We recently had the chance to connect with Tahnesia Richmond and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Tahnesia , we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
The landscape of this level of football has changed so significantly over the past decade that it has forced me to be more flexible, grow, and to look at football from multiple angles and perspectives. It has made us tap into areas we never could have dreamed of before.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Tahnesia Richmond and I am the owner of Nashville Elite Amateur Football Team. We are celebrating 10 years as an organization this year. Our focus is to create an environment where young men, who may not have been able to follow the traditional path to college or professional sports, can come in and receive training and guidance on how to navigate the very complicated landscape that is football right now. We want to provide our participants with quality resources as well as to help them discern between quality and authentic opportunities vs the scams and dream selling that’s running rampant in football right now. In addition to this, we also work very hard to build relationships within the community where we can positively impact young athletes and show them that even if they don’t go the traditional route of collegiate or professional football, that there are still alternatives and that there are people who still care about their success.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
When I first started this organization, I was very much so about just taking any and everyone who wanted to come over. The past few years, I have adopted, very heavily, the concept of quality over quantity and we now exclusively work with people who genuinely want to be serious about football, and who genuinely want to move their careers forward. It was extremely scary to do that initially, but since we’ve adopted that philosophy throughout our organization, we’ve been able to take advantage of opportunities that we wouldn’t have been able to previously. It allows us to be more focused on our specific overall purpose. That was not always comfortable, nor was it always easy. It still isn’t, but the organization as well as, and most importantly, our participants, are heavily benefiting from it.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
More times than I can count to be honest, LOL. This is not an easy level of football to be a part of; especially as a woman. So there were many times that I wanted to quit, but it never failed that every time I got to that poin, I came across a kid who reminded me why I started in the first place . That kept me going.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
Easily My coach, Terrell Smith and my general manager, Justin Smith. These 2 have experienced every aspect of our program as they both started out as players for me and then moved into coaching and administration. They are able to look at the game in a way that I never could, because they played it. They’re always challenging me and the organization as a whole to grow and change with the game itself. That’s the reason we’ve been able to do what we’ve done for so long.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
I’ve been doing that for over a decade. This is not a job that you can do if you’re looking for credit, and if you’re looking for praise. When you do it, for those reasons, it’s not authentic. Everything that I do, I do for the purpose of hoping that it will help my boys. If at any point in time I do it seeking congratulations for myself, that’s the day that I need to hang it up. It should never be about me.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: nashvilleelitefootball
- Facebook: Nashville Elite Amateur Football Team
- Youtube: Owner Nashville Elite Amateur Football Team
- Other: Email: nashvilleelitefootball@yahoo.com
