Back in 2005, Snoop Dogg started a youth football league to develop talented kids of the age group 5 to 13. While CJ Stroud is now known for being a notable alumnus of that league, the chances of this not being a reality were higher due to his mother’s initial skepticism.
CJ’s introduction to Snoop Youth Football League happened when Pomona Steelers coach Priest Brooks wanted a top-ranked QB for his team. The coach found his fit in a 12-year-old CJ, who was all the rage back then. He was, therefore, invited to an unofficial practice along with family members. But at first glance, Kimberly wasn’t a fan of this decision.
Apart from the Stroud family living 40 miles east of where the League was organized, Kimberly wasn’t a fan of the reputation the League had. CJ’s doting mother hesitated too much, leading to her being vehemently against joining the program.
“When we first went there, I was like at first, no offense Snoop but I was super against it but that was only because of the reputation. I just had all these images in my head and I was like no, we’re not doing that,” reminisced Kimberly on ‘The Mom’s POV’ podcast.
While Kimberly didn’t go into detail about what the reputation of the league was back then, it was bad enough for her to dread going to the private practice. But it was the young CJ who pushed for his spot in the league. “He was like ‘Mom, I have to do this. I have to, l want to go, so he tried to get on the team,” she recalled.
Once the decision to go for the practice was confirmed, Kimberly recalled how nervous she was. On one hand, she had the whole reputation angle playing in her mind, and on the other, there was the anxiety of seeing her son perform in a new environment. Luckily, it all went well, and in his first session, the 12-year-old CJ impressed everyone.
“The first practice… man, I don’t even think my nerves were so bad. But then after the first snap, my son got out that pocket so quick and that was all he needed…”
Once the nerves settled in, Kimberly realized how wrong she was to give in to the reputation of the league. She observed that the atmosphere and the personnel at Snoop’s league were super cordial and friendly — 180 degrees from the image outside.
“When we went to the actual practices, we saw how everybody was so professional and great people… so don’t judge a book by its cover.”
All that said, the move turned out to be fruitful for CJ in the bigger scheme of things. While he dazzled the league with his performances, he also picked up skills like communication and collaboration, which have shaped his leadership and composure.
2024-12-12 13:51:31