How has Elijah McAllister remained humble in his journey from New Jersey to Nashville?
College sports today are simply big business. National exposure often comes in the high school recruiting process. Now, social media and NIL opportunities are making some high school athletes into celebrities before they get to college. It might seem quite rare to find an elite college athlete that is humble and service-driven as they pursue success. However, these young people exist and persevere without much fanfare.
My guest on this episode, Elijah McAllister, is a redshirt senior captain of the Vanderbilt University football team. Elijah starred for a state football power in his home state of New Jersey. His dedication to athletic and personal development led him to attend a prestigious academic institution in the most prestigious athletic conference in the country, the SEC. As you will learn, Elijah is quite humble and prioritizes helping others.
In Episode 44, Elijah discusses how he developed into a mature young man with the help of his trusted coaches. His high school coaches were critical to preparing Elijah for the move to Nashville. Elijah also shares about the challenges he faced in the transition from high school to college. Finally, he discusses his mission to serve young people through his All 41, 1 for All Foundation.
So, what was your biggest takeaway from my conversation with Elijah McAllister?
For me, it’s that we often put young athletes on a pedestal based on performance. Yet, we don’t really know them as people. I noticed this at times during Elijah’s football career at Rumson-Fair Haven High School, which is just down the street from my home.
Elijah demonstrates that there is so much more to young athletes than meets the eye. He is a young man of service and character that developed into a quality human being through hard work, coaching, and most of all, humility.
My suggestion to young athletes is to think about what your purpose in life is beyond athletics. Having a larger purpose often allows us to have the humility required to grow and develop as a person. Doing so can also take the pressure off of a young athlete by not measuring their worth by athletic performance.
I want to thank Elijah for his kind generosity and the wisdom he shared with The Freshman Foundation Community.
You can learn more about Elijah on Instagram @e_mcallister1 and his foundation at @all41oneforall.
To learn how mental performance coaching can help your mind work FOR you rather than AGAINST you, visit https://michaelvhuber.com.
Thank you for listening. We’ll see you back soon for Episode 45!
[00:00:00] Mike: Hey, Elijah, how's it going?
[00:00:03] Elijah McAllister: It's going well, how are you?
[00:00:04] Mike: I'm doing well. Thanks for coming on to the podcast. I appreciate it.
[00:00:08] Elijah McAllister: Well, thank you for having me.
[00:00:10] Mike: Yeah. So, you know, for those listening, I reached out to Elijah because I live in the same area that he grew up in, and spent a couple of nights here and there watching him play football out at the local high school, and my kids will be going to his alma mater, Rumson Fair Haven high school. So I reached out to him to see if we could have a conversation about what he's doing today. So from New Jersey to Nashville, tell me about your choice to go to Vanderbilt to play college football.
[00:00:37] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, so the choice to go play college football at Vanderbilt was an interesting one. I had a kind of a, say, a rollercoaster ride in terms of my athletic career in general election almost quit playing football in eighth grade, I never really got good at football until I could catch up to my body. Like I was always a tall, lean guy. So it was hard for me to play football, I was always pretty good at basketball. And I'm sure we'll get into my high school career later, but just how I ended up at Vanderbilt, I really just wanted to go to a school where I could, that would challenge me on the field and off the field as well. And we played the best conference in the world and sec. And we also compete in the classroom with the best and brightest minds in the world. So it's just the best of both worlds for me to try to attack and do everything I want to do in his life, not just play football and not sitting back community not just be a good academic standing, but do everything I want to do in life. So that's kind of watch.
[00:01:30] Mike: Yeah, it's a great academic university. And I actually believe it or not wanting to go there when I was your age, not necessarily to play football. But you know, just in terms of seeing a different part of the world. And International is very different in 2022. That was when I was looking to go to school, but I still imagine there was a pretty big cultural difference. Like, what were some of the things that you had to adapt to and you left New Jersey, and you move to the South?
[00:01:55] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, I mean, I'm sure you get some time, travel a lot, or you go meet different people, like the first thing was like, people were telling me, I talk too fast. And I'm so used to just Jersey in New York, talking fast, moving fast. And that was the first thing but that's kind of one of the reasons why I really wanted to come to Vanderbilt, I wanted to get out of the Northeast to kind of see different way of life. And it was important for me to kind of do that for myself and learning about myself more getting away from some family or where life already knew. Which is important for me to do. And that's the kind of reason why I chose Vanderbilt. So just me talking fast is one of the main things that guys did give me mess about first and just a different culture in terms of like food, barbecue. Country music as well, down here is big, so little things like that. But honestly it was a seamlessly seemingly easy transition for me just going through it as a freshman.
