Trainer DeWayne Brown is a self-made man
by Wade Perry
Posted April 29, 2011 10:54 pm
When it comes to the world of sports training, it seems like there are an endless sea of academies out there with TV commercials, YouTube videos, websites, and anything else out there to help them land the next great athlete in their program.
In the ultra-competitive realm of sports–competition is fierce in nearly every aspect and training athletes is no different.
When you talk to DeWayne Brown of Two Tenths Speed and Agility in Pittsburgh, Pa., it’s immediately apparent why he has been so very successful over the years–his dynamic personality and ability to connect with people.
The Pittsburgh native started Two Tenths Speed and Agility for a simple reason–he saw that kids from the Pittsburgh area weren’t using proper technique when attending combines and camps.
He wanted to make sure they put their best foot forward when trying to get to the next level–whether it be college or professional sports.
Brown is also a mentor of many of the young children in the Pittsburgh area that have dreams and aspirations to play Division I-A college football.
Since he started the program over eight years ago, Brown has trained over 30 Division I-A athletes–the most well known of which is DeJuan Blair (San Antonio Spurs). He has also trained Wisconsin Badger h-back Mannasseh Garner (pictured above with DeWayne Brown on right).
When talking with Brown–he doesn’t have any flashy promos or commercials, nor does he have any big time corporate sponsorships.
He’s operated his business out of the back of his pickup truck over the past several years and he doesn’t mind that one bit.
Brown in many ways–a self made man and he’s very proud of it when you speak to him about his program.
He’s established himself as one of the top trainers in the Pittsburgh, Pa. area for college and professional athletes.
FinestPreps.com caught up with the charismatic trainer recently to discuss Two Tenths Speed and Agility, among other topics.
Below is the interview.
FinestPreps.com Interview with Trainer DeWayne Brown
FinestPreps.com: Talk about Two Tenths Speed and Agility–the program that you’ve created up there in Pittsburgh, Pa.
DeWayne Brown: “Well I started around eight years ago and what I found out was a lot of kids in the city when they would go to these combines–they didn’t know how to get in the proper stance. A lot of them were just doing stuff off their own athetic ability. I’d say if it was ten city kids at a camp, probably one or two had explosion and had technique–stuff like that. So what I did was I took my savings out in the summer time because I work for Pittsburgh public schools–and I bought a couple sleds, ladders, hurdles, parachutes. I set it up at the local park where I grew up at–Warrington Rec. A lot of guys that were at Division II schools–IEP, Slippery Rock, Cal (Pa.)–they would come home but they were just lifting and jogging. So that gave them the opportunity to brush up on their speed work, we did cone drills and stuff like that. At the beginning, I’m gonna be honest with you, I did not know what I was doing. I just got DVDs and I set it up but I was getting results. I got certified, I worked out at Bally’s, and I was still doing my own stuff on the side. I got certified through IFPA (International Fitness Professional Association). I got the sports nutrition, personal trainer, weight management. That same year I was going to different high schools doing it for free–Oliver, Perry, Brashear, etc.”
“The kids had a laspse between their spring and before they went in the summer. All of sudden it went from like six to eight kids to like 30, 40. Then word got around during summer time that I was doing speed and agility. Then a couple non-profits organizations like YouthPlaces–they contracted me out. Then I did it in the winter time–I did Schilling’s basketball team, Oliver’s basketball team, and Allderice’s basketball team. That’s where I got to train the Schilling team that won state. That’s where DeJuan Blair played. He plays for the Spurs now, D.J. Kennedy–he played at St. John’s, and DeAndre Kane–he’s at Marshall. So I got to train them.”
