Motivated to keep his students on the right path and give them the guidance that was given to him, James Stewart tries to push his students to be better through basketball. Stewart also volunteers at group homes on the weekends to keep young teens out of trouble.

 Before his grandfather, which was his role model, passed away he shared a piece of advice that stuck with him.

“To find your purpose in life, once you find it, don’t settled be better.”

That’s something that Stewart lives by and tries to share with young teens .

Most people know Stewart as an ISS Adviser but he’s more than that , he has  played pro and semi-pro basketball for 13 years. In 10 years he sees himself being an head coach for his own basketball program .

 What made him wanna help out young troubled kids was when he was 15 years old he lived in Chicago and stole a car to go joy-riding with his cousins took CPD on a high-speed chase. He had went to court the following week and after the judge read all his charges she looked at him and according to Stewart ,

“I can tell you are a good kid and your Grandmother has raised a respectful young man. So today I am going to drop all charges against you but you are to leave the state of Illinois and move to Arizona with your mom because I don’t want to see you dead or in jail for some foolishness you have no business doing.”

 If it wasn’t for that he wouldn’t be able to play pro basketball or help out the teens whom may be going through the same issues.  He feels like his spirit animal is a Lion because he is a “fearless leader” and he speaks his mind.

 “Everyone wants to be a beast, until it’s time to do what a beast do,” Stewart said.

His motivation is helping the youth succeed in any and every way possible which is a very rewarding feeling for Stewart. Combs High School is the first school he’s ever worked at and he feels like it’s never a dull moment . He is excited to to bring his knowledge to the school a be a role model for the students who attend combs.

“You gotta give respect to get it back and that’s what I try to show the younger generation who struggles with that” Stewart Said.

“If anybody ever needs to talk about life situations or problems that they are having, you are more than welcome to speak to me” he says.

Students thank coach James Stewart for volunteering his time and taking deep interest in the students all around Arizona State.  Combs appreciates all the knowledge and motivating words that are given to the teens to help place them on a good track .