He just wanted to play ball, but following a bout of bullying in his early years, Drew Lasker made a conscious effort to embed diversity and inclusion into every facet of his career, and is achieving impressive results.
Now a 16-year veteran of the UK Basketball scene, Drew Lasker is making waves both on and off the court. A life-long athlete, currently playing the position of Guard for Newcastle Eagles in the UK, he understands how sports can open doors and bring communities closer together.
Now a 16-year veteran of the UK Basketball scene, Drew Lasker is making waves both on and off the court. A life-long athlete, currently playing the position of Guard for Newcastle Eagles in the UK, he understands how sports can open doors and bring communities closer together.
I caught up with Drew to understand more about his journey and how he is making diversity and inclusion a powerplay, both on and off the court, and how he uses his brands TrainHarder 21 (T21H) and 21 Media, to advance his aims supporting diversity and inclusion, whilst bringing communities, and young people together.
The Beginning But Not The End
As a child, life was not easy. Drew, an American by birth, grew up in Germany where he picked up his first basketball, but it wasn’t until his family returned to the United States, that he realized what it was like to be bullied.
It was at this time that Drew found out what it meant to be different. His new home in Katy, a suburb of Houston, Texas, was a world away from what he had known. As the ‘new kid’, he was constantly vilified and bullied because of his German accent. It was the start of a journey of life lessons around diversity and inclusion that followed him into adulthood, and formed a major driver for his success.
Like so many young boys, Drew had always had a fascination with sports. He says “I grew up idolizing the basketball great, Michael Jordan, and was determined to become like him and one day play in the NBA.”
Sports Can Open Doors
As a student athlete, Drew played basketball through high school. He did not start out as the star player. He says, “I was the hardest worker on the team, truly dedicated to my craft and in my last 2 years of high school, I played on the varsity squad.”
Upon graduation, and with no scholarship offers to play basketball in college, Drew created his own unique path to playing at the collegiate level as he attended Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) in San Diego, California where he became a 3-time All GSAC (Golden State Athletic Conference), 2-time NAIA All American (National Associate of Intercollegiate Athletics), and a 2018 PLNU Hall of Fame Inductee.
After college, doors opened for Drew that allowed him to play professionally in the UK. and playing ball is all he has done ever since! He started playing for the Plymouth Raiders where he met his British wife Ayshea.
Drew subsequently signed with the Newcastle Eagles, the most successful team in the history of the British Basketball League, where has won 9 championship titles. And after 16 years, Drew is showing no signs of slowing down. His focus is squarely on supporting those who will come behind him, whilst leaving a legacy of diversity and inclusion, that will encourage young people in the future.
Many professional athletes wait until after their playing days to begin to focus on their next chapter, which admirably, often includes legacy-building and giving back to the community. Drew has not waited until post professional career to start impacting the next generation. That has been a primary objective of him for over a decade and is what led to the birth of TrainHarder 21 (T21H), a basketball training initiative, which operates on court and online.
Giving Back Whilst Reaching Forward
Drew started T21H after his second professional season with 2 clients and the mission to help athletes of all skill levels reach their full potential and become the best versions of themselves. He said, “Nelson Mandela said sports has the power to change the world, and in my work I have seen the positives that can help to bring communities together and include people who might otherwise be excluded, due to their differences.”
Drew’s expertise and care for his clients have a positive and measurable impact on athletes. And not just from the perspective of physical ability, Drew helps his clients to transform their mental game, which is just as important, if not more important than the physical game. He also equips his student athletes with the knowledge to think beyond just playing sports, but how to leverage sports to create a successful life and career.
Noting that his students come from a variety of racial and cultural backgrounds, Drew is careful to promote diversity and inclusion into his work. He says “The relationships that are built on the court are important, and must be replicated off the court. I am careful to instil within my students, the importance of being inclusive, both on and off the court.”
At the start of 2020, Drew had a roster of over 100 athletes that trained at facilities in the US and UK. With the impact of the global pandemic, many of those clients have moved to virtual training sessions via Zoom. Drew is a role model to both young men and young women student athletes of all races, ethnicities, cultures, and family backgrounds. The only dimensions that matter to Drew are grit and the willingness to put in the work. After that, he says “Everyone is included and encouraged to support everyone else, regardless of background or gender.”
