People often ask me where the name Next Bench came from.

Most assume it’s about recruiting.

Some think it’s about giving athletes another opportunity.

The truth is, it’s much more personal than that.

The name comes from a famous quote by legendary basketball coach Bobby Knight:

“You can talk about all the motivational speeches and phrases and devices in the world, but the greatest motivator of all is your ass on a bench. There is no better motivator. Ass meets bench. Bench retains ass. Ass transmits signal to brain. Brain transmits signal to body. Body gets ass off bench and plays better.”

The first time I heard that quote, I laughed.

It was classic Bobby Knight—blunt, honest, and unforgettable.

But as I got older, I realized it wasn’t really about sitting on a bench.

It was about life.

More Than Basketball

As a coach, a business owner, and someone who has started several companies—some successful and some that failed—I’ve learned something important.

Success rarely comes when you think it should.

Many times, I’ve had to watch someone else get the opportunity I wanted.

I’ve had to stand on the sidelines.

I’ve had to listen instead of lead.

I’ve had to fail.

Then fail again.

And fail again.

Before I finally earned my chance.

When I was younger, I hated hearing the word “No.”

To me, “No” meant failure.

It meant rejection.

It meant I wasn’t good enough.

I hated being overlooked.

I hated feeling like someone else was better than me.

But the hardest lesson came when I was just fifteen years old.

The Conversation That Changed My Life

I wasn’t starting anymore.

To a fifteen-year-old basketball player, that felt like the end of the world.

I remember going home and telling my mom how upset I was. I wanted her to do what every kid hopes their parent will do—I wanted her to call my coach.

The problem was…

My coach was also my pastor.

She listened to me vent, then looked at me and simply said,

“No. If you want to know why, go ask him yourself after church.”

That wasn’t the answer I wanted.

After church ended, I remember my stomach being tied in knots.

I was nervous.

I had butterflies.

I honestly felt sick walking toward his office.

I knocked on the door.

He smiled and invited me in.

I sat down across from his desk.

After a few awkward seconds, I finally asked.

“Coach… why did you bench me?”

He quietly laid his pen on the desk.

He leaned forward and looked me straight in the eyes.

Then he said something I’ll never forget.

“Jaimie, I have a job to do, and that’s to win basketball games.”

He paused before continuing.

“You haven’t been producing like you were. I need you to prove you can be productive again. Sometimes players go through dry spells. Sometimes another player is simply playing better. Either way, you have work to do.”

Then came the words that would stay with me for the rest of my life.

“I’ll notice it when I see it in practice. And when I put you back in the game, be ready.”

Then he pointed toward the gym.

“Take your spot on the bench. Wait. When I need you, I’ll put you in. Just be ready for that moment.”

I walked out disappointed.

I wanted sympathy.

I wanted him to tell me he’d made a mistake.

Instead…

He gave me responsibility.

Earning It Back

I remember leaving that conversation mad.

Not at him.

At myself.

I worked harder than I ever had before.

I fought for every loose ball.

I attacked the basket.

I played harder defense.

I refused to let another player outwork me.

I wanted back on that court.

I wasn’t going to wait for someone to hand me my starting position.

I was going to earn it.

By the time tournament season arrived, I had earned my spot back in the starting lineup. Depending on who we played, I started at point guard or small forward.

The last game of my high school career still sticks with me.

We lost by two points on a shot at the buzzer.

Of course I wish that shot hadn’t gone in.

But I have never regretted the lesson I learned that season.

I had to sit the bench.

I didn’t just have to earn my spot back.

I had to earn the right to keep it.

Then Came College

When I got to college, reality hit all over again.

I wasn’t a starter.

Honestly…

I hardly played.

Some nights I was lucky to get a minute on the floor.

But something had changed inside me.

I no longer measured my value by how many minutes I played.

I measured it by what I did with the minutes I was given.

When my coach called my number, I knew I had to make something happen.

I had to get a steal.

I had to grab a rebound.

I had to dive on the floor.

I had to find the open layup.

I had to knock down the mid-range jumper.

I had to become a positive for my team every second I was on the floor.

I couldn’t control how much I played.

But I could control my effort.

The Lesson I Carry Today

That lesson followed me far beyond basketball.

It followed me into coaching.

It followed me into business.

It followed me through companies that failed.

It followed me through companies that succeeded.

It followed me through every “No.”

Every rejection.

Every closed door.

Every opportunity I had to wait for.

Because life has benches too.

Sometimes you’re waiting for someone to believe in you.

Sometimes you’re waiting for an opportunity.

Sometimes you’re simply waiting for your moment.

The question isn’t whether you’ll spend time on the bench.

You will.

The question is…

What are you doing while you’re there?

Why I Named It Next Bench

Years later, when it came time to name my company, I thought back to that conversation in my coach’s office.

I remembered Bobby Knight’s quote.

I remembered sitting on that bench.

I remembered what it felt like to earn my way back.

And Next Bench was born.

People often think our name is about sitting on the bench.

It’s not.

It’s about earning the chance to leave it.

At Next Bench, we help athletes reach their next opportunity.

Maybe that’s making varsity.

Maybe it’s earning a college roster spot.

Maybe it’s transferring to a better fit.

Maybe it’s chasing a professional dream.

We can help you get to the next bench.

But we can’t make you a starter.

Only you can do that.

One Final Thought

Every athlete will spend time on the bench.

Every coach has.

Every successful business owner has.

Every leader has.

The bench isn’t punishment.

It’s preparation.

When your name is called…

Be ready.

Play every possession like it matters.

Compete like every second could be your last.

Because sometimes all it takes is…

One steal.

One rebound.

One defensive stop.

One assist.

One basket.

One moment.

One opportunity.

And one moment is all it takes to change your life.

That’s what Next Bench means.

It’s not where your journey ends.

It’s where your next opportunity begins.

And when that opportunity comes…

Earn it.

A Tribute to Coach David Spence

“To the coach I butted heads with for two years… thank you.

There were plenty of days we didn’t see eye to eye. You pushed me harder than I wanted to be pushed, challenged me when I didn’t understand why, and demanded more from me and every player who wore your uniform.

You taught us that winning wasn’t just about the scoreboard—it was about accountability, discipline, sacrifice, and becoming better people.

You weren’t a coach who needed to be liked every moment. You were a coach who cared enough to tell us the truth, even when we didn’t want to hear it.

No matter who we were, you made each of us feel important. Every player had a role. Every player mattered. Every player had a responsibility to the team.

One thing I’ll never forget is how much you cared about our future. If we wanted to play after high school, you worked to make it happen. You sent our film to colleges, made phone calls, created opportunities, and helped many of us continue our basketball careers.

Looking back now, I realize something I couldn’t see as a teenager.

You did your job.

I just wasn’t mature enough to understand it yet.

Thank you for believing in us, pushing us, and preparing us for life beyond basketball.