How this former baseball player was inspired by tragedy to build a thriving sports business

Jon Paul Reed is an ex-baseball player and founder of Pure Momentum Sports. The organization helps young people to pursue their dreams by creating an environment that nurtures confidence, gives athletes the skills necessary to compete at the highest level and puts each individual athlete on the fast track to success.

In his active years, Reed played independent pro-ball in the American Association and the Pecos League, according to his website. Reed comes from a family of athletes. One of his uncles was a Harlem Globetrotter. At the age of two, Reed had already begun playing baseball and continued to play the sport throughout high school and at Florida A&M University, his alma mater.

“Right after college I actually went to Clearwater for a while. I was down there trying out with the Phillies and things went great,” he recalled in an interview with Click Orlando.

However, tragedy struck when he turned 26. He and his friends got hit by a drunk driver and that accident changed his career trajectory. Reed was left a little depressed and as part of the healing process, he took a trip back to Mississippi where he helped kids to develop their talent while he tried to figure out what he wanted to do with his life.

This reflection led to the creation of Pure Momentum Sports. Today, Reed has made a transition into entrepreneurship and according to Click Orlando, he is among a growing community of entrepreneurs in Sanford. 

“We focus on development and exposure for student-athletes,” the 36-year-old Jackson, Mississippi, native noted.

In 2015, he established Athlete University, a student-athlete resource center for kids after moving from Mississippi.

“AU is our interactive video series where athletes can stop in and learn at there own leisure, browse our many topics and drills and learn step by step how the pros do it. Even submit your personal videos for analysis. Our staff of trained professionals will dissect and analyze your video and explain to you step by step what adjustments you need to make; by taking you into our state-of-the-art lab,” according to Pure Momentum Sports website.

Reed’s journey in the sports world began in the deep south where his mother made sure he learned about his roots. According to him, “I participated in challenge bowls, like African American challenge bowls, like Black History Month, so my mom made it a point to make sure that I knew my history.”

His mother wanted him to be the best throughout any expectations and throughout anything that might have been negative from his background. “She wanted me to be able to overcome those things, so she pushed me to do things I didn’t want to do at the time, you know. No kid wants to go to the mall and give the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech in a suit,’” he noted!