Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Lummus Crabtree
Hi Kimberly Lummus, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in a small Texas town and fell in love with basketball at an early age, won a state championship my senior year of high school and played college ball at The University of Texas in Austin. I coached five seasons at UC Irvine in California, but Texas is home, so as our family grew, my husband and I relocated back to Texas. When our first of four daughters, Ashlin, was in kindergarten, I began coaching her sports teams and our basketball program organically grew over the years, which led to the formation of our organization, True Texas Hoops. Over the years, many coaches, like my cousin, Amy Yates, have been so vital to our vision. I partnered with another coach and entrepreneur, Crystal Delahoz, in 2018 and True Texas began to step into a bigger space in the basketball community. We then added another exceptional female leader in Casey Jackson Boyd. Coach Casey is another example for our athletes to see a professional mother and coach, leading in her daytime job and in our club.
As a mother of four daughters, it was extremely important to provide an example of female leadership, with intentionality in our trainings on the court and off the court. We are in the business of investing in the whole female athlete, a call to equip and care for each athlete, trusting that God has a plan for their lives and we want to steward their journey well, for as long as they are with our club and in our sphere of influence.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The youth basketball world is a very challenging space to navigate as leaders and as a small business owner. With zero regulation or rule, it is often described as the “wild, wild west.” Our challenges are providing our consistent weekly trainings in facilities at a reasonable cost, finding events that are structured in the best interest of the female game and at an affordable entry fee for families, and building teams and rosters that are committed and trusting of the program and process of our holistic approach to development. In order to live out our mission and vision, we rely heavily on fundraising and our non-profit STAY TRUE PLAY TRUE 501(c) non-profit. As the female basketball game continues to expand and grow in popularity, there are plenty of challenges that come into play in regards to keeping the main thing the main thing. We feel led into this space to remain “true” to what we believe in and have built our program on, which is developing high character young ladies and future leaders.
As you know, we’re big fans of True Texas Hoops. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The mission and vision:
To be a team set apart not just by our athletic ability, but by our character, resolve, and relentless pursuit of excellence. As individuals, to welcome growth through coaching in both our wins and our losses, through times of celebration and adversity. To establish an attitude of team before self, sharpening our ability to serve. To bring honor and glory to God in our actions. To be legacy writers, leaders, and difference makers.
The vision of TTH is to be the most trusted basketball club in Texas for athletes and their families seeking a true basketball community. Our teams are distinguished by elite fundamentals, high basketball intelligence, and an unwavering commitment to team basketball. Our coaches are passionate about investing in the development of the whole athlete, both on and off the court. Our program is founded on and powered by a firm faith in the bigger picture.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
We have had the good fortune to cross paths with some exceptional leaders and when you find those kind of alignments, you count your blessings. Sports has taught us how to pivot when needed, how to battle when the odds are against us, and how to handle wins and losses with grace. We have had plenty of months and seasons in which our on court performances and our win columns were extremely successful, yet our business was barely getting by due to the increase in expenses in youth basketball. In those moments, we have been on the receiving end of some much needed donations and generosity. Those are so meaningful because they enable us to continue to invest in young women and their future.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://truetexashoops.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truetexashoops/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/truetexashoops/
- Twitter: https://x.com/TrueTexasHoops
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@truetexashoops3985/
