|
Tirrell Hudson
Coach At Doyle Ryder
|
|
Sports run in the blood of lifelong Flint resident Tirrell Hudson, having been a coach at Doyle Ryder for 16 years, but it started long before that.
Growing up, he enjoyed sports, particularly basketball, and his uncles made sure he stayed active so that he kept out of trouble. During many summers you would find Tirrell on a local neighborhood court or at the Gus Macker tournament shooting hoops with his buddies. "Sports really kept me active and helped me to mature," Tirrell shared.
Then in 2005 he had the opportunity to start coaching at Doyle Ryder and he hasn't looked back, having coached a variety of sports including football, basketball, and track. Tirrell even coached a year of freshman basketball before returning to Doyle Ryder. When asked what brought him back, Tirrell simply replied "those kids." He knew that his ability to have a lifelong impact on students at Doyle Ryder was unmatched elsewhere.
Tirrell recalled the first time he coached girls basketball, "none of the girls knew how to play" he said. They all had a big desire but were new to the game. They lost their first game, and afterward, he committed to the girls that they would not lose another one. The team worked hard, came together under Tirrell's leadership, and they went undefeated the rest of the season and won the championship. "That was a great year," explained Tirrell. One of the players, Destiny Strother, even went on to play college basketball.
Tirrell remembered Destiny coming up to the gym and wanting to play with the older boys. "At first, I kept sending her home because I thought she was just wanting to be around boys," Tirrell said. "Soon I realized she just wanted to continue to grow her skill set and push herself." She started to play and really became a standout.
Anyone who knows Tirrell can clearly see his love for sports, but for him, sports is the gateway to be able to impact change. He realizes that, through sports, you can change a life. "When I was young I always thought it took money to be able to give back, but as I have matured I realize that you can have an even bigger impact by being able to give your time," said Tirrell. "I just want to give kids an opportunity to excel in whatever they want to do."
A few years ago, through the mindfulness work that the Crim Fitness Foundation was doing, Tirrell began to learn about the impact mindfulness could have on athletes. Shortly after that, he began implementing mindfulness practices for his teams, and it had an immediate impact. Each practice, the entire team would get together, close their eyes, take a few deep breaths, and focus on something specific. "I would give them something different each day to focus on," said Tirrell. It only took a few practices for the athletes to start really enjoying it. He explained that you could immediately see that the players would come to practice with a calmer, more intentional attitude, and it allowed the team to be more effective.
"Tirrell was a quick study when it came to the mindfulness practices," explained Traci Pigott, Program Manager for Crim Sports. "As I worked with Tirrell on different techniques, he grabbed the concept and ran with it. You can really see mindfulness at work with his teams when they perform." The Crim Fitness Foundation is so grateful to have partners like Tirrell in the community.
After years of coaching at Doyle Ryder, he has seen many sets of siblings go through his teams, and he even coached his own son (who will be 21 in Jan). The hardest part for Tirrell is seeing the kids move on. "I get them for 3 years, and then they are gone," he said. That is why 4 years ago, he developed the Flint Magic, an AAU basketball team that allows him to keep kids engaged in sports past 6th grade. "I saw too many good kids getting distracted and pulled away from sports as they got older, and I wanted to give them an avenue to continue and play," explained Tirrell. This travel team takes the players all over the state and into Ohio for games and exposes them to new experiences.
Tirrell loves to travel, and a favorite spot of his is Las Vegas. He and his wife Dayna were married there in 2018. While you may find him traveling all over the US, anyone who knows Tirrell knows that he feels most at home when coaching a sport. Some people just have a knack for knowing how to get the best from student-athletes, and Tirrell is one of those people. Flint's history in sports is rich and that is, in part, because of the work of Tirrell Hudson.
|
|
|
TELL US YOUR CRIM STORY
We’d love to hear your favorite Crim memory or story. Use this link any time to share how the Crim has changed your life for the better. Your story could be the catalyst that helps someone else change their life forever.
|
|
|
|
|
|
THANK YOU!
We continue to be very appreciative of you, our supporters, foundation/community partners, and donors. With your generosity, we are able to continue our service during these times.
|
|
|
|
