Home Grown: Real Athletes. Real Stories. Big Dreams.

Be Comfortable Being Uncomfortable | Nate Mahouchick | Home Grown The jump from high school star to college athlete isn’t smooth—it’s fast, physical, and sometimes painful. In this episode of Home Grown: Real Athletes. Real Stories. Big Dreams., Methodist University midfielder Nate Mahouchick shares the journey from growing up on the sidelines of Jacksonville High School watching his dad coach to...

One Dropped Pass Doesn’t Define You | Tristan Shapiro | Home Grown A dropped pass can haunt you for years — or rebuild you from the inside out. In this episode of Home Grown: Real Athletes. Real Stories. Big Dreams., Jacksonville native Tristan Shapiro shares the moment a potential game-winning touchdown slipped through his hands — and how his teammates responded with the kind of brotherhood that...

What Do You Owe The Place That Built You? | Payton Jensen | Home Grown Your home doesn’t disappear when you leave—it travels with you. In this episode of Home Grown: Real Athletes. Real Stories. Big Dreams, we sit down with Payton Jensen, a Swansboro standout whose journey from local fields to Shenandoah University softball was built on travel ball, family, and the kind of mindset that holds up un...

What Happens When Your Roots Call You Back | Tymir Brown | Home Grown Sometimes the biggest plays don’t start on the field—they start with where you come from. In this episode of Home Grown: Real Athletes. Real Stories. Big Dreams, we sit down with Jacksonville, North Carolina standout Tymir Brown to break down the journey behind a game-changing moment—a 45-yard interception return touchdown built...

Small Battles. Big Results A lot of athletes talk about “the grind.” Anthony Cooper can point to the exact reps that changed his life. In this episode of Home Grown: Real Athletes. Real Stories. Big Dreams, we sit down with Jacksonville, North Carolina native Anthony Cooper, a midfielder who built his game from the ground up—starting lacrosse in eighth grade, expanding his skillset at Northside Hi...

What If Your Biggest Advantage Is Starting Late She didn’t grow up in a volleyball town. She didn’t start early. And she didn’t take the easy path. In this episode of Home Grown: Real Athletes. Real Stories. Big Dreams., we sit down with Lovina Teel, a Jacksonville High School ('24) athlete who found volleyball in eighth grade—and turned a late start into a Division I opportunity. Now, after...

Miles Parker’s journey from Jacksonville, North Carolina, to East Carolina University football is what “trust the process” actually looks like in real life. This isn’t a highlight reel — it’s the work behind it. In this episode of Home Grown, Miles breaks down what it takes to earn your way at the Division I level, from late recruiting exposure to grinding on the scout team and building trust insi...

Next Play, Next Rep, Next Level Consistency isn’t loud. It’s built. In this episode of Home Grown: Real Athletes. Real Stories. Big Dreams., we sit down with Jacksonville native Shane Shapiro, a wide receiver at Guilford College, whose journey started with backyard battles and hand-me-down pads. Shane shares how growing up competing with his brother and learning the game from his dad helped shape...

It Only Works If You Do It Small-town gyms can build big-time purpose. In this episode of Home Grown: Real Athletes. Real Stories. Big Dreams., we sit down with Jacksonville native Bo Koebbe, a standout from Living Water Christian School who turned hard lessons, strong mentorship, and relentless work into a path to Milligan University basketball. Bo shares how expectations shaped him early—growing...

No Warm-Ups. No Breakfast. No Doubt Some championships start with perfect preparation. This one didn’t. In this episode of Home Grown: Real Athletes. Real Stories. Big Dreams., Jacksonville track standout Kaydence Daniels shares the chaotic morning that led to one of the biggest moments of her career. She missed breakfast. She missed warm-ups. And on her final attempt, she jumped 18 feet, 10½ inch...

Built, Not Hyped: A Fifteen-Year-Old’s Leap Into IMG Basketball Leaving home at fifteen isn’t normal. Neither is chasing elite basketball development at one of the most competitive prep academies in the country. In this episode of Home Grown: Real Athletes. Real Stories. Big Dreams., Jacksonville native Jordan Goss shares what it really takes to level up at IMG Academy. Jordan opens up about the m...

Confidence Is A Pitch You Learn To Throw The jersey tells you where an athlete plays. The name on the television screen tells you where they came from. In this episode of Home Grown: Real Athletes. Real Stories. Big Dreams., Division I pitcher Peyton Eckert shares her journey from a hesitant young player in Swansboro, NC, to competing against some of the nation’s best hitters. A standout at Swansb...

Amaire Caines didn’t wait for a moment—he worked until one showed up. From Swansboro to the next level, Amaire’s journey is built on early mornings, bruising reps, and a mindset that refuses shortcuts. In this episode of Home Grown , he opens up about the pressure of carrying hometown expectations, balancing academics with football, and the quiet grind that happens long before anyone’s watching. W...

Kate Wilson didn’t just join a program—she helped build one. From launching Croatan High School’s girls lacrosse team to becoming the first player in school history to sign a Division I scholarship, Kate’s path is rooted in leadership, resilience, and doing the work when no blueprint exists. In this episode of Home Grown , she breaks down how teaching teammates sharpened her own game, why culture...

One eagle putt can win a tournament. It can’t build a career. In this episode of Home Grown , Western Carolina golfer Tyler Jones strips the game down to what actually matters. Before the wins came early mornings, redshirt frustration, and a choice to keep working when progress wasn’t guaranteed. Raised around his grandparents' driving range in the Half Moon community of Jacksonville, North C...

MacKenzie Morrow’s path from Jacksonville High School to the U.S. Naval Academy proves that hometown roots can launch national dreams. In this episode of Home Grown , the JHS soccer standout reflects on growing up in a community that shaped her work ethic, leadership, and love for the game. MacKenzie shares what it took to balance high-level academics with elite soccer, navigate the recruiting pro...