[00:02:49] Mike: And from a football perspective, I was kind of checking out some of the information on the school's website, and there was a video. You know, when you left high school, you're what like maybe 210 Now you're to seven year what's the what's that transition been like to put on that that amount of weight in the last few years?
[00:03:06] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, I mean, it was it was a crazy transition. Because like I'm a guy, like I said earlier, I love basketball. And I was a basketball kid my whole life pretty much. That's why I was so skinny, I was Lauren limbs. And I was always pretty athletic. But you know, playing football, you need to have some strength here. So just I'd be able to remember my first couple practices here, playing defensive end here very little, just in college. And it was just so funny. Me being out there just running around. They used to call me bad because my legs are super skinny and just running around. But that transition was amazing. Just gaining that weight and being able to add on that good way good muscle to help me play better and be a contributor on the team, which is amazing. That's obviously why I had to do it because you can't like defenseman is counter to our timeouts can barely do it at 230. So there's been up 270 having a lot of muscle being able to put opposition at a high level is important.
[00:03:58] Mike: As the weight gain, how has it impacted your speed or your mobility?
[00:04:05] Elijah McAllister: Honestly, it's helped my speed and my mobility because the stronger I've gotten in my lower body, the faster I've gotten, obviously, you know, just having natural listen important, but the more strength you can put in the ground, the faster you'll be because you're putting more force in the ground and then pushing.
[00:04:21] Mike: Yeah, that makes sense. I have to imagine that. And again, for those who are listening, you know, for high school program here in New Jersey, there's a pretty sophisticated weight room culture at RFH. But I can't even imagine what it looks like going to an SCC weight room. Right. You go in from you know, high school or college at the highest level, you know, you probably we've been exposed to some pretty interesting techniques and, you know, things in the weight room there that have really opened your eyes I would imagine.
[00:04:52] Elijah McAllister: Oh, for sure. I mean, it's funny that I was explaining the speed and the strength in the lower body. I sounded like Coach Brock was at high school strength coach I had a rough affair and reason we kind of really helped me in my first part of my life, Christian to that defensive end spot individual. Well, Claire from getting me to probably like I'd say, 150 when I first got to high school to 10. And then coming here, he was pivotal in my success to get to college, and then coming here at Vanderbilt, and the coach has pushed me here, that was a great change. And I think we're all prepared me, he prepared me big time for being ready in the weight room in terms of like, how you operate within a college weight room, but the college weight room and strength, which is here pushed me to obviously, pack on that way, get those muscles and kind of be able to contribute here.
[00:05:40] Mike: Yeah. So I mean, along the same lines, just beyond the weight room. I mean, again, I'm gonna talk a little bit about RFH, because I know a little bit about it, but you came from a very successful program. A very unique football, high school football culture winning culture, highly successful, like what did you learn as a football player at our feeds that you've taken with you to Vanderbilt?
[00:06:03] Elijah McAllister: Oh man, I mean, I've learned so much there, just from football standpoint, but also as a man, I look at certain guys and coaches that poured into me while I was there, Coach ORAC, obviously, Coach Sheltie. And those three guys honestly were huge into my development as a managed football player. One of the main things I learned when I was at RFH, obviously, you know, I could have went to a lot of different high schools and been the man and just played offense defense and gotten some touchdowns and got a ton of sacks and probably would have been great for my ego at the time. But one of the main things I learned about myself and about football is how much I love the game for its camaraderie and the team aspect of it. I mean, we're one of the few high schools in New Jersey, especially public high schools that only let our guys go one way, and not play offense defense, and really have a team oriented style of running the football playing with a good defense. And no matter what kind of guys we have essentially, on a roster, it's not tailored towards players. It's tailored towards the program. And that standard that we built there, that they built before I got there, and I have continued to build since I was there has kind of allowed me to develop as a man and a football player. So now like, you know, I thought ego out the window, the personal things don't really matter. It's about the team success. And how can be a better leader, a better person to my friends and my teammates.
[00:07:24] Mike: Yeah. Well, that probably lends itself to the fact that you were named captain of your team for the upcoming 22 seasons. So tell me about that. What was it like to be named Captain in a program like Vanderbilt in the SEC, and having gone through, you know, we could talk a little bit more about it gone through some challenges, you know, in terms of injuries and things like that transition, like what was it like to be named captain of your team.
