Eric Bailey
"I support Double Drummer’s ideals in spreading the importance of sport as a way of connecting people, leading to a happier, more fulfilling way of life. I hope DD members will support my favourite charity, Red Frogs, who look after kids attending Schoolies Week celebrations and help equip them with survival skills so others won’t be able to take advantage of them."
bio
name: Eric Bailey
sport: basketball
current position: ‘Activational’ Speaker
career highlights: Eric Bailey was born in South Central Los Angeles - one of the toughest neighbourhoods in America. At the age of seven, he was diagnosed with a rare bone disease and told he would never play sport. He was also told he’d never amount to anything and to forget about getting an education. He flatly refused to accept such a fate.
He trained every morning and studied every evening. He tried out for the school basketball team and went on to take his team to its first and only state championship. In time he received a basketball scholarship to Boise State University and graduated with a bachelor in marketing and communications.
After several successful seasons of high level U.S. basketball, Eric moved to Australia in 1982 to play in the NBL He subsequently starred for the Melbourne Tigers, Hobart Devils and Gold Coast Rollers.
Eric has worked with many of the highest profile athletes on the planet including basketball legends Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Julius “Dr J” Erving and Scottie Pippen, tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams and World Boxing Champ. Evander Holyfield.
Since retiring from professional basketball, Eric has forged a career helping others. He is now one of the most sought after motivational speakers in the world. Today, Eric is everything he was told he would never be.
Like our other Ambassadors, Eric supports Double Drummer’s ideals and believes in the good that Double Drummer can do. He hopes DD members will support his favourite charity, the Red Frogs who primarily provide a safety net and prevention strategy for school leavers at the notorious Schoolies Week celebrations.
Eric’s road to triumph from one of the toughest neighbourhoods in America makes him one of the most sought after motivational speakers in the world. He will be speaking at Double Drummer’s media launch early next year.
birthday: 26 November
birth place: Los Angeles, USA
residence: Brisbane, QLD Australia
my community project
The Red Frogs
Red Frogs is primarily a safety net for high school leavers attending the notorious Schoolies Week celebrations. For some 12 years, the Red Frog Crew has been a highly visible force, helping teenagers survive what can be an extremely dangerous environment.
Since its inception, Red Frogs has spread Australia-wide covering 17 schoolies festival locations, providing a support role for an estimated 70,000 schoolies via a network of around 1,800 youth workers and volunteers. The group has become Australia’s largest and most trusted support network for school leavers and uni students.
Red Frogs also runs highly successful High School and University education programs to re-enforce appropriate social behaviour in young people… a unique community service for which they’ve achieved widespread and well-deserved community recognition.
As Eric says: "Growing up in LA, I saw the damage caused by a lack of self-confidence in young people and the results of giving in to peer pressure.
"Yes things are different here in Australia, but I still feel I can use my story to help youth to change for the better… so I see a natural fit with this organisation and with Double Drummer’s goal of helping Australians in general to lead healthier, happier lifestyles."
Click here to find out more or to donate
contact me
e-mail: info@doubledrummer.com
web: www.ericbailey.com.au