The Front Page Photo that Changed Everything: The Rise of Flood Sports

By Justin Lim, Community Reporter

Strength coach Jeremiah Flood's story is a remarkable testament to the power of perseverance and determination. Despite suffering numerous injuries in his youth, Flood refused to give up on his dreams of football. He walked on to Florida International University's Division 1 football team, where he eventually earned a scholarship. Having not been a starter since the eighth grade, Flood triumphantly returned to the lineup as a college player facing the perennial powerhouse University of Alabama football team.

In this game, Flood took a particularly memorable hit when an opposing player struck him with a stiff arm to his face. As Flood was shoved to the grass, Alabama was celebrating their touchdown. This moment would make the front page of Flood’s hometown newspaper and at first, Flood's ego took a significant hit. He couldn't help but feel that his reputation as a football player was tarnished. However, as time went on he gained some insight. Flood recalled, “I came to the realization that my perceived loss of esteem was only a product of my own ego, and that other peoples’ opinions held no weight on my intrinsic value as a person or as an athlete.” This experience shaped his professional dedication to build other athletes’ mindsets and perspectives.

What sets Flood apart from other trainers is the judgment-free culture that he has created at his gym. He fosters a fun-loving yet competitive culture where athletes are encouraged to embrace their mistakes. Flood firmly believes that in order to truly learn, failure is necessary. He doesn't view failure as something to be feared. Instead, he encourages athletes to find humor in their mistakes and recognize that failure is simply a natural part of the learning process. By embracing failure and viewing it as an opportunity for growth, athletes can continue to push themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Flood’s training philosophy is simple: preparation for competition should be more difficult physically and cognitively than the competition itself. Flood not only focuses on increasing an athlete’s speed, power, and strength but he blends that with decision-making and skill acquisition. Flood opines, “Sports is not just about how fast or strong you are, it's about how fast you can be while making the right decision and reliably applying the right skill. It’s proving you can do it expertly every time.”

Athlete Ellie Chen who is a two-time CIF champion and has twice made the allCIF team described the gym as “a second home where athletes improve their strength both physically and mentally.” Learn more by visiting FloodSports.com.