[00:07:49] Elijah McAllister: I mean, it was honor. And it was truly special, because it was voted by my teammates, you know, those guys that you spend every day with. And then to have that respect from 100 Plus peers of yours is just amazing, it's a humbling thing to be able to wear that that see on my chest and go out there every Saturday and represent my family, my teammates of this university at a very high level. I was just, it was just a great feeling for me, not personally, but it's just to see to know that like, what I say, and the impact I have on people's lives is important in some aspect. It was just great for me just to have the honor to do that last year, and hopefully this year, I can do the same just being able to have that respect and understanding for my period is just amazing.
[00:08:33] Mike: Yeah, I think respect is a key word in that, you know, in order to be you know, named a captain and voted on by your teammates, it means that, you know, you're probably doing something every single day that maybe you don't even realize that they see, you know, in terms of just showing up to work, right, putting in the work and being humble, and, you know, being team first and me second. And I think that that's not always, you know, it's not always that common, you know, especially at the level that you play at where guys are the man, you know, in high school, and then you come to college football, it's probably can be pretty humbling at times.
[00:09:08] Elijah McAllister: Oh, for sure. I mean, that's always a unique learning curve you get to see for the freshmen and sometimes sophomores as well. Everybody was the guy that high school Ra, recruited to play this great game we love at a high low and everybody was the man at their school. So just coming in and trying to put that ego aside and come together as a unit within your class and within the upperclassmen as well to provide the best product on the field. This is a unique learning curve, you see, especially from the Yeah, someone had to go through as well too.
[00:09:36] Mike: Sure. What was the hardest part or what's been the hardest part about going from high school football to college football?
[00:09:51] Elijah McAllister: I probably say just like, I know sounds crazy, but everyone is good. A week in and week out, especially in this conference and at practice on a roster that you have to compete every single day, no matter what we have one more thing to talk about here is earning it every day, like no matter what are they yesterday, no matter what I did in the past, or what I think I'm going to do tomorrow, whatever I'm doing in that present moment have to earn it every day. So that's your spot on the depth chart. That's your grades in the classroom. That's your relationships off the field, that's us playing another opponent week in week out, you see an SEC, everybody beats everybody consistently on the weekend, week out basis. And that's the biggest transition from high school and college, on and off the field to just the competition every single day, you have to earn your right earplugs to be certain places every single day. And that's kind of probably the biggest transition. The second thing I'd say, is just like I talked about the big the weight changes that was huge. For me, I felt like I was athletic enough and had enough skill to at least contribute somewhat my freshman year, I did really well on scout team but I just wasn't heavy enough. And that was just the most frustrating part. For me, it's probably the toughest part. Because we're a yard guy, you really want to play and show that you're, you're you can do this at a high level, especially when you're first coming from high school, everybody expecting you to go out there and have 10 plus a actually for shoot, which is probably impossible. But you need to have so many other factors that have to go into being able to play at this level. And that was probably the toughest thing. The second toughest thing that I'd say just go into college just frustration and not playing, feel like you want to contribute and be out there for your team and showcase your skills and you can't do that.
[00:11:36] Mike: How much did you have to eat to put on that way?
[00:11:40] Elijah McAllister: Oh my goodness, a lot. It was a lot in the crazy part. But it is like a lot of people think like, well, I just can't eat that much. We have to train your gut, like your gut is something that you can translate. And initially, I couldn't eat as much as I do now, because I'm not used to eating that much. And that often in that consistency. So it was it was a ton of food. I'm talking about like every single day, try to eat like four or five meals before? No, I mean, obviously, you know, we wake up pretty early 5am, I try to read three to five things before noon, so that I'm front loading instead of back loading, which is important because I get to work out and develop my body in the right way. So that was definitely a lot of food. Sometimes I go to sleep with my stomach hurt and different things like that. But I knew I had to do it.
[00:12:29] Mike: I mean, obviously, there's been a big physical transition in terms of your body and weightlifting and nutrition. And like just kind of keeping up with the competition from a mental perspective, like, are there any specific adjustments or things that you've done mentally, to be able to, you know, make that adjustment and ultimately get to the point you're at right now?
[00:12:52] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, so I mean, the mental side of the game is huge for me, just life in general, for various different reasons. I mean, to the point where I've studied psychology here, undergrad, and that was just huge for me, because that's something I enjoy learning about the mental side of the game, the biggest transition for me from high school to college, and that was just the self-talk. I think we go through a lot of times when we listen to our thoughts instead of talking to ourselves. So you have to talk to ourselves that are listening. So you know, when we have a bad play a bad drive a bad practice, we go through the day, and we're like, oh man, I was bad, I stink, Coach gonna yell at me go film, blah, blah, blah, you're drilling on that play that practice that time. And then soon enough, the time goes by everything's overweight, while everybody's still sending upwards. So we have to talk to ourselves and listen to ourselves. So I feel like in some ways, I used to motivate myself, by putting myself down like, “Oh, you're not good enough”. They say you're not dishing out that and try to motivate myself through that way. Now, instead, I just listened to the noise. But now it's that I just talked about. So reassure myself that I'm grateful to play his game that I'm good enough to be here to not only be here but to succeed, and just talk to myself positively every single day. That's the big transition for sure.