Paul Blake, (Managing Director of Newcastle Eagles) said, “The sport of basketball in the UK is very diverse and as such we have worked in the North-East community with male and female players at the club, promoting diversity for over 20 years.” Noting that Black athletes are significantly over-represented in the participation base of basketball, track & field, gymnastics, dance and football relative to their population share, but are under-represented in adventure sports, golf and tennis, Paul said, “Drew is doing a great job in continuing to deliver the message, whilst also engaging young people in a positive, healthy sporting activity.”
Not only does Drew train athletes in his program, he also trains future athletic trainers. T21H provides an internship program and mentorship to develop diverse, young entrepreneurs who are pursuing careers related to sports training and analytics. Drew currently manages 2 African-American employees in the States who manage T21H US operations.
Earlier this year, as the news and the reaction towards the death of George Floyd captured the airwaves, Drew knew he had to step up his inclusive work with young people and ensure that he set about highlighting the race equality agenda around sports, diversity and inclusion, encouraging conversations and bringing people, and communities, together.
Creativity Birthed From A Season Of Uncertainty
During this global pandemic, Drew and his business partner, Yvonne Harris, founded 21 Media, with its flagship show, 21 Podcast. The 21 Podcast shares more about the life lessons that come with being an athlete, discussing the highs and lows both on and off the court.
Drew ensures that all 21 Podcast guests are from diverse backgrounds and walks of life, but all have inspirational stories about the powerful connections between life, diversity and and sports. 21 podcast, which is available has its largest listenership from the US of around 60%, with 30% of listeners coming from the UK, and a wide expanse of listeners from Hungry, Ireland, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Mexico & Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Switzerland, Slovakia, Pakistan, Australia, Japan, Jamaica, Malaysia, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic and Bahrain.
The podcast served as a launchpad for 21 Media, with the mission to produce and distribute content that educates, inspires and uplifts. 21 Media produces The BBL Show, a dynamic, one-stop, interactive experience that brings all the basketball action to British Basketball League (BBL) fans, in a podcast format.
Drew co-hosts the show with Jay Marriott, and they provide a weekly round up on all the latest BBL news, including interviews with coaches and players, team updates, game predictions, and fun activities for BBL Fans. The show highlights all facets of the diversity that make the BBL a beacon of inclusion on the world’s basketball stage.
Asked to comment on the reaction to the show, Drew says, “I am proud of the impact that the show is making across the UK.” He says that interest in Basketball is increasing steadily in the UK. With 91% of listeners coming from the UK and 6% coming from the US, the The BBL Show is also increasingly reaching audiences further afield, with recent increases in listeners from as far afield as Australia, Ireland, Canada, Philippines, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Mexico and Singapore.
Drew said as our platform moves from strength to strength, we are supported by small donations from our dedicated listeners. As Drew and his small team continue to develop the platform, Drew is engaged in early stage discussions with global brands, from within the sports and educational sectors around sponsorship for the show. “We are willing to speak with other brands looking to support our inclusive efforts, and our criteria for conversation is a around a genuine commitment to increase inclusion through sports activities and engagement.”
On partnering with other organisations, Drew said, “We are willing to speak with other brands looking to support our inclusive efforts, and our criteria for conversation is a around a genuine commitment to increase inclusion through sports activities and community engagement.”
More Than Just Basketball
While both Drew and Yvonne are African American, their audience and messages are centered on inclusion, personal empowerment, and unity. Both leverage their platforms in their respective spheres of influence, to advocate for #BlackLivesMatter and citizens’ responsibility to exercise the right to vote. Drew says, “it is important to use influence to support people within marginalized communities. I am proud that I am able to use the platform, with Yvonne’s support, to enable people who might otherwise be left unseen and unheard.”
Drew recognizes the power of sports to unify diverse groups of people during good and bad times. Yvonne also advocates for greater equality in women’s healthcare, while addressing systematic biases that impact the quality of healthcare received by women, and children, around the globe. Both are committed to making the world a better place for future generations of children, by harnessing the power of inclusion and inclusive activities that help to build a better world for the children of today, and those of tomorrow.
I asked Drew to name one of his best moments over the past few years. He answers, “Apart from my marriage to my wife, Ayshea, and the birth of my two children, I would have to say that the best moments have been where I have added value to the lives of young people and supported them to be the best that they can be, regardless of background. It is an honor to serve them.”