BE A BALLER -"Building a lifelong legacy"

OSU Basketball Legend Ronnie Stokes: From Hardwood Courts to Serving His Community

• Coach Tim Brown, Uncommon Life

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Imagine growing up in a place where football reigns supreme, but you find your passion lies with the squeak of sneakers on hardwood. That’s exactly where Ronnie Stokes, OSU basketball icon, begins his tale—a journey from the courts of Canton, Ohio, to the echoing cheers of fans in the broadcasting booth. Our enthralling conversation with Ronnie weaves through his boyhood dreams, the triumphs and trials at Canton McKinley High School, and the family bonds that powered his competitive edge. It’s a story not just of athletic prowess, but of the sheer determination and hard work that build the foundation of a lasting legacy.

Ronnie takes us through the emotional resonance of giving back, painting a vivid picture of how he and his friends ensure no family goes hungry during the holiday season. It's about much more than just basketball; it’s about the impact of mentorship, the profound influence of faith, and the cherished values that guide one's journey through life. Join us and be inspired by Ronnie’s dedication to his community, his insights into the evolution of sports, and the incredible significance of carving a path that others can follow. This isn't just a listen for sports fans—it's a heartfelt narrative for anyone looking to make a meaningful mark on the world.

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Speaker 1:

Long story short. When I got the opportunity to start my own business back in 2003, I was so thrilled because I knew it could be something I could build to leave a legacy to my children and my children's children's.

Speaker 3:

Welcome to Be A Baller, where we discuss how to build a lifelong legacy. I'm your host, coach Tim Brown. Today we'll be talking about building a legacy in sports with OSU basketball great Ronnie Stokes, who's also on OSU radio in 97.1 the fan. Today, on the show, ronnie was shared about his over 25 years as OSU men's basketball color analyst in sports and also his family business values. Ronnie, welcome to Be A Baller. Podcast.

Speaker 1:

Glad to be here, Tim. Great to be here, yeah.

Speaker 3:

I'm excited. You know I'm from the Clearing. Area with these two in show high school and I know you grew up in Canton, Ohio, which is home of the pro football Hall of Fame. Did you grow up playing football?

Speaker 1:

No, my mom would let me play football. She was very old, protective, before Good reason. She wanted to make sure you took care of her kids and she didn't let me play football. But I obviously drove by the Hall of Fame many times and saw its evolution to where it is today, but proud of my city where I was born and raised, canton Ohio.

Speaker 3:

Now, where are you at in that birth order?

Speaker 1:

You know, my mom and dad were both married twice, so we were like the Brady Bunch, if you will. She brought three children from her previous marriage and then he brought five, and then there was four that they had together and I was one of those four, so it was 13 of us, and so it was 12 of us, and so it was a bunch, and out of that I was number. Let me see, I was third from the last. Yeah, so big family, but I love it, though A lot of siblings, so I love it.

Speaker 3:

A lot of athletes in the family, a lot of competition.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, my brother was. My older brothers were wrestlers and they tried to get me to wrestle but I didn't like it. I remember my first wrestling match some guy my face wound and some guy's armpit and I said this isn't for me. I stopped, but they were really, really good at what they do. In fact, one of my brothers made it to the States in wrestling and I really admired him and he kind of helped me to understand it to be to have excellence in whatever I did athletically.

Speaker 3:

That's good you understand. There was a park growing up in Kennecourt, highland Park where you started playing basketball at five. Can you tell the audience about back in the day going to park and watching other guys playing and dreaming of the day you would be able to get on court one?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, the game has changed so much in terms of what kids do to play. I mean, you drive around now Rarely do you see anybody playing outside. Everything's indoor or structured where you go and you get lessons and whatever. Back then you would call your guys and say, hey, where's the game at today, where's the talent is? And then typically was in this park called Highland Park and you would go up there and as a youngster you had to earn the right to get on the court because it was the older guys, as we call them, the old heads out there playing and it was so stacked in terms on the sidelines that you know you'd be three deep before you would give it and get on if you were asked to play and then if you did play and you lost, you wouldn't get back on, probably for that whole day. So it was very competitive and it was interesting that journey for me because I had to learn how to be an asset once I got on the court.