[00:14:07] Mike: Yeah. I love the way you put that, because that's something I talk to athletes about all the time, which is, you know, when you're talking to yourself, or you're thinking about what happened, the last play or the last 10 plays, or you're thinking about the next player, the next 10 plays, you can't be present in the moment. Like you said, like, time just passes you by and meanwhile, it's not possible to be your best in the moment if you're distracted by those thoughts. So you have to learn how to control them. And what it sounds like you've done is really learn how to manage them and reframe them and basically not let the self-talk not let your subconscious be convinced by the things that you might say to yourself?
[00:14:46] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, exactly. I mean, the only thing as guaranteed when we're talking about competition or sports is diversity. So once you understand that, like, you're gonna have a player you don't like is up to standard or you're going to be down by a touchdown, load team gonna score something's gonna happen. You're gonna have an edge Anything, Adversity is guaranteed and sports. And once you understand that and know how to kind of mitigate through that and understand like, that's going to be there, but we know how to handle that precedent by self-talk is going to be super important, so that's kind of.
[00:15:14] Mike: Yeah, while accepting the fact that it's going to be hard. There's things that are just not going to go your way. And if you try to resist that, it just gonna make it worse. I'm curious. At Vanderbilt, do you have folks on staff like sports psychology folks that you can go to or work with the team?
[00:15:30] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, we have a mental performance coaches, this would be her second year on here. Coach Lee Curry achieved does a great job with connecting up with different leadership, groups and meetings with different people. One on one meetings as well. She's pivotal to our transition, as far as a team in terms of mindset here. And this is our second year, Coach Lee brought here with him. Because we didn't have anyone kind of like this on staff before my earlier years, and she has been important to the development of mindset of our teams.
[00:16:03] Mike: All right, awesome. Well, I believe Coach Lee came from Notre Dame. Is that correct?
[00:16:07] Elijah McAllister: Yes, he did. He was the defensive coordinator for both.
[00:16:10] Mike: Yeah, he was the de-coordinator at Notre Dame. So Notre Dame has somebody on staff there. I know they have someone on staff that are still there that does it. So it's not surprising to hear that he brought someone with him. And I think that's a great thing. And in terms of transitions, like you were recruited by Coach Mason?
[00:16:26] Elijah McAllister: Yes, yes.
[00:16:27] Mike: And Coach Mason, left, the programs let go, and you got a new coach coming in? Like, what's that transition been like trying to build a relationship with a new coach and kind of reestablish yourself, as somebody you know, who's wants to be a big part of the program?
[00:16:41] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, I think anytime, when you talk about new people that she has to kind of get to know the main thing is gonna come down to it really trust trusting each other. And that takes time and consistency. So, you know, I built that trust and understanding the confirmation, for from the time I was recruited to the time he left, we got like, goes like two and a half, three years. And then being able to build that trust with Coach Lee past year and a half, almost two years, some change a year and a half, has been important to building our relationship, through that trust through to understanding and just conversations. So at first is a little difficult, because they're, they're different people, obviously, so whatever, people so you can't really go into every situation the same as you had been in the past. But now I really should visit as strong as ever, through the season through adversity through good times. It's been it's been a great treasure and a great relationship to be able to connect with this past year and a half. Now, we're just super excited together to go the season.
[00:17:45] Mike: That's great. And I know you've had a couple of ACL tears, you went to high school, and then one your junior year, can you talk about that process? How you sort of work through that recovery, how that sort of affected you or impacted you as a player? I know those are pretty significant things to go through and traumatic in some ways. Like, what's effect is that had on you as a person and a player?
