I was born and raised on the west side of Denver, Colorado, by a single mother. Six of us lived in a one-bedroom house, surrounded by gangs, drugs, and constant chaos. Survival was the backdrop of everyday life.

At a young age, my mom made a decision that changed everything—she signed me up to play football for the PAL Hawks.

I was fortunate to land with a coach who didn’t just teach football. He taught me how to love the game. Through sports, I learned discipline, mental toughness, and accountability. More importantly, I was given something I didn’t yet know how to name: hope and opportunity.

Sports kept me off the streets. They kept me engaged in school. They surrounded me with other driven kids who were growing up in the same conditions and choosing a different path. That foundation carried me forward—to college, where I earned a degree from the University of Northern Colorado, becoming the first person in my family—immediate or extended—to do so.

When my playing days ended, coaching began.

I started at the Boys & Girls Club in Greeley, and from there, coaching became my calling. Aside from being a father and a husband, coach is the hat I’m most proud to wear. I went on to become the head football coach at Abraham Lincoln High School, where my passion for leadership and mentorship grew—and where I committed myself to giving kids the same hope and opportunity that had once been given to me.

After ten years of coaching high school football, I stepped into educational leadership, serving as a dean, assistant principal, and athletic director. In every role, one truth became clearer: the landscape of youth sports was changing—and not for the better.

Youth sports were becoming more about who could afford it.
The haves were moving ahead.
The have-nots were being left behind.

Concrete Sports was created to close that gap.

This organization exists because I’ve lived both sides of the equation. I know what access can do. I know what mentorship can change. And I know that talent has never been the problem—opportunity has.

Concrete Sports is about leveling the playing field, creating access, and using the power of sports to open doors that once felt impossible.

This is personal.
This is purpose.
And this is just the beginning.

— Jesse Hernandez
Founder, Concrete Sports