My name is Malik Thompson -- WELCOME to my site!

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About Me:

I am a Fox Valley native, raised in Hortonville, Wisconsin. I am a graduate of Fox Valley

Lutheran High School where I was a Basketball and Track and Field student-athlete. I grew

up attending Hoosier School of Basketball directed by collegiate coach and trainer, Woody

Wilson. From the ages of 15 to 18, I assisted with the elementary grades of Hoosier School

of Basketball, and under the guidance of Woody, I learned to apply the lessons of my own

basketball career, and found a love for coaching. I went on to complete my bachelor's

degree in psychology at the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point with a minor in Spanish.

I ran track and field at the collegiate level which fueled my love for weight lifting, as well as

agility and conditioning training.

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Work History:

Upon my return back to the Fox Cities in 2018, I worked as a youth behavioral specialist for Innovative Services and developed a love for working with the youth and young adults within the Fox Cities community. From there I transferred into the Appleton Area School District (AASD) as a Special Education paraprofessional, assisting with students in grades 2-6. Upon my arrival to AASD, I accepted a position with Appleton West's girl's basketball program where I remained coaching through 2024.

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While working as a paraprofessional, I began additionally coaching AAU basketball for Blaze Sports

and Fitness, where I eventually accepted the position at the basketball director of operations,

overseeing both their boys and girls basketball teams, with 22 teams in total for 2 years. I had an

absolute blast working with families, athletes, and my coaching staff; after gaining experience in the

AAU world, I decided to make coaching my career.

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Why do I do this? And why expand my company to personal training beyond basketball?

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Simply put: I love working with others to accomplish their goals. I love providing support,

encouragement, and motivation to the clients and athletes that I work with. There is no better feeling than watching people gain confidence and crush their goals and I want to help in any way that I can. I have loved seeing the mental and physical growth of my basketball athletes over the years, and now I want to extend my knowledge and training to help better the overall health and wellness of the people in my community. 

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What can you expect from me as an AAU director and basketball coach/trainer?

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I train both boys and girls of all ages, skill types, and experience. If they have the desire to play/learn, I have the desire to coach. I offer one-on-one and group sessions that are focused on building off of basic basketball fundamentals, and expanding their knowledge of the game mentally, and on the court. The lessons we learn in the gym translate over to everyday life. Accountability, Responsibility, Honesty and Integrity are at the forefront of everything we teach in sessions, practices, and in games. 

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When it comes to forming AAU teams, I host tryouts for all ages, assess numbers, then work with families to create teams that are committed to competing together in tournaments.

I BELIEVE IN QUALITY OVER QUANTITY -- meaning: If we do not have enough numbers, or enough players that are ready to compete at the AAU level, I do not make a team for that age group and communicate this with the parents of that age group. Rather, I encourage these athletes and families to continue with training sessions, come to group sessions, and continue working in the gym to prepare for that level of competition. I will also help guide any athletes to other AAU programs with open roster spots that could be a good fit/experience for growth that season.

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I want my teams going out on the floor with confidence, trust and belief that they are prepared and ready for competition, not create a season of unknowns, digress in confidence, and lose their love for the game. We are here to build up our athletes, support them, and help prepare them for life, as well as basketball. 

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Your kids are my top priority, and their growth in skills and confidence is the most important thing to me. I want to see them succeed whether it is with me, or a fellow AAU company. Your child is always welcome in my gym, regardless of whether they play for Wisconsin Underdogs, or solely attend training sessions with me and my coaching staff. 

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What can you expect from me as your Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), Strength and Conditioning coach, and/or Nutrition Guide?

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You can expect my full dedication to your personal mental and physical goals. I don't want to simply

be your coach, I want to be someone you feel you can trust and confide in on good days and bad.

I know what it feels like to feel unsure of where to start on your fitness journey. I know how hard it

can be to stay accountable to the goals you've set for yourself. Sometimes you just need someone to reassure you that you're on the right track. I'm here to help get you on that right track, keep you on track, and/or help you expand on what you already know.

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You can expect a judgement free zone, ALWAYS. I don't care where you're from, or how much experience you have in fitness, we are in this together, and I promise to support you through your journey.

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Maybe your goal is to hit the gym with a consistent routine 3 days a week. Or maybe you want to train to run a 5k. Maybe you need help with nutrition and meal guidance to assist you in your health goals. Maybe you've never stepped foot in a gym, but want to learn activities and workouts to do at home regularly --

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Come as you are, I'm so happy to have you!