[00:18:13] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, I mean, that's crazy. The biggest effect it probably had on me is as a as a person for sure. Well, first, I'll start with just the high school injuries and that was kind of Dr. Remember first getting the call from a doctor and knowing that I tore my ACL like, that's like one of the things you say when you're going there like I don't want to hurt athletes to something happened three things like the worst thing in the world. So I remember the first person I talked to that knew beside me and my dad was coachwork I went to his office and I just cried, because I was not because I knew I couldn't handle the rehab and the adversity that was placed upon me, because I felt like I was letting him and the team down for not being available for the upcoming season. And that kind of speaks to my mindset as far as through the injury like I attack that head or head good spirits each time. Especially going to high school time, good spirits who's going through the injury process and then just hit it head on. But what it did for me honestly, from a personal level is it humbled me to allow me to understand that this game is not forever. I've never heard before that any sport I've ever played, although I was pretty solid at the things I did picked up. So I kind of took the game for Grant took his life for granted because you know, I was I was always just going out there and playing and having fun and doing that did this hold on me. It allowed me to understand like how, how easily everything could be taken away from me like that, especially, and through football, through sports, but in life that allowed me to cherish the things I love the most. And then in college I mean that that process was easy. It was really easy. I knew what I had to do I've been through before now Oh, it was just like, whatever. Like, obviously, it was frustrating. But I mean, I've done it before, that I can do it again. So that's kind of how it affected me mentally, then from a physical standpoint. I mean, I've had great people in my life that allow me to push through these things. So it's obviously affected me physically, in some ways, terms of my flexibility and mobility through my lower body, but I've worked on it every single day, so that it's not a big drop off as people may seem. Start last year and hopefully be able to start again. So obviously, it's not something that super, super doped into my ability to play football. It's like I tell people all the time, some if I can do it, you can do it, too. It's affecting me physically. But I'm still out here playing and doing the things I want to do and filling all the dreams that I had before injury. Post first I post second ball. So it's good.
[00:21:00] Mike: Yeah, it's amazing how something like that can really give your perspective. And I think, listen, there's a couple of ways to go where you can feel sorry for yourself and say, why me? Or, you could say why not me? And it sounds like he chose the ladder of like, Hey, listen, like this isn't granted forever. Let me go face this adversity head on, so that I can become not only a better athlete, but a stronger person. And I think that, you know, one of the tools that we use in mental performance coaching, that's probably underrated, and kind of gets unnoticed is gratitude. Like, you know, it's easy to dwell on the things that you're not happy about. But think about all the things that you've been granted through your hard work. And you get to a place like Vanderbilt, and this is not directed at you, but just any athlete, you get to college, and you're playing sports and every, you know, 98% of the people before you had to retire because they weren't good enough So at a certain point, it's like, hey, man, I'm lucky to be here. And I'm lucky to have the opportunity to get stronger, and it's gonna make me a better person, it's going to build my character. But I think when you're in it, it's not always the easiest thing to do. Because you're thinking about, like, what's going to happen next? Am I going to be able to play again, or at the level I want to? And it sounds like it's served you well. I mean, I think all things being equal athletes would prefer not to get injured. But that's just part of the deal and football. So what are you going to do? You're gonna make it, you're going to be better because of it or you're gonna let it get you down?
[00:22:26] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, that's so interesting to talk to talk about that. I mean, how do you see that? Like, how do you see that differ from sport to sport? Like, I feel like what players they kind of aren't as easy to talk about different mental things and different processes in that. And from the mindsets, they will because I think physical has got to go fast and be violent and go hit. But how have you seen that different sports, specifically football, like how the mental performance side of the game is important?
[00:22:54] Mike: You know, honestly, I don't. I mean, obviously, all the sports have different demands mentally. You know, I think for me, the thing about football is because it moves so fast, I had spent some time working with a quarterback, who's a high school quarterback in California, and he was looking to play college football. And I think the one thing that I really tried to instill in him, which is hard sometimes is mindfulness, right? Like when things are going so fast and flying so fast around you, like really just being able to stay present in what's happening, and not getting caught up in the emotion of it. And you're right. I don't think it's just football players. I think it's, if anything, I would say it's more of a gender thing. I think males just generally have a harder time opening up and talking about the things that they're thinking and feeling to other people. And I think females are much more open to that, you know, and whether that's stereotypical or not, I'm not sure. I mean, that's my experience, limited as it may be. But listen, football is a brutal game. And personally, I think there's most to be gained from mental performance coaching in football, because of all of the demands physical and mental, and all of the struggles and the pain and all these things that you go through. But it doesn't seem to have kind of caught up. I mean, baseball, sort of the leader in mental skills, coaching and everything else is like a distant second, but it seems like it's changing. I mean, you guys have won on staff. I know Notre Dame does. I know Alabama does, I know the big programs do and then I just saw an opening for a job at Northwestern. So I think it's becoming more prevalent. I think it just takes some time to buy in. And a lot of that a lot of times it's culture from the top down with their coaches, whether or not they buy in, but also having the right mental performance person who really understands what you're going through can put themselves him or herself in your shoes, and help you give you the tools to get better because like you're you know, if someone could come to you and say, Hey, here's an opportunity to get better. I'm going to give you the keys to the castle, like you're going to take it, but you got it but you gotta buy into it. And that's the hardest part I think that what we do.
