REP YOUR STORY

A collection of moments that helped define the careers of some of the world’s best athletes, told by those who lived it.

Jay Hernandez has been training and coaching athletes for over two decades.  He has seen what the barriers can be for players of all ages, backgrounds, and circumstances; and has narrowed down his coaching to a very specific formula: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.  If you aren’t challenged, then you will be bored and won’t improve.  Getting better is forever, it’s not a quick fix.  Go apply what you learned and then do it all over again. This led to him coming up with phrases, affirmations, and telling stories to cue the athletes, to make them believe, to continue to fight through obstacles, and to know that the athletes they looked up to have dealt with the same types of challenges.

Jay has experiences as an athlete, trainer, and coach that allow him to have engaging conversations with athletes and provide a platform to share some of their most impactful career moments.  Jay created Rep Your Story to include a wide scope of athletes from major team sports to solo sports, all striving to be at their best when it mattered most.  The beauty in each story told comes from each athlete’s transparency into what led to their moment, or what happened because of the moment they shared.  

In Rep Your Story, Jay has assembled a roster of elite athletes to share their stories, which represent the standout success or failure moments that made these competitors the professionals they are recognized to be today:

Chris Weidman (Mixed Martial Arts), Myles Jones (Lacrosse), Nic Lamb (Surfing), Chris Algieri (Boxing), Micah Hyde (American Football), Shasta Averyhardt (Golf), Alexander Massialas (Foil Fencing), and Tianna Madison (Track & Field). 

These stories are sure to inspire and provide true testimonials of the physical and mental fortitude needed to become the best of the best.  Anyone who is looking to achieve success — in whatever they choose to pursue — will gain great insights into what it takes.

What people are saying

  • “Life will always be a combination of successes and failures, but how we handle them is what truly defines us. This book captures that perfectly at the absolute highest levels and is really an inspiration for not only how to deal with whatever challenges life throws at you, but also how to become a better person in the process.”

    – Omar Jimenez, Emmy Award Winning CNN Correspondent

  • “Jay writes the way he lives his life - curiously, authentically and intentionally. This book is an expression of his thirst for learning and his heart for others by sharing what he’s learned. For anyone seeking improvement, it’s a must read.”

    – Amanda Butler, Former Women’s Head Basketball Coach at Florida and Clemson

  • “Every page of this great book features one inspirational tale after the next. First-hand accounts from larger than life superheroes offering lessons on how to overcome daily obstacles, both big and small. The best part is, while they are talking about their own experiences, there’s something for everyone here to draw from and use as motivation. A great read.”

    – Ariel Helwani, Combat Sports Journalist

ABOUT JAY HERNANDEZ

Jay Hernandez has just finished his 10th season as an assistant coach in the NBA.  He has been working with the best basketball players in the world helping hone their skills, as well as scouting opponents and coming up with strategies to help the team win.  He previously owned and operated Pro Hoops Inc. for 10 years, developing the basketball skills of athletes from amateurs to the pros.  While playing college basketball for Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright at Hofstra University, Hernandez learned valuable lessons on leadership, accountability, and, most importantly, the mentality needed to be a great competitor and teammate.  

Jay played basketball professionally for three seasons in Puerto Rico, and started training athletes while in college before he opened Pro Hoops Inc.  He has seen what the barriers can be for players of all ages, backgrounds, and circumstances; and has narrowed down his coaching to a very specific formula: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.  If you aren’t challenged, then you will be bored and won’t improve.  Getting better is forever, it’s not a quick fix.  Go apply what you learned and then do it all over again.  This led to him coming up with phrases, affirmations, and telling stories to cue the athletes, to make them believe, to continue to fight through obstacles, and to know that the athletes they looked up to have dealt with the same types of challenges.

Jay started an amateur career in Muay Thai in his 30s, where he learned all over again what it felt like to be a beginner, to be scared, and to find a way to be present in the moment.  He realized quickly that he would need to live within the advice he gave to his players: In fighting, you can’t have a mental lapse, because it could mean getting hurt.

The appreciation Jay has had for training and improving started at a young age and carried into his time working with athletes.  His experiences as an athlete, as a trainer, and as a coach allows him a great advantage in being able to ask the engaging questions that opens up the athletes to tell some of their most impactful moments in their careers.  Jay wanted a book that included a wide scope of athletes from major team sports to solo sports who were all striving to be at their best when it mattered most.  It doesn’t always work out that way and that is the beauty in each story told.  Just like Jay’s story, just like yours.

Sponsor Spotlight: WHITE ARK ENTERPRISES

White Ark Enterprises is the Title Sponsor for Rep Your Story. We wanted to connect with a company and a visionary who saw this not just as a book about elite athletes and their stories but a compilation book of inspiration. Everyone has a story, and Andres (Andy) Garcia has grown White Ark Enterprises based on the foundational principles he learned during his time playing basketball.

Andy grew up in a single-parent household as a kid and saw basketball as a way to provide for his family. He shined shoes, sold dresses, and washed dishes to make ends meet and would play basketball until the early hours of the morning. The combination of hustling on and off the court would pay dividends for him down the line. Eventually, Andy got the call to play in Mexico City where he would get to showcase his skills in front of a passionate fan base and against pro-level competition. He became a fan favorite because of his tenacity and his ability to shoot the ball with the best of them. He started to meet and get mentored by some of the most successful businesspeople in the region. They saw his work ethic and ability to connect with his coaches and teammates and knew that he could transition from playing basketball to running his own business.

He was able to do this alongside his brother Gustavo Garcia, growing a successful contracting business in part because of the relationships Andy fostered in Mexico City as well as the U.S. Rep Your Story was made for people like Andy who will keep striving to be the best no matter what obstacles are in the way.

Thank you, Andy, for your belief in the book and for your unwavering support. Please visit their website for more information.