Years ago, while coaching youth basketball, I became frustrated with the lack of facilities available for team practice. I also noticed there wasn’t any place teaching the fundamentals of the game. Coaches were always working on team-oriented drills while players were falling behind in really knowing how to play the game. I would often tell my family that I dreamed of owning a “basketball” place that could meet these needs. However, having a career as a postal worker does not lend itself to the type of money and time it would take to attempt such an endeavor.
In May of 2005, my son graduated from high school. He often voiced his displeasure at not having a plan in place for his life especially regarding a vocation. After many months of telling him to follow his dreams and passions and to use the talents God gave him to find his way, he said to me, “Why should I? You didn’t.” That really stung. That night, I told my wife what our son had said and asked her if I should make a go of the gym. I didn’t want to be a hypocrite to my children. She said, “Yes.” and the journey began.
Maybe things were coming together months earlier and I just didn’t realize it. My daughter had fallen in love with the game of basketball and I had found a former collegiate coach to work with her. He was going from place to place teaching basketball skills. I told him about my plans for a gym and asked if he would lead the instruction at my facility. He agreed. I also received a phone call from a parent of a former player of mine. She said their high school, Omaha Christian Academy, did not have a gym and was practicing volleyball and basketball on a cement floor. I offered the school the use of my place for some practices. Another new partnership began. With two impressive clients lined up, it was time to act. Despite having zero investment dollars, I went part-time at the postal service and went to work. Fletch’s Court opened three months later. I was living my dream. I had given our community’s youth a very nice place to develop their basketball skills and to begin their dreams about playing in high school, college or the pros.