We had the good fortune of connecting with Aj Long and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aj, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The thought process behind starting my own business was I was not seeing anybody really helping the youth in my area. Therefore, I started Diamond Athletics to give back to the next generation; the same way that the generation before me gave back to me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What sets our program apart from others is the level in which we care for our kids. We are a family, To the point some of our coaches are 1 of the people listed as emergency contacts. We educate, motivate & celebrate our student-athletes in all phases of life not just sports.

The road to get to where we are now was anything but easy. We have had to fight for everything we’ve done in our first 4 years. We have enjoyed the struggle as it’s made us better as a whole, as we had to stay solid & together while our competitors tried to tear us down.

If there is anything we’d want the world to know is that we work hard for our athletes to give them every opportunity to be successful human beings, not just athletes. We care about their development as people first & want to see them grow into outstanding young men & women.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We would be eating a lot, first stop for breakfast would have to be People Kitchen. Following that breakfast we’d relax before heading to WIlliams Spanish Restroom for lunch & explore downtown Bethlehem. Depending what time of the year, check our music fest & enjoy some aw shucks corn. During the summer definitely going to Dorney Park & Wild Water Kingdom & spend a large amount of the day in the water park. Following that we’d drive an hour to shady maple & and at a one of a kind all you can eat buffet with every type food you could want.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The coaches, parents & kids in our organization. Our coaches that have been with Diamond Athletics since it’s inception, Coach Kj, Coach Gills, Coach Ace & Coach Lang. They really helped build this by being great people & mentors to the kids. Our parents for being open-minded & jumping into our program when all we had was a vision of what we wanted to achieve & believing we could great role models & coaches to their kids. Last, but definitely not least, the athletes themselves. They make our program better than I could ever hope for it to be; with their individual personalities & energies. They make work not feel like work.

Website: DiamondAthletic.org

Instagram: @_diamondathletics_

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