[00:25:01] Elijah McAllister: That's definitely hit around the head. That's a good deal right there.
[00:25:04] Mike: Yeah. So I know your redshirt senior coming up, is that correct?
[00:25:10] Elijah McAllister: Yes, yes.
[00:25:11] Mike: Okay, so this will be your last season at Vanderbilt. So talk to me about, like, what some of your goals are for next season for the future, like, what are you looking forward to?
[00:25:21] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, I mean, I really just wants to be able to see this team player, player eyes low. I've seen it from the defensive side, a couple games off inside a couple games independent of each other in my career here, and just being able to see this team play at our highest level, and set that foundation for this year, and years to come, it's going to be important for me to see that through, because that's been one of my goals since I first got here. And then personally, just being able to make the plays that come to me and be able to be active on the defensive line and I was set double digit sack numbers is super important for a defensive lineman, especially if guys, I'm able to do that I'm gonna be in a good shape right now for the future that I want to have. Hopefully plenty NFO, 10 plus NFO, would have to do and then beyond that, you know, I have so many different things that I want to be able to do off the field, whether that's being an NFL GMO, whether that's going back and being a high school principal, and impacting those changes from 14 to 18 years old, as a trend as a young adults, whether that's kids, continuing my community work through my foundation, those are some things that I can think off the top of my head that I really want to do throughout my life and that's gonna be important.
[00:26:36] Mike: So let's talk a little bit more football but then I want to ask you about that because I know you've got a lot of big plans out of the football field but so in terms of, did you play three four defense?
[00:26:47] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, so I've been a three four. So the first two years out three four, I played outside backer and three, four. And then the middle year my junior year, I wasn't a multiple kind of deals. I did a little bit of both outside backer defenseman just more so outside backer and now these past two years, I've been in a four to five so I played the field and now the bat played the boundary stand up in the floors and five. This past year this year, I'm finally where I feel like I should be it's a defense event to the field and the dirt down at three points. They're not worried about really covered so much. Just don't go. Yeah, so which is what I feel like I'm natural and what I can finally do best.
[00:27:33] Mike: Yeah, I mean, many moons ago. But I remember when I was in high school, I played defensive tackle nose tackle. And then we switched our defense one week and I had to go to stand up play like an inside linebacker. I was not made for that. Defensive lineman, you're only used to going forward. And then you get put up in space. And it's like, Man, this is some hard stuff. Especially on the outside in the middle you can kind of get away with, but on the outside, you're out there. So it sounds like you're going back to what you want.
[00:28:02] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, exactly. I mean, you just walked up sure you gave a deep level of respect for those guys back there after playing.
[00:28:11] Mike: Nice. So tell me about I know you have your foundation. I know you've been running some camps here locally, which is awesome. Love to see that. Like, you know, you talked about some of the things you might want to do. But I mean, tell me more about the foundation and what you're doing with it right now.
[00:28:26] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, so I started here, just at Vanderbilt. I mean, always been big, and just being able to connect with people who kind of help anywhere I can be here and about these, these first four years here are three, three and a half years. I just did a lot of different community service works with different organizations. And a lot of people started to take notice of it and continue to build that that talk around how important community is to me, and not for me personally but just to understand like impacting people's lives important because that's the only way the world's gonna get become a better place. So doing that and being able to be a sec community service team. Because Off they go words has to just super important for me and allow me to connect with some people and spark an interest of mine to start my own foundation and do words for people that I've impacted in my life where I'm at here in Nashville as well as my home state of New Jersey. Most importantly do that I was I was always going to do it. I was gonna wait and wait and wait until you know maybe when I'm older maybe when I get to maybe this isn't that well no like I've been impacting the community my whole life and let's try to start this thing now. And do it so the foundation is often one for all, so I wore 41 my first couple years here we're number one. We're number one now. We're in high school. This is all for. I was like a good saying for people they know like each individual member gives their loyalty, their love to the group. And then a group gives that back to each individual member. And that's kind of what we do here at all call them for all Foundation. And we're going to do that through education and experience. I think it's important to teach people life skills that they need to be applicable to everyday life, which is why in some capacity, some years down the road, I want to be teaching life skills, those life skills through education experience as well, like I'm big travel guy like to drive different states and go eat different food and do things that aren't really available to a lot of people were born always available to me growing up of just having them experience things they don't always have access to important. So those two things are really the pillars of our foundation. My foundation is just education and experience.
