. You should be very proud of being here tonight, and I wish you the best of luck going forward.

(: 09:08

Thank you,

James Blasco (: 09:08

All right, here we go. We're moving on to our next awesome athlete. Her name is Karina Marcelus She's from Flagler Palm Coast High School, Flagler County. We're sitting in Volusia, that's Flagler County. She is a track and field star. Congratulations for being here.

(: 09:18

Thank you.

James Blasco (: 09:24

what is it about track and field that gets you pumped up, makes you so good?

(: 09:30

the drive just going out there every day and practicing and putting in the work even in the rainy days the hard days the super hot days we're always still out there and just trying to receive our goal so that's just great to do. ⁓

James Blasco (: 09:44

Is

track and field something you fell into? Or did you know like when I was young, I'm good, I'm fast, whatever.

(: 09:45

get something that felt into? Or did you know like, I'm good, I'm fast, and whatever?

I did cross country in middle school and then my siblings actually did track and field. My brother wasn't hurt or hurt so we always had that in our family. But right when I stepped on the track I did know that this was my home and my place. So who's better? Me.

James Blasco (: 10:03

So who's better, you or your brother? ⁓

we're putting that out there. All right, so is there someone in your life that's been like maybe a mentor that's really supported you and more importantly maybe pushed you to be the best you could be?

(: 10:08

Is there someone here?

for you.

I would definitely say my coaches. They would say like they're the most supportive coaches I've ever honestly had. Their family. They're someone I can talk to when I need to. Someone I can laugh and someone to also make sure I'm locked in when it's time to lock in when it's meet days. So I would say like all my coaches. They're just great.

James Blasco (: 10:34

Yeah, coaches, they're important. That's like the third or fourth time now that's

been mentioned. That's no surprise. We have some great, great coaches in this area. So my podcast is all about mental toughness. What does mental toughness mean to you? In a couple words, what do you think mental toughness is?

(: 10:48

I would say mental toughness is...

Going out there and competing and going to practice every day and being dedicated. Earlier this year I did lose my older brother, so I was mentally unprepared for track season. I didn't know I would make it through the season. I didn't know I would become a state champ this year and be the next runner up in my hurdle race. But I had the mental toughness where I had to separate what was going on with my life and what was going on on the track and just putting everything out there on the track so I can receive my goals that I've been working.

James Blasco (: 11:03

Wow,

(: 11:20

hard to do all season. ⁓

James Blasco (: 11:22

that's a male first very sorry for your loss. I think that is a mental toughness. Big time story to be able to do that. That's gotta be.

So extremely difficult, but I think you're you're spot on with your mental toughness. So you're going to have a great career.

What a great time so far talking to all these awesome student athletes. And now I have Olivia Chase, Seabreeze High School. I know a lot about Seabreeze. My kids went there, so long time ago, but she is a soccer superstar.

(: 11:43

was really a chaste, secret high schooler. I know a about secret, but my kids went there.

James Blasco (: 11:51

So what got you into soccer? Where did it all start?

(: 11:54

started where I was born, Oregon Beach. I played in a rec league where I feel like a lot of my friends did and I stuck with it. I started moving up north to Palm Coast. Then I moved up to Jacksonville and I've played my whole life since then. Since I was about five years old.

James Blasco (: 12:09

So Olivia, what does it take to get to your level of awesomeness? I mean, you're here at this awards event and it's a big, big deal. How did you get there?

(: 12:22

passion for the sport. I've played soccer my whole life. I've dedicated soccer like to my whole life of soccer. When my friends I've asked my friends like what's the first thing you think of like when I asked about myself and it's like soccer like that's just been my whole life. I practice days of the week, practice on my off time during summer. You just have to have a lot of love for the sport because if you don't like you're not gonna want to put all your effort into it but that's all I've done my whole life.

James Blasco (: 12:48

Absolutely. So what is it that you love? What is your purpose

on the soccer field?

(: 12:52

sorry.

It feels natural to me. I've played multiple sports. I've played volleyball throughout high school as well. I've played softball and football, but soccer just came natural to me and it made sense. So I always stuck with it and I grew a passion. I started watching the game and I just felt like I understood it naturally.

