In this episode, Judithe is joined by Coach Smedley (Alisa Smedley) to discuss Coach's background growing up in an unstable home, and how she now brings that experience to her work with imprisoned young men.
With her full grasp of the barriers that many children face as they traverse young adulthood, Coach Smedley’s message is one of personal responsibility and opportunity.
Highlights from this episode:
"Dating is a test drive. You do that apart from your parenting." - Coach Smedley
"I thought, ‘We’re in survival mode, lady! The heck with college-ruled paper, we bought the paper that was on sale at K-Mart!’" - Coach Smedley
"You cannot give into your environment." - Coach Smedley
"You’re never supposed to be comfortable in a jail, that’s not your home!" - Coach Smedley.
"Sometimes, coming out of unstable situations like I did, you have to create something that you’ve never seen. I want to let them know THAT IS POSSIBLE." - Coach Smedley
"In some states, they determine how many correctional facilities they’ll need on fourth-grade reading scores." - Coach Smedley.
Coach Smedley's four things that will keep you out of jail:
1. Your relationship with money: How you think and feel about money
2. Education: Whatever level of education you have, work to achieve more
3. Learn to do many things: Skills mean opportunities
4. You have to want more: Don’t be satisfied with your circumstances or environment.