I Am Dad

From Pro Athlete to Pro Father | Raising Champions On and Off the Field w/ Derrek Hamilton

This episode of Sideline Dad, part of the I Am Dad Podcast network, delivers a powerful conversation about fatherhood, sports, discipline, and the real meaning of going pro.
Host Javin Foreman is joined by former professional basketball player and elite trainer Derrek Hamilton, a father who has successfully raised two high-achieving sons—one an Ivy League athlete and scholar, the other an NFL Pro Bowl player.
From growing up in Mobile, Alabama, to playing professionally overseas, to training NBA-level talent, D. Ham shares a journey defined by discipline, pivots, and purpose. But more importantly, he reveals what it truly takes to raise children who succeed both on and off the field.
This conversation explores:
• The difference between raising athletes and raising people• Why parents must get out of their child’s way to allow growth• How to balance sports, academics, and character development• Navigating divorce while still raising successful children• Recognizing when your child’s path is different than yours• The importance of exposure, mentorship, and global perspective• Why “going pro” in life matters more than going pro in sports
D. Ham also reflects on parenting through adversity, including injury, pressure, and expectations—and how letting go of timelines can unlock a child’s true potential.
This episode is a masterclass in intentional fatherhood, reminding us that the sidelines are not just where we watch games—they are where we shape futures.

Sideline Dad: How Sports Build Leaders, Fathers, and Men | Life Lessons from the Game

This episode of Sideline Dad, part of the I Am Dad Podcast network, is a powerful conversation about how sports shape character, leadership, and fatherhood.
Host Javin Foreman sits down with Kevin Jones, a father, mentor, and author of Game Ready: Leadership, Legacy, and Winning the Game of Life, to explore how the lessons learned through sports extend far beyond the field.
From becoming a father at 19 to coaching and mentoring young men across North Carolina, Coach Jones shares a journey rooted in resilience, consistency, and intentional growth. His experiences as a son, father, and coach reveal a deeper truth: sports are not just about competition—they are about preparation for life.
This episode explores:
• How sports teach discipline, resilience, and accountability• The importance of father presence in shaping young men• Why consistency and vulnerability matter in mentorship• The challenges young athletes face in today’s environment• The role of coaches as father figures and life mentors• Navigating relationships, pressure, and identity as a young man• How lessons from sports translate into success in life and family
Coach Jones also reflects on writing his book and why young men need guidance that speaks directly to their real-life challenges—not just their athletic performance.
This conversation is a reminder that the sidelines are not just where games are watched—they are where futures are shaped.

Sideline Dad: Raising Athletes, Building Character, and Letting Kids Grow with Rodney Kellum

This episode of Sideline Dad, a featured series within the I Am Dad Podcast network, brings a real and necessary conversation about fatherhood, youth sports, and the responsibility of raising not just athletes—but whole people.
Hosted by Javin Foreman, this episode features Rodney Kellam, a father of three navigating the journey of raising children through sports, life lessons, and intentional parenting.
From California playgrounds to Georgia gyms, Rodney shares how basketball shaped his identity—and how fatherhood reshaped his purpose.
This conversation goes beyond the game. It explores:
• The difference between developing an athlete and developing a person• Why parents must get out of the way of their child’s growth• The emotional weight fathers carry on the sidelines• The role of patience, especially when raising children with different needs• The impact of sports on discipline, identity, and resilience• How fear and ego can unintentionally harm a child’s development• Why fatherhood is ultimately about legacy, not performance
Rodney also shares powerful reflections on raising a special needs daughter, supporting a high-level athlete son through injury, and learning how to remove timelines and expectations in favor of growth and love.
Throughout the episode, one theme remains clear:The sidelines are not just where we watch the game—they are where fatherhood is revealed.
Whether your child is playing basketball, baseball, or any sport at all, this episode challenges parents to ask a critical question:
Are we helping our children become who they are meant to be—or trying to make them who we want them to be?

