DETROIT - Sound Mind Sound Body, the organizers of the highly anticipated 5th Annual High School 7v7 Showcase, regretfully announced the event's cancellation due to unforeseen air quality concerns. The decision to postpone the two-day showcase featuring over 30 schools and some of the nation's top players was determined to prioritize the well-being of attendees,…
By Perry A. Farrell
SMSB Editor-in-Chief
Jakobe Watkins knew something was wrong.
In March of 2019, after completing a season at Belleville High School where he was named All-Conference and made some All-State teams as a freshman offensive lineman, he felt something uncomfortable in his left knee.
“I was at the Nike Opening in Akron,’’ said Watkins. “We were…
By Perry A. Farrell
SMSB Editor-in-Chief
A seasoned 7on7 veteran, West Bloomfield High School, and Sound Mind Sound Body (SMSB) Max Ex participant, Maxwell Hairston is ready for the Southeastern Conference.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound defensive back committed to Kentucky on his father’s birthday.
“It was between Virginia Tech, Purdue, Minnesota and Kentucky,’’ Hairston said. “Everything I wanted in a…
By Perry A. Farrell
SMSB Editor-in-Chief
Portage is roughly two hours and 30 minutes from the east side of Detroit.
For Portage Northern senior Anthony Tyus III, the ride was worth it.
Being a part of the Sound Mind Sound Body program allowed him to gain exposure that the west side of the state doesn’t afford him.
“The trip wasn’t…
By Perry A. Farrell
SMSB Editor-in-Chief
Wendell Brown’s darkest days were spent in a Chinese prison for three years.
In 2016 Brown was imprisoned in Chongqing, China. He was involved in a bar fight while attending a birthday party for a friend. Initially he was charged with intentional assault and sentenced to four years.
“I was in there for…
By Perry A. Farrell
SMSB Editor-in-Chief
Melik Williams is an academic star at Ypsilanti Lincoln High School and his talents on the football field are quickly catching up.
He’s entering his second year with Sound Mind Sound Body (SMSB) Football Academy, and his exploits in the classroom have been eye-opening.
Last month, SMSB hosted SAT practice testing for their…
By Perry A. Farrell
SMSB Editor-in-Chief
When ESPN and Rivals.com released their rankings of the top football players in the class of 2022 there was a five-star by Will Johnson’s name.
It was significant because Johnson, a junior defensive back at Grosse Pointe South, doesn’t attend camps -- just the Sound Mind Sound Body Football Academy camps that…
By Perry A. Farrell
SMSB Editor-in-Chief
Cornell Perry was entering his junior season at Woodhaven High School with no college football offers.
The 6-foot, 170-pound safety heard about the benefits of being part of the Sound Mind Sound Body program and thought three weeks ago was the right time.
“My dad (Ryann Perry) knew a person who was able…
By Tyriq Thompson
In 2012, I attended my first Sound Mind Sound Body (SMSB) Football Academy camp held at Southfield High School. It was my first time ever participating in a camp of that magnitude. I hadn’t even decided which high school I would attend in the fall, yet SMSB had me thinking about college.…
By Tyriq Thompson
SMSB Alum / Intern – Staff Writer
Detroit Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School has a long history as a football powerhouse, not only in the city of Detroit, but in the state of Michigan. Detroit King has produced All-Americans, collegiate ball players across all levels, and many have gone on to…
By Tyriq Thompson
SMSB Alum / Intern – Staff Writer
Masai Reddick is one of Detroit Cass Technical High School stars on the rise. The 6’4 285-pound offensive tackle will be entering his junior year this fall, and already possesses the maturity and wisdom of someone who has graduated college.
Reddick holds scholarship offers from Ole…
By Tyriq Thompson SMSB Alum / Intern – Staff Writer
While there have been no reliable studies in recent years that calculate the literacy rate for Detroiters, it is not lost on many residents that illiteracy in our communities is a real thing. At a time when conversations on building generational wealth and gaining…