DJ has message to help other athletes
A FAR North Queenslandbased basketball player is aiming to help people achieve their health goals as well as guide fellow professional athletes to further influence the lives of others in a positive way.
American guard DJ Newbill recently partnered with entrepreneur Khaysan Kimberlin to start Project Athlete, a business designed to educate and be the resource people can use to achieve their health goals.
Project Athlete was created to use the professional athlete’s influence and skill set in regards to health, both physically and mentally, to coach others and help establish daily habits which lead to a sustainable long term healthy and active lifestyle.
Project Athlete has also been designed to help athletes have a clearer direction for their future in regards to their finance and security while playing and also post retirement.
After becoming involved with the professional and semi-professional basketball scene several years ago, cofounder Kimberlin saw this was a major challenge for athletes and after seeing the influence athletes had over people, the initial idea for the health coaching company was formed.
“Most professional athletes get paid an above-average wage and set up their lives based on that income. A lot of the time when athletes end their career, they find themselves in a situation where they have a certain lifestyle to upkeep but no job prospects that can do that, well none they can get passionate about,” Kimberlin said.
“So what Project Athlete does is create a platform and a blueprint where athletes during their career can create a business that uses their current position and teaches them how to run a business while creating financial security.”
Kimberlin noticed the gap in the market for Project Athlete, however she needed the right person to execute the idea and someone with the same passion to build a better life for themselves, which Newbill has done.
Import shooting guard Newbill has been one of the Snakes’ shining lights in the first segment of the season, averaging over 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
He missed the loss to Adelaide last Friday evening but bounced back to form against Sydney just days later.
Cairns host the reigning NBL champions Melbourne United on Saturday evening as they aim to stop their threegame losing skid.
In other Round 4 games, Sydney Kings face Illawarra tonight.
If you would like to get involved in Project Athlete – contact Khaysan@khaysankimberlin.com GENERALLY speaking, the Snakes offence has looked OK.
The action is centred around the high-level playmaking capabilities of Melo Trimble and DJ Newbill out of the pick ’n roll, with a balance of post focus for Nate Jawai.
Devon Hall hasn’t been good; but he is young and will come around with experience.
The “shooters” need to start shooting with more consistency, but there have been enough positive moments that you can trust it will come.
The priority for coach Mike Kelly is the defensive end.
The superficial numbers don’t scream at you – holding Adelaide to 91 is adequate, as is allowing Sydney 98 with an extra period. But when you look closely, it’s clear there is a disconnect between the players’ offensive enthusiasm and their defensive engagement.
They are either over-helping or not helping enough; are reactive in their instincts and slow with their rotations; and are generally struggling to contain the ball at the point of attack.
Sending Adelaide to the line for 32 free throws at 90 per cent is a stat created by the 31 Taipans fouls. That issue repeated two nights later, when Sydney had 30 free throw attempts to the Taipans’ seven.
With so many offensive minded players, the coaches need to find a way to energise their defensive motivations.
The easiest sell is that greater defensive effectiveness will work towards improved foul discipline and a decrease in opposition field goal percentage.
Generating missed baskets without a stoppage will allow the Snakes to play more often in early transition, which is where they seem to be best suited.
PROJECT ATHLETE … TEACHES THEM HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS WHILE CREATING FINANCIAL SECURITY