In high school, I worked with an impressive young man from Seattle, Washington. He was a soft-spoken manager yet his presence commanded respect. On the court in our recreational basketball leagues, he displayed an exceptional ability to score, record assists, and keep team morale lofty. Off the court, his optimistic attitude and words of encouragement turned a mundane high school job into an enjoyable experience.
The young man I’m writing about has a name--Kyle Speed. He is now the starting point guard and a student at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. In addition to balancing the responsibilities of a student-athlete, Kyle makes sure he is there for his wife Bree and their two young children.
Life presents hurdles to all of us, but Kyle has overcome mountains to get where he is today. In his early childhood, Kyle, his mother and three sisters stayed in homeless shelters across Seattle. After his father left the Speed family, they fell upon tough financial times, and bounced around from shelter to shelter, even staying at homes for battered women on occasion. The family relied on food kitchens for meals and sought out charities for clothing.
Eventually, the family was placed in a two-bedroom apartment as a part of the Seattle Emergency Housing program. Kyle slept on the couch, but had a chance to harness his basketball skills on the apartment’s court. When his mom graduated from vocational school and started a job as a dental assistant, the family moved out of the shelter and Kyle went on to excel in football and basketball at Lake Washington High. However, Kyle hadn’t completely emerged from the immaturity of youth. After just a semester at Bellevue Community College, he dropped out as heavy marijuana use consumed his life.
As the struggles continued, he got a job at a childcare facility, but was taken aback by the number of older people on the premises. Kyle saw what could happen to himself if he continued down the road he was on, and decided to rededicate himself to academics and the game of basketball. The environment in Seattle didn’t provide him with many opportunities, so he relocated with Bree--his high school girlfriend--to Kansas, where she had family. Kyle took on two jobs, which was where he entered my life. As a manager on duty at a fitness club and an employee at a sporting goods store, Kyle attempted to support himself and Bree while he searched for a junior college that would let him play basketball and attend classes. After nearly a year and no interest from local schools, he enrolled at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park to work towards an associate’s degree. While there, he decided to attend an open basketball tryout, a decision that changed his life for the better. The coaches liked what they saw and invited him to join the team as a walk-on. Faced with the daunting task of getting playing time at one of the best junior college basketball programs in the country, Kyle outworked his teammates and earned a spot in the starting lineup on opening day of the season.
Not even a torn ACL was enough to slow Speed down. During his sophomore season, he averaged 14.1 points and 4.8 assists per game, and shortly after, he received a call from Grand Canyon University. Meanwhile, Kyle married Bree and is now the proud father of Kyle, Jr. After Kyle took a recruiting visit to Arizona, he was impressed with the on-campus housing and opportunities for his family, and eventually accepted an offer to play basketball at GCU.
Life has really turned around 180 degrees for the Speed family. Last year, Bree gave birth to their second child, and she now has a job at GCU. Kyle also works in the Student Contact Center to earn extra income for his family. The demands of basketball, school, work, and holding a family together are enough to make any man sweat, but Kyle performs his duties with a smile on his face. He’s a shining example of hard work, commitment, and devotion. I wish him the best, and I hope he realizes the lasting, positive impact he has left on the people he has touched.
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