Daily Inspiration: Meet Shakiara Mclean

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shakiara Mclean

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My story starts with me starting my first job in college working for the City of Raleigh. I was a Track out counselor while I was attending Shaw University. I was an undecided major and City of Raleigh Parks and Recreation paved the way for me to decide to become a Recreation major. While working in parks and rec I wore many hats and worked in many different departments. Being with the Parks and Rec department opened my curiosity to what more could I do for my community. I began to love the work I did. I worked many with anything dealing with kids and sports. I’ve been with the city for 11 years and in my time I have a held positions such Recreation leader, a Site manager, Trackout, Before& After school counselor, A summer Camp Director and my favorite positions of all an Intramural Special and Basketball Coach. I met many kids who played sports, struggled to fit in, and even ones who didn’t know what they wanted out of life. I got the chance to mentor young teenagers and helping them find who they were and what they wanted to be one day’. Many of them were just like me. A die hard basketball player who didn’t get a chance to make it. As a former basketball player who didn’t get a chance to fulfill my passion of going to college and trying to make it to the WNBA, my career was cut very short. To be able to find a job that explored many things dealing with sports and being a leader to kids who wanted the same as me TO MAKE IT. While working with parks and rec I obtain a volunteer position as an assistant varsity women’s basketball coach. During the time there I was mentored into one day becoming a coach. I was able to support students athletes on and off the court. I decided to go back to school to obtain a masters degree in Physical Education and Recreation. My purpose for going back to school was to be able to be more knowledgeable in the field I was already working in. I wanted to find a different want to help ALL KIDS and ALL ATHLETES. After graduating I obtain a job with Wake County Public school, becoming a Transition Training Facilitator also know as a Job Coach in the special education department. In this position I help at risk high schoolers, students whom may be on the spectrum earn hours at a working job. I teach the students life skills, job skills and customer service skills. The goal is to eventually help the student obtain a job or go off to college one day and be able to live a normal functional lifestyle. We do applications for jobs, create resumes and covers and apply to colleges. I take out time to tutor them after schools, help them earn community hours by volunteering in the community surrounding their schools. I supervise them at job sites as well. Many of them play sports, so I take the time to go to their games and take time out to help them polish their skills. I dalso took on a role as Parks and Rec assistant coach for a boys recreational basketball team. I coached ages as young as 5-17 yrs old. My colleague Kira Hardy brought me on with her to coach. She saw potential in me to become a head coach and then and now to this day is my Mentor. She put in a position to do more for the community. She showed me there more to being a community leader. I volunteered with many youth and sports group and give back to the communities that helped me grow into a leader. The areas of town I support or volunteer have many at risk teenagers, especially ones who play sports who may look for opportunities to better their lives. While working closely with Kira in the coaching world I got opportunities to be a Director in a basketball skills camp. I was able to help kids work on their skills and develop them in to athletic individuals. At that moment I knew what I wanted to do with my gifts. I decided that i would offer free services to kids that wanted to develop more skills or to get in shape to become better athletes. I also tutored them and helped them keep their grades up. Word spread and I train kids of all ages. I never do it for the money. Some kids can’t afford efficient training but are really good at sports and could go far with the proper training. I’ve had several players go off to college and play ball. Most are currently students or just now starting their journey.
While developing some players I became close to a kid his name is Joe Ferrer, had asked me to help him make the high school team as a freshman. He was really good and he trained really hard, but suddenly lost a love for the game decided that he didn’t want to play anymore. He felt like since he met me during basketball that was the only way that we would be close. I assured him that whatever he wanted to do I would help him get there. He wanted to become an entrepreneur. As a job coach I worked closely with him on deciding what to do. I’ve always wanted a clothing line but didn’t have the guts to do it with fear that no one would support it, I knew people probably wouldn’t like my ideas. Joe had the same idea and felt the same exact way. After a while of playing with ideas I told him let’s do it together. We decided to come up with a Brand call NEAR FUTURE. We came up with this name based off us putting it off and always saying we would come back to it in the near future. To me as long as the future is near opportunity are always close. Our signature saying for the brand is “Without hard work nothing grows but weeds”. The saying means so much more that what it says. I’ve worked so hard and I’ve pushed so many people to work just as hard if not more because if your not working hard you aren’t growing at all. I am a community leader, a youth supporter, A sports trainer, a Job Coach and 1/2 CEO of NEAR FUTURE LLC. I wear many hats! And I take pride in all that I do. I’m no big time person. I’m just a regular person trying to change the world one student athlete entrepreneur at a time!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road for me hasn’t always been smooth. I struggled after not being able to go off to play basketball after the high school level. I felt like a failure because I didn’t reach my goal. God had a funny way of working things out. He found a way for me to stay near and dear to the things I love most. I got diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and felt like the world ended because I wasn’t as healthy to keep playing sports. I struggled with my health issues for many years. But I was able to find comfort and ambition to help others do what I never got the chance to do. I’m able to support and give back to the community that built me up and helped me become the community leader that I am.

While being a coach to an all boys travel basketball team, everyone doesn’t take you seriously. A woman coaching boys basketball? You would be the surprised at the backlash you would get. Referees don’t respect you neither do the male coaches. They look at you and thing you don’t belong here or that your boys are soft.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I train student athletes for free. I coach an all boys basketball team. And I 1/2 CEO of a street wear clothing brand.

In this world you don’t see many boys team female coaches. Growing up i played basketball with grown men so I have never been intimidated. Once Kira Hardy showed me the ropes I was able to become a successful boys basketball coach with the rings and trophies to prove it.

I am proud that I am able to lead a group of male athletes to victories and championships and wins, while also helping the become successful men off the court.

With my clothing line, it’s an amazing experience to see people wearing the brand. Me and Joe take alot of pride in the brand. Even though he is young I’m glad he is my business partner. He has fresh eyes and fresh brain that helps up stay up on the latest trends. You would think people wouldn’t buy it because it’s not designer but when your clothing brand is in a store and selling out with the top brands, it’s kind of a flex. The Near Future Clothing brand can be found in Lumbeton NC in Biggs Park Mall in a store call 1st Steps. They were the first place to take a chance on us.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Family makes me happy. I’m really big on being there for my family. We have been through a lot. But I feel like family is important. Not just blood relatives. I see a lot of my friends, the kids I’ve worked with and my basketball players and coaches as family as well. We are really big on always looking out for each other and holding each other accountable and bettering ourselves. My wife also makes me happy. She continues to push me to step on because sometimes I put myself off and don’t hype myself up enough.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @Nearfuture.us @Nxtlvlkings