[00:30:50] Mike: Yeah. So was there something that inspired you in your life, when you were younger that led you to that conclusion that you wanted to do something like this?
[00:31:01] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, I mean, I kind of spoke to it a little bit, but just like the impact people have had in my life, that has kept me on the right track and pushed me in a Senate meet up on my journey. Just kind of spoke to me in that way. Like, every step of the way, in my life, I have people that poured into me, and not for anything in return. And not because they knew I was going to do anything in his life. But just because they took the extra step to just be there for me. I mean, I remember about Coach playing Coach Rock, Nickel, Chiltington. But those three guys, especially in high school, like little things, because you know, I'm originally I'm really from like, as reports involved. So I would go to school about 30 minutes away, 35 minutes away to decent drives, I'll be at the facility and at the school more so than I will be at home. Just hanging around, I practice doing everything. So those three guys every single day, pouring into me in different ways, like staying after, when I had to wait for a ride to get picked up from school having a one on one conversation me in the locker room about life, and how to this decision and that decision or just being there for me in any way. And I still talk to those guys to this day, as I'm 22 years old, and did that when I was 14, 15, 16, 17. And I'm 22 and I still talk to them every other week. So their impact on my life pouring into me and others along the way before that. And after that. Adult has allowed me to understand that like nobody gets anywhere alone and to pour that back in other people. So that's kind of response. And honestly, it's just the genuineness of other people.
[00:32:41] Mike: Yeah, I have a similar experience, personally, and we'll get into that. But I think, you know, it took me a lot longer. A lot later in life to I realize that, like that realization that, you know, there's a lot of people who helped me along the way, and I want to be able to give back in my life, and I was you know, 20 plus years older than you and I sort of came to that point. So it kind of speed it not kind of it does speak to your emotional maturity that we have that awareness of like, hey, these people are really going out of their way to make sure that I'm developing as a human being. And I want to make sure that I'm returning that favor, which is I think it's really important. You know, I think it's really important, I think, you know, we want to serve personally, to save population, most of my athletes are in that high school, college range. And I just love being able to help guide them through their process. Because, you know, it's such an influential age, the more we can do and more resources, we can give into more just support to have those kinds of coaches in your life that not only helped you become a better football player, but a better man. And now you know, 5, 6, 7 years later, they're still with you. Like that's not that common truthfully, not everybody has that experience.
[00:33:54] Elijah McAllister: And that's why it's so unique to me. And they were due tomorrow because I understood that again, they did it when I was younger, they didn't have to, they're still checking in on me now. And they don't have to do it, but they do. And not for anything returns because the type of type of men they are. And now to allow me to get back to them now in the near future, and then other people as well, their impact is being seen across the nation.
[00:34:23] Mike: Yeah, it's funny when you're talking about the name of the foundation. Well, for one and one for all. I didn't realize the story behind that. So can you can you talk about what that means, specifically in terms of your experience at Vanderbilt?
[00:34:37] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, it means everything just to be able to have those two numbers to be able to represent the foundation. Also, you know, representing myself on that field is important to me, to some that people know me by off the field or on the field, but they're going to remember me off the field because of the impact that I have in the community and through this time. Addition, and being impacted lives every day, so it's definitely significant, which is why I was able to play on words with that.
[00:35:07] Mike: So it's a pretty big tradition at Vanderbilt that the captain was number one, is that the story?
[00:35:13] Elijah McAllister: Well, not now but the unique thing about it is like when Coach Lee got here, you had to earn your number. So everybody's number was stripped to a clean slate. And every year, he's been here the first year and this year, you have to earn a number. So everybody started off with no numbers. So that that number one was unique because I had to earn it back I had to earn it I had in high school. And I have 41 in college, because obviously it's number one. Like I feel it's number for everybody wants to get that either earn it with a new staff and new principals, then I had to do it again this past summer this past year earn it again. So it's unique number for me because I was in high school. And it's something that the number that I love to wear, and I'd earn it each year I've been here.
[00:35:59] Mike: So how do you earn it? Like what are the criteria? Like, how do they decide who gets to pick what number they have?
[00:36:07] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, I mean, it's kind of just a multitude of things. But I say one of the main things that foundational point is just being able to uphold the standard of our program. And doing that through these five covenants that we have. We have five covenants, to brotherhood, pride in everything we do earn it every day, player accountability, and the psychopath energy. So just upholding the standard, those five covenants, yeah. And truly living and breathing, those things are just a foundational thing is how you feel like you get on the right path to where you are. And the rest is kind of just different other things.
