After being part of San Diego State’s first men’s basketball team to make it to the Sweet 16, SDSU alumnus and former point guard D.J. Gay didn’t stay away from the court for very long.
Gay, alongside friend and former basketball player and University of San Diego alumnus Jordan Lawley, came together to start iTrain, a basketball-training academy that takes place throughout San Diego.
According to Gay, his major in women’s studies and minor in social sciences helped motivate him to start iTrain because it gave him a different outlook on life.
“It taught me to look at the world in a completely different way,” Gay said. “Because of that I feel I am able to better understand people and look at things from other people’s perspectives. It taught me to be a selfless thinker.”
That mentality is what helped shape Gay’s career path after his time at SDSU and in creating iTrain. Gay and Lawley put together iTrain to assist young basketball players interested in improving their game.
“We created iTrain to give kids an alternate outlet to be taught the game of basketball because the mental aspect of the game is just as important as the physical,” Gay said. “I really enjoy teaching the game, and my goal as a coach and trainer is to not only make someone’s skills better, but to always make sure I explain why.”
iTrain was created as soon as Gay and Lawley both finished playing basketball overseas. They got together because they wanted to create a successful basketball academy in San Diego.
Lawley, who has been an NBA skills trainer since 2011, is also the program’s lead skills trainer and says there are specific reasons why iTrain is so successful and unique.
“We truly believe in the level of personal touch involved with any form of tutelage, and our training is indicative of that. We believe in teaching our clients rather than teaching a uniform understanding of basketball,” Lawely said. “Each person is different in their understanding of the game, and we make sure to connect with each client to make their journey personal and efficient.”
Some of the different forms of training the program offers include personal sessions, which focus on skills training, plyometric sessions and an NBA pre-draft camp during the NBA offseason.
“We use gyms all throughout San Diego, but our main headquarters is the Carmel Valley Boys and Girls Club,” Gay said. “However, we have just started working with the YMCA, and will hold camps and clinics all throughout San Diego County.”
Matt Fugmann, whose son Zach Fugmann is a current participant in the program, said iTrain has remarkably transformed his son’s skills and understanding of the game.
“It is the finest training available in Southern California to assist young people in improving their game and really raise their game to entirely new level using numerous training methods,” Fugmann said. “My son has become one of the most efficient and excellent point guards in his game group because of it.”
iTrain is a unique academy because there are no restrictions on who can join—it’s open to everyone and anyone who is willing to put in the hard work and have fun.
“We have kids from five years old all the way to a 45-year-old. Our program is for anyone no matter the age; if you want to take your game to the next level or just want a great workout, all we ask is for you to work hard,” Gay said.
Gay’s basketball and educational experience at SDSU has helped and motivated him to create a successful business and he invites everyone to get involved with the iTrain program.
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