Very Bold Radio 3-18-23 with Dr. Brandon Crooms

Dr. Brandon Crooms joins host Steve Teel on this edition of Very Bold Radio. Be inspired every Saturday by difference-makers on Very Bold Radio and Podcast. Dr Brandon Crooms PhD from University of Texas, and professor at Trinity University in Sports Management. He also leads Crooms Collective and produces the ATX Dad Show and is a mentor, speaker, and coach offering Special Ops.  We talk some basketball to get started with Brandon being from the Tarheel State.  0:00-10:00 Special Ops is for high school athletes looking for support and mentorship. Dr. Crooms offers these athletes advice and wisdom from personal experience. “Youth need other people that are a few steps ahead of them to believe in them and to see certain things in them that they may not see.”  Brandon’s own identity as a high school athlete was immersed in sports. Dr. Crooms says that limits yourself. He did grow up in a Christian home with both parents being preacher’s kids.  10:00-17:00 Dr. Crooms PhD dissertation and research at UT was in black male high school athletes and their racial identity and the influence of faith.  He surveyed 300 athletes and sat down face-to-face with about 20 of them: Faith - Race - Sports. Dr. Crooms explains that research has shown that the African-American community has a higher identity in sports than their white counterparts.  That can play into the stereotype that these athletes are “dumb jocks.”  17:00-28:00  Making that transition when the ball goes flat.  The faith component you hear athletes talk about the faith component in press conferences.  Dr. Crooms wanted to dive into their faith and their racial experiences. He talks about the research he discovered how race plays a role in sport - those assumptions on which sports they would excel at. Maybe a student wants to explore creative dance or entrepreneurship and would be discouraged by others.  28:00-36:00 The positive is that these students had mentors or role models that could help them navigate sport-faith-race.  Dr. Crooms talks about his faith can help athletes navigate as their athletic careers wind down. Dr. Crooms explains the good news of Jesus giving purpose to those who accept that gift. From personal experience Brandon had torn his ACL while working on his dissertation but was able to see the blessing of relating to these students. He then talks about how relevant the Scriptures are to facing adversity, challenges and wins and defeats.  36:00-45:00 He talks about his training called Special Ops and then also about Crooms Collective as he is a professional and sought out speaker (China. South Africa,) and consultant and the visionary for The Dad Show ATX. This show empowers and encourages dads.  45:00-50:00 Host Steve Teel closes with encouraging words from God’s word. 50:00-53:00See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.