EDWARDSVILLE - Former Edwardsville High tennis player and now successful entrepreneur Anthony Izear shared his secrets of success and other wisdom with the kids at the annual Diversity Day lunch program presented by McCormick and Associates, held July 31, 2024, as a part of the Edwardsville Futures tennis tournament, presented by The EGHM Foundation, at the auditorium of the Jon Davis Wrestling Center at the Edwardsville High School campus.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Izear, who played for the Tigers in 1997-98, is now a successful entrepreneur and businessman in Sarasota, Fla., where he lives with his wife and family. and looked forward to speaking to the kids and possibly inspire them to bigger and better thing beyond tennis in particular, and sports in general.
"I feel great about that," Izear said in an interview prior to his remarks. "It is an honor to be here, and speak to the children and guide them, and show them the way."
Izear was a former player for the Tigers and head coach Dave Lipe many years ago, and is, by his own admission, a "serial entrepreneur" who has started and currently runs many companies in his portfolio.
"We have multiple different companies," Izear said. "We have a company called The Comfees Company; we sell women's apparel online. Leggings, blousal pants, jogger pants. We also have another marketing agency, where we work with other companies grow their company. And we primarily work with men's spas, and plastic surgeons, of that nature. Multiple other companies besides that, but those are the two biggest."
It was a higher calling that brought him to be one of the guest speakers at Diversity Day.
"I want to be of service and an inspiration to the kids," Izear said. "I'm one of these kids, I grew up in this environment, and I know what it's like to show up to tournaments without the proper equipment, the proper funding, and have to go and fight and scratch for everything you earn. And thank God for Coach Lupe; he really was a pillar to success, and guided me through that process, and coached me to be a winner, on and off the court."
The lessons Izear learned from Lipe still resonate with him today.
"The thing is, only a fraction of a percent will be a professional athlete But the things that you learn from being in that day are applicable in so many different areas in life, and you can really use to thrive in this world if you apply them," he said. "So, the lessons that I learned from Dave 24, 25 years ago still stay with me to this day."
Izear wants to share his knowledge with the new generation, whom he sees as life-changers, willing to do good things for the betterment of themselves and for other people, too.
"Absolutely," Izear said. "When he asked me to come up and speak at this event, I jumped all over it, because it's going to plant some seeds and change the world. And all of us have that ability if we're willing to do the work that's necessary in order to accomplish it. And I would love to thank Dave for this opportunity. and just be grateful for his opportunity to speak, and help change some other kids' life, just like he changed mine."
If he's able to help change a couple of the kids' lives around, then it's all worth it to Izear.
"Amen," Izear said. "Amen, absolutely. There's some world changers in this room I know."
More like this:
