Sports-Ish Ep. 6 with JClark the Jumper - I Was Thinkin' Chess Moves but It Was God's Grace

Welcome to Sports-Ish with Elisa Hernandez. This week I'm joined by former 2x All-American UCLA Track and Field star turned internationally known professional dunker Jonathan Clark aka JClarkTheJumper. We flashback to college days and how he went from a Track and Field star to a 9-5 job to professional dunking. (7:45) Clark also talks about how he lost his identity after failing to make the Olympics and finding his new passions in sports and life. (13:13) Aside from dunking, JClark breaks down how he also found happiness in teaching and passing on habits of being an athlete on to his students. He goes on to discuss how his social media fame got him the nickname of the “Slam Dunking Teacher”. (23:02) He talks about competing in the U.S. as well as internationally, the perks that come with being a pro dunker and how his wife, whom he met at UCLA, and son not only support but motivate him. (36:36) JClark reveals the meaning behind the acronym J.U.M.P.E.R., the #DotheIMPOSSIBLE movement and what his next goals are in dunking. JClark also discusses how he came back from what could have been a career-ending injury. (46:24) He tells how the mentality of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan influences him when he is competing and how that relentlessness has allowed him to brand himself as JClarkTheJumper across social media. (51:46) He breaks down how he created and accomplished the high jump dunk and how he comes up with his dunk ideas. (56:35) We wrap up the conversation by sharing our favorite quotes and close it out with a song from an L.A. artist @KBrownOfficial_ “City Celeb”. Listen to this dope conversation only on Sports-Ish.

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