Grind Hard Conditioning empowers kids to grow on and off the field

When a spontaneous pick-up game of flag football in Brackenridge attracted 80 kids, parents Julius Johnson and Jonathan Butter were excited to imagine it growing into something more.

“We enjoy working with the kids, showing them what hard work can do,” said Johnson, of Brackenridge. “We thought, ‘What more can we do with this?’”

Fast forward seven months, and Grind Hard Conditioning, which offers free athletic training for children, is soaring.

Johnson and Butter host sessions up to three times a week at the field between Brackenridge Memorial Park and Dreshar Stadium in Tarentum, for children 6 and older. Dozens of children, boys and girls, turn out for running drills, skill games and guidance on how to be a better teammate.

“I love it,” said Gunner Gaudy, a third grader in the Highlands School District. “We learn stuff, and we have fun. I look forward to it every day.”

Twelve-year-old Kadance Payne showed up for the first session on a whim but now doesn’t miss a practice.

“We do passing drills and work on our techniques a lot,” he said. “I go home sore and tired.”

Johnson and Butter said their mission is to foster a positive and inclusive atmosphere where kids can develop as athletes and individuals. They focus on confidence, respect, sportsmanship, teamwork and leadership. Practices are filled with work and fun, as coaches joke with the kids and run alongside them for drills.

Matteo Bell, 7, arrived at practice late last month and ran across the parking lot to greet Johnson with a big hug.

“Let’s get to work,” Bell told his coach.

Butter, of Tarentum, said youth sports offer children far more than physical exercise.

“They teach valuable life lessons, forge friendships and shape character. Our aim is to create an experience that empowers kids to grow on the field and beyond.”

The group grew organically when scores of kids continued to show up for kickball games and other activities, and parents pitched in snacks and drinks to support the effort.

Coaches are now searching for an indoor facility to continue workouts over the winter. They’ve looked into several vacant warehouse-style buildings and some smaller businesses with empty basements.

“We don’t want to leave the kids hanging over the winter,” Butter said. “It just keeps getting bigger and bigger. We’re building something special.”

Their ultimate goal is to create a flag football league similar to the Pittsburgh National Flag Football League, which draws players from around the city and plays games at Linton Middle School in Penn Hills, Schenley Park Oval and North Allegheny Intermediate High School.

“It would be something to bring all the towns around here together,” Johnson said. “It would be good for the whole area.”

In addition to the athletic conditioning, the men created a non­profit arm called Community Grind to educate the kids about “doing good for neighbors.”

They’ve hosted two fundraisers since spring, the most recent being a pumpkin patch at Johnson’s house along Prospect Street. Families were encouraged to bring holiday gifts to be donated to Family Promise House, a transitional shelter in Brackenridge.

The event was buoyed by efforts from across the Alle-Kiski Valley — DJ Mike Prize provided music; The Vultures Motorcycle Club from New Kensington donated a foam machine; and countless others brought cupcakes, cookies and candy for the kids.

“These guys are very serious about the community aspect,” said parent Jennifer Napierkowski of Harrison. Her 9-year-old son, Connor, doesn’t miss the training sessions for anything, she said.

“They’re good for the kids and good for the community. The numbers prove it.”

Bre Gaudy of Harrison said her son was drawn to the group because of his passion for sports, but has stayed because “in a short time, this group has turned into a family.”

“He plays football for RYFO (Rams Youth Football Organization), and on days when there were practices for both teams, he refused to miss Grind Hard. He’d go from one right to the next,” Gaudy said.

“The coaches here are taking the time to treat these kids like they are something special. They talk to them like they are young men, helping them through frustrations and teaching them how to handle different situations.”

Johnson said he wants every kid, not just athletes, to know there is a place for them.

“I hear a lot of kids saying ‘I can’t,” he said. “That doesn’t exist here. Hard work beats all.

“Words are powerful. If I quit every time someone told me I couldn’t do something, I’d be nowhere. The world of sports can offer so much opportunity for youth. We promote activity for all, and for the ones who really want to work hard, it’s only up from here.”