Letter to My 13-Year-Old Self: Wisdom Fathers Men Wish They Knew w/ Dr. David Miller

This week on I Am Dad Podcast, host Kenneth Braswell welcomes scholar, author, and longtime advocate Dr. David Miller for a powerful conversation about mentorship, memory, and manhood.
At the center of this episode is Dr. Miller’s new national writing project, Letters to My 13-Year-Old Self, an intergenerational reflection inviting Black men across the country to write a message to the boy they once were. The letters explore wisdom, wounds, and wins—the lessons learned through decades of life experience.
The conversation digs deeper than nostalgia. Braswell and Miller explore why age 13 represents a critical turning point in the development of boys and young men. They reflect on the awkward transition from childhood to adolescence, peer pressure, masculinity, identity formation, and the deep emotional experiences that shape a young man’s future.
Throughout the episode, they examine:
Why age 13 is a pivotal moment in Black male development
The power of intergenerational mentorship between Black men
The importance of community affirmation for young boys
What today’s generation of boys face in a hyper-digital world
The lasting impact of childhood trauma and early experiences
Why older Black men must intentionally pass wisdom to younger generations
Dr. Miller also shares how letters submitted by men across the country—from young adults to elders in their eighties—reveal common themes of resilience, healing, identity, and self-worth.
The episode closes with a reflection on the importance of slowing down, turning off the phone, and rediscovering the beauty of youth before adulthood arrives too quickly.
This conversation is a reminder that every man carries the voice of the boy he once was—and that speaking to that younger self can help guide the next generation.

Shared Parenting and Fatherhood Reform: Mark Ludwig on Family Court, Legislation, and Parental Alienation

In this episode of I Am Dad Podcast, host Kenneth Braswell welcomes Mark Ludwig for a powerful conversation about fatherhood, family courts, and the legislative battle to keep children connected to both parents.
Mark Ludwig shares his deeply personal story of going 204 days without seeing his son, a painful experience that ultimately led him into the world of fatherhood advocacy and policy reform. What began as a personal struggle evolved into a national mission to educate advocates and legislators on shared parenting and family law reform.
Together, Braswell and Ludwig unpack the realities many fathers face after separation or divorce, including parental alienation, legal barriers, and the adversarial nature of family courts. They also explore why legislative reform has become one of the most important tools for addressing systemic obstacles that prevent fathers from being meaningfully involved in their children’s lives.
The conversation covers:
What shared parenting actually means
Why the current family court system often creates “winners and losers”
The emotional toll of parental separation on fathers and children
The role of legislation in protecting father–child relationships
Why messaging and language matter in fatherhood advocacy
The growing national movement toward equal parenting laws
Mark also discusses his new book, The Parental Alienation Playbook, which identifies common tactics used to disrupt parent–child relationships and provides strategies for fathers navigating difficult co-parenting environments.
This episode is both a personal testimony and a strategic conversation about how fathers, advocates, and policymakers can work together to strengthen families and create healthier environments for children.

What Every Daughter Needs From Her Father - The Sacred Bond: Black Fathers, Daughters, and Mental Health” w/ Dr. David Miller

This week on I Am Dad Podcast, guest host Dr. Matisa Wilbon of the Moynihan Institute for Fatherhood Research and Policy takes the host chair for a powerful conversation with fellow institute colleague Dr. David Miller, a researcher focused on the mental health and social development of Black men, fathers, and families.
Drawing from his academic research and personal experience as a father of two daughters and a son, Dr. Miller explores a topic that has received far too little scholarly attention: the sacred bond between Black fathers and daughters.
Their conversation examines the emotional, psychological, and cultural importance of father involvement in daughters’ lives—even when fathers do not live in the same household. Dr. Miller shares findings from interviews with non-residential fathers and daughters that reveal an important truth: daughters continue to need affirmation, guidance, and presence from their fathers well into adulthood.
Together, Wilbon and Miller discuss:
Why the father–daughter relationship is critical to girls’ mental health • The myth of the “absent father” narrative • The emotional toll on fathers who are separated from their children • How fathers shape daughters’ self-esteem and identity • Why dads must talk to daughters about relationships, race, and beauty • The importance of racial pride and positive affirmations from fathers • Co-parenting challenges and policy barriers affecting father involvement • Why mental health support for fathers matters just as much as for children
The episode also addresses the uncomfortable but necessary conversations fathers must have with daughters about relationships, sexuality, safety, and self-worth. Dr. Miller argues that when fathers provide affirming messages about identity, beauty, and resilience, they help counter the harmful stereotypes Black girls face in society.
This conversation is not only about research—it is about healing, growth, and creating stronger relationships between fathers and daughters across generations.