Speaker 3:

There's a story about you in junior high school, only being five, nine, that you began playing above the rim. Yeah, yeah. What was that like in junior high, playing above the rim?

Speaker 1:

Well, I mean, I would have had God given ability if, for whatever reason, I could get out there and I could run fast, jump high, and he and I was blessed with intelligence where I was. I thought I was a pretty intelligent, high IQ basketball player as well. But you had to do things that earn your right on the court, right. So I would work hard, use my athleticism, which I had jumping ability, and I try to be a smart player. But yeah, when I was younger, I think one of my gym teachers said hey, ron, you know I couldn't dunk a basketball first. So he said start with a tennis ball. And then I went up and I dunked it with a tennis ball and then I gradually got up to the point where I could dunk as a ninth grader with a real basketball at whatever age I was at the time.

Speaker 3:

What was that feeling with that first dunk in the game?

Speaker 1:

It was thrilling. It was thrilling because I did. It was a breakaway and I got it, I was excited and then you know, I never looked back after that. Yeah, I can do this anytime.

Speaker 4:

Hey there Clark Kellogg here. Building a legacy usually involves meeting the unique needs of others and being part of something bigger than yourself. That's why I love First Merchants Bank. First Merchants believes that helping communities prosper means more than just providing banking services. It means offering accessible financial education, expanded access to home ownership and partnerships with local nonprofits to help raise up neighborhoods and lift families out of financial hardship. For resources and tools available to you, visit wwwfirstmerchantscom. Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender.

Speaker 3:

You know you went to a Ken McKinley High School which is a stored basketball program athletic program in state of Ohio. Can you talk about your high school career?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you're right. I mean there's some incredible legends there. I mean I got like Phil Hubbard, who went to Michigan, went to a final four there. He was an Olympian, and so many. Eric Snow, who went to Michigan State, played in the NBA with the Cavaliers.

Speaker 1:

Gary Grant who went to McKinley, played in the league many, many years. There's so many incredible players and so, as a young kid growing up, I just wanted to be part of that history and so forth. So that was my school. I loved it and just realized the fact that one day I would be able to wear the red and black.

Speaker 3:

You know you and your high school and college teammate, troy Taylor. You guys played on an undefeated regular season team. You know your senior year how much fun was that and the friendships you and Troy had doing. You know being that dynamic duo.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, we became teammates. We were rivals in fourth, fifth and sixth grade. We played against each other in elementary school and then in middle school as a seventh grader. That's when we became teammates and never lost the game as a seventh grader, eighth grader, ninth grader and unfortunately, fortunately, we were very successful but unfortunately we never was able to win the championship. We always got beat in the regionals. That was one of my biggest regrets as an athlete in high school is that you know, we had talent. Troy and I were decent players. He was really good and we were not able to overcome. I mean, we were undefeated, number one ranked in the state, top 20 in the country, but we was not good enough to win, enough to get to the state win the whole thing. But it was an incredible time developing relationships not only with him but my other teammates.

Speaker 3:

You know, I know there are two things that are very important to you, and that's your faith and your family. First off, can you talk about your faith?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I mean, it's interesting, I didn't go to church as a young kid. I knew there was a God, I believed that there was one, but I, you know, I just didn't go to church. And then, you know, once I graduated from high school, from college, and then I became a husband and then a father, I knew that there was something missing in terms of me being a man. And then I went to I never forget this. I went to a church called Columbus Christian Center. Pastor David Forbes was there and I tell him this story today. When I first went to his church the very first time I thought he was. Everybody else was not there, he was just talking to me. He was telling me things that I knew I needed to hear and from that point on it changed my entire life. So I never looked back from then. That was back in 1992.

Speaker 3:

Now let's get to the good stuff. The storybook romance with your Allen Elementary School friend and now wife, LaVita.