James Blasco (: 13:15

Yeah,

that happens a lot, especially when people are really good at it. Is there anybody out there that's been like your mentor or pushed you that you would say, wow, that person really helped me get to the next level?

(: 13:27

I owe it to my parents for driving me to my practices when I was playing far out of the state as well. I have to give it to my parents, but I also brought my high school, my club and high school coach with me, Chris, and he came in a couple years ago and he...

recognize me for my talent and help me become the best player I can and person off the field. a lot of time talking about the game and how I can improve as a person, teammate, captain, and I owe the last couple of my soccer years to him. He's been a great person and coach to me.

James Blasco (: 13:49

you

There's always somebody out there that's pushing us, right? Well, this podcast is about mental toughness. I talked to a lot of different people. What does mental toughness mean to you on and off the field?

(: 14:13

What is mental health?

It's how you cope with yourself because I always tell myself you can't improve without mistakes and though mistakes might feel like it might might question your worth but

I always as a captain, I've talked to so many younger girls, tried to tell them like your mental health matters but also you can't improve without mistakes like you have to learn some ways so you just gotta remind yourself that like you are the reason you become like it's all because of yourself and the only way you can get better is to learn. Keep like a strong mental

James Blasco (: 14:40

Yep.

Yeah, that's awesome. There's a few you and your peers should all be mental toughness coaches like me. You guys, you guys got it down at a young age already. Well, congratulations. Best of luck in the future and enjoy tonight.

All right, we're continuing to have fun. I have a Iniya Reddicks New Samaritan Beach High School basketball player, awesome basketball coach down there. I know that. Congratulations for being here. So how'd you get into basketball? Like, ⁓ was it something you just fell in love with when you were young or were you playing a lot of sports and picked that one?

(: 15:16

Thank you. Thank you so much.

Definitely fell in love with it when I was young. I can remember I'd been playing with a basketball. was something that my mom and my dad introduced to me at a young age. I just fell in love with it and just kept rolling with it. ⁓ I have like NCAA offers from all over the place. Just being able to play the game I love. ⁓ Alabama, UF, what, USF? Yeah. ⁓

James Blasco (: 15:41

Name one or two, name one or two.

Is Yeah.

(: 15:48

Marshals, have VCU, I have crazy offers right now, yeah.

James Blasco (: 15:52

⁓ man,

you must be pretty good. So I'm not going to ask you where you're going. So I know that's a big, that's a big thing you'll probably announce pretty soon. But what about, what is it about becoming a great basketball player? What kind of work mentality do you have to put into it to get to this level?

(: 16:10

You have to put blood, sweat, and tears. It doesn't matter if you don't want to play that day. It doesn't matter if you're hurt that day. You still have to play, because there's always someone that's working. So you want to have the mentality of getting better, and you want this. You really have to want it to be the best.

James Blasco (: 16:25

Absolutely. Hey, you should read a book. This guy, Tim Grover, he was Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant's trainer. And he said what you just said, he said they didn't care. It was like show up, man. 3am, 4am, every day sick, hurt, doesn't matter. Just keep doing it. So there's got to be somebody out there that kind of pushed you to be because everybody, even if you're really good, need somebody to push them. Who was that person for you?

(: 16:33

It was ⁓ like show up at 3am, 4am, and every day stick, hurt, doesn't matter, just keep doing it. Absolutely.

buddy.

is

definitely my mom and my brother every second of the day they ask me did you practice did you go do this just making sure that I told them that this is my dream so they're making sure I pursue it the right way and getting all the work I can get in.

James Blasco (: 16:55

Ha

So you want to be a professional? I don't want to jump the

gun here, but because you still got college ahead of you, ⁓ professional basketball player out there. Yeah, that's awesome. So this show is about mental toughness. And I talked to all kinds of people, athletes and people in the military, business people, everybody. What does mental toughness mean to you?

(: 17:09

Absolutely. Absolutely.

What is it about being to

fight adversity when it's not on your side? able to fight through it and seeing the sunshine on the rainy days is really what it is. How do you get reminded to that? Really, it's just that I know where I want to go so I know that adversity is going to come. So being able to get through it and working to be on the next level really helps.

