The 46-yard touchdown reception that ran out of time against Phoenix – USC was so memorable that it earned him the nickname.

Jael Mary.

But former Arizona State and NFL wide receiver Jalen Strong hopes to define himself with more than two outstanding seasons at Tempe and an unforgettable catch in 2014. He wants to make a difference for young athletes in volleyball.

Through his new sports and academic youth organization, 602Era, Mr. Strong is committed to providing opportunities for young athletes through sport. The organization has 7-on-7 soccer, basketball, baseball, and track and field teams for elementary through high school students. He hopes to eventually set up an IMG-like academy in Arizona.

It’s a business, but Strong hopes the lessons learned will be far-reaching.

“We try to teach kids how to challenge themselves and always grow no matter what. Our goal is to get kids to college for free through sport,” Strong said. said. “The foundation of 602Era is building a network of alumni who learn through years of program participation and come back to give back to the youth of the community. It’s like ‘reach one, teach one.’”

Strong founded the business in January with the goal of becoming the most prominent youth sports organization in Arizona with an elite team of former athletes and trainers.

Four months after its launch, Strong attracted young people from eight high schools across Maricopa County, including 34 athletes in two sports.

“I’ve always been attached to young people,” he said. “When I was in Philadelphia, I founded SNPGD, a youth development program, and I still do it. I wanted to

“So I started 602Era because that’s the area code for Phoenix and I wanted people to know we were from Arizona when we left that area. , you get the revitalization of the Valley that ASU coach (Kenny) Dillingham is trying to bring in. Through 602Era, I want to build great relationships with the community, Arizona State University, and every other university across the country. I am thinking.”

Instilling core values ​​and making young athletes better people was the highlight of the first few months, Strong said.

He believes his model of six pillars, no excuses, and two places (schools and stadiums) sets the standard necessary for success. He expects all athletes participating in the 602 Era to adhere to the pillar’s expectations and demonstrate the same work ethic on the field and in the classroom.

Jalen Strong coaches the 602Era 7v7 team in recent training. (Photo Credit: Damian Rios/Crokite News)

The creation of the Six Pillars ideology was inspired by former Arizona State University coach Todd Graham. Strong, who played under Graham for two seasons at ASU, credits his former coach for introducing an environment that prioritizes growth off the field as much as on the field.

“As far as life goes, he was a phenomenal man. My players live their lives according to these policies and what they learned under coach Graham at Arizona State University,” Strong said. Told. “As a leader, as a team player, to communicate, to pay attention to detail, to understand and execute your duties. They’re just trying to get you going and getting you up to speed.”

Former Clemson tight end and 602 Era assistant coach DJ Greenlee said Strong and 602 Era assistant coaches after introducing the two to him when his cousin, All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins, was a Texans teammate. built a relationship with The two have been friends ever since, and Greenlee was one of the first people Strong called when recruiting coaches to 602.

Since then, Greenlee has helped establish 7v7 soccer teams for different age groups. Like Strong, Greenlee wants to “teach them what I’ve been taught by my coaches and coach Dabo Swinney at Clemson University.”

“602 is definitely an organization that is training young children to make their lives better, not just in football,” Greenlee said. “I think that’s the great thing about this organization. It doesn’t say anything about sports. Athletics cannot be singled out because there are so many other things going on. “

Still, the main goal of Strong, Greenlee and the rest of the 602 team is to provide the best possible leadership and training to help their players achieve their goals of playing at the next level.

He has already organized visits to ASU and UNLV football programs, set up camps at the same time, and introduced players to his football connections.

Maren Perrant, 602 Era player and mother of Hamilton High School quarterback Beckham Perrant, said her son’s skills grew in the months he worked with Strong, and his son became more mature off the field. I believe that I have been watching over him and his concentration.

“He’s doing grade checks and holding them accountable. He just wants the best for them,” she said. “He wants everyone to play at the next level, so he’s going to do everything in his power to coach them to that level so they can succeed.”

Beckham appreciates Strong’s experience and knowledge and hopes it will put him in a better position heading into his senior season.

“He’s a great guy to look up to. I mean, he’s clearly done it. He’s been in the league. He’s been to college. He’s what we all want.” He did it all,” Beckham said.

Teammate Eazy Brown, a North High School sophomore, defensive back and wide receiver, credits Strong with introducing 602 Era players to recruiters. Brown believes 602Era puts him in a position to succeed by providing them with the ability to make their presence more visible in his program of college football.

Jalen Strong (right) and some members of 602Era revel at the recent ASU spring football game. (Photo credit: Nikash Nath/Cronkite News)

“Jaylen has great connections and knows great people,” Brown said. “Great people find great talent. And when Jalen invites them to see us play, they like our game and want us to come see their facility. He just gave us a chance.”

Strong, who grew up in Philadelphia and played at Los Angeles Pierce College before moving on to Power 5 football, often tells stories of determination and chasing dreams.

“He told us a lot about his background and how he got to JUCO and ASU,” Beckham said. “He uses his story to motivate us.

“As a team, we all look at him as a coach, but deep down we see him as a big brother,” Brown said. “He wants us to be great. He wants us to come in and train, he doesn’t want us to be idle and he wants us to go through what he did just to find an opportunity to continue playing football. No.”

Strong’s motivation is to provide another route to learn and grow under successful professionals in athletics and off the field.

“This means a lot because my service to young people puts them in a position to ultimately become better people than I am,” Strong said. “And that’s all I can ask. All we should ask is that the next generation will always be better than the last.”

“You should always take a step forward, not a step back. So I’m just trying to be a leader and a mentor to the young men and women who make themselves vulnerable.”

His coaching days are just beginning, but he already has big plans for the future.

“I’m going to open a school,” he said. “It’s been on the back of my mind for a while, but this is the next step in how I want to impact young people.”

Greenlee said Strong hopes to establish an “elite-type IMG school in Arizona” to build a curriculum that better prepares children for college and careers in professional sports. .

“I want to create a vocational school like a sports academy,” Strong said. “Fundamental to that is teaching children life skills through hands-on work in the classroom. Team collaborative projects, financial literacy and a hands-on environment are all necessary to prepare athletes for life. Thing.”

Whether training children on the field, running sports organizations, or working to build schools, Strong has been committed to using his platform for the betterment of future generations.

While the ASU great’s impact on the field will never be forgotten, it’s the legacy he’s building that drives Strong to continue to leave his mark on the valley.

“Kids know they make my life so much better,” he said. “They give me purpose to get up and keep working hard every day. I love them all dearly. I get emotional because I can’t find purpose in anything else like I did when I was younger.” .

“As long as I’m serving my kids and I’m reaching out to my kids and he’s reaching out to other kids, that’s the only thing that matters to me.”