We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ashley Robinson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Too often the media represents innovation as something magical that only high-flying tech billionaires and upstarts engage in – but the truth is almost every business owner has to regularly innovate in small and big ways in order for their businesses to survive and thrive. Can you share a story that highlights something innovative you’ve done over the course of your career?

The most innovative thing I have done is create a global platform called Streetball to Pro. I was blessed to team up with Cardell Butler aka Ballaholic and Jamar Davis the Pharmacist from AND1. We are using basketball as a tool for educating the youth on Anti Bullying while developing unity in communities worldwide. Also as a home for providing professional job opportunities to players in the US, overseas and Streetball for both men and women.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

The Kitsap Admirals are a winning organization that makes a positive impact through a Commitment to Excellence in the community, both on and off the court. We strive to set a standard of integrity, honesty and professionalism by providing high quality programs while empowering and developing the future leaders of tomorrow.

The Kitsap Admirals goal is to form a successful international professional feeder program for coaches and players worldwide. The Admirals are pioneers among minor league teams throughout the United States. We are the 2015-16 Pac NW Champions, 2016 Tacoma Pro Am Champions and the 2016 Seattle Summer League Pro Am Conference Champs. 2017 NABL West Conference Champs, 2017 Zeke-End Runner Up and 2019 UK WCBT Runner Up. The 2020 Maximum Madness Runner-up. Along with victories over the NBL,CBA, Div 2 Spain & Russia and Super League Russia.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I met my brother/business partner at a showcase and Tijuana Mexico.. he showed up to get scouted and I showed up as a coach and scout with my team. We matched up in our first game and afterwards I was informed of his Streetball name by another player. Being a major AND1 fan I introduced myself. God gave me the Streetball to Pro vision in 2019 which was my version of AND1 and 4 years later I met Cardell and shared my vision.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

One of my favorite moments is returning back to Hastings to compete in the WCBT and Blue Cage in London to launch Streetball to Pro. This was an out of pocket expense that my family and I had to occur. I maxed out our credit cards, trusting God to continue to build the program which He started me with in November 2011 through the Kitsap Admirals a minor league basketball team. The love from the UK community was priceless. Upon our return home less than a few weeks later I had the pleasure of talking with one of the AND1 legends, Jamar Davis aka the Pharmacist.

Contact Info:

• Website: streetballtopro.com
• Instagram: KitsapAdmirals
• Facebook: Kitsap Admirals
• Youtube: @streetballtopro

Image Credits
Raian.Konstantinidis.Photography