Words by Josiah Hartline
Today’s Highlight
Legacy Volleyball is a faith-led club built around a different definition of success: development over hype, community over status, and a sports culture that doesn’t punish kids for being human. David’s road here runs through corporate America, private equity pressure, a failed franchise, and a hard reset that pushed him toward something more purpose-driven.
How We Got Here
David grew up in Arizona after his parents moved the family out of a rough part of Queens in search of something better. He spent nearly 15 years with Black & Decker / DeWalt, riding the construction boom and learning how to build demand, build teams, and chase performance. Then 2008 hit. The company asked him to relocate. He said no. They let him go anyway. It was the first real reminder that performance doesn’t equal permanence. From there, he moved through a Caterpillar dealer, then into South Carolina around 2013–2014 with Upward Sports. The mission mattered, but the lesson stayed the same: whether it’s Fortune 500, family-owned, nonprofit, or private equity—if you don’t guard your priorities, work will take everything you’re willing to give.
The Crash That Changed Direction
During COVID, David joined a disinfectant company that exploded from a small operation to hundreds of millions in revenue almost overnight. With it came pressure, travel, and the constant push for the next number. At the same time, his health slipped. He gained weight, lost stamina, and hit a moment walking his dog where he couldn’t catch his breath. That was the wake-up call. He joined a RockBox gym, got healthy again, and rediscovered something he hadn’t fully stepped into yet—coaching. Eventually, he bought into the franchise, believing he could build something that changed lives. Membership grew, but profitability didn’t. When the space fell apart and the business had to close, it felt like failure. A friend told him something simple that stuck: sometimes something has to get ripped away because you wouldn’t leave it on your own. That ripping led to Legacy.
The Faith Foundation
Legacy Volleyball isn’t faith-adjacent. It’s openly Christ-centered. David points to Luke 2:52 as the framework—growing in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man. For Legacy, that translates into mental growth, athletic development, spiritual identity, and social character. The goal isn’t preaching from the sideline. It’s building athletes whose identity isn’t tied to a scoreboard. They pray before tournaments, talk openly about character, and encourage families to keep their priorities intact even when travel sports culture pushes the opposite direction. Winning matters. Competing matters. But if the program becomes more important than the people in it, they’ve missed it.
Why Legacy Exists
David carries two coaching memories that explain everything. As a kid, he once called his little league coach after seeing him in a commercial, and the coach answered and made time for him. That stuck. Years later, he got cut from high school baseball and was told it was because he was too short—no feedback, nothing to improve, just a verdict. He never tried out again. He sees that same pattern playing out in travel sports now—early sorting, heavy money, burnout—and Legacy is the response. Compete seriously, but give kids something they can actually work on. Protect family time. Keep identity bigger than the game. One story sums it up: a mother told him she wouldn’t let her daughter play on Sundays after watching her family fracture chasing a college dream with another child. Other clubs pushed hard for the girl. David didn’t. He told her maybe she shouldn’t play travel at all—just come to open gym and enjoy the game. That decision says more about the program than anything else.
How They’re Growing
Legacy started with around 100 girls at tryouts and quickly built multiple teams. Growth has been almost entirely word-of-mouth—parents talking, coaches vouching, trust spreading. The focus is simple: be consistent, handle mistakes well, and build real relationships. At the first parent meeting, David does something unusual—he “fires” the parents as coaches. Not as parents, just as sideline strategists. Kids shouldn’t have to choose between a coach’s voice and a parent’s. What they need most from the stands is simple: “I love watching you play.”
The Business Reality
Legacy is still early, and the tension is real. They want to stay affordable while building something sustainable, which means fundraising, partnerships, and support from the community. For David, that’s new ground. After years in systems where revenue was structured, this requires humility—asking for help, inviting people into the mission, and trusting that the right support will show up. It’s not about selling something. It’s about building something worth backing.
Closing Thought
Travel sports has become an arms race—money, exposure, pressure. Legacy is pushing the other direction. Compete hard. Grow strong. Keep Christ at the center. Protect the family. Build something that still makes sense ten years from now. That’s the legacy they’re after.
If you want to learn more about Legacy or support their cause head over to their website or find them on social media