Speaker 1:

Let's talk about that.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's, that's a blessing. I'll be 61 in February, here coming up, and I've known this person, this incredible person, for 55 out of my 61 years. I met her when I was in kindergarten. Then, you know, we were friends, rivals, whatever. We picked on each other because I guess we liked each other. And then we started dating in high school. But she's just an just an awesome human being and I just thank God every day that I met her and she's been in my life. She's my, she's my rock and but yeah, she, she and I became, we became, we dated in high school and then we got married a couple years after I graduated from college, and four beautiful children we're just excited about like three grandchildren and one on the way.

Speaker 3:

Awesome, awesome. You know, after your playing career, you began a successful career as a OU men's basketball color. For now we're 27 seasons. How did you get into broadcasting and what has kept you behind that?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I mean one of the unbelievable opportunities at the Ohio State University is that because it's has a story Football program and a great basketball history and, being in a city like Columbus, they basically treat the athletes like pro athletes.

Speaker 1:

I mean, the media coverage is unbelievable and so you have to understand how to articulate your thoughts, because you're gonna get interview. You got whether it's radio TV, and I always embrace that and love being able to talk about basketball, and you know I would, for whatever reason. I had the ability to remember how many points everybody scored, how many rebounds, I Would scout the other opponent, although it was limited. Back then we didn't have the internet, but I loved it and because of that, tim, you basically had to get in front of a camera or in in in front of a mic and After I graduated from Ohio State, the news stations would call me to get my thoughts because I was able to Communicate effectively and then that led to one thing and then I was asked to do pre and post game for one year and then after that I was asked to be the color analyst and and loved every year for the past 27 years.

Speaker 3:

You've been blessed to have a front row seat for a lot of big games. So, anyone, anyone, any game? I know it's been so many yeah any jump out at you.

Speaker 1:

Well, I think the, the marquee game I think about that modus first, was one of his Incredible wins. Here is when facing Illinois, they were no one in the country undefeated, planned in Columbus, ohio. We knew we were not going to the tournament because of a self-imposed Restriction that we couldn't go to postseason and everyone thought Illinois was gonna win, except for our team and that shot by Matt Sylvester to win and that that kind of changed everything. They quank cook was in the, in the crowd that game and you know, obviously we know they quank cook and Michael Conley and Greg Oton came in. But that game in particular was one. And then my first final four when, with schoonie pin and Michael red, when they won in the regionals, when they beat st St John's and Ronald test was on that team Going to the final four and broadcasting my first final four was a thrill.

Speaker 3:

As you think about your broadcasting career, who have been some of your mentors?

Speaker 1:

Well, I mean one of my former teammates, clark Kellogg. I mean, he is the best of the best and what he does he is clearly the best and I marvel at that. When you think about college football and College basketball, the two marquee names are Buckeyes Parkhaelog and Kirk Herb Street. Think about that. And I think that lends itself to the fact that what I point I made earlier about you are exposed to top level of excellence that you have to develop to be able to talk as an athlete. You are going to be interviewed if you're in a house state basketball player, football player. But yeah, so Clark has been one, and even Herb Street when he was here with the 97.1, the fans, wbns 1460 back in the day. But those two guys really helped my career. What encouraged me, and still today. You know I talk to Clark a lot.

Speaker 3:

You know, off the court and away from the mic. You're a successful businessman in Columbus and your entire family works in the business. Talk about that blessing and that experience having your whole family working together.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, man, tim, I'm so proud about that. My dad was a laborer, he was in the construction business and was sixth grade educated. So he did the best he could and he exposed me to things, loved me and supported me and taught me how to work. And then when I went to Ohio State, I was exposed to a couple things. I was exposed to knowledge from my education. I was exposed to access. I was mentored by some incredible people and I worked for a subsidiary of the Columbus Dispatch for many years where I kind of cut my teeth and learning the print marketing business.

Speaker 1:

But I always desired to own my own company and I jokingly say this date myself a little bit. There was a show called the Jeffersons and the guy who kind of let yeah, yeah, who led the show, own his own dry cleaning company. And I said, man, he owns his own business. So, long story short, when I got the opportunity to start my own business back in 2003, I was so thrilled because I knew it could be something I could build to leave a legacy to my children and my children's children, so, so excited about having several companies today Marketing, printing, warehousing, fulfillment is one of them, and then I also have a commercial painting and real estate company.

