At this very moment, I’m in the beginning stages of actively recruiting quality young individuals who just happened to be excellent high school or college basketball players. And, particularly good at shooting the basketball!!! My vision is to bring aboard several teachers that have a passion for youth. I ask that you allow God to start working on your heart right now, as it will be a great commitment. I wish by the summer of 2019 to have teachers ready and available to begin. It’s imperative that anyone working alongside me have the same desire I possess to pass down this great tool within the game. I will use my degree program to put prospective candidates through intensive teaching, training and drills to ensure that whoever is chosen will be an extension of myself. Not only in being a capable teacher, but in keeping the proper perspective, patience and temperament to create a fun, effective learning environment. I’m extremely excited at the idea that I’ll be able to reach so many who have expressed interest in my program with minimal wait time. Potential applicants, ***Please submit your resumes to jcleebarnett@gmail.com***.. Thank you so much, and stay tuned for all the wonderful things to come from the JC Barnett School of Jump Shooting!!!
Purpose vs Purpose
What is your purpose? Not in the sense, what is my reason for being and living. I mean it in the sense, what are your intentions?
Life, it can be a funny thing. We can be so caught up in the functionality of what we do, and completely forget why we are doing it. With hand raised — I am Guilty!!! No judgement upon you by me. I simply wish to give you some perspective. In our toughest moments we tend to feel alone. Our closest friends, our family, our closest advisors willn’t be that audible voice to help guide us through. We have to be able to hear that inner voice that says in a whisper, “Remember why..”.
Basketball has given me a voice, to impact a people. To touch the lives and hearts of those who of course love basketball, but it doesn’t stop there. Also to those who may be struggling to find a way. Maybe those who need to hear or see something positive. Maybe to those who don’t even really like basketball, but need an outlet. Those who need a voice to push them, those who need attention, those who need bulit up and lifted in spirit, to those who just need… Something.
My purpose. My intentions are greater than just teaching basketball. My purpose is to help others find purpose. Ain’t no achievement greater than that!!
Sealed with a Promise
There are so many people to compete with in this world, it’s truly difficult to set yourself apart. For instance, in academia, two people can graduate with nearly identical and equally as impressive resumes. Both having obtained a 4.0 gpa, nearly perfect standardized test scores, involved in multiple clubs and invested in community service. Those are all wonderful examples of being a leader and performing at a high level. But, if one of those persons were to include in their portfolio evidence of going an extra step further, that could be the difference between failure and achievement.
Twenty plus years in hoops, I’ve experienced many different aspects of the game. What seems to be at the forefront of my observations, simply because I have compassion and an eye for it, are the inequalities those of a certain build and physical stature face. Despite them having next level skill sets, the “eye test” just doesn’t seem to favor them as much as others. I’m not saying this is always the case, of course there are those who are exceptions to the rule. But I often ponder, how do more “little guys” have a chance to succeed at moving on to play college basketball and beyond? The answer I’ve found is that they must possess an undeniable ability to score the basketball. Being able to shoot the ball at an above average level, I believe, is the ticket.
On behalf of all the little guys of the world, I express that we’ve always had to be different and had to go the extra mile to achieve. It isn’t easy, and it never will be. The future that you wish to see come to fruition for yourself, must be attacked with great tenacity. In basketball I believe, that in offering tangible evidence of one’s ability to shoot the ball at an extraordinary level, it will move a kid who otherwise may have been overlooked, into a position of elite status.
In the process of creating my new degree program, I’d never had so much fun working so hard in my life!!! Obtaining my degrees in shooting the basketball was a journey that was filled with mostly triumph. Do not assume though that I didn’t encounter a few failures along the way myself, I most certainly did. Creating a degree schedule that was challenging yet attainable was tough. I questioned myself often, “is this too tough?”; “should I make this a little more difficult?”; “what is the value of this, do people even want to be challenged?” I find more so these days, people don’t see value in anything that will not get them to the next step in life. So, I commit to you this promise:
Dear Beloved Student,
I, JC Barnett III, commit to creating relationships necessary, networking and communicating with next level basketball people and organizations to make obtaining a, ‘Bachelors in Jump Shooting’, ‘Masters in Form and Technique’ and ‘Doctorate in Precision Jump Shooting’, worthwhile. I look forward to the honor of handing you your certificate of completion upon meeting the requirements necessary. You, as one of my exceptional group of students, will have a greater chance at playing next level basketball within the state of Indiana, and the country, for believing in yourself enough to obtain a degree from the JC Barnett School of Jump Shooting. Sincerely, I thank you in advance.
Best Regards,
JC Barnett III