Felix feels at home on just about any field, or court for that matter, but that was not always the case. Far from it.
It wasn’t until Felix was 12-years-old when he turned to sports to help him deal with hard things at home. He tried football, but that required him to leave his neighborhood, and he couldn’t handle the culture shock. So, then he tried basketball, but he wasn’t very good.
“Actually, I was horrible. I was frustrated that I wasn’t good enough to really compete. I wanted to feel I was at least on an equal level. I didn’t want people dominating me. But I had no one to show me how to play.”
But Felix chose to get better—on his own. He started practicing, even on Saturdays and Sundays. “I would be out there shooting, and everyone knew it was me. I was the only one there. So eventually I got really good and I was able to compete. It gave me a way to escape the reality that was going on in my house. And it gave me something to look forward to.”
In starting MVP360, Felix founded a sports group designed to help some of the neediest kids in our city, especially those who could use some extra help in learning new sports and getting their confidence up.
“Learning a sport can be so empowering!”
“I remember one kid who couldn’t do a single push-up. He couldn’t lift himself off the mat when he started. By the time we were done, he could do 20 push-ups. Watching his confidence grow, he was persistent. He reminded me of myself when I was a kid. Now I get to pass on what I’ve learned to those who really need it.”
But what’s critical, Felix says, is parent involvement. That can make all the difference.
“The more parents make being active something that’s important to them, the more their kids will see that staying involved in sports should remain a part of their lives. This is something I tell parents all the time.”
