Meet Joe Hunter | Youth Sports Coach and Mentor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joe Hunter and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joe, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
I would have to say that our business helps our community of Compton “by allowing kids from Compton from the same community to be a part of something from their very own neighborhood and to be coached by two coaches that grew up in the same area that they are. By being coached by myself and coach Keith. They’re able to see that there is more to the stigma of Compton that’s out there and with that, when they travel the states for Track meets. They’re able to be proud to represent their city, Compton, CA proudly, across their chest and on their back. Over the past two years, we have gone from about 10 kids to 35 plus kids and still growing. The pandemic has been a blessing in disguise for us allowing us to travel and take the kids to many places along with of as adults too that have never been before.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
It was far from easy to get to where we are now, As I mentioned before we set to start things right before a time that will forever be part of history, covid 19. When we started 4 Thee Youth sports Inc. 501c3 nonprofit. It was right the world took and very unknown turn in life and not knowing when it would ever be normal again. What I am most excited about I would have to say through all that we have been through it the ability that we had parents that trusted in us to take their kids outta state and compete. Alone that time of us just going outta town to compete it became something much bigger than that with traveling to all these other states that we have been going to. We started to realize that we are about to start to make these trips life lessons and experiences by taking them to visit historic places and college universities. .

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
So if my bestirred was coming into town for the week. Well, we would start the week off by hitting up DTLA, the LA Live area. There is so much to do around there. We would go to Fixins Soul Food for brunch and drinks from there we would take in the downtown area and take in some of the many attractions downtown. Then doing the other few days we would go and take in the Beach somewhere and just see why California is loved by going to the Redondo Beach boardwalk, to have a few drinks and take in the Cali weather. Then to end the trip depending on the time of year we would head back out to DTLA if it was basketball season we would go take in a Lakers game. We would get down there early to take in the energy that will be all over, DTLA from the Purple and Gold fans.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’ll like to shoutout, out to my family and friends, who have been there along the way in supporting us in getting things going. I would have to say It has been a very tough road for us due to the pandemic. We started our business in the midst of hidtroy. Which was a month right before everything came to a stop because of the pandemic. We didn’t have a clue of what was to come but thanks to, two guys I would like to shoutout and thank for their unbelievable drive, pursuit, and relentless, is Keith Burroughs who we started Compton Electric Speed Youth Track Club together and then Lucky Lopez who I started 4 Thee Youth Sports Inc. 501c3 A.K.A. @StillHereGrinding with that got was the start to getting everything going. It’s nothing but much respect to both of these guys.