[00:36:41] Mike: Yeah, you know, and the truth of it is from like, from my perspective, from sports psychology perspective, those are things that are completely controllable, those are characters things, those are effort based attitude, things, it's not about your performance on the field, it's about the way you uphold and represent the program. And it doesn't take any sort of special skill to do those things. It just takes effort and attitude and commitment to live that life. And that's, I think that that kind of coaching is really important rather than rewarding the performance, which obviously you're in a performance based business, that's life, but as a program, we hold everybody to the same standards, and no one's above the program and I think that's important. And it also makes for a great culture. And ultimately, that culture leads to success on the field.
[00:37:28] Elijah McAllister: Exactly, which has been instilled in us this culture deals been important for us to build here with the new staff and as a transition into the new way Vanderbilt football coming here soon. Like you said, it can't it's not performance space, you know, like, performance is so. So dependent on a lot of different things. Sometimes some people don't have the guidance and ability to do certain things. But that doesn't mean that they're of lesser value of another person, anybody in this program, horizontal pool, we have regular advisors, same whether you're the head coach, or anybody else, everybody's the same horizontal, it's important to be able to do that to build that culture and understand it like, Hey, man doesn't stop predicate is all about choice you make every single day.
[00:38:13] Mike: Absolutely. And the people who don't get onto the field, or the people don't play as much, they're still valuable to the program. You need those people to succeed, you need to scout team you need guys ready to go in when someone gets injured, or something happens. Like everybody has value, you know, in that process? And I think that's really important. So, one quick question and then I'll ask you my final question. So who do you open up with this season?
[00:38:39] Elijah McAllister: Hawaii.
[00:38:45] Mike: Another life experience under the belt.
[00:38:46] Elijah McAllister: Exactly. Exactly. Good vacation, we'll be out there for a while about four or five days and just kind of get acclimated to the time zone change. Kind of get around Hawaii has. Nobody's ever been there. Maybe a handful of people. Go for the win a football game at Saturday.
[00:39:05] Mike: Excellent. Nice, and a good business trip. So my last question is, I'll ask you, I asked everybody the same question. So and I'll frame it is, if you had to give just one piece of advice to a student athlete, high school student athlete who's listening to this conversation, in terms of, you know, what they should or could be doing to put themselves in the best position to succeed? What would you say that piece of advice would be?
[00:39:33] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, I kind of give two things. I'd say just make the choice. Whatever choice there is in life, make the choice to do the right thing and make the choice. That's going to be the best for yourself. So I think a lot of times, especially when you're younger, you kind of wake up and let's see what were the day brings me or how will based off ha slipped, how's my day gonna go or if this person talks to me this way, it's tough to be that way. What am I going to do today? How are things going to affect my day, that's kind of how we go about life and not only where you are, but in life in general. But when you wake up every day and make the choice to do everything you have to do every single day and understand that, like, you have control over all the things that goes on this this life, that day, and nothing can knock you off that pivot is gonna be super important to anyone in life. So that's the thing I'd say to high school kids just make the choice, make the choice every day, once you wake up, to know what kind of day you're gonna have, not because there aren't going to be factors and different things are going to maybe try to knock you off that path. But just understand like, you're the controller of yourself at the end of the day. That's the first thing I'll leave them with. And then a second thing I'll leave them with is just take some time out of your day to yourself and listen to a podcast, listen to different audio books and read. That's something I enjoy to do more so than anything, probably in the world. Besides playing football, I love listening to podcasts and listen to audiobooks. It's hard for me to sit down and just read honestly, because I'm just so fidgety sometimes, but being able to just listen and have someone here to speak positive things that we need to learn and gain knowledge from is important, which is why I'm just so honored to be able to have the opportunity to speak on this podcast and to you because you know, I listen to podcasts every single day and audiobooks every day. The knowledge I gain from that super importance of one person gets something from this podcast, this episode will be great. Because you know, then they'll be able to tell the next person and that's kind of how people learn is through experience or through education this is a valuable experience for me and being able to educate our people so there we are.
[00:41:43] Mike: Yeah, here we are. That's exactly why I do. Because I feel like these conversations and hearing about people's life experiences really is the best way to learn and I think that those are both great pieces of advice. So when we say that I want to thank you for joining me here. It was really great to get to know you a little bit having followed you over the last few years and I only wish you the best going forward. So thank you, Elijah, and have a great season.
[00:42:09] Elijah McAllister: Yeah, thanks for having me and I can't wait to you know be back hopefully soon in person with a nice in person podcast as I get along my career and my journey for sure. It’s a great conversation for sure.
[00:42:19] Mike: Absolutely. Take care of yourself.