Send us a comment about the Be a Baller Podcast Episode. Thanks for support.

What does it look like to pass down more than a name—to pass down a calling?

In this special Fatherhood Month episode of the Be a Baller Podcast, Coach Tim Brown sits down with Dion Drakeford and his son, Deondre Drakeford, two generations of educators and school leaders who have devoted their lives to serving students in Columbus City Schools. We discuss why education is one of the greatest forms of generational wealth and how faith, integrity, and service create a legacy that outlives you

From the music and memories that shaped their family to the moments that inspired each of them to pursue education, this father-son conversation explores the power of generational influence, servant leadership, and purposeful fatherhood. Dion shares how he knew in fourth grade he wanted to become a teacher, while Deondre reflects on watching his father connect with students and realizing that education could become his own calling.

Whether you're a father, educator, coach, mentor, or leader, this conversation will challenge you to think differently about the legacy you're building and the torch you're passing.

Because legacy isn't what you leave behind someday—it's what you're living today.

🎙️ Subscribe to the Be a Baller Podcast, share this episode with a father or educator who inspires you, and join us as we continue building a movement of people committed to living and leaving a lasting legacy.

#PassTheTorch #FatherhoodMonth #BeABallerPodcast #GenerationalLegacy #Education

Support the show

Send us a comment about the Be a Baller Podcast Episode. Thanks for support.

Legacy isn't built in big moments—it's built in everyday choices. In this special episode of the Be a Baller Podcast, we sit down with Ronnie Stokes, former Ohio State basketball standout and longtime Ohio State Men's Basketball Radio Network analyst, and his son, Ron Stokes Jr., former college basketball player and leader in the family's growing business.

Ronnie reflects on his parents' journey through the Jim Crow era and his determination to change the trajectory of the Stokes family for generations to come. Ron Jr. shares the moments that mattered most and the principles he's carrying forward as he continues the family legacy.

This episode is for anyone passionate about fatherhood, faith-filled leadership, entrepreneurship, and building a legacy that outlives you.

Subscribe, share this episode with someone you want to win, and join us as we continue to Pass the Torch and Build a Life-Long Legacy.

#BeABallerPodcast #PassTheTorch #RonnieStokes #Fatherhood #GenerationalLegacy #GenerationalWealth #OhioStateBasketball #FaithAndFamily #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #BuildingLegacy #LivingALegacy #BasketballLegacy

Support the show

Send us a comment about the Be a Baller Podcast Episode. Thanks for support.

In this Father’s Month conversation we sit down with Ralph Smithers Sr., a trailblazer in Columbus, Ohio urban development and public service, and his son Ralph Smithers Jr., a leader focused on inclusion, belonging, and community impact. Together, we unpack “passing the torch” as more than a motivational phrase. It’s the discipline of telling the truth, working hard, keeping your faith strong, and being present enough that your kids actually know your heart.

We talk about the weight of carrying a family name, how parenting changes when the world changes, and why patience is a real leadership skill at home and at work. Ralph Sr. shares how God’s plan shaped career turns he never mapped out, and Ralph Jr. explains how he adapts the same core values for a new generation with different pressures and louder messages.

If you want faith-based leadership that’s practical, grounded, and honest, press play. Then share this with a father, mentor, or young leader, and subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what’s the one value you’re determined to pass on?

Support the show