James Blasco (: 17:33

How do you do that? How do you get your mind to do that?

Man, that's awesome. You guys are blowing me away tonight. You guys are just so sharp and bright, and you really do know what mental toughness is all about. Congratulations. It's special to be here. This is a great event, and best of luck to you wherever you choose to go.

We're moving right along. have Jacob McBroom, Seabreeze High School. Welcome and congratulations.

(: 18:04

⁓ Thank

you for having me here. It's great here. have a great setup here. Yeah, this is such a great event.

James Blasco (: 18:10

Yeah, this is is such a great event.

You should be honored and privileged. I know you are. It's very special. So what got you into your sport? What got you here tonight?

(: 18:16

So what got you into your school? What got you here tonight?

Well, tonight I got here for Special Olympics and it actually started from my football coach. Me and my friend just decided to try it out. Just a quick Special Olympics flag football. I didn't think much of it, but I came back after for track and it kind of just went from there.

We just won gold at States

James Blasco (: 18:44

That's all. What position do play?

(: 18:47

⁓ Well for flag football we kind of played shifted around played like most everything ⁓ and then for track I ran the four by one with them and yeah it was great. ⁓

James Blasco (: 18:59

That's awesome. You're a dual sport guy. So which sport you like more,

track or the flag football?

(: 19:05

Well, I played both, like actually four Seabreeze too. I would have to say Track though. Track was super special. ⁓

James Blasco (: 19:14

And what is it about being an athlete and pushing to be here tonight? You have to be pretty good at what you do. What got you here? What drives you to

be the best you could be?

(: 19:25

Well, for, unlike most of the sports here, Special Olympics is a little different because I'm a partner and for me what drives me is just getting to change, like, just seeing that spark light up in the athletes eyes and yeah, just giving everybody a chance and like our unified program is great so yeah, it's really just the athletes.

James Blasco (: 19:48

So

is there anybody out there that's kind of helped you, been your mentor, kind of pushed you to do bigger things?

(: 19:57

Honestly it sounds kind of weird but it's one of my friends who helped me with it because he was there with me the entire time he did flag football and then I was just like, hey do you want to do track? So yeah we went back for another season and just having a friend to do it was awesome.

James Blasco (: 20:11

Ha!

Yeah, that's great. It's always good when there's a friend where you can push each other, get each other doing things. So my podcast is generally about mental toughness for athletes and non athletes. What do you what does mental toughness mean to you?

(: 20:29

Well, for football, mental toughness is everything. mean, my coach literally says football is 80 % a mental game. yeah, you can't be playing scared. But for Special Olympics, it's a little different. It's really just being brave enough to compete. It's the pretty big stages.

James Blasco (: 20:47

⁓

mental toughness is having that courage to do whatever it is that you got to do. Well, appreciate you being here. Appreciate you being on the podcast. Have an awesome time tonight.

(: 20:55

Yeah.

James Blasco (: 21:03

All right, this is a great night. The crowd's pumping up, the music's pumping up, and I have Sophia Toussaint from Spruce Creek High School, weight lifting, awesome athlete. How did you get into weightlifting?

(: 21:13

Thank you.

I moved from NSV High School and I went to Spruce Creek and then ⁓ I came into class one day and they put me in the weightlifting class and then Coach Nelson, he seen me bench 135 and that was like whenever I first learned how to bench he showed me and then asked me if I would like to join the weightlifting team.

James Blasco (: 21:41

sounds pretty good. I'd ask you to if you were doing that. What is it about weightlifting that you really like?

(: 21:44

Yes.

Definitely like the people around you. It's never like a quiet moment. There's always, you're always going to have someone right there next to you. It's not, a lot of people think it's an individual sport, but I wouldn't say that.

James Blasco (: 22:03

Yeah, I agree. I don't think there's too many individual sports. There's always people around us helping us. I had a lot of help tonight, right? It's not just me being here. So who are these? Is there any like one person that you would say, wow, they really helped me?

(: 22:10

Yes, it is so.

Coach Manolo, she helped me a lot.

James Blasco (: 22:21

What does she do?

(: 22:22

She's my weightlifting head coach. She helped me a lot, overcome a lot of challenges in my life. Anytime I got in trouble or I needed her help or anything, she never hesitated to help me. She always helped me get over mental blocks and stuff.

