Ulysses Ford
- Age: 37
- Athletic Director
- Hometown: Columbus, Ga
- Location: Columbus, Ga
- Owner of Workaholics Training
- Basketball Coach (Pacelli High School)
- Independent Athletic Trainer
- Certification: Athletic Trainer
- Instagram: Workaholic_Training
- Facebook: Ulysses Ford B-Ball Trainer
- Tik Tok: Workaholic_Training
More Than Just a Game
On Saturday afternoons, local bars and restaurants transform into vibrant hubs of activity, not just for the delectable food but also for the communal celebration of competitive sports. The allure goes beyond the flavors on the menu, drawing people together to revel in the dynamic performances of athletes. It’s a time when the cheers echo not only for the exquisite execution of skills but also for the strategic brilliance displayed by coaches orchestrating victories on courts and fields. The enduring popularity of sports at every level reflects its deep-rooted significance, evolving and thriving over the years.
Sports, for many, serve as more than just entertainment; they become sources of inspiration and aspiration, particularly for youngsters seeking to transcend their own limitations. Witnessing athletes surpass physical boundaries ignites hope and determination. Yet, not every aspiring athlete’s journey leads straight to professional stardom. Fate often intervenes, redirecting individuals toward impactful roles within the sports realm. Some find their calling in coaching, dedicating themselves to nurturing the potential of emerging talents. A poignant illustration is my friend, Coach Ford, whose journey within the Workaholics organization exemplifies the transformative power of sports beyond the playing field.
Becoming the Difference
Born in Columbus, GA, and raised by his mother and father, Ulysses Ford was known to participate in his love for sports. From elementary school to high school Ulysses’ choice of sports was football and basketball. His love for the game has always inspired him to dream of going to the NBA and playing at the highest level. However, sports were just one of his dreams during this time.
Ulysses also had a love affair with music after being introduced to it by his mother and father. It wasn’t long before he was entering local talent shows, creating mixtapes, and even working with one of Atlanta’s most famous music producers, Zaytoven. Ulysses was on his way to stardom. Along with this newfound stardom, Ulysses also became a father. After countless road trips and obligated appearances, he began to realize how much he was missing his children. He knew soon he would have to decide, the music industry or fatherhood. He chose fatherhood.
Becoming Coach Ford
As Ulysses started to adjust to a slower and parental-centered lifestyle, he discovered that during his son’s first attempt at little league football, was beginning to develop those old feelings towards sports but this time, he would experience that same familiar love through his son. Eventually becoming a single parent of his son Jayddence Ford, he fully threw himself into developing his new focus in football. Ulysses was elated to see his Jayddence learn the game of competition. With a football background himself, it would be easy to help develop his son in the sport. However, that was not the case.
As a spectator of his son’s games, it didn’t take long for him to notice the coaches of their respective leagues were playing “daddy ball”. The term “daddy ball” is a term used to describe how coaches show favoritism to certain players on the team, especially if their own children were a part of the team. Ford saw this as a flaw in coaching and was an ultimate setback to those children on the team who weren’t being chosen by their coaches. He knew that their development would become stagnant, including his son, Jayddence.
Ulysses took matters into his own hands. He removed his son from the program while also becoming a basketball coach for a local team in his community. This decision to pull his son from his team wasn’t an easy one but was instead based on the belief that all children should have the same opportunity for growth instead of bias. This belief created an evolution in his own life, thus making the transition from Ulysses to now for Coach Ford.
Doing Better
Becoming a basketball coach was not necessarily a plan Coach Ford had in mind, but much like his decision to leave behind a lucrative music career to become a more present father, he was no stranger to adapting. Consequently, Jayddence was also learning the art of adapting after losing football and now inherently becoming more acquainted with basketball. Neither Coach Ford nor Jayddence could conceive at the time what basketball had in store for them. For Coach Ford, nothing was more important to him than being a respectable role model to his son. For Jayddence, nothing was more important to him than spending quality time with his dad. Basketball soon became the outlet they both needed, thereby creating an inseparable bond between the two.
The first team that Ford coached was his son’s (spell out, before acronyms) KCP AAU team. The coaching continued and he focused on raising his son and building his coaching career. State to state, tournament after tournament, Ulysses devoted himself to building a better life for his son and players who wanted to grow in the sport. This became Coach Ford’s purpose.
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Coach Ford’s Purpose
After gaining experience and success in coaching his son’s basketball teams, Coach Ford went on to coach many other teams as the head coach. The experience and success also provided him with an offer as the assistant head coach for the Pacelli High School varsity basketball team. With Pacelli High being in his hometown, this allowed him to continue giving young athletes in his local community an equal chance for growth in athletic training.
Coach Ford’s focus was always to focus on his son’s upbringing. It was never his intention to become the coach he is today. But as mentioned earlier in the article, his son deserved a fair chance. By providing an opportunity for his son, he also doubled his reach to other children in his community. Fast forwarding to the present day, he has trained and shaped hundreds of athletes’ futures. His most recent impact has even reached some notable athletes such as Kionna Gaines of the Auburn Tigers. His devotion and aptitude for the game reshaped Coach Ford’s reality.
Progression
After spending years creating a reputable name for himself, he was now able to create a pivot into entrepreneur territory by opening his training camp called Workaholic. His training camp is designed to train and facilitate the dreams of his young athletes to become the stars they envision in the game of basketball. As Workaholics continues to grow throughout the community, he also has plans to expand the business thus spreading his reach to other athletes yet again but this time, throughout the region or even the country. T
raining athletes has also affected him personally as he has found pleasure in fitness himself. During his downtime, Coach Ford likes to train himself in the form of bodybuilding. He recognized that to take care of his community, he must have the health and fitness to do so.
The Future
The future for Coach Ford grows more purposeful as he expands his horizons in fitness. Over the years, he has trained many athletes and he found himself in another light; fitness training. Because he changes the lives of the youth, it is the parents who seek his guidance in fitness, thus the beginning of Workaholic Fitness.
Workaholic Fitness intends to be a staple in his community to help those who desire fitness training. This is entirely different from his basketball training camp. This is more about health and wellness, shaping the community to practice healthier habits that affect the household completely.
So as time progresses, we expect to continue to see the stamp of Coach Ford in the youth, his community, and someday in the National Basketball Association. Coach Ford is someone to keep a close watch on because it is without a doubt that his name will be known nationally. Lastly and as always, remember, nothing works unless you do. Bless!
Teams Coached:
- 2 KCP Teams – 2nd and 3rd Graders (1 year)
- 2 PPE Perfect Practice Elite Teams – 3rd and 4th Graders (3 years)
- 4 Workaholic Teams – 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Graders (2 years)
- 1 Tri-City Elite Team – 8th Graders (1 year)
- St. Ann Pacelli Middle School Team – (7 years)
- St. Ann Pacelli High School Assistant Head Coach – (5 years)(Current)