Dads on the Sidelines: Youth Sports, Pressure, and Parenting with Purpose w/ Coach Javin Foreman

This week on I Am Dad Podcast, host Kenneth Braswell welcomes Javin Foreman, father of three and youth basketball dad living in the real-time rhythm of competitive sports parenting.
From Chicago courts to suburban gyms, this conversation dives into what really happens on the sidelines—where love, fear, ego, and expectation often collide. Drawing from his own playing background and now coaching and parenting two sons in organized basketball, Javin shares candid reflections on:
Living vicariously through our children
Managing emotional reactions during games
The ride home conversation
When competitiveness crosses into control
Parenting differently based on each child’s personality
The pressure of youth sports culture, AAU systems, and NIL aspirations
Co-parenting dynamics and sideline behavior
Kenneth and Javin explore how sports expose fatherhood in its rawest form. The gym becomes a mirror—revealing not just a child’s skills, but a parent’s fears, expectations, and growth areas. This episode challenges dads to ask: Are we building character—or projecting our own unfinished business?
If you have a child in youth sports, this conversation will feel familiar—and necessary.

The $154 Billion Man: Why Investing in Fathers Is an Economic Imperative w/ Christopher A. Brown

Season 5 of I Am Dad Podcast continues its deep dive into the systems shaping modern fatherhood—and this conversation is one for policymakers, practitioners, and advocates alike.
Host Kenneth Braswell welcomes Christopher Brown, longtime leader in the national fatherhood movement and president of National Fatherhood Initiative.
Together, they discuss the groundbreaking report The $154 Billion Man, which reframes father absence not only as a moral and social issue, but as an economic one. The report conservatively estimates that the federal government spends over $154 billion annually supporting single-mother households across 14 major assistance programs—a figure that has risen more than 50 percent (inflation-adjusted) since 2008.
This episode goes beyond the numbers. Brown and Braswell examine:
Why capacity building—not just programming—is essential
How culture change within agencies determines sustainability
The role of marriage and relationship stability in child outcomes
Why younger generations of fathers are redefining fatherhood identity
The urgent need for national convening and preservation of institutional knowledge in the fatherhood field
If you care about strengthening families, influencing public policy, or building sustainable fatherhood programming, this conversation offers both data and direction.

When Fatherhood Meets Justice: Charles Johnson on Loss, Love, and Saving Mothers

This episode of the I Am Dad Podcast is a powerful and necessary conversation about love, loss, and responsibility.
Host Kenneth Braswell welcomes Charles Johnson, founder and CEO of 4Kira4Moms, for an unflinching discussion about fatherhood in the face of tragedy and purpose born from grief.
Charles shares his deeply personal daddy story, including the loss of his wife Kira just days after the birth of their second son due to preventable medical failures. What followed was not only heartbreak, but a reckoning—one that exposed systemic bias in maternal healthcare and propelled Charles into national advocacy to ensure no family experiences what his did.
Together, Braswell and Johnson examine how racism, delayed care, and dismissal of Black women’s pain continue to drive maternal mortality in the United States. The conversation expands into the critical role fathers play—not only in parenting, but in advocating for their partners, navigating healthcare systems, and reshaping narratives around family, partnership, and accountability.
This episode also explores the intersection of fatherhood and maternal health, why empowering dads improves outcomes for mothers and babies, and how partnership—not performative allyship—is required to create real change.
This is not just a story about loss. It is a call to action for fathers, families, policymakers, and communities to show up, speak up, and do better.

Dadicated, Not Perfect: New Fatherhood, Marriage, and Showing Up Without a Manual w/ Joe Carr

Fatherhood rarely arrives with a manual—and for many men, the earliest season is the most overwhelming.
In this episode of the I Am Dad Podcast, host Kenneth Braswell welcomes Joe Carr, creator of the Dadicated Joe platform and co-founder of Serenity Kids, for an honest, wide-ranging conversation about modern fatherhood.
Joe shares his daddy story, the collision of launching a national baby food company on the same day his daughter was born, and the emotional reality of early parenting that no class, book, or preparation truly covers. Together, Braswell and Carr explore how fear of judgment, relationship dynamics, and unspoken expectations shape how men show up as husbands and fathers.
The conversation also dives into marriage, boundaries, household equity, emotional validation, and the evolving role of dads—along with practical insights on nutrition, shared parenting, and why today’s fathers are redefining masculinity through presence, care, and partnership.
This episode speaks directly to new dads, expecting fathers, and men navigating the balance between ambition, love, responsibility, and self-worth.