James Blasco (: 22:40

Yeah,

well, my podcast is all about mental toughness and I talked to all kinds of people in sports and some not in sports. What is what's mental toughness mean to you?

(: 22:54

challenges and don't let them like stop you.

James Blasco (: 22:59

That's a big one. That's a really big one, right? Because you can't get to where you

want to go if you stop, that's for sure. Well, have fun tonight. This is an awesome event. You should be honored to be here. It's such a privilege. Great job and good luck in the future.

(: 23:05

Yeah.

James Blasco (: 23:14

All right, we're gonna keep the ball rolling here. We have Douglas Seth from Flagler Palm Coast High School. He is a cross country superstar. Welcome to the podcast. first of all, congratulations for being here. This is an awesome event. Great honor for you to be here. What got you into cross country?

(: 23:24

Thanks

So we always had this like, I like ran at running club like in elementary for a few weeks and then we had this like local mile series that eventually my middle school coach ended up becoming but he like ran to me and I just like kind of just enjoyed like running as fast as I can and I got the opportunity to run for my middle school coach, Coach Mike and it just took off from there.

James Blasco (: 23:51

Yeah,

my son, years ago, I'm old, I'm way old, but my son, he was a pretty good cross country runner. He ran at Seabreeze , and I was never a runner and it always amazed me the type of endurance that individuals like yourself have. What kind of work goes in to performing at this high level?

(: 24:02

I'm

It's just showing up. I mean, you got to be willing to go to work. I mean, every day, every day you got to come in with that winning mindset. And like every day may not be your best day, but you got to make the best of those days. And it's a grind. mean, we're up there six days a week running about over six miles at least a day. Typically over the summer, around seven. It ranges from like seven to nine.

James Blasco (: 24:29

Wow.

Everybody needs somebody to help them, mentor them, push them to be as good as they could be. Is there a person in your life that's helped you do that?

(: 24:42

One more time? ⁓

First my coach Mike and always like keeping God first all glory to him knowing that we're given these opportunities and because of him and all glory goes to him and my coach Halliday always my current high school coach right now just always pushing me to be my best and ⁓ just getting the best of you in those practice making you

want it, making you want to work for it. And we've developed a good relationship this year and I'm really excited for these next three years with them.

James Blasco (: 25:26

Yeah, that's awesome. So my podcast is all about mental toughness on and off the field. What does mental toughness mean to you?

(: 25:30

Yeah!

to me it's like especially in running like it's your way of no matter what going on you got to be like for me you got to be that person you got to be with that pack you got to be you got to be in it to win it you got to commit like because at the end of the day our sport is a hard sport and the only way you're going to get better is if you push yourself a little more.

James Blasco (: 25:48

And the only way you're going to get better is if you go from time to time.

Yeah, absolutely. Well, congratulations, man. I wish you the best of luck. And enjoy tonight. This is a special night. You deserve it.

All right. We're going to keep this freight train running. I have with me Jordan Haymon from Flagler Palm Coast High School track and field superstar. Welcome to the podcast.

So what got you into track and field?

(: 26:10

I started out playing football and basketball first and then he kind of pulled me off the field to see what I can do. I started sophomore year, I didn't really take it serious. But ever since junior year I started taking it more serious and I got better by better.

James Blasco (: 26:25

So what's your primary event or events? 400 meter? What got you excited about the 400 meter?

(: 26:28

400 meter. sir.

At first I really didn't like it because like it was a long race you have to be really good at it but after time went on I seemed like I could really do this so I started doing it more. At beginning of this season that's when I stuck to it and I started doing really good on the state's board.

James Blasco (: 26:47

What is it about competing? mean, this area around here, there some awesome athletes. Obviously, you're one of them. What is it about competition that drives you to do that?

(: 26:58

The track meets are just very fun. The competition is like, it's a small area so you mostly know everybody after racing against them. So it's always fun to compete against your friends and stuff.

James Blasco (: 27:09

Has there been anybody that has been like a mentor or somebody that's pushed you to be the best you could be? Yeah. What have they done? What's, special about them that they drive you to do bigger things?