Speaker 3:

Do you have your George Jefferson dance down?

Speaker 4:

No, but that was always the part of the show that walk that he had.

Speaker 1:

A bad man walk yeah.

Speaker 5:

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Speaker 3:

You know, you kind of spoke about this Just a minute about legacy. You know this is a legacy part podcast build the legacy. What would you say? What's the legacy of running stuff? What does that word mean to you?

Speaker 1:

Well, when you think about I go back to when I realized what it really means to be a man of God is that there's certain responsibilities that you have, not just being the financial leader, but being a spiritual leader of your household, and part of that is is Financial one.

Speaker 1:

With that and being able to leave your family something when you leave this earth, and and and. So that was very important to me. So I wanted to acquire assets and things that my kids can learn from and also can hang on to, to develop if they so desire. So you know, the one company that I have is called Lars LLC, and each initials stands for my children L for Laurel, a for Amber, are for Ron, jr, and then S for Sydney, and each of them have a piece of the company and each of them work Within the company along with my wife. And I tell you, tim, there's no better joy my son is in there like a hundred and fifty percent mother kids are not in there as much but the joy of me working with him every day and teaching him how to be successful. I can't put a price on that bra, I cannot. What a blessing, what a blessing.

Speaker 3:

You know, as we wrap up and we began talking about legacy, you in a group of guys from Ken every year yeah, the project on holiday time giving back to the community. Can you talk about why that project is so important? Wow?

Speaker 1:

Ray. Ray Ellis is a guy who kind of mentored me when he played at camp McKinley and then he went on to Ohio State. It was part of a very good team and he played in the NFL, went to the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles, also played with the Cleveland Browns. He called me up one day and said hey, ron, I think we need to do something in our hometown. We need to do something to get back Myself, along with Troy Taylor feel hovered and a bunch of other former Kentonians and bulldogs. We basically say we're gonna do something.

Speaker 1:

So this year is our fourth year that every December we help raise money. We give our time and effort in our own money we feed a minimum of a thousand families. We give them turkeys, food boxes and other things. And I tell you, tim, when you're sitting there you see a line that's two miles long of people who need that food and you're giving them that box. Man, I, that emotion, like I'm feeling it right now, it's like. It's like it's a blessing to be able to be a blessing to other people, and so my mom and dad taught me that as a kid. So I'm so thrilled that I'm in a position to help others. So we're honored. We're looking forward to continue to do it. We got great support from the, the city of Canton Companies like giant ego. It's just a blessing that we're helping the community.

Speaker 3:

We're right. As we wrap up, I want to thank you for just being an example.

Speaker 3:

Example. You know, sometimes people talk about athletes and what they don't do, which is what we always hear, but they miss what athletes are doing with their influence, with their time, time and treasure, and they're not there on. Thank you for it. It's being a family man, thank you, you know, being that example of what a golly man looks like. You know that story, you and your wife, and all the years you guys have been together and your children and grandchildren. What a legacy. What a legacy, you know, in our family I call it the Brown Nation. Oh man, I love it.

Speaker 1:

I love it.

Speaker 3:

You guys are the Stokes Nation. Hey man, I love it.

Speaker 1:

You are a nation. I receive that brother, I receive that and we'll plant that and grow it. I love it.

Speaker 3:

You got it. This brings us to the end of this episode. Thanks to our special guest, ronnie Stokes, for sharing his sports journey and business journey with us today. We want to recognize that, ronnie, you can listen to him on OSU Radio in 97-1, the Fan. Yep, make sure you're catching the Ohio State game.

Speaker 1:

Yes, sir, listen to the voice.

Speaker 3:

I know Paul Kiehl's is the voice, but I'm you the voice Because you've been around a little longer. So, ronnie, thanks for being on the show, as always. I want to thank our audience for listening to this enlightening and informed discussion on how to build a legacy in sports. I hope this episode was beneficial to you. As always, continue to be a baller.

Speaker 2:

It was edited by Tehran Howe and produced and recorded by the video production class of Worthington Christian High School.