About N2SC
We’re parents who competed in youth sports a generation ago - and benefitted immeasurably. Now, our kids are athletes too. Many of us are writers (there are 12 best-selling books and 100 Million Ted Talk views among us!)
We care about the power of written expression and skillful storytelling. So, we searched for competitions and publications our kids could submit their sports stories to (we call them “Sporticles”). We found forty-seven destinations, soliciting every subject from fashion to Dungeons & Dragons, but none dedicated to youth sports and student-athletes. Zero. Goose Egg. Shut out. 47 - 0.
What’s the assumption here: athletes have nothing meaningful to say? Can’t write a story worth reading? We disagree, and we intend to rebut that bias right here, and right now.
Founder & CEO, Kenneth Cain
Kenneth is an Honors graduate of Harvard Law School and Wesleyan University, where he was an award-winning scholar-athlete. He was a Fulbright Scholar in Sri Lanka and a Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. He served for many years as an officer in UN Peacekeeping Operations around the world including Somalia, Rwanda, and Cambodia. His book on the subject was an international bestseller and has been optioned for film by Russell Crowe and for the stage by Cate Blanchett. He is currently working with Russell Crowe's production Company, "Fear of God Films," on an 8-episode mini-series based on Ken's life. He has spoken widely on international issues, appeared on CNN, Fox, CBC, the BBC, et al., and has written for the NY Times, The Wall Street Journal, GQ and many scholarly publications, including a National Magazine Award nomination. Ken has worked in a senior capacity on several start-ups, and in global private equity at AIG. He often lectures at Columbia University and NYU, and has wide experience living and working in Asia, in both the private and public sectors. Ken is a Harvard College alumni interviewer.
Founding COO, Brendan Cahill
Brendan Cahill has worked for over a decade as an award-winning teacher, coach, speaker, and writer. Cahill earned an honors degree in history from Hartwick College in 2012 and a Master’s of Education from Boston University in 2019. He started his teaching career as a United States Peace Corps TEFL Volunteer serving in Western Ukraine teaching elementary and secondary English in a small village school. After returning home, Cahill taught first grade for New York City’s Success Academy Charter School Network from 2014 to 2015 in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. Moving to New Haven, Cahill taught for three years from 2015 to 2018 where he taught Civics and was awarded the New Haven VFW’s Teacher Of The Year Award for his work promoting awareness of veterans’ issues. During this time, Cahill began his private consultancy training, developing and helping to place prospective college football student-athletes at prestigious colleges and universities. His work has also led him to various speaking engagements with Nike’s Coach Of The Year Football Clinics and work learning with NFL Super Bowl and Pro Bowl players such as Tampa Bay Long Snapper Zac Triner, Falcon’s Kicker Younghoe Koo and 5th All-Time Leading Scorer In NFL History John Carney. In 2021 after nearly a decade of teaching in a traditional setting, Cahill now runs his coaching consultancy full time. He currently runs the daily podcast, The Coach Cahill Show, where he speaks with coaches, professional athletes and thought leaders on how to move the needle on performance.
See what others say about working with Coach Cahill here by clicking this link.
Head Of Writing Mentorship, John U. Bacon
John U. Bacon has worked nearly three decades as a writer, a public speaker, and a college instructor, winning awards for all three. He has authored eleven books on sports, business, health, and history, five of which are New York Times best sellers, including:
Bo’s Lasting Lessons: The Legendary Coach Teaches the Timeless Fundamentals of Leadership
Three and Out: Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan Wolverines in the Crucible of College Football
Fourth & Long: The Fight for the Soul of College Football
Endzone: The Rise, Fall, and Return of Michigan Football
John Saunders’ Playing Hurt: My Journey from Despair to Hope, which Bacon coauthored
The Great Halifax Explosion: A World War I Story of Treachery, Tragedy, and Extraordinary Heroism, which became a national best seller when it was release on November 7, 2017
Bacon has also pursued his passions for radio, television, coaching and teaching. In 2007 he was invited to give weekly sports commentary on Michigan Radio every Friday morning, which he still does. He also appears weekly on WTKA Sports Talk 1050’s The Michigan Insider, Michigan Radio’s Stateside, and occasionally on National Public Radio, which awarded him the PRNDI prize for nation’s best commentary in 2014. He appears often on TV, including HBO, ESPN, Fox Business, MSNBC, and the Big Ten Network, where he is a frequent contributor to both “Icons” series.
Bacon has taught at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, and teaches at the University of Michigan, where the students selected him for the 2009 Golden Apple award, given annually to the University’s top teacher.
A popular public speaker, Bacon delivers speeches on the themes taken from his books, and coaching and teaching experiences – including leadership, diversity, motivating millennials, and creativity – to corporations, universities, and other groups around the country and the world. In 2011, the Michigan Chapter of Meeting Planners International (MMPI) named him “Speaker of the Year.”
Bacon is now an average hockey player, a mediocre Spanish speaker, and a poor piano player – but this has not stopped him from enjoying all three. He lives in Ann Arbor with his wife and son.
Founding Canine, Sophie
Roles include rolling in mud, lots of catch,ing and getting into general mischief.