This Coach Teaches Basketball Skills and Life Lessons to His Students

Sponsored by Denny’s | A youth basketball coach from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is using his own personal story of perseverance and redemption to serve as a continual reminder to the kids he coaches that they can overcome any difficult situation.

Jennifer Hudson welcomed John Dennis from Philadelphia to “The Jennifer Hudson Show” to hear how he’s helping kids from his neighborhood find purpose and learn life skills.

John is a basketball coach and the founder of Philly All Stars, a youth basketball league where he coaches and mentors kids ages 5 to 14.

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Philly All Stars doesn’t just focus on athletics — John also hosts classes for his students that teach networking, public speaking, personal grooming, and advice on how to deal with all kinds of difficult life situations they may face.

“Their feelings matter,” John told Jennifer of his students. “Even if you think you’re pouring enough into them, if they don’t think it’s enough, you have to pour more.”

John is also a barber and cuts the hair of kids in the neighborhood. The kids would often tell John about their challenges and having nothing to do to keep them busy. John felt inspired, and he started the league to create a safe space to keep kids off the streets and away from trouble.

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John knows what trouble a young person can get into. When he turned 18, he had earned a football scholarship to college, but he got arrested for committing a robbery before his first game. He spent eight years in prison, and he doesn’t want other young people to go through the experience he did.

John thinks of the kids in his program as family. He considers himself more than a coach; he’s also a mentor, teacher, disciplinarian, uncle, and father figure. John’s father passed away when he was a child, and he thinks fondly of the coaches who became father figures to him.

Philly All Stars has been running for a decade, and John has seen many of his students take different roads once they age out of the program. “My mentoring relationship doesn’t stop,” he said. “I’ve showed up to courthouses, I’ve showed up to funerals, everything.”

“The Jennifer Hudson Show” has partnered with Denny’s to launch “Stacks of Love,” a new segment on the show that shines a light on layered stories that celebrate authentic conversations around mental health — because there’s no better time than now to focus on your well-being.

As America’s Diner, Denny’s is a place that welcomes you as you are. Denny’s is committed to highlighting mental health awareness.

Because of Coach John’s incredible efforts in providing a safe space for kids to grow and express themselves, Jennifer surprised him with $10,000 on behalf of Denny’s to keep Philly All Stars going.

To learn more about how Denny’s is promoting mental health awareness, head to dennys.com.

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