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Hoop Story #011: Kyle Babel, Chief Marketing Officer at MADE Hoops

Hoop Story #011: Kyle Babel, Chief Marketing Officer at MADE Hoops

Chief Marketing Officer at MADE Hoops


Feature No. 11 | May 13th, 2020

 

Introduce yourself. How did you fall in love with Basketball?

I fell in love with basketball the moment I was able to touch one.

There was something special about being able to just go to a court & get shots up, always trying to be like Kobe, my favorite player. He's truly the reason I fell in love with the game. Basketball consumed my entire life. It was literally 24/7; breathe, eat, sleep.

There was a point in my life when I was playing for 6 different teams at the same time. Sometimes we'd have to leave at half time just to catch another game at the half. What an amazing time. I'll leave it at this, no matter if you are happy, sad, up, down, excited, or angry - the basketball will always be there for you.

 

Tell us about your role with MADE hoops.

MADE Hoops has been an incredible journey. It started back in 2014, a few months after I graduated from college. I'm the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). I'm responsible for running & overseeing our social media accounts, content team, marketing, & merchandising. I also assist with operations & staffing of events.

Talk about the circuit,  what are some of the highlights of the warmup, the 8th grade finale, the slam event.

The circuit is really special because you get to see the growth of these young student athletes over 4 months. It's amazing the difference you can see from November to March. It's nice to see them 5 years later too like Terrence Clarke, RJ Davis, Posh Alexander, AJ Hoggard etc. #MADEAlum

The Warmup is one of my favorites. It always lands within a couple days or even on my birthday. Arkansas surprisingly is like a 2nd home. Every year has had an amazing moment. From the first one with Malik Monk, Trae Young, Michael Porter, RJ Hampton, Bam Adebayo etc. to last year having Bronny hitting a buzzer beater in a sold out crowd.

 

Whats the best part about working with these kids early in their career?

The best part is when they come back or reach out & say how much MADE Hoops has helped them & they have some incredible memories. I love seeing them connect with other kids from different parts of the country & creating friendships. You see them interacting on social media & knowing that they met at one of our events is really awesome.

 

What is some advice you would give to these young hoopers during this Pandemic?

Focus on yourself. It's truly a time where you are forced to not have distractions. Take advantage of eating healthier, working out, watching film, & writing down your goals. There are a lot of things you can do from home to get better without even touching a basketball.

Shameless plug: We launched our Virtual Academy this past weekend which has classroom sessions & dynamic training via ZOOM. The feedback has been great. I highly suggest you join our next one to isolate your game.

 

What are your looking forward to with MADE Hoops?

I'm looking forward to get back on the basketball court first & foremost. Also, continuing to grow & build our brand & events around the country & staying true to what MADE stands for: Maximizing, Athletes, Development, & Exposure.

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