“Then DeJuan (Blair)–he would come back when he didn’t have AAU and workout with me. My first two D-I-A guys are Jermaine Robinson–he’s at Toledo and Ed Tinker–he’s down at Pitt. Then came the domino effect. With those two–it went from six, eight, and I’m still getting 20 to 30 kids at a time. It just started taking off and the next year’s class was John Wetzel–he’s at Boston College, he starts o-tackle #73 and Will Clark–he’s at West Virginia, he’s #98–he’ll be starting defensive end. Tyrone Ezell–he plays d-tackle down at Pitt. Then the next year’s class after that was Mannasseh Garner–he’ll be starting h-back, tight end for Wisconsin. Kevin Witherspoon–he’s down at Pitt. Dom Timbers–he’s at a JUCO. All those guys (Garner, Weatherspoon, Timbers) played in the Big 33 All-Star game. Then you’ve got Jaylen Coleman–he’s been with me since 8th grade. Reggie Mitchell–the last two years, Tyrique Jarrett the last two years, and I trained Archie Donald–I trained him for his pro day. He was a 4.78 (40 yard dash time) before I got him. I brought him down to a 4.59. So he went from the 57th linebacker to 17th in this year’s draft. So Jacksonville, Indianapolis, and St. Louis have already contacted him. He’s on their draft board. Next year–Andre Freeman–he’s a corner at Slippery Rock. He’s a 4.38 kid. He does his junior day May 3rd so all the NFL scouts know about him. So the guys I’ve got in college–it will just be a domino effect. So I can have kids from ages five up until like Archie Donald–getting ready to go to the pros.”
FinestPreps.com: Is there any kind of advice you give to some of these guys that are ready to get into the thick of the college recruiting process? Guys like Jaylen Coleman, Tyrique Jarrett, and Reggie Mitchell?
DeWayne Brown: “Yeah I do. The main thing is–these kids–they see other people around them getting these offers. So they tend to put too much pressure on themselves. A lot of these kids–you’re gonna get what you’re gonna get. If you’re Division I-AA, Division II, be happy with that, make the most out of your ability, and just perform because if you wanna go pro they’re gonna find you anyway. Some of these kids get caught up in–it’s Notre Dame, it’s USC, and some kids aren’t ready to be on that level and play. (They’ll go there) instead of going to a Slippery Rock like Andre Freeman–he’s sticking out and the pros are already on him.”
FinestPreps.com: Is there anything new you have in the works for Two Tenths Speed and Agility, Coach Brown? Are there any new kind of expansions or anything like that?
DeWayne Brown: “Well everything I do now I do out of the back of my pickup truck–I get the permits for gyms and the fields. I’m down at South Stadium every Saturday 12-2 pm and Tuesday and Thursday at Greenway Field. Now I’m looking for land–my own indoor facility. A few agents have already contacted me. I’ve gotten Archie Donald ready and I also trained his brother Aaron Donald. I forgot about him. I’ve got a lot of kids (laughs).”
FinestPreps.com: It’s amazing. How do you keep them all straight?
DeWayne Brown: “It’s funny. Another kid that popped up on me is Julian Durden from Montour (he’s the #41 ranked running back at Scout.com). These kids just pop up, they hear about it. I only charge $10 a session. I don’t worry about the money because I’m getting an abundance of them–I’m getting twenty to thirty kids a session. You don’t worry about the money. You’re just trying to get the kids to the next level–that’s my whole goal. Once they come–I build a relationship with them. If they need any help getting a highlight tape done then I contact Ayo (Fapahunda). He had sent a couple of guys to me and vice versa. We help each other out. I guess you could call that a way of just expanding relationships. You know what I mean?”
FinestPreps.com: For you, what’s been the biggest obstacle for you to overcome in the building of the entire operation of Two Tenths Speed and Agility, Coach.
DeWayne Brown: “It was more or less–when you’re starting a business out, things are building but you don’t see it. You’ve gotta do things without knowing them. You know what I’m saying? All of a sudden it just hits you–bam! I’ll got to these camps and there’s kids that have heard of me or kids that have heard of me that I don’t even know. I wouldn’t really say there hasn’t been any hurdles because what I did–everything I made in my business I put back into it. That’s how I’m able to do 100 kids at once. I have 30, 40 medicine balls, 100 lateral resistors, 50 parachutes, 15, 20 sleds. I don’t have to worry about if I have enough ladders. I just keep buying–keep putting my money back into the business. I feel most people–when it comes to building their own business–I think most people’s biggest issue is that they have to look at themselves. What are they doing wrong or why is there business not growing?”
DeWayne Brown is the founder of Two Tenths Speed and Agility in Pittsburgh, Pa. He can be reached by e-mail at dewaynebrown505@hotmail.com or you can check out his website at http://twotenths.8m.com/index.html.
Wade Peery is the senior writer for FinestPreps.com. He can be reached by e-mail at wadepeery@yahoo.com. All comments and feedback are welcome.