(: 27:16

Definitely my mom and my coach

Thank you.

was always there for me, even when I'm at my lowest. My coach, Holliday, even though I get hurt a lot, he never looks down on me or anything. He always pushes me forward.

James Blasco (: 27:32

And now you do you play multiple sports or just track and field?

(: 27:36

I did most of the sports but I dropped everything for track and field.

James Blasco (: 27:39

Yeah, just fell in love with track and field. So my podcast is generally about like mental toughness. What on and off the field? What do you think mental toughness means?

(: 27:48

I mean a lot. If you don't have the mental strength to go out there and do your best, you will go out there and probably just fail. But if you have the strength to just do what you put your mind to, you'll be doing really good at it.

James Blasco (: 27:59

Yeah, you're right. You got to have that fortitude, right? To A, get going, stick with it, and then go through, like you said, good times, bad times, and do your very best. you earned being here. It's a great event, honor, and a privilege, and I wish you the best of luck moving forward.

(: 28:07

Yes ⁓ sir.

James Blasco (: 28:17

Well, I told you in the beginning that we're going to talk to a lot of the student athletes and we have and we are we're going to talk to some special guests. This is a very special guest. been around this event for 10 years and it's been incredible. And the very first year I thought was one of the most special years just overall from us doing it for the first time, seeing everybody's excitement in the community about it. But we also had an opportunity to meet Kane Finley, who is

a swimmer and a really good swimmer. And then we lost them not too long after that. And his mother Kirsten Finley is here. She started an awesome charity. We have a great award. is the Kane Finley Courage Award we give away every year. I think it's the most touching part of this event. Kirsten, welcome to the podcast.

(: 29:04

Thank so much. Thank you for having me, James.

James Blasco (: 29:06

Yeah, and thank you for being here every year. It's a big inspiration. It really is. I think this is one of the most important parts of this. It's not just about great athletes, but it's about the community and giving back and caring and helping each other. I know since that first year, you've done a lot with your charity. Tell us a little bit about that.

(: 29:22

Set.

tually started it in February: 2017

objectives. The first objective is to help families that are in financial distress and we do that through grant awards through our social workers. The second is to provide patient care facilities in Baton Rouge at Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital there. We have both a patient room which they use for palliative care as well as a patient staff room for private confidential conversations.

James Blasco (: 29:55

you

(: 30:20

And then our third arm is in research. So he had a very rare type of brain tumor and brain cancer called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, DIPG for short, which has been re-categorized by the World Health Organization as DMG, which is diffuse midline glioma. And the research dollars really come from small foundations like ours that feed into the bigger foundations.

James Blasco (: 30:27

Okay.

you

(: 30:48

So we help fund a nurse navigator program through another organization. And then we also fund research through what's called the DDRFA. It's a DIPG, DMG, Research Funding Alliance. It's awesome. And we love being part of both of those programs.

James Blasco (: 30:53

Okay.

There's a lot of acronyms and things,

Yeah, I mean, that's tremendous. And I know it's a challenge. It's not something you set out to want to do, right. And but you do it anyway. And we're fortunate for that. What does this event mean to you? I mean, maybe you have mixed emotions about it, but ⁓ and what do you think it meant to Kane?

(: 31:28

can tell you what it meant to Kane first. think just looking back and remembering how the experience went for him. He had the community backing him and totally behind him and supporting him. And then on top of that, really treating him like a kid, treating him the way he wanted to be treated, right? And just as a high school senior.

James Blasco (: 31:40

Please make your way to your seats. We're trying to get a big start here.

Yeah.

(: 31:54

involved in all the things, getting ready for graduation, all those exciting things. And when he came to the awards night to receive the award, he was amongst friends and he felt very comfortable about that. He was excited, he was surprised. There was a number of things that he shared about it.

James Blasco (: 31:56

you

how can people get in touch with the organization?

(: 32:15

How can you stay in touch with the organization?

Yes, so our website is cannonballs.org because he was a swimmer. We were able to get that. My information is on there. All the things and the programs that we support are included in there.

James Blasco (: 32:30

That's awesome. Well, we'll put that up on the screen on the video podcast and make sure people know all about it. Thank you so much.