Full Circle: Why I am Giving My Alma Mater Lifetime Access to Lead ‘Em Up

(As first spotted by the folks over at The MoSo Show)

They say that it takes a village to raise a child. If you graduated from Watkins Mill High School, you know that is not just a catchy phrase, it is the absolute truth.

I graduated from Watkins Mill in the Class of 2000. It has been over two decades since I walked those hallways, but that school still holds an incredibly special place in my heart. My entire experience there was fantastic. I was surrounded by educators and coaches who poured into me, made themselves available, and truly cared about my future.

Now, I am in a position to pay that forward.

I am incredibly excited to share that Lead ‘Em Up is partnering with Watkins Mill Athletics to provide the school with free, lifetime access to our entire program. This is the first, and likely the only, school that will ever receive this level of permanent support.

Where It All Began

To understand why this means so much to me, you have to go back to 2015.

When I first founded Lead ‘Em Up, we did not have thousands of teams across the country. We had exactly one. That single team was the Watkins Mill varsity football program.

They were the first team to trust us with their culture. They were the original testing ground for the lessons and exercises that now impact more than 3,000 teams nationwide. We started by helping those local student-athletes improve their character and leadership, which completely transformed their team. Those young men are FAMILY to Lead ‘Em Up and me. Markell, Gradi, ATV, Kitchen, Clay, Delonte, Iziah, Luke, and so many others, the bond is tight. And even those who aren’t with us any longer, Day-Day & Bruff, the love runs deep.

Today, Lead ‘Em Up is a national brand, but our roots will always be planted on the fields and courts at Watkins Mill.

What Lifetime Access Means

We are not just handing over a login to our website and walking away. This is a hands-on, highly active partnership. Every single year, Lead ‘Em Up will support Watkins Mill in several major ways:

In-Person Training: We will host a two-hour Leadership Campus Day at the start of every athletic season to launch our culture framework with the athletes.

Coaching Resources: All coaches will get unlimited access to our online curriculum and training tools.

On-Demand Support: Our team will provide ongoing coaching and mentorship throughout the year at absolutely no cost to the school.

Typically, this level of engagement and hands-on training would cost a school around $8,000 to $10,000 annually. By making this a lifetime gift, we are ensuring that financial barriers will never stand in the way of building strong leaders at Watkins Mill.

Thanking My Own Village

I would not be the leader I am today without the people who coached and taught me at Watkins Mill. This gift is as much a thank you to them as it is an investment in the current students.

I still carry the lessons taught to me by legends like Coach Brace, Coach Vukmanic, Mr. Seymour, Mrs. Motyka, Mr. Bowers, and Mr. Naylor. They shaped my character when I was at a highly formidable stage in life.

High school is when your habits, confidence, and behaviors are truly set. There are so many negative influences hurting young people today, and we want to fight against that. We want to create an environment at Watkins Mill that makes these kids fall in love with success.

Joining the One Pack Community

We are incredibly proud to lock arms with Athletic Director Lisa Magness and the rest of the administration.

As Lisa shared, this partnership reflects a deep commitment to developing champions in competition, character, leadership, and service. We want to see these athletic programs grow on and off the playing field, strengthening the entire “One Pack” community.

To the coaches, teachers, and student-athletes of Watkins Mill: thank you for being a part of my story, and thank you for letting Lead ‘Em Up be a part of yours.

Let’s go build some leaders.