Our Story

The story of Sports. Peace. Love., Inc. is simple, organic, and can be told through the logo.  The words in the logo are horizontal representing the linear path of my life.  The filled-in words “sports, peace, love” and the dots represent the meaning and motives behind why people participate in sports and fitness activities.  Depending upon whom you ask, the meaning of sports can range from:

• Freedom and equality
• Friendship
• Hobbies
• Challenges and triumphs
• A means to an end

Each dot and letter represent a significant way that sport has impacted my life.

 

The story of LOVE:

My Dad played basketball at Indiana University (IU) for Bob Knight and scored the last basket in the 1976 NCAA Championship game when IU defeated Michigan, becoming the 1976 undefeated NCAA champs.  His basketball career took him abroad where he played in several countries including my birthplace, Cairo, Egypt.  As a family, we travelled around the world as he pursued his dream of playing professional basketball. 

I have fond memories of my dad and his sports stories, pictures, meeting his former teammates, and playing with his Championship ring, and his support of my athletic endeavors in volleyball.

20 years later after the end of his collegiate career, he went back to UMASS - Amherst to complete his undergraduate degree so that he could start a career as a basketball coach.  He wanted to give back to the game that gave so much to him and our family.  After accepting a coaching position for the San Jose Spiders, he passed away in 2004 before being able to coach his new team. 

His journey is filled with countless lessons of persistence, drive and the ability to dream.  These lessons will always stay with me. 

 

The story of Sports:

This is a story of my athletic career as a volleyball player.  Being part of team was an excellent experience where I could be expressive, guided, and challenged to succeed in an supportive environment.  I played at the Division I level in college: The University of Cincinnati, and later Florida A&M University. 

I thought I was done with volleyball upon the completion of my collegiate career, however, I returned to the court as a high school and Junior Olympic coach. It was through coaching that I decided to make a career out of sports leading to the next circle in my life.

 

The story of  PEACE: 

The current economic climate allowed me to reflect upon my life and interest and I looked to transition into a career in sports.  I enrolled in the Masters of Sports Administration program at Northwestern University and I couldn’t have been happier! Meanwhile, as a result of the economic crash, my corporate career came to an end. 

With the help of my retail management experience, I began working for Chicago 2016: The Olympic Bid Committee as a Merchandise Intern.  It was an opportunity of a lifetime.  It was at 2016 that I began to see sports as not just a game or a competition, but rather a tool that when properly utilized can positively impact communities, participants, spectators, and the world.

 Since then, it has been my vision to have a career in sports that makes a lasting impact on people.  This vision is called Sports. Peace. Love. (SPL)

My hope is that SPL will be a tool that can be an outlet for people to express how sports, fitness, and nutrition impact their lives so that they may share their experiences with others. 

Do It. Feel It. Share It! That is exactly what SPL plans to do!