James Strickland
James Strickland is a relatable speaker from Katy, Texas. His easy-going nature makes you feel like he’s the type of guy you could just hangout with. James’ goal with speaking is to help anyone know they can achieve their dreams and that nothing is impossible.
James was not the easiest child growing up and he attributes that to having a loving Mom but no father figure in his life. Being raised by a single Mom there wasn’t much discipline or consequences for his actions. This led James to be quite the handful, and many thought he would head down the wrong road. When James was about 8 his Mom signed him up for a “Big Brother” through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.
Once James began to trust his Big Brother, he began to act out less and less. If he was not well behaved at home or school his big brother didn’t take him to do fun things. This made James understand actions have consequences. Which helped him understand that people respect good actions. His favorite thing they did together was go to Rice Stadium to play football with some of the Houston Oilers. As the years went by, James grew to understand that if he placed his energy into his goals, he could have good outcomes.
He became a competitive swimmer, a semi-pro football player who even tried out at the 2010 NFL combine, and more recently has been breaking records as a competitive powerlifter. One of the strongest men in history, he is consistently in the top 1-3 strongest in the world. He actually has one of the biggest raw bench presses in history. His drive to achieve things that others say are impossible, keeps him motivated. 
When he’s not in the gym, working or spending time with family you might catch him volunteering in the school district he resides in, mentoring teens as well as playing on the elementary playground like a big kid, even reading to Kindergarten classes.
James Strickland as a motivational speaker
James is extremely passionate about all schools (especially high school) having a male engagement programs in his district, he is known as the “Top Dog” because he helps many schools start Watch D.O.G.S. or revive their programs. He strongly believes a male presence in schools is invaluable to engaged students.
One of his biggest priorities is being a positive example of how a husband should be for his children and being a constant visible figure in his children’s lives. Without a father growing up, James knew he wanted to be an active participant in his family. James’ passion for achieving dreams and his compassion for future generations shows every time you hear him speak even if it’s just a casual conversation. Bring James to your community and let him help others realize they can achieve anything they set their hearts to!
