Today we’d like to introduce you to Beyond The Court.
Hello Beyond The Court, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As a former basketball coach, I (Chelsia Mckie Founder) sat in the gym and talked to parents and student-athletes during tournaments on the weekends. Asking about their goals, how was school, were they staying focused, what colleges they were looking forward to checking out, and just building relationships. Often times, they replied, I don’t know. I even talked to parents, and surprisingly, the answers were the same. I began to see the disconnect on the court and with student-athletes beyond it. I started the journey to create a company that will embrace the love of the game and bridge the gap of understanding what it will take to be successful. This could not be executed by just one person, so Alex Percival joined the team as our Co-Founder and COO. The vision for Beyond The Court developed from passion and the desire to ensure student-athletes succeed beyond their last game. We know that this will change the world of sports as a whole.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
“Pressure makes diamonds” is a statement we like to embrace. We have had our moments of adversity. Within the sports culture, winning games is often the mindset. However, we are striving to encourage a new way of thinking outside of the streamlined pathway of having to be a pro athlete, to be successful in the world of sports or in general. Unfortunately, it takes time to change perspectives and get individuals to buy into the vision and see the potential impact downstream. Yet, we are not concentrating on the obstacles because, in the end, a positive impact will create a diamond mentality worth more than money can buy.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Beyond The Court reflects our passion for sports and knowledge, but collectively, we bring a wealth of experience that makes the perfect team due to excelling in our own individual careers. Chelsia has worked in the Edtech field for 6 years, consulting district leaders throughout the country. The proud founder of the nonprofit The Narrative Shift and a Trauma Counselor who focuses on adolescents and teens.
Alex is a former competitive athlete. He also has corporate experience in sales and marketing and courageously served his country in the U.S. Army for 11 years until he was Honorably Discharged. He’s currently a business owner who provides business and marketing consulting for companies locally and in other states. He also conducts professional business writing.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
There are two people that deserve credit for the success of our business. Chelsia’s late grandmother, known to the community as “Nana,” always encouraged her to go after whatever she put her mind to, put education first, and said, “You Got This.” And Coach Utaff Gordon, who is a retired HS basketball coach from Sol C. Johnson High School in Savannah, GA. His entire career and success have been centered on empowering generations and strengthening the community. Utaff has been a mentor and supporter of BTC since the beginning. He’s been a personal mentor to Alex and a newfound friend to Chelsia. The encouraging words these individuals have shared with us over the years are some reasons why we continue to introduce change and bridge gaps that could lead to a brighter future for all involved.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.btcathletes.com
- Instagram: btcathletes
