Meet CJ Nelson

Turning 27 this year, I plan to continue my journey in this path of life emphatically. After moving to Iowa, my basketball and sports careers took a turn for the better. Playing basketball and running track in high school changed my life, forever. Being a part of a team and representing something bigger than myself allowed me to learn the importance of team sports and comradery. The inter/intrapersonal skills developed from these experiences are what shaped me into who I am today.

After transitioning from high school to collegiate sports, I continued to develop a passion for growing not only as an athlete but as a person. After running track and playing basketball at the collegiate level for two years, I discovered and found a complimentary passion for these sports… Coaching and Refereeing. As much as I enjoyed them both, I had begun to lose some innate drive and dedication towards them. I allowed others to determine my self worth and value to the game and competition. That is a lesson I will NEVER forget!

Beginning my coaching and officials career, my passion and fire was reignited and I have not looked back a day since. AAU (Amatuer Club) coaching provided a continuous outlet for my growth in education, coaching, teaching, learning, and continually growing on my journey as a lifelong learner. I had the opportunity to travel, meet new people, and network with other great coaching minds. I was also able to attend clinics to improve on strategies, habits, and best practices in the field of coaching. Becoming a sports official allowed me to grow in my knowledge in the game of basketball and couple that newfound knowledge with the experiences during this path. I have been an official for about 8 years and will continue to place emphasis on this part of my growth and maturation process. Along this journey, I was also introduced to an experience that will forever hold a place in my heart; PGC Basketball. 

The PGC experience allowed me not only to see myself in a greater light, but how my impact on others can help shape, or as they say at PGC, SCHAPE (Spirit, Communication, Hustle, Approach, Precision, Enhancement) a greater experience for them. To this day, working with PGC has been one of the best experiences I could ask for. It is helping me become a better coach, referee, and individual. It allows me to shine my light and provide that SPARK (Epiphany) that some people need in their lives!

 “Do what you love, love what you do, and never trade your authenticity for approval!”