Inside The Fan Shop: One-on-One with Shirod Icne (3PBL Founder & General Manager)
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On June 3, the 3PBL and Founder/GM Shirod Ince tip-off the 2018 Wooter League at the Henry Street Settlement in the Lower East Side, but that's only part of the story. The rest of this basketball tale details the journey of an NYC coach committed to helping kids get better, all while re-investing into the same community and courts that raised him.
One of the best parts about the work we do at Wooter Apparel, is being able to team up with people like yourself who are passionate about the game and giving back to the game through their community...what does it mean to you to have 3PBL going strong since launching your basketball league on the Lower East Side two years ago?
For 3PBL to be going strong for the past 2 years is a blessing. There has been so much growth since the first year. I owe all the success to the participants, volunteers, friends, family, to Wooter Apparel and to Henry Street Settlement.
Honestly speaking it’s very humbling to be the reason anybody wants to wake up on Saturday and Sunday to play basketball. It’s also motivating to continue to provide the best experience possible. The best part is that I have the opportunity to create a safe and competitive space for everyone to participate. They get to create new bonds and friendships. Anybody who’s ever played a sport and has had the experience I’m looking to recreate knows that you consider your teammates brothers and sisters. You’ve got their back. It becomes bigger than basketball.
For people not familiar with 3PBL and the annual summer basketball league going down in the Lower East Side, describe the heart of the league -- why Purpose, Poise, and Passion?
The heart of 3PBL comes from three things I picked up as a player and believe everyone should carry with them. It doesn’t just have to be limited to Basketball, it can be applied in their everyday life, to any situation or sport. That just so happens to be the message behind the league itself. Purpose , Poise, and Passion. I felt these three served as important foundations because if you’re going to be successful you have to know your purpose, you have to maintain your poise, and you have to have passion while doing it. If our participants emulate these three things there is a higher chance for them to be successful.
Along with teaming-up with Wooter Apparel, you also have a tremendous relationship with your work at the Henry Street Settlement. How would you describe these last 10 years working with HSS -- the home court of the 3PBL?
These last 10 years has been a very good learning experience for me as a man and as a coach. I’ve been given the opportunity to grow through the values instilled in me while being a participant in Henry Street Settlement’s youth programs. I am forever grateful for that. In return I’m given the opportunity to give back and instill those same values as well as my own values into everyone I have the chance to impact.
The 3PBL is only part of the story here, Shirod: you also coach and assist at Asphalt Green and serve as a student assistant coach in women's basketball at York College of the City University of New York...when do you find time to sleep?
A good friend of mine once told me the more you work the less time you have to spend the money you make. For me it’s not just about the money I make, it’s also about the quality of work that I’m doing. I love what I do so I don’t mind sacrificing sleep to further my passion.
I love coaching and love teaching kids about the game of Basketball. I’m lucky enough to have coached at every level so far from Elementary to middle school to high school to college to AAU. Hopefully a professional coaching job is next (...laughs..). After all this work I usually sleep as soon as I get home after showering. When it’s all said and done I want it to be known that I worked as hard as I could everyday. It’s not because I care about what people think of me, but because I want to show the kids who may be watching me that if you work hard everyday, it pays off.
The sense of community and helping kids grow in the game, is something rooted in Wooter Apparel. From the overall design of the customized jerseys and uniforms this season and working with Wooter -- what does it mean to you and 3PBL to have a brand like that in your corner?
I’m very appreciative of Wooter Apparel and everything they’ve done for myself as well as 3PBL. The quality behind every single detail is great. I don’t think there’s anybody close to them when it comes to what they do. The team store they designed for 3PBL is amazing, the 3PBL app they designed is amazing, the stats are easy to keep track of and update, they’re easy to work with, understanding, they keep in constant communication and the prices are great. An overall great experience. They make all the things I have to do way easier.
How have these kids and players in the 3PBL made you a better coach (and GM for that matter) ?
Honestly they communicate a lot with me and I work with them to adjust what may be working or not working. There’s a difference between teaching them what to do and telling them what to do. It helps the relationship between player and coach as well as improving the team’s chemistry.
While 3PBL is in season I actually take a step back and let the volunteers coach. I observe each and every player, coach, situation etc. soaking in as much as I can. I study other players and coaches see what works for them and what doesn’t work for them. Adapt it based on who I’m coaching and build a system from there. As far as being a GM is concerned I listen to their feedback and see what it is they want me to do to improve the league for the future. It really helps when their voices are heard because it expresses their perspective.
From June, July, and into August, the 3PBL offers not only a competitive brand of basketball on the Lower East Side on New York (Henry M. Jackson Park), but they also feature league member benefits and an awards and trophy ceremony in September to conclude the 2018 3PBL season.
The 3PBL tipped-off on June 9th...what can people expect to see with the league running from now and through July and August?
People can expect to see a combination of a few things over the next three months of basketball -- they’ll see participants who want to compete at a high level and improve. They’ll see volunteers who are dedicating their time and knowledge. They’ll see smiles, laughs, sweat. They’ll see Purpose